To some people, the garage may not seem all that important. Just choose a single, two, or if you're pushing the boat out (or need to store one), a three-car garage and be done with it, right? Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. This may be enough for some people, but thoroughly planning out your garage and taking the time to design it carefully will save you a lot of hassle down the road.

There’s a lot that should be considered when designing your garage, for example, the style and the material you’d like to use. However, possibly the most important part is figuring out what size garage you should design that meets all of your needs. The first thing you’ll need to determine is what the main function of the garage will be. Do you plan to use it as a hangout area? A home gym maybe? Or perhaps you’re just looking to store your family vehicles and a couple of other things? In this blog we’re going to go over the latter, and how to make sure your garage design meets your storage needs.

Start with your vehicles. Measure the length and width of all your vehicles with the doors open to make sure you have enough space to store them without damaging a door when you’re backing out. You might also want to consider if you are maybe looking to store another car in the future. Will it be a bigger car? Do you have kids that will be getting a car? You might not care to protect all your cars in a garage, but it’s smart to think ahead for these things. What about a boat or trailer? If you’re wanting to store one of these as well, make sure you measure them too. 

Now think about storage, which is possibly the most tedious part about planning for your garage, but trust us, it’s the best way to make sure you have enough space. Make a list of all the general items you’d like to store in your garage such as lawnmowers, tools, work equipment, sports equipment, maybe a fridge, or a workbench? Maybe you want half the garage for your car and storage and the other half for an 'at home' gym, for laundry machines and a utility sink, or leisure activity. Whatever it may be, write it all down on your list. With your these elements in mind, consider if shelves would be useful, cabinets, or if potentially building an attic or mezzanine above the garage would provide a solution for seasonal storage items.

Don’t forget the walking space and your land space. A space of 4 feet is recommended to have between your vehicles and storage or other items. If you live in a residential area, make sure to not build too close to adjacent properties. If you have quite a bit of land or are in the countryside, consider if the land will need to be cleared of trees and reshaped. Also, consider where you’d like your garage to have access to. Possible ideas are having a side door to the garden or thinking about what area of the house you’d like the garage to be attached to. We know that all this designing for size and space can be overwhelming. Experts at Arc Design Services are here to help. Having your measurements, lists of items to store and ideas of what you’d like to incorporate in the design or accommodate for will help our experts design your dream garage for you. To get started on your dream home, visit us at www.arcdesginservices.net or call 0161 928 4433.