Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 5/18/2011

Question
Bruce,
We are looking to get a two car garage built. What is a standard size for such a garage? Would your recommendation allow plenty of storage space? One contractor suggested a 24 by 24, another a 24 by 26. Is the larger worth it for the additional costs? We live in St Louis, MO.

Answer
Hi Fred, the bigger the better when it comes to garages, is my opinion..but if budget is a concern 24 x 24 would be adequate depending on the size of your vehicles..a 24' wide two car garage will have a 16' wide door and that will give you 4' on each side of the door minus the thickness of the wall..This 4' allows for additional storage..I have a 24" deep work bench on my side of the garage and some shelving for miscellaneous home and garden needs on my wife's side.  Most cars need close to 20' of parking depth..that is a standard number and obviously with smaller cars becoming fashionable that 20' depth requirement can shrink over time..but with most vehicles still 18' or longer you should figure that each car will take up 6'x20'..so either garage size mentioned in your letter will work.  But if you want room for added storage or a work bench you can get at while your car is in the garage then the deeper the better.  My garage is 28' deep and we use every inch of it and still manage to park two full sized vehicles, one car one pickup with room to spare..So I guess to answer your question..whatever your budget tells you at this point is the key.  If the 24x26 is just a little too much then by all means the 24x24 will suffice as a functioning garage size.  But to be honest, in today's market you can probably get a contractor to build you a 24x28 garage for the same price as either one of the other builders. I hope this information helps please feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com