As a “Garage Guy” I am asked occasionally by builders and other about what the “perfect garage” might look like… I have a lot of answers, so I will break them down a little. I’d also LOVE to get reactions and input from anyone that has them.

For a two car garage:

  • Find someone that makes a 17′ wide double door… or better yet an 18′ wide door. 8′ tall would be good, too. Just forget about single doors.
  • Put in more than two outlets. In fact, two per wall is a good minimum… and then at least one more on the ceiling for the garage door opener.
  • Add a 220v outlet. Two would be better… they can be next to each other, or not.
  • Having a couple of feet on the side would be good. Rolling tool chests and other items need a home. A couple of feet at the back is good too. 24′ wide would be good. 25′ deep would be good too.
  • (here is one for the builders). Vapor barrier under the slab. This allows the owner to put down epoxy on the floor.

For a three car garage:

  • Many have a taller “SUV” door on the single. Those doors are generally 8′ wide… SUV is 6 1/2 to 7′ wide… mirrors have to be folded in to drive into the bay. Maybe the tall door should be the double.
  • Make one deeper bay. A lot of people that want three car garages have either a boat of a long vehicle (Suburbans come to mind). A 25+’ deep bay would be appreciated.
  • Again, keep a couple extra feet on the side for tool boxes and other storage.
  • More outlets on the back wall… it is wider, so it needs more outlets.

For a four car garage (or more):

  • Generally the same stuff.
  • Splitting it into two garages is ok… maybe. Assume one is for the daily drivers and the other is for working.

For any garage:

  • Size matters, and bigger is better.
  • On new construction, adding the options for garage organization and storage would be a great idea.
  • Ditto for epoxied floors or other floor treatments.
  • A sink in the garage is a great idea.
  • Real lighting is a necessity. A couple of little ceiling mounted lights for the garage are inadequate. At the very least having a few switched outlets on the ceiling would be good. Most fluorescent fixtures can be set up to plug in.

If you are a builder or developer, I hope that helps. If you are a homeowner, these might give you a few ideas on how to make your garage more inviting for auto enthusiasts.

I look forward to hearing from you.