poppy Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 My last house had a detached garage. Never again!! It was the #1 priority on my list when I was looking for a new house. Wow. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I would prefer an attached garage and would choose an attached over a detached. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 It wouldn't be a deal-breaker but it wouldn't be my preference either. What would be a deal-breaker if I can at all avoid it at this stage of my life is a condo in a complex where the parking is in a shared garage. BTDT and it's one reason why we are living in the 'burbs rather than a more urban neighborhood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Wouldn't matter to me. I have lived with a detached and lived with attached. I can say even if it is attached it doesn't do a lick of good if there isn't a way into the house from the garage :) That was how my house was growing up. The garage was attached but the only door was the big garage door. No other way in or out! The garage we have now is detached. I wouldn't care if there was a path the to darn thing. There isn't and the ground hasn't been dry since we moved in. It is mud... lots of mud. It has frozen a couple times this winder but it has been mushy mud a lot more than it was frozen. Drives me nuts. That said. If you have a detached garage and want to sell the house. At least put down a pathway :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Gosh, I've never considered an attached garage to be dangerous! Y'all always give me something to think about! I love our attached garage (having lived with no garage and a detached). We never have fumes because we never start cars or machinery with the garage door closed (it's a big no-no). I don't consider it part of the house--it's the garage, not the house! lol Just a perception, I guess. My garage has windows and a door, and a "garage door." The windows face the front of the house, but the big door is on the side. This is the back of our house--you can see the garage on the right. I think I'd hate a basement garage! Our basement is walk out, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMV Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 I believe this really can be an issue in certain regions. In our area, most houses have an attached garage and people tend to steer away from detached garages. However, I have friends living in an area where detached garages are very common and preferred. In fact, houses with attached garages don't tend to sell as well. Same with fences. In our area, having a fence raises the value of your home, especially if it is well maintained and is wood or stone or something other than hurricane fencing. When we lived in Kentucky, in the area we lived in at least, fencing of any kind made it much harder to sell your home. This is interesting (and I think probably true). We have a wrought iron full size fence that fences around the perimeter of the property and opens at two different gated entrances. Within the property we have some stone fencing around certain things and have a beautiful combination rose trellis fencing around our pool. It is truly gorgeous and was the brilliant invention of my husband's first wife who wanted to combine function(ie. safety for her child) and fashion in that part of the yard. In our neighborhood perimeter fencing is typical and a house without this would stick out a bit. Other neighborhoods in our town have much smaller lot sizes and thus perimeter fencing is not typical. You do still see fencing around a pool or backyard for safety reasons but it is more understated. It would not be a deal breaker at all. I don't think it would even bother me. If there were no garage, I would take that into consideration with other things. In my area, no basement would be a deal breaker for me, as would living on any kind of busy street, backing up immediately to train tracks, or no master bath/shower. We live in a quiet residential neighborhood, away from train tracks, and have a master bathroom suite (and two guest suites). We also have a ground level which I would consider a basement. Part of it serves as a true cellar. Part of it is a second play room for the kids, part of it is another family room, and part of it is a home gym and pool area. In all honesty, I suspect that one of our children will end up with this property or we will probably need to subdivide to sell. At the moment our youngest is one so we aren't really exploring either option. (And I agree that houses aren't built like they used to be. Ours was built in about 1832, and the stuff that's good and solid on it? Is the old stuff. The attempts to update it are the parts that have problems, but they're mainly cosmetic -- structurally, it's solid.) Definitely another reason to like older homes that have been maintained and updated within the old shell. Also the architecture is often amazing! Are you kidding? A FOUR BAY garage? If you don't want it, could you mail it to me in pieces? TAKE IT!!!!! I didn't say I didn't want it. We're quite happy with it. But, seriously, could you imagine the postage? I also live in an old home with detached carriage house. I prefer it. I find some people just don't like old homes. I find many people love to give unasked for suggestions/opinions about old homes. You're probably right that some people just don't like older homes. I suppose my bias is probably in that direction although we did build one of our vacation homes and I really love that place. I also agree that some people just have to volunteer their opinions and one of the moms who recently told me this kind of has that personality, seems to be lacking both her kindness and empathy chips, and really doesn't have any degree of a filter of diplomacy so I suppose I'd rather that she go on about how we'll never sell our house because we don't have an attached garage than hear how our children will grow up to be serial killers because I'm a physician who sometimes leaves them with their very loving (and completely competent) father to go work a shift in the Emergency Department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMV Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Wouldn't matter to me. I have lived with a detached and lived with attached. I can say even if it is attached it doesn't do a lick of good if there isn't a way into the house from the garage :) That was how my house was growing up. The garage was attached but the only door was the big garage door. No other way in or out! The garage we have now is detached. I wouldn't care if there was a path the to darn thing. There isn't and the ground hasn't been dry since we moved in. It is mud... lots of mud. It has frozen a couple times this winder but it has been mushy mud a lot more than it was frozen. Drives me nuts. That said. If you have a detached garage and want to sell the house. At least put down a pathway :) I guess I can see that the attached but not really attached would have some security advantages (and probably some small advantages in the form of short term containment of any fire that started in the garage---it might buy some time) but would also lack most of the perceived benefits of the attached garage. We have paths consisting of inlaid stone or brick or a decorative stone and brick combination everywhere. They are heated via a solar trap/geothermal system so they are also usually clear even in the worst of snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I have never had a covered parking space at home, so it would not be a big issue for me. Maybe if I were very old and afraid / unable to walk through bad weather stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Though my parents don't have a garage either.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I prefer detached garages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Ours in attached, and I liked it that way when the kids were little because I didn't have to drag them over to the house. I frequently left them strapped in while I brought in the groceries. Now it really wouldn't matter to me, although I suspect DH wouldn't like a detached one. I didn't have a garage ever until this house though. It was a carport, or we parked in a lot or parking garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 our last house we had a detached garage and I hated it. It was sloped such that we could not park our cars in there and right behind it was an access road so I did not want ds working out there (as in a workshop) by himself. Our house now has an attached one and I fell comfortable letting ds out there anytime he wants to (he is setting up himself a workshop). We do not park our cars in it so ds can have the entire garage be his own little man cave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 For every possible house feature (detached garage, island in the kitchen, in-ground pool, hot tub, walk in closets, etc. etc.), you can find someone for whom it is a deal breaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I guess I can see that the attached but not really attached would have some security advantages (and probably some small advantages in the form of short term containment of any fire that started in the garage---it might buy some time) but would also lack most of the perceived benefits of the attached garage. We have paths consisting of inlaid stone or brick or a decorative stone and brick combination everywhere. They are heated via a solar trap/geothermal system so they are also usually clear even in the worst of snow. I am very interested in this heated walkway idea. Can you tell me more about it or where I could learn more about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 We don't have a garage. That's the least of my concerns with this house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMV Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 I am very interested in this heated walkway idea. Can you tell me more about it or where I could learn more about it? Bear with me because DH is the engineer of the family but basically geothermal systems utilize the natural heating and cooling nature of the earth. Water circulates through underground piping and scavenges heat from the ground. This gets concentrated through a heat pump and then released back into our home via a vent system or back to the under surface of a pathway or driveway. We also have some solar trapping panels to augment the process. Our home is also predominantly heated and cooled on a solar/geothermal system (we do have a back up system but haven't used it since we really got everything completed a few years ago). There is a decent amount of labor involved in getting a system set up (especially for a larger home/property), and with most driveway and pathway systems you will need to do some demolition before you can start. We did ours in stages both so we wouldn't have everythign torn up for months at a time but also in keeping with natural resurfacing and maintenance schedule for the driveways and paths. On the positive side systems start paying for themselves after a few years in terms of significantly lower utility costs. There are also some tax credits for installing these types of systems in your main home, and with some of the credits even in a second home or vacation home, that help offset some of the cost. *Yes, DH is also the tax guy of the family so I might be missing a few nuances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I love our detached garage. We can paint in it without smelling the fumes. DH can work on his stuff and I don't hear it. I don't care about running out in the snow or rain as it is not a far walk to the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I prefer an attached garage if there is a lot of snow or excessive amount of wind/rain. I have a garage but park outside anyways. We rarely get more than a couple of inches of snow each year, so it isn't a problem. When we are at our cabin that gets Feet of snow on some days, I really want an attached garage! There is no garage and it gets annoying to spend 20 minutes thawing and de-snowing/icing the car to run to the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 We will be house hunting in the spring in an area that is cold and gets lots of snow but has very old housing stock, many of the houses are 200 years old. We will be happy to find one with a garage at all! Most people park their cars in the attached barn. I think the preferences are regional and not something you can do anything about so why worry. When the time comes to sell, someone will come along who will love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 We purposely looked for houses with a detached garage, because the gas fumes from mowers and cars seep into the home when the garage is attached, and our son is a cancer survivor, so we want to eliminate as many carcinogens from his environment as possible. Our house has a detached garage that still has a covered entrance to keep us dry and out of the elements without the added chemical exposure seeping into our home. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 We do live in an area that gets winter. Our first home had a really large detached garage. I was glad for it, as our rental had nothing! We sold that house, after 17 years, in 4 months. The buyer loved the (very large) detached garage. In fact, in fact it was a selling point for that buyer and for the couple who had made the first offer we received on the home as well. Of course, ten other people may have decided to avoid even looking at the home because of the detached garage for all I know! We bought a house with no garage or even carport! I do wish we had one, mainly because I hate scraping windows and cleaning snow/ice off vehicles, but the lack of garage was, and is, far outweighed by the benefits of this home for us. I imagine this varies by both area and price bracket of the home. The best source of information would probably be a top selling realtor for your area OP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 All 3 of our houses in CA had detached garages. We now have two attached garages in NC. I prefer the attached during weather that is either too cold or too hot. It might be a deal breaker here unless I were really, really in love with the house. The houses here that had detached garages also had attached garages, the detached were either workshops or added later for some reason. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I prefer attached garages. However, we did buy a house once with no garage. Not even a carport. It was worth it for us because we loved the property overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 We just purchased a house last year. Having at least a 2-car garage was a must. Attached vs detached? Didn't make the list. I grew up in a detached garage home. The one we bought is attached. It didn't even strike me as different until I read this post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 It would depend entirely on what the situation was with garages in the neighborhood. Attached is more convenient IMO, so if most of the garages were attached, I'd probably want one too, both for convenience and resale purposes. On the other hand, if the house is just perfect and you love it, and there isn't something else comparable with an attached garage, the detached garage wouldn't necessarily hold me back. So, not a dealbreaker, but something to fit into the overall balance. Our house previous to this one was in an older, nice neighborhood in Illinois. The detached garage was very typical of the neighborhood, as all the garages opened to alleys running behind the houses. There were almost no driveways on the regular (brick :)) street. That's where we lived when our twins were born... which was a pain, especially in the cold - lugging two heavy infant carseats, groceries, etc. - multiple walking trips back and forth. However, we really didn't think much about it at the time - we just dealt. We live in a different state now in new construction with an attached garage. Much more convenient in bad weather and with many children. But, I miss the character of our old house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I prefer an attached garage where I live because it is so cold and I don't like a freezing garage. If I lived in a different climate even a 4 season one I would not mind a detached garage at all. When I lived in a condo we had to walk quite a ways from our garage. I would be super psyched to have a house with renewable energy and that would be a major major plus for me and even here I would definitely b okay with an attached garage if it meant that there was renewable energy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.