One of the greatest things about the new garages being built today is that they don’t have to be boring anymore, according to Paul Beaudoin. Beaudoin is the owner of Lifestyle Building & Remodeling Co. Inc., a premier contractor that services Raleigh and the Triangle Park area in North Carolina. Beaudoin says that since the recession began in 2008, more homeowners than ever before have been investing in their current properties in an effort to turn them into their dream homes, rather than purchasing entirely new residences during this tough economic time.
As a result, Beaudoin says homeowners have gotten bolder in their design choices for new garages in Raleigh, and that many people no longer feel like their new garages have to match the style of their existing homes. Here are Beaudoin’s picks for the latest and greatest new garage design trends.
Carriage House Designs
Instead of building a standard one-story attached garage with the same siding as the current home, Beaudoin tells us that many of the homeowners he works with in North Carolina are asking for carriage house designs. “That is the biggest look we are trying to accomplish right now,” he says. Typically, garages done in a carriage house style are detached from the home, and may have two doors instead of one. Carriage house garages are slightly larger than standard-sized garages, and may be able to fit three or more cars.
Still, the specific design details included in a carriage house can vary depending on the homeowner’s tastes. “I have some clients who are asking to have dormers put on their garages, and some that are even having us add cupolas to their roofs,” he says. For those who may not know, a cupola is a small dome-like structure that sits on top of a roof, while a dormer is an addition that sticks off of the top of a sloped roof—usually with a window attached. Typically, both of these elements are only used on garages that are two stories or higher.
Two Garage Doors
Another big trend right now is for homeowners to ask for two doors when they design a garage, rather than just one. Most people who want two doors are interested in aesthetics, Beaudoin says, and less so in price. “Building two doors on the front of a garage can be more expensive, and it can make functionality hard as well,” he says. Functionally speaking, having two roll-up doors means double the chances of a door breaking. However, with design on many people’s minds these days, the rest doesn’t seem to matter as much.
Bonus Rooms & In-Law Suites
Rather than finishing a basement or an attic space, Beaudoin says that many of his clients building new garages in Raleigh are choosing to add an extra bonus room or in-law suite to the design. “We can put in little kitchenettes, a small bedroom, a bathroom, and even a living space in these in-law suites,” he says. “Some of the suites I’ve designed inside garages even include a little seating area for eating, too.”
Beaudoin explains that oftentimes the reason a client will ask to build an in-law suite into his or her new garage is because “attics don’t pay.” What this means is that finishing off an attic or basement space will not bring any additional square footage to the home, since those spaces cannot be included in a home’s square footage during resale in North Carolina. A bonus room in a detached garage, however, can add much needed space and value to a home in Raleigh. “Finished attics are considered entertainment areas, as opposed to true living areas, so they don’t bring the same value as a finished garage addition,” he says.
Warranties
At Lifestyle Building & Remodeling Co. Inc., Beaudoin says he has become known for the generous warranties he offers his clients. “Everything we do is covered by a two-year workmanship warranty,” he says. “And that includes all our new work, such as additions, garages, screen porches, and entirely new homes.” Beaudoin’s two-year warranty is an entire year longer than what any other contractors in the area are offering, which is why so many homeowners are choosing his company for their new garage additions in Raleigh. “Since the recession began, there has been a real increased interest from homeowners in new garages and screened in porches,” he says. “It makes me feel happy to be able to build these things for people, and to help them create their dream homes.”
