Building a house - Choose what side the garage goes on. (windows, phone)
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My wife and I are about to start building a house (not us, but a builder LOL). We've selected the floorplan, but are having a conflict over what side the garage should be placed. Well, that's not the only conflict we're having, but this is one that we are REALLY having an issue with. It's a side entry garage, and the front covered porch will be on the right side of the house. Our lot is 130' wide and about 400' deep. (just over an acre)
To me, all arrows point in the direction of having the garage on the left, when looking into the lot:
1. The existing driveway access from the street is on the left side of the lot.
2. There's nice landscaping along the left side of the lot.
3. The sun shines down on the right side of the lot, from back to front as the day progresses.
a.The master bedroom will get a lot of sun.
b.The breakfast nook will get morning sun.
4. The lot will better accommodate a future shed/workshop on the left side of the lot, behind where the house will sit, so I'll be able to use the driveway to access it (future boat parking, etc).
My wife doesn't completely disagree with me, but a big factor in this decision is because of what's on the other side of the adjacent vacant lot to the right. It's an older mobile home and the lot has lots of "stuff" scattered across the entire lot. There's a 105' vacant lot between us and them, and her father owns the vacant lot. We'll be helping him build something on that vacant lot, so we'll have a say in the placement of that building. It may end up being a manufactured home, but much, MUCH nicer looking than the MH located on the other lot.
I'm trying to explain to her we can put up literally any type of screening or landscaping to obscure the view from over there. But, it's just getting to the point where she's dead set on having the porch on the other side.
Anyone follow what I'm saying here? What other factors would there be in determining what side of the lot the garage should sit?
um, left isn't helpful to me. North, South? I will give my opinion that I won't even look twice at a house that has a garage on the south end, blocking all the sunlight. I'd prefer a garage on the north side of a house and lots of windows on the south end of the house. Garage on the east or west would be ok, in that order. So from what I'm reading, even though you don't give directions, I am agreeing with you that sunlight should be a big factor in determining this. The view your wife is concerned about will change, as you add a fence or bushes, or build on the adjacent lot. the trailer could even be gone in the future. Sunlight directions won't change. So that's my 2 cents.
um, left isn't helpful to me. North, South? I will give my opinion that I won't even look twice at a house that has a garage on the south end, blocking all the sunlight. I'd prefer a garage on the north side of a house and lots of windows on the south end of the house. Garage on the east or west would be ok, in that order. So from what I'm reading, even though you don't give directions, I am agreeing with you that sunlight should be a big factor in determining this. The view your wife is concerned about will change, as you add a fence or bushes, or build on the adjacent lot. the trailer could even be gone in the future. Sunlight directions won't change. So that's my 2 cents.
Good idea to maximize windows for sunlight on south side of house and minimize sunlight on east and especially west side of house.
We have a side entry garage, HOA rules, and I don't like it. I drive a big F-150 supercab and the wife a 2009 Sequoia and it can be hard to turn into a garage if the driveway doesn't provide a turn radius. I don't mind garage doors facing the street.
Thanks for dragging us all into your no-win situation, Eric. You know the wife always wins, right? lol
Anyway, I would go with the garage on the left, mainly for lighting purposes. More natural light = less light fixtures running = less money going to JEA. Plus, I'm assuming she'll want to do some landscaping outside the breakfast room, so that side of the house is going to need sunlight.
Cost is also a factor in my opinion. If you already have the driveway access on the left, it's going to be quite a bit cheaper to run the driveway over there than it will be to move it to the other side.
As for the view, privacy fences are a wonderful thing ^_^
Being the one who buys the groceries and hauls them into the kitchen, I vote for whichever side of the house provides the shortest distance from the garage to the kitchen.
Thanks for dragging us all into your no-win situation, Eric. You know the wife always wins, right? lol
Yeah, and I've frequently told her that I'll eventually agree to whatever she wants. But, if I can present a good case to her, then I'll put forth an effort. So, if each of you don't mind, I'd like your phone numbers so she can call you to discuss.
I talked to our builder a little earlier, too, so I can prep them for this discussion.
Being the one who buys the groceries and hauls them into the kitchen, I vote for whichever side of the house provides the shortest distance from the garage to the kitchen.
Fortunately, the garage is pretty close to the kitchen, regardless of which way from situate the house.
To me, all arrows point in the direction of having the garage on the left, when looking into the lot:
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricBoyd
3. The sun shines down on the right side of the lot, from back to front as the day progresses.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricBoyd
But, it's just getting to the point where she's dead set on having the porch on the other side.
Look at the specific sentences above. Your wife is right. The left side of the house is better for a porch.
You DON'T want a porch that gets sun ALL DAY LONG. It will be too hot and you'll never use it.
Porches and patios are for shady sides of the houses---especially in the evening when you would be cooking and eating dinner outside.
Nobody wants to sit outside with the sun blaring down on them at 8pm on a hot summer evening.
Even if the porch has a roof, it won't protect the porch from the hot sun beating on it all day long. Furthermore, the sun comes in at an angle late in the day.
It's 10 degrees cooler on the other side of the house in the evenings. THAT'S where the porch should be located.
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