Stupid Garage Door Question (fit in, houses, water heater)

[kab0906]

Ok, I have been spending lots of time looking at houses online. Here is another question: I've seen most homes have that big one door garage - so I'm assuming that has something to do with resisting wind? How realistic is it that 2 cars actually fit into the garage? We have an SUV and a sedan - just by looking at the pictures, I doubt both our cars would fit.

What do you think/what is your experience?

Also, some homes have that 3rd garage door, but it looks really small. Is that really just for a golf cart and storage? Could a car really park on that side?


Thanks!

[nphomeowner]

Two cars do fit, it can be tight but they fit. The little third one does also fit a car. Garages here do seem smaller than what we were used too also.

[bbronston]

A typical garage is 20x20 but there are wider ones and deeper ones. You might not have room for storage on the sides but your cars should fit. If you have any doubt, make your offer contingent on seeing if your cars will fit and say that you will do this (and the seller will make it available) in the first 2 days so they won't have to wait and see.

[beninfl]

It has nothing to do with resisting wind. It has to do with a double door is cheaper than two single doors, requires only one door opener and the wiring, and it doesnt require concrete, stucco, paint, and drywall that the "in between the two doors" would require. Saves about $1500 in construction costs. My home is one 2-car door and one 1-car door. Makes it easy.

[d4g4m]

As noted, to keep costs down, the typical 2 car garage is 20x20 [actual space 18-8] with one 16x7' door. Anyone building a home should ad 4 ft to the length. It affords room for a work bench and space to walk, the water heater, a slop sink and lawn mower.

[kab0906]

Thank you! The size information is very helpful. It's a shame that they go cheap on the construction - I like our two door system that is common here.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

I think it looks better when there are two doors. Is there any advantage to 2 doors other than appearance?

[motordavid]

Two cars fit in those usual 2 car/one door garages; it does require some careful pull ins/back outs, one has to be conscientious on opening car door to get out of car.

We park an SUV and another car in ours, or sometimes leave one car out, out of the 'way'. Some HOAs don't permit parking in the drive, other than guests, fwiw.

Some of the '3rd' mini garages will hold a midgey car, but depth is usually the problem...

As posters noted, it is mostly about cost cutting and not necessarily looks, imo.
GL, mD

[kab0906]

Originally Posted by Cardiff by the Sea

I think it looks better when there are two doors. Is there any advantage to 2 doors other than appearance?

Not sure, from a construction point (stability or resistance?) but from the ability to park, yes. That central pillar is a couple of feet wide (I would have to measure to get the exact distance) and for our garage we can open the passenger side door of one car and the driver door of the other and there is room. Sounds like the one door system makes that impossible.

Maybe I'm just spoiled. Our two car garage has tons of space for both cars and storage but we still have room to move about.

[Crash11]

If you have a 16' wide door (2-car wide) and can't fit 2 cars in your garage, you're one of two things:

1 - a bad driver
2 - a junk collector

I have a 24'x24' garage with a single 16' door in the middle. We have lots of things stored in our garage on all sides, but I told my wife we will ALWAYS be able to store both of our cars inside. If she buys something that takes up too much room, I told her something else goes out to the trash dump.