It seems as though every home built today comes with an attached garage and we are starting to forget all about the advantages of a detached garage.
If you missed our first post in this series, my wife and I are finally tackling the last major project of our home- a new detached garage. The original garage is something I have wanted to demolish ever since we purchased the house.
Why choose a detached garage?
I know many people immediately assume an attached garage is far superior due to easy access, but I am here to tell you otherwise. Let’s jump right into the topic of this post and discuss the benefits of a detached garage.
Separation
This can be both a positive and a negative depending on your lifestyle.
For someone like myself who always has their hands on a project, saws running or welders blazing, having some separation from the main house is fantastic. This way I can work without worrying about making too much noise that transfers into the living area.
Another aspect fueling the resurgence of the detached garage is the growing trend of garage conversions. More and more people are transforming their detached garages into home offices, garden suites, or laneway homes. This just simply isn’t an option with an attached garage.
The Facade
If there is one major aspect of the new era attached garages that I simply cannot stand- it’s the ugly garage forward facade.
This garage forward look is a plague among suburban developments. This look emphasizes the garage and removes every ounce of inviting nature the home could have had. You can hardly see the entrance to the home! This is where building a detached garage can actually add to the overall aesthetic of your property.
This is especially true if you have a smaller home where an attached garage can overwhelm the facade. On the other hand a detached garage looks much more visually pleasing.
Customization
The first two benefits lead directly into what I would consider the biggest advantage of a detached garage- the ability to customize. There are far fewer constraints due to the separation of structures.
Although you will likely have to work within your local bylaws, you can still get creative with a detached garage. For example, The Everything Garage will have nearly the same footprint as our home. If they were next to each other, the whole design would look out of balance. However, because it is in the back lane we can customize the size to exactly what would benefit us the most. In addition, we can customize the structure from the shape to the roof trusses.
A detached garage is safer
You might be wondering exactly how a detached garage is safer.
We store a variety of things in our garages- from propane tanks, to paint, to garden chemicals. The fumes from many of these can be potentially harmful if inhaled. With a detached garage there is no worry of these fumes entering your home.
In addition, the exhaust from your vehicle can’t enter your home. Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer and is seriously harmful when inhaled for extended periods. This can be a problem for those of us in colder climates where we remote start our cars in the morning. With a detached garage, there is no more worrying if you remembered to open the garage door or not.
Extra living space
This was somewhat discussed under separation, however it really deserves its own heading. There may come a point when you want to add some extra square feet of living space on your property. Home additions are typically quite expensive and not always possible on a property. However, adding a second story to a detached garage is a great way to add a home office, guest suite, or rental property.
Potential disadvantages to a detached garage
There is always some drawbacks to any project and building a detached garage over an attached garage is no different.
With a detached garage you will need to walk through potentially inclement weather to get to and from your vehicle. For some of us, this includes January snowstorms. You will also need to carry groceries or unload items from further away.
Although these are probably not deal breakers, they still need to be mentioned.
For our family, a new detached garage was a no brainer. Join our community and subscribe to our YouTube channel to follow along with the entire build!
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