Why Are Modern Home Garages So Small? (Stuff You Should Know)

If you are a new homeowner or actively looking for a new home that has been constructed within the last ten years or so, you’ve probably noticed a disturbing trend. All of the garages in these more modern homes seem to be getting smaller and smaller. Why is that?

There are a couple of reasons, especially in light of the skyrocketing lumber costs and supply chain issues. The first is simply the costs of adding real estate to a garage. The second is the fact that contractors are trying to jam so many homes in close proximity to one another that it necessitates smaller garages.

It’s a simple matter of supply and cost, even if the demand is for a larger garage. Ironically, if you go back and look at much older homes, such as those built in the 1960s and 1970s, you’ll find that small garages have certainly been a thing before. Time is cyclical, and it would seem that the small garage phenomenon is back.

New Neighborhood Cramming

You’ve probably seen those new residential neighborhoods being constructed in your town or city and it’s likely that you will have noticed how ridiculously close each building is to the one next door and so forth and so on.

It’s the concept for why we have skyscrapers today, because once upon a time, people realized that you could purchase a small plot of land for the least amount of cost and simply build up.

Not to mention that newer homes are trying so hard to please homeowners with aesthetics and eye candy that the poor garage has just been left on the backburner. There’s also another problem to add to the mix.

Garages are measured from the outside, which is how they will often be presented to potential homebuyers. If you see a home that’s being advertised as being 25’ x 20’, its going to be more like a foot shorter in length and width, if not shorter.

Then you can subtract an additional four feet from the width since the garage door is probably going to be centered leaving a couple of feet on either end. At the end of the day, you will be able to park one car in there and that’s about it.

What to do with a Limited Amount of Garage Space?

Fortunately, just because you have a micro-garage, doesn’t mean that you can’t turn it into something special or even make it roomy enough to park your car in, if nothing else. You could always have an exterior garage constructed but that would be pretty cost-prohibitive.

Not everyone uses their garage to park their cars, especially in the south, where you don’t have to clear a foot of snow and ice off of your car just to go to work in the morning. But even those who don’t want to park their cars in their garage will still appreciate some extra room.

Install Cabinets Behind the Doors

One of the best space savers that you can come up with, especially if you have a lot of those litter, and garage accessories hanging around, is to install a cabinet on the backside of the doors. This is especially useful if you have doors that open up into corners, rather than out in open space.

Install Racks in the Ceiling

Nothing makes space better than simply hanging everything up over your head. The best part is, that you can find ceiling racks everywhere and you can even make your own, adding as many as you like or need.

Use Pegboard and Organizers

For your larger tools, a pegboard is invaluable. You won’t have to try jamming these things into tool boxes instead, you can just hand them up on the wall. You can purchase the cheaper pegboards but it’s better to go with metal pegboards, as they’ll last a lot longer and can endure the abuse.

Organizers are simply small racks where you can easily place all of your yard work tools such as rakes, shovels, trimmers, brooms, etc.

There are an unlimited amount of ways to make your garage seem bigger from the inside. It may not be enough for you to park your car in, however, if that is already a frustrating experience, then it won’t make much difference for the vehicle while giving you more room to move around and work.

Look Before Buying

Too many are starting to engage in virtual tours and shopping for homes online. Even those who show up for a walkthrough barely pay the garage any attention. Most people will fawn over the view from the bay windows or the innovative island in the kitchen.

It’s important to take a good hard look at the garage, consider the parking situation outside, how many vehicles you have and how big they are. Some neighborhood streets simply aren’t designed for parking in the street.

You’ll also want to consider the driveway leading up to the garage and how wide it is. If you have multiple cars, a narrow drive, and a small garage, you probably aren’t going to be very satisfied when it comes to actively living there.

You should even take the time to test out the garage by parking your car in it when you view the house. See how well you can open the doors on both sides and gauge whether or not there is enough room for a second vehicle, along with getting in and out with two vehicles in the garage at the same time.

No matter how nice the house looks, you’ll be surprised at how important the functionality of the garage is at the end of the day.

All Things Considered

It doesn’t seem as if much is going to change in the near future regarding garages. Contractors are going to continue to save money by keeping garages small while diverting money and resources into kitchens and living room accommodations.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t find a good size garage out there. It’s just that modern homes are rarely going to apply much focus on that aspect of home construction.

Why Are Modern Home Garages So Small? (Stuff You Should Know)