By Kim J. Gifford

To build a garage or not to build a garage, that is the question. It seems most homeowners are answering with a decided “yes,” making a garage the number one home addition this past year.

Popularity

Why are garages so popular? Perhaps the answer lies in their versatility. Obviously, a garage’s traditional and primary function is as a place to store cars, protecting them from the elements. Yet, with just a little effort, garages can be transformed to do so much more. They are handy places for the storage of tools and other equipment, can serve as a workspace or even be renovated to include an extra room upstairs.

David Coke, buyer agent for Housing Solutions Real Estate of Hanover, N.H., says, “A garage is an inexpensive way to capture some additional living space in what we call a bonus room above the garage.” Here, in the North Country, garages attached to the home even serve as a type of mudroom or reception area between the house and the outdoors.

“Certainly from a real estate standpoint, garages help the value of a house and the resaleablity of a house. In this climate it is very difficult to sell a house without a garage or at least the ability to build a garage in the future,”
says Coke.

Today, in fact, the trend is toward even larger garages. Toshia Filion, a real estate agent from Springfield, Vt., who along with her husband Richard, a contractor, buys and sells spec houses, says, “Garages add a lot to a home. All the houses we build now have three bays instead of two as many people have two cars and a toy car like a sports car.”

According to the National Association of Homebuilders, 17 percent of new homes built last year had garages that could fit three or more cars. Yet, garages are not only becoming larger to accommodate more vehicles, but also to provide more space within the garage for these vehicles and other equipment.

Coke agrees. Many of the high-end homes he handles have four, five or six bays. “Some collectors have several vehicles, tractors and boats. It certainly helps to have additional space,” he says.

“Certainly from a real estate standpoint, garages help the value of a house and the resaleablity of a house.”

The need for storage space for vehicles and equipment is not restricted to high-end homes. Bob Jackman –– store manager of LaValley’s Building Supply, a seller of customized pre-fabricated garages in West Lebanon, N.H. –– says, “As soon as you start looking at the equipment most people own –– a lawn mower, snowmobile, etc. –– you’re talking a huge amount of money.” Garages that offer protection and storage space for this equipment are relatively inexpensive in comparison.

Jackman points out that the Hudson, one of LaValley’s more popular garages, can be constructed for less than $9,000. “When compared to the cost of a $30,000 automobile, a motorcycle or a lawn mower, a garage offers extremely good value,” says Jackman.

Value and Cost

According to statistics from the National Association of Realtors’ National Center for Real Estate Research, garages can add 12.9 percent to the selling price of a home.

“The contributory value of a garage in this area of the world is usually not the cost to build it,” says Eric Benson, an appraiser with Benson Appraisal Services in Bethel, Vt. He estimates the value at $2,500 to $3,500 per bay for houses that sell upwards to $250,000.

Appraisers, when determining contributory value, look at what a buyer would be willing to pay for an additional item such as a garage. As a typical rule of thumb, the contributory value is usually between 50 and 75 percent of what it cost to build a specific item. Appraisers also take into account depreciation. For example, an appraiser might adjust an old garage that cost $10,000 to build somewhere between $5,000 and $7,500.

Dave Harrison, project manager with Trumbull-Nelson Construction Co., says it is difficult to provide a ballpark estimate on the cost of a garage as the price can run a wide gamut depending on what a customer wants. “There are a million variables,” he says.

Attached or Detached?

A number of considerations go into building a garage, chief of which is whether it should be attached or not. “Sometimes a garage doesn’t lend itself to being attached because of the way a house sits on the lot,” says Coke.

Even a detached garage, however, may be connected to a home via a portico or walkway. Many homeowners favor attached garages as they allow drivers to enter and exit their vehicle without having to deal with the weather. Attached garages also provide added security. Detached garages, however, may allow greater room for future expansion. They also minimize the exposure to harmful fumes and carbon monoxide.

“Many homeowners favor attached garages as they allow drivers to enter and exit their vehicle without having to deal with the weather.”

Trumbull-Nelson recently completed a detached garage as part of a renovation on a 140-year-old housed owned by Dartmouth College. The resulting garage features two doors, a slab with a frost wall foundation, clapboard siding, a regular door on the side along with some windows, windows on each gable end as well as an attic that has a pull down stair.

Location

Another important factor in constructing a garage is location. Traditionally, attached garages are typically located near the kitchen. Yet, if a house is located on a slope, a garage could be incorporated into the design of the basement. A detached garage may offer more choice in terms of location. One thing to keep in mind is how the garage adds to the overall curb appeal of the property. Given the trend toward larger garages nowadays, it may also be necessary to keep the size and scale of the garage from overwhelming the appearance of the home.

Purpose

“We always tell people to define what they want the use of the building to be,” says Jackman. He recommends taking some time to make a scale model with cutouts. Measure cars and stake out the ground around the house to see how large the garage will be. It helps to place cars right in a traced outline to determine how much room there will be. It is important when planning to make sure there is ample room to enter and exit a car while inside the garage.

The purpose of the garage will also determine a number of other needs. “If all you’re doing is trying to keep snow off your car, you really don’t need heat,” says Harrison. “But if you want a workspace or workbench out there in the middle of February in New Hampshire then some kind of heat is nice.”

The purpose of the garage may also determine its size. “When it comes to size, it’s basically what a homeowner thinks they need in terms of total square footage and working space and what they want for a design,” says Harrison. Some people may choose to include room for additional storage, workspace or utilities such as a laundry room. Designers suggest screening off the storage area so that tools, equipment and other valuables are not visible when the garage doors are open. It is also a good idea to incorporate any extra features when first designing the garage. These could include such amenities as a utility sink or additional electrical outlets.

Appearance

When choosing a custom prefabricated garage, Jackman suggest that people take a picture of their house to bring in and match to the most complementary garage for their home. “It’s very easy to either make a garage look in place and part of the original design,” says Jackman.

Doors also contribute to the overall appearance of the garage. According to information from Lowe’s home improvement web site, the garage door can account for up to 30 percent of the exterior portion of a street side home.

“It is important when planning to make sure there is ample room to enter and exit a car while inside the garage.”

Garage doors are available in a variety of materials. Although traditionally, wood was the most popular, today’s materials also include steel, woods, composites and fiberglass. Many of these materials are more durable and require less maintenance than wood. Decorative details and panel design can tailor a garage door to complement and accent the overall style of a house.