How Important is a Garage?

naefeart said:
Finally, after buying a new house last year and specifically chosing one with a reasonably sized garage (6m x 6m), I don't know how I managed with 'single' garages or even without for all those years. My car finally fits in it - comfortably - without compromising all my other storage requirements. I don't need a shed for all the bikes/lawn mowers etc. seasonal/wife/children junk stowed in a rack, away from my car cleaning products and doesn't require excavation efforts every year.

Of course, I now feel like a 7x7 or even an 8x8 garage would be amazing - a bit more space to contain two cars comfotably and perhaps a workbench area. Guess I'm never satisfied.
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My 6x7m garage felt huge when i built it but it's so full of stuff now i can barely move around it. I don't think I could ever have a space big enough as i'd always find another hobby/project to fill any empty space.

I'd really love to get a few more metal working tools like a proper milling machine and a bigger lathe but they take up so much room.
 
i spent ages looking for a house with a garage... eventually found one, moved in and my car would not fit in it - not if i wanted to open the doors anyway - 3 door pug 306 so nothing huge!. i have since knocked it down and built a living extension on it instead.

For me a garage is nice to have - possibly essential if you have a motorbike for instance - but i dont, so it was just a storage room. I would say off street parking is far more valuable, for my needs at least and have floored out my attic for storage.

I would now buy a house without a garage but i would not contemplate one without off street parking
 
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I definitely wish we had a garage. The shed is full to the brim, and I had been making most of the storage space in the attic, but now we're having a loft dormer that reduces storage space significantly.

I've been half thinking of sacrificing some of the garden for a bigger shed. It rains like a good 3 months of the year up north, so I feel like that might be a better use of the space.
 
Semple said:
I definitely wish we had a garage. The shed is full to the brim, and I had been making most of the storage space in the attic, but now we're having a loft dormer that reduces storage space significantly.

I've been half thinking of sacrificing some of the garden for a bigger shed. It rains like a good 3 months of the year up north, so I feel like that might be a better use of the space.
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I just added a metal shed 4'x8', means my outhouse isn't as cramped and get to things easier and safer than trawling through stuff
 
tom_nieto said:
To turn the question around - is there anything specific that I should be doing when keeping a car outside? Are covers worthwhile?

I’m actually wondering whether keeping the car outside is going to result in it being used more… more driving = more fun. I get told off every year I service it at my indy that I’m not driving it enough. Cars are meant to be used outdoors after all.

I love my garage, but every function of it could be transferred to a more suitable location (cellar or shed) apart from the car.
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I have thought about it, as said I would love a classic (MGB or similar) but it would have to live outside under a cover.
Would you use it more though? Taking a cover off and putting it back on seems like it would be a bit of a faff with something you are using regularly.
 
I come from the school of thought that a garage is useful even if you're not a "put the car in the garage" sort of person.

For me, I think it really depends on whether you have sufficient outdoorsy storage space to match your outdoor needs. For example, if you have kids, outdoor hobbies or your plot has anything but the tiniest of pieces of land you're going to need somewhere to put things. If you don't already have a shed of some sort or want to stick plastic storage units about then the garage is the place. We are in just getting to the end of the planning stage of some extension work on our house, and are - after much consideration - choosing to extend the garage to make up for half of it being converted, as opposed to our initial thought of converting it to proper living space. This is, in some part, due to the fact that we're planning to extend at the back over where the shed currently is. We don't have a massive garden but the wife is green fingered and we have young kids, so even with sticking some plastic storage around the place and perhaps changing the side alley access in to a shedlike area we're going to need something garagelike to do at least part of that job. Plus, it will be cheaper initially, it can always be converted later for minimal cost vs reversing it (I'm thinking from a prospective buyer's POV) and it will actually better suit the other purpose I have in mind (gym). It also depends on whether you have enough living space already. We will have quite a bit, especially after the extension work, so it just doesn't make sense to reduce the utility that a garage brings only to add even more - probably redundant - living space.

I suppose this is all extremely specific to our circumstances, but there's my 2p.
 
car covers I was warned you have to be careful with them making sure they are kept clean and that the car is clean before using them or they can scratch your car.
this is just what I have been told however, I have not used one myself but it does seem sensible
 
I have seen three people keep their cars in their garages on my estate, one an MGB, one a TR6, and one a new Lotus. Standard sized garages are **** for modern cars, and everyone else here either converts them into living space or just fills them with junk.
 
We had one in a new build house we rented that was pretty much completely useless, cars would only just fit in it, but then you couldn't open the door and get out :rolleyes:

Our current house has a double garage and its great, can fit both cars in easily (ish) with space for a chest freezer and load of storage for camping stuff (now in boxes due to mice :mad:). The biggest thing that makes it usable day to day is the remote door - makes it so easy to get in and out :)
 
I'd always look for a place with a decent sized garage, or space to build in the future. Moved into a house with a tiny detached concrete prefab. knocked it down and built a larger 4x6m garage further back into the rear garden. Was a pain in the arse to do but it's in and I'm incredibly glad I did. As others have said, it felt huge to start with but has far too much in it now once you get going with cars and projects. Would love something larger to possibly fit two cars and a work bench in with space to move around but I know if I did I'd fill it again lol I think the base line for me is if I move house, the garage should be at least the same size as my current one
 
If we move house in the future the garage and driveway size is the number 1 priority.

If it meant having a 3 bedroom house instead of a 4 bedroom house with a crap garage then the 3 bed would win every time. Luckily my wife understands this. I could literally live in a caravan but have a double garage next to it.

A house is just a place to sleep, eat and watch TV. A garage is where I am at peace.
 
If one owns bikes (I mean proper bikes that use petrol), then yes, it's essential.
Somewhere warm and dry to have a few beers and tinker and be at one with your machines.
I converted my old outside wash house into a 2 bike garage, and it was worth every single penny.
 
I can't fit a car in my garage but I wouldn't be without it.

Tools, work bench area, bikes, garden tool storage etc.

It does mean that I need to work on our cars outside on the driveway, but all my tools are handy and it's manageable.
 
JonRGV250 said:
If one owns bikes (I mean proper bikes that use petrol), then yes, it's essential.
Somewhere warm and dry to have a few beers and tinker and be at one with your machines.
I converted my old outside wash house into a 2 bike garage, and it was worth every single penny.
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Naah, I have a big shed I can fit my two bikes in, but I like working on them outside in the feezing cold so I can pretend I'm 18 again.
 
I have a 30 sq/m double and it still isnt big enough.
Currently in the process of raising the roof so I can get the camper in and have more storage space above :D
 
I'm very lucky. I've got a lovely detached double garage with an electric door, power inside and storage in the eaves under the pictched roof. I've used it as a general garage for two cars, four bikes on racks on the walls, I've SORNed a car in there for years and still left room for a second car or a gym at various times. It gives me somewhere to work on things, my tool boxes are in there, although it's currently it's a junk room again after clearing out the house :D I'm also lucky enough to have a second small locking brick "shed" (it's actually a dog kennel) that I can use as a secondary motorbike storage or cycle storage.

I'm currently thinking of putting solar on the roof and battery storage inside in one corner.

Honestly it's the best room in my house. We will be downsizing the house at some point and I'll sorely miss it.
 
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Would be a hard thing to give up!
 
adam cool dude said:
If we move house in the future the garage and driveway size is the number 1 priority.

If it meant having a 3 bedroom house instead of a 4 bedroom house with a crap garage then the 3 bed would win every time. Luckily my wife understands this. I could literally live in a caravan but have a double garage next to it.

A house is just a place to sleep, eat and watch TV. A garage is where I am at peace.
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My uncle did this, he was looking at hosues and one had essentially a small industrial unit in the garden so he bought it.

He says he bought a workshop and the house just happened to come with it.
 
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