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Wow, having a garage would be to me a DREAM come true for me, and then some.................
Try looking for a parking spot everyday after work, up and down the blocks, alternate side of the street parking, then finally getting a spot 4 blocks away, and I'm happy about that..................
Oh, then going to work the next day, and not really remembering, where did I park that #^&^%^& car!!!!
LOL, just from reading your post I knew you were in NYC before I even looked at your profile! I used to HATE looking for parking on my old block. One car would pull out of a spot and all of sudden you see 4 or 5 cars pulling u turns driving backwards you name it just to get to the spot first. Coming home late at night and driving in circles for an hour just hoping for a spot and finally deciding to just leave it at the hydrant and pray your car would still be there in the morning and not have a ticket....
Ah, the value of a garage--the never ending circle. I find that while many people desire garages, there are quite a few people that only end up converting it into storage, workshops, living space, etc; only to find at selling time, buyers want the garage...and the cycle continues. Storage/living space arguments could be made for basements, attics, and even sun porches as well. It's all a matter of deciding what's best for your needs and the effects on a future sale.
Location: Still in Portland, Oregon, for some reason
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I would never give up my garage...being able to park my car inside every night and during the day gives me a great sense of security. Nobody's prowling around it or vandalizing it and not to mention it's out of the elements so you don't get hail denting it and the sun baking the crap out of your interior in the summer. People really underestimate just how harsh the elements are on your car over the years. Also, it's great to get into a warm car in the winter and a decently cool car in the summer. A garage is a make-or-break deal for me.
Last edited by rosecitywanderer; 04-07-2010 at 04:43 AM..
Do you currently have a living space on top of the garage? If not, you could spend the extra money and add a 2nd story living space on top of your garage instead. In the long term, this may add value to the house.
an uber clean garage with tools at quick access(on display) is a man cave already.
I consider myself a car guy but I would not park a dirty and especially a wet car in the garage just for my convenience
Hey Manderly6,
Can you tell us what did you end up doing ? OR not-doing ?
I am in a similar situation. 2 garages, one should be more than enough for me. I want to temporarily convert the other into a kids room or something. I do not plan to take out the garage door but build some kinda dummy soft wall on the inside and to do this.... I don't have the slightest idea of how to go about it so far.
When I would sell, I'll just take it down so it becomes a garage. My main "must do" for the garage right now is the closing out of the door with proper insulation and putting a couple more electric sockets. By the way I already have door access to this garage from the interior of the house.
I just don't get it. Why wouldn't you want to park your cars in the garage? That's where they go. It looks tacky when people don't put their cars away, and as others said, you will ruin your resale value if you lose the gagage. If you wanted a house with another room in it, why didn't you buy it that way?
I just don't get it. Why wouldn't you want to park your cars in the garage? That's where they go. It looks tacky when people don't put their cars away, and as others said, you will ruin your resale value if you lose the gagage. If you wanted a house with another room in it, why didn't you buy it that way?
Listen, don't jump into conclusions.... its a temporary conversion, and it will help if you read the posts properly. Having said that, please do not judge people and think that you are making the best decision for others.
Back to my original question.... do have anything to contribute towards the answer ?
Well, we have been in the house for about 3 weeks now. Right now there are about 100 boxes occupying the garage so nothing is happening for a while.
We are considering going in a different direction and possibly building an addition in the back. That depends on how much it is going to cost. I'm having a few people come out to give me quotes in the near future.
An interesting note is that in the development I moved in to I would say that maybe 20% of all the houses actually use their garages for their cars. It is either used for storage or recreation.
As to the person who thinks it is tacky when cars are not put away, I could care less what you think looks tacky. So many people have more than 2 cars these days anyway.
If anyone hasn't pointed it out, you may want to check with the local building codes to see if this is allowable in your area. If you are going to build an addition, you should check with your local zoning laws, if there are any, on set back and side yard requirements. You may need to go to the Zoning Boards of Adjustments or Appeals to get permission if the set back or side yard requirement can't be met in your case. It is very wise to buddy up to the building inspector and the Zoning officer in your town so you can' get their best advise on what you plan to do BEFORE you do it. Good luck..
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