Garage Placement

[Stephisaur]

Hi MNers

We're thinking of moving home and a particular new build has caught our eye.

However, the garage would be at the rear of the garden. The house is a bit cheaper than others of this style (presumably because of the weird layout), making it just within our budget.

My question (and the point of this ramble) is... how much would you let this put you off the house?

The house itself is 50% larger than what we have now, and the garden is over 5 times the size of what we have now (and South Facing to boot).

We're not great at making decisions, so I'd love to hear if anyone has a configuration like this and how you feel about it.

I think it is ok, you have plenty of off street parking. I would want to access the house directly from there (especially with shopping) rather than walking round the corner and through the front door so I would make sure there is a suitable back gate, path and door.

Is there a gate/door from the garage or drive into the garden? And do you have doors at the back of the house that will work as a heavily used door?
We have similar, and it isnt ideal - however it is an amazing improvement on street parking! Shopping goes straight into the kitchen.

Is the garage jutting out into next door's garden? They must have a weird wiggly boundary!

Viewing on Saturday so will confirm gate placement, but I'm thinking it wouldn't be too difficult to add one at the back of the garden?

The sticky out bit is french doors, so could easily be used as an extra access point.

At the moment we have one allocated car parking spot outside our house and it's pants, so I'm quite swayed by a double garage and room for 4 cars!

@Needdoughnuts

Is the garage jutting out into next door's garden? They must have a weird wiggly boundary!

Yes it is, bizarre isn't it!

I'd find that perfect or us... our main desire for a garage is storage for the canoe, trailer and camping equipment.

My only worry would be security.

@Needdoughnuts

Is the garage jutting out into next door's garden? They must have a weird wiggly boundary!

It's really odd, They could have just put your garage up the access path a bit. However the odd placement of both garages means that you are well separated from your neighbours garden

I'm ambivalent about it being on a corner (is it a busy road or does it lead to a cul de sac?)

@bruceandnosh Private drive type thing. Lovely outlook though.

Provided there was a back gate it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. In fact even if not it wouldn't bother me as shopping is delivered.

For anything tricky car loading up wise you just bring the car round to the front door temporarily while you load up/out and then go park it.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

I'd find that perfect or us... our main desire for a garage is storage for the canoe, trailer and camping equipment.

My only worry would be security.

Yeah our main need for the garage is just storage really! As it's a double, I'm thinking I'd probably park the car in the garage more often than not for the security aspect, and the other side can be given over completely for storage.

@stackhead

Provided there was a back gate it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. In fact even if not it wouldn't bother me as shopping is delivered.

For anything tricky car loading up wise you just bring the car round to the front door temporarily while you load up/out and then go park it.

That's what my Mom said

Our shopping is delivered too, my main concern was distance with children but I think I might be overthinking it!

Thanks all, I think I'll see if we can get a good deal on the plot! :)

There will be a door at the back that goes to thr garden I bet .. you can use that as the back door . Ultimately if it's cheaper beacUe if it and you can't afford the other ones you'll have to decide what your deal breaker is .

Go for it if everything else ticks the boxes. It is impossible to get exactly what you want when buying a house.

You'll just have to adopt the US system where only Visitors use the front door and family come in via garage and back door. It's actually quite nice as all the junk and shoes and bags live by the back door. and the entrance hall stays a bit tidier
If it's not included, ask the developer to install a remote electric door for garage otherwise you'll go mad

@BruceAndNosh

You'll just have to adopt the US system where only Visitors use the front door and family come in via garage and back door. It's actually quite nice as all the junk and shoes and bags live by the back door. and the entrance hall stays a bit tidier If it's not included, ask the developer to install a remote electric door for garage otherwise you'll go mad

The front is so pretty though

Electric Garage door is an optional upgrade I think, definitely something I'll be looking into!

I'm feeling much more positive. Fingers crossed this is our house (before we get priced out of the market!)

We made our normal garage electric , cost about £350 ! My dh did fit it himself though !

The security aspect wouldn't worry me. The garage fronts onto the main road rather than onto the little close/driveway bit at the front, so it's more overlooked than if it was by the front door.

I'd make sure there's a pedestrian access door from the garden into the garage. AIUI this is often a cost option from the builder, but it should be cheaper from them than getting the wall built solid then hiring someone else to knock a hole in it!

Ours is like this, although annoyingly it wasn't any cheaper. It works really well for us - there's a gate connecting the garden to the drive and we tend to use the back door more often.