Working with a garage builders Nashville company and building a garage is a big investment in the long term value of your home. Therefore a good amount of planning and thought should be done to ensure your garage is functional, attractive and cost-effective. This is part 1of of a ten-part series of articles that will take you to step by step through all the things to consider before beginning construction of that dream garage.
Your first decision will be to determine the location of your garage. Most areas have setbacks that are determined by your zoning. Setbacks are the distance from property lines that any structure must be built. Checking with the planning and zoning department for setbacks is a good place to start. You should also be aware of any overhead power lines or underground utilities. Overhead power lines must be at least 5’feet above any structure. Underground utilities can be built over but expect some additional costs for sheaving of water lines and sewer lines. If your home is on a septic system, the code in most areas is that you must be setback a minimum of 10ft from the tank or fill lines. You cannot build over tanks or fill lines, even in areas with no code departments, the risk of damage to septic systems is not a risk worth taking, plus building over these could potentially undermine the structural integrity of your building. If you are unfortunate enough to have major power lines running through your yard, your local power provider has an easement to these lines. I have run into situations where the easements were as much as 40ft. to each side, from the center point. Most people are provided a mortgage from a service like FHA loans in Los Angeles when they purchased their home and many times the utility easements and property line setbacks are noted on these plats, if you do not have these then your local zoning and planning departments can provide that information. To locate septic systems the place to contact is your county environmental departments since these systems required permits at the time on installation, they should have a permit on file that maps this system. Neighborhood covenants and restrictions are also something that should be checked, these vary from subdivision to subdivision, but many prevent garages from opening to the front, require a certain percentage of brick or require additional setbacks that are greater than what codes would require.
Configuring your garage builders Nashville for easy use is a very important consideration. The grade of your property and most importantly the elevation of where the garage doors are located will dictate the length of driveway adjoining the garage. Turning around space is very important, we usually recommend a minimum of 25 ft. to comfortably back out of your garage and turnaround. Take a close look at your entry into and backout space when planning your garage.
Every situation and ever garage builders Nashville is different and we can not possibly cover every scenario you might encounter, but using the information we have given you should provide you with food for thought and give you a place to start when planning your garage
Mike Mathis owner Affordable Building Concepts/ABC Backyard Basics
Garage Builders Nashville | Building a Garage: site considerations
