Finding The Perfect Three-Car Garage Size For Your Lifestyle

More than 35% of Americans own two or more cars. These vehicles require shelter when not in use to prolong their lifespan and maximize the return on investment. A 3 car metal garage is an excellent option for parking multiple cars, with additional storage space. Alternatively, you can use it to park one car and use the remaining area for other activities. But how do you pick the right three-car garage size for your lot? To find it out, keep reading.

What Size Three Car Garage Should You Pick?

Pre-planning and thoughtful design have several advantages. Once you know how much space you have in your garage, you can section it, creating space for parking and other project work. So, picking the right size will be helpful in the long run.

Three Car Garage Sizes

Types Of 3 Car Garage Metal Building

Side Entry

The garage doors are planned alongside the length, creating a separate parking space for all three cars. You can also install one garage door of regular size (10’ x 10’) and a wider door for larger vehicles like SUVs. It requires a wider driveway, which may increase initial cost but offers convenience.

Front Entry

Here, there is only one door, and the cars are parked one by one in a row. To access the vehicle at the end, you must first remove the two other cars blocking it. This method requires a driveway large enough for one car, but it may not be convenient.

Three Car Garage With Lean-To

This can be any of the two garages mentioned above but with an additional lean-to. A lean-to is an open structure with a shaded area that can be used as patio space, especially if you use 3 car garage building for parking and other activities.

How Much Will It Cost?

A quality metal 3 car garage prices start at about $5,800 but can range up to $60,000 or even more. The price primarily depends on the following factors:

• Your location (installation & labor charges in rural or suburbs will cost less compared to cities)
• Width and height (wider and taller metal structure costs more)
• Additional accessories (walk-in doors, windows, natural light sources, gutter, and other add-ons)

Factors To Consider When Selecting Three-Car Garage Size

Type Of Vehicles

What kind of vehicle do you want to park in a 3-car metal garage? Different vehicles, be it sedan, SUV, or motorhome, come in various sizes. You may be looking to park a sedan alongside an RV. So, grab a measuring tape and take measurements of your vehicles.

For instance, to choose the height of the garage, add 2-3 ft. more to the taller vehicle’s height to get the leg’s height. For width, add the width of all vehicles. Do not forget that you must have space to open and close the car’s door. So, add 2.5 to 4 ft. extra in width on either side. Choose the length of the tallest vehicle as your garage’s length.

Location

The placement of the metal garage must be kept in mind before starting the project. Consider the following before finalizing the area:

• Orientation (angle of sun)
• Drainage (must be on an elevation to facilitate water flow away from it)
• Driveway (enough space to maneuver)
• Distance to the street (the closer it is to the street, the more the noise will be)

Storage Needs

It may happen that you want to install 3 car metal garage on your lot for parking one car and use the remaining space as a storage area or a workplace such as a personal workshop or an office. Try incorporating your vision into the design plan before ordering and installing the steel garage. You can use metal garages for various other purposes, such as:

• Office
• Workshop
• Gym
• Art studio
• Home bakery
• Man cave/ she shed

Accessible

Is your three car garage building connected to the house, or is it a stand-alone unit? What kind of garage door design and style will suit the best? Do you want multiple doors or just one wider door? Can you lay a wider driveway? The answer to these questions depends on your needs.

Zoning Laws & Building Codes

A 3 car metal garage is a large structure. Hence, you must go through all building codes & guidelines to make sure all fit the best in your design. Once the design is ready, get a blueprint and submit it for approval along with the necessary details and a permit fee (usually $500).

Upon securing the permit, you can begin by ordering the design and laying the concrete foundation, which takes 28 days to cure.

Also check: Best Way To Pack For Moving

Advantages Of A Metal 3 Car Garage

Most of you by now would be thinking, ‘Why choose a metal garage?’ And that’s a fair question, so let’s find the answer. One problem that people may get from choosing a metal is rust issues.

First, you must know that not all metal rusts. Only iron and its alloys do. To solve corrosion, manufacturers use galvanized steel coated with zinc, which creates a protective layer that prevents rusting.

On the contrary, no matter how much you take care of a timber-built garage, it is an organic material destined to rot and decay with time. Wood also tends to absorb moisture, which further leads to bending, cracking, and twisting over time. Hence, timber planks need frequent repair and replacement compared to galvanized steel.

Some of the benefits of choosing 3 car garage metal building are:

• Sturdy & durable material
• Long-lasting and retains structural strength with time
• Naturally, pests proof
• All weather-resistant (engineered-certified steel buildings)
• Very low maintenance cost compared to timber
• Customizable buildings
• An option for clear span (no internal support column)

Cut To The Chase

A 3 car garage building has multi-purpose use. From parking cars to using them as a workshop, office, or storage space, it will help keep things accessible and organized. The installation is hassle-free, and maintenance is quite low. In addition, a 3 car steel garage also increases the value of your property by 11% when pitched to the right buyer. So, don’t miss the boat, get your metal garage today.