What's up with the garages in the back? (Houston, Dallas: best city, how much)

[momof2dfw]

I prefer rear entry. If not that then a nice circle drive w/ a pull thru to the garage on the side on a very wide and large lot, . As for the typical suburban neighborhood, give me rear entry every single time. It makes for a cleaner look, your garbage cans are in the back and not the front, you get to meet almost all of the neighbors behind you as well. Going out to the mailbox in front and doing yardwork and such I get to meet all the neighbors on the street. In the alley I meet all the people on the street behind me .

The other positive to having a rear entry is it is safer for the kids to ride their bikes on the sidewalks. They don't have to worry about cars parked in front driveways blocking the sidewalk or cars pulling into or out of driveways. It also makes it easier for motorists on the street to see anyone riding a bike, walking, jogging and kids playing in the front. With cars parked along the front and in the fronts of houses in driveways it makes them obscure and kids can't see oncoming cars and drivers don't see kid in the driveway getting ready to take off down it and out into the street. I grew up w/ a front entry and prefer the rear entry for many safety reasons and this is one.

Many people have done the electric gate across the rear driveway in order to give them some safety for their garage and cars and to add space to their backyard. It makes it great for the kids to play there w/o having to worry about cars and they are in an enclosed safe area. If you have a pool it is additional deck space when you entertain if you don't park cars in the driveway.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by zirk95

Sorry if it's a dumb question, but why do many homes have garages in the back? Being from Cali I'm not used to that and not sure if I like it. Pros? Cons?
Thanks!!!

One drawback to having no attached garages is one can't convert them into high quality living space. The quality of concrete laid down for the foundations of garages are usually less which is why one usually steps down when exiting the house into them. And, of course, there is the question of insulation.
In certain villages in Africa, the huts don't have garages. In fact, they don't even have running water. In order to fetch their daily water, the women of the village have to avoid man-eating crocks while walking for tens of miles down to the Nile River with pots atop their heads.
Two things of note: Alley ways at one time were used for trash pickup. Because they have managed to survive in the narrows passage, the alley cats are not only incredible survivors but help keep the dogs alert and active throughout the night.

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by Mister Nifty

One drawback to having no attached garages is one can't convert them into high quality living space. The quality of concrete laid down for the foundations of garages are usually less which is why one usually steps down when exiting the house into them. And, of course, there is the question of insulation.
In certain villages in Africa, the huts don't have garages. In fact, they don't even have running water. In order to fetch their daily water, the women of the village have to avoid man-eating crocks while walking for tens of miles down to the Nile River with pots atop their heads.
Two things of note: Alley ways at one time were used for trash pickup. Because they have managed to survive in the narrows passage, the alley cats are not only incredible survivors but help keep the dogs alert and active throughout the night.

.........alrighty then............

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by ETex2

.........alrighty then............

In other words, many living in this world don't have garages and don't complain about them. You know, I assume the word "garage" is French. I centainly would rather keep my vehicle in a garage than in a car-stall. It's just seems more romantic. Whispering the word "garage" into the ear of a woman is certainly to turn her on more than whispering the word "car stall. I bet showing her a gift of a Lexus from within a "garage" will produce more of a smile on her face. Figure if a vehicle is sold from within a garage, then it will be worth more money.
You know, house trailer's in general don't have garages. Now, they do have unattached car ports which, in most instances, don't have any sides to them. I think the stipulation in most instances requires that such building be unattached so that no building permit will be required to construct them. Of course, the compound word "carport," because it is Gernamic sounds rather dull as well as unromantic.

[ETex2]

Someone is off of their meds again.

[galore]

Carport is of German origin?? Being a native German speaker, this is news to me!
We also call it Garage. Pronounced Gaahraahsheh.
The German relative to "car" is "Karre" which I would only use for a POS car.
"port" doesn't exist in German afaik.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by galore

Carport is of German origin?? Being a native German speaker, this is news to me!
We also call it Garage. Pronounced Gaahraahsheh.
The German relative to "car" is "Karre" which I would only use for a POS car.
"port" doesn't exist in German afaik.

Please, I don't want to be accused of highjacking this thread. So, stay on topic. I at least included some valuable info listed below:

1) The attached garage portion of the overall house has for its foundation an inferior structure. I don't think it even has to be as thick or have to hang over to envelop the underlying sand it lays upon.

2) I believe the building of an unattached building often doesn't need a building permit.

Now, with that out of the way, if you were a woman, then which would you prefer to be spoken softly into your ear? The word "garage" or the word "car stall"?
I rest my case.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by ETex2

Someone is off of their meds again.

Actually, I'm not off my meds, but just off. When it seems like I'm functioning normally on my meds, I'm actually just off working. It is terrible thinking that human beings exist in this world that desire to have absolutely nothing to do with me. When I'm on my meds, I don't do this terrible thinking.
In regards to garages? Every place has its place.

[lh_newbie]

Dude, why do you have to pollute these forums with your off topic, irrelevant gibberish? I swear, I'm not into violence, but if someone came into my conversation in real life with the BS that spews from your mouth, I'd prolly punch them square in the eyes.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by lh_newbie

Dude, why do you have to pollute these forums with your off topic, irrelevant gibberish? I swear, I'm not into violence, but if someone came into my conversation in real life with the BS that spews from your mouth, I'd prolly punch them square in the eyes.

Yet, the expression "someone forgot to take their meds" is about the most thoughtless thing a person could ever say. In regards to your violent tendencies, well, you will get to express them one day. Me? Nope. Won't happen in a million years. Let me guarantee that you will never meet me.
In regards to garages, well, I tried bringing up two important points. One is the inferior foundation of the garage when compared to that of the house. The house's foundation always seems higher than the garages. Check it out for yourself. Two is in regards to the rules that they have regarding attached structures. In a lot of localities, an unattached structure does not need a building permit to get constructed. Perhaps it isn't wise to connect the inferior foundation of the garage to that of the house? Perhaps an unattached garage allows them more freedom in how to build the house?
So, there is my dirt on the subject.
I just threw that part in about the women in Africa having to walk ten miles down to the Nile River to get water, all the while trying to avoid man eating crockidiles, while also having to carry large pots atop their heads, because it is true.

ga·ragea·ble adj.
Word History: It is difficult today to envision a world without garages or a language without the word garage. However, the word probably did not exist before the 19th century and certainly not before the 18th; possibly the thing itself did not exist before the end of the 19th century. Our word is a direct borrowing of French garage, which is first recorded in 1802 in the sense "place where one docks." The verb garer, from which garage was derived, originally meant "to put merchandise under shelter," then "to moor a boat," and then "to put a vehicle into a place for safekeeping," that is, a garage, a sense first recorded in French in 1901. English almost immediately borrowed this French word, the first instance being found in 1902.