Photograph: Courtesy of Brian Hoar

By Brian Hoar and Mary Lee Zimmer

We’re building a garage!
Should we plan ahead or just start digging?
Let’s ask the experts....

It doesn’t happen overnight
“One of the biggest things a client needs to know is it doesn’t happen overnight,” begins Tom Campbell, Ed Campbell Construction. “There are an awful lot of steps that have to take place before the first shovel goes into the ground.
“An architect, or designer, first translates your vision into an actual concept and determines whether or not your vision can work on your particular site.
“Determine your priorities,” he continues. “You may have to downscale your cottage to get a two-storey garage. Or you may have to decide the two-storey garage isn’t as much a priority as a boathouse and decide to build a single-car garage instead. You rarely have all three – a two-storey boathouse, big cottage and a two-storey garage. But, of course, there are always exceptions.”
“When creating a site plan and applying for a building permit,” states Brian Higgins, Cottage Country Construction, “lot coverage, septic bed sizes, hydro service, driveway placement and so on are all addressed. If future accessory buildings, such as a garage, are not included in the planning at that point, you may end up having to redo the main services such as hydro and septic and incur unnecessary costs and time delays.”
Good previous site planning will have placed location of the garage on the property accurately in relation to driveways, turnarounds, hydro, water and lot coverage issues.
“I sit down with the customer right at the beginning,” says Doug Gulett, Northwind Construction. “Quite often they want things they’re not expressing, but if you listen, you can get a real feel of what they will be really happy with. I spend a considerable amount of time with the customer at this stage.” Gulett says.

Photograph: Courtesy of Fitzmaurice Bros.

Design Considerations
The garage for today’s custom home is often far from a utility structure to house the family car. Planned use will ultimately determine the design.
“One of the first questions we ask is the intended use for the garage,” states Brock Watson, Discovery Dream Homes. “What do you plan to park in it – a boat, cars, gators? Will you have a second storey? Will it be used for storage or, if allowed under the regulations of your municipality, living quarters?” Before beginning the design, all details are covered.
“You can get just as decorative with a garage as you can with a home,” he adds. “A full log or timber frame garage is a popular option.”
Yesterday’s humble garage was generally built box-like and uninteresting at best. The only consideration was function and it tended to detract from the architecture of the home.
Its original intent to shelter the family vehicle was quickly superseded by the need to store the lawnmower, the snow blower – then more and more junk, ultimately rendering the garage use to an ugly storage shed with the car parked in the driveway. Sound familiar?
In today’s world, a well-designed garage will be as functional as it is attractive. It will add considerable value and convenience to a home.
Those riding mowers, snowmobiles, ATVs, snow blowers, bicycles, motorcycles and gardening tools all take up space and are best taken care of when stored out of the weather. No one really wants to see this stuff strewn all over the property under tarps or sitting on trailers.
Many families in our affluent society have more than one vehicle. SUVs can be large and require more space than compact automobiles.
Garage doors need to be addressed and sized to accommodate those large mirrors and roof racks.

Photograph: Courtesy of Fitzmaurice Bros.

It isn’t enough to be able to get the vehicle in the door. There needs to be enough room to open the doors and easily exit the vehicle.
Squeezing past walls and fenders encrusted with road salt and the resulting trip to the cleaners with soiled clothes is a sure indication of poor design. The garage has to be practical or it will not be used for its intended purpose. Simple, but far too many still fail in this area.
Will it be attached, detached or semi detached?
“Design-wise there is a very wide range in garages depending on the number of bays and type of construction,” states James Pitropov, Smith’s Architect Inc.
“A garage can be fairly simple. It can be a carport, a garage with a breezeway or a mudroom. You can get more elaborate at the higher end of the spectrum. In some cases we have had nanny suites above.
“Attached garages are a convenient feature,” suggests Gary Clark, Edenlane Homes. “Some garages are built perpendicular to the front of the home and can incorporate a charming breezeway and decorative cupola.”
“The garage is large enough to really impact the layout or use of the site,” suggests Pitropov. “Keeping the garage separate from the house adds cost but also provides flexibility. Attaching a garage to a home can juggle the entire floor plan.

The exterior
An attractive stand-alone building with an architectural theme that complements the home and blends with the landscaping can incorporate unique features such as natural stone accents and beautiful coach house doors.
“We take a lot of pictures of all existing structures,” adds Jeff Lovegrove, Lovegrove Construction, “so that we can tie in the siding, roofing and windows. The garage should not look like it was an after thought.”
“If there are cedar shingles on the house or cottage, we will do cedar shingles on the garage.” states Grant Watkinson, Shorline Construction. “And we do the same with the siding. It has got to look like the whole compound.”
Roofs can be striking with dormers, gables, copper flashings and cedar shakes.
“Dormers provide visual interest and grace to a roof,” adds Clark. “In conjunction with gables, dormers add to the complexity and aesthetic appeal of the roofline.”
“Asphalt shingles are probably the most widely used for garage roofs, but a lot of people are going to Enviroshake,” states Doug Fitzmaurice, Fitzmaurice Brothers Carpentry. “Some still request cedar shakes, but while they used to last, they just don’t any more. They look nice for the first four or five months until they bleach out. They are not my first choice.”
Upscale windows and window boxes overflowing with flowers are not confined to boathouses anymore.
“Continuing with the same style of windows and doors works best. Everything needs to flow between the main cottage and the secondary buildings,” says Eleda Ward, Window Works.
“Wood siding for both the main cottage and accessory buildings, such as the garage, makes a bold and elegant statement and is available in a myriad of colours. Outstanding manufacturers’ warranties are available,” explains Clark.
“Wood siding represents a time long past,” he continues, “otherwise known as “olde Muskoka”. Today’s wood products are the perfect choice for people wanting the traditional look and feel with minimal maintenance. The natural product and subdued colour palette blend seamlessly with the natural environment.”
Automatic garage door openers offer convenience and security – especially during the hours of darkness. Lighting is automatic as the door opens and closes. The new controls can be electronically locked out preventing unauthorized or unintentional entry.

Open concept for the upper level with large windows provides a warm uplifting atmosphere. Photograph: Courtesy of Brian Hoar

There are attractive “coach house” garage doors now available with matching hardware that provide great pre-finished customizing options or perhaps a cedar vee joint for unlimited upscale wood designs. They have come a long way from those steel doors with embossed square panels that were yesterday’s subdivision standard.
“We supply and install overhead doors and automatic door openers,” states Bill Evans, Bracebridge Garage Doors.
“There is certainly a trend towards the wood sectional look,” he continues. “There are so many choices when it comes to garage doors! Rather than having customers shop on the Net and risking disappointment, I take them around to see actual installed doors. If you look at it standing you see a full-scale door rather than just a picture in a brochure and can better appreciate it.”
Insulate and heat
Special attention must be given to insulation between the lower and upper levels especially if the lower garage level is not heated.
“People often heat the garage because they want to be able to work on their car or Skidoos,” begins Jamie Watson, Great Northern Insulation.
“One of the questions I ask is how much they are going to use the area – year round or seasonal? Different circumstances determine the level of insulation.
“It can also depend on how the structure is built. “When 2 by 4s are used instead of 2 by 6s,” he continues, “we usually foam it because you get twice the R-value per inch with the foam as opposed to batt. Foam is expensive upfront but within a few years you’re reaping the benefits. Foam has a high R-value rating because it gets in every nook and cranny. There are no air gaps anywhere.”
“Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) are becoming more and more popular for accessory buildings as well as homes,” states Rick Hallam, Tobin Enterprises. Rigid plastic foam forms hold the concrete in place and serve as thermal insulation for the concrete walls. The ICF wall is exceptionally strong. It is sound and wind resistant and carries a high R-value.
Vapour barriers are particularly important with insulation. There will be moisture from wet vehicles and that moisture must not migrate through to the framing or roof trusses. Insulated garage doors must be selected and installed properly with sealed doorstops.
“We install in-floor heating in most of the garages we build,” states Watkinson.
“We use hot water in plastic piping, right in the cement. The lower level is the place to store toys – golf carts and sometimes boats in the wintertime, so they keep it just above freezing,” he explains.

This custom garage bedroom-window design complements that of the main cottage. Photograph: Courtesy of Brian Hoar

Interior – lower level
A workbench is a great idea but requires space and planning for lighting and electrical receptacles. Cabinets to store the tools, or pegboards on which to hang them, work well. There needs to be enough space to stand at the bench and work too, without having to move the car outside. Don’t make this space an afterthought.
“A small heated utility room is often the answer for winterized plumbing down on the main floor of the garage,” states Fitzmaurice. “All your water, hydro and fuel lines, depending on what you are using for heat upstairs, would come into that room.
“It would have its own little heat source, an electric heater on a thermostat, that could be insulated and enclosed in its own space,” he continues.
“If you are going to be away, you could choose to turn the heat way back and drain everything back to that little room and it would be only that area that you would have to maintain with a wee bit of heat to keep things from freezing.”
Floor drainage should be provided as snow and ice melts from parked vehicles. This may be as simple as a sloped floor but the better solution is a removable grate and sand trap that would also allow winter washing. Pressured water supply is required for this and must be carefully planned.
Consider a hot water supply as well as cold!
Good lighting is often overlooked and needs planning. Electrical receptacles for vacuum cleaners, battery chargers and block heaters are all part of a well-executed garage.
Storage for all those other things such as the riding mower and snow blower takes floor space. A little thought in this area pays off.
How will the snow blower be moved in and out? Do the vehicles have to be moved to do this or would a separate door be a better plan? They take more space than imagined; they need to be measured. And modern snowmobiles are four feet wide and can be 10 feet long!
“Ten years ago people were just leaving the interior unfinished,” adds Watkinson, “but now you’ll find several unique features including cedar walls.”
“A drive-through for snowmobiles is an interesting option,” adds Pitropov. “The special door opens, you drive the snowmobile through on a refrigerated floor, keeping the snow from melting, have a few refreshments, rest etc. get back on the snowmobile, which is still sitting on snow, and drive out.”
“A full Muskoka room off the end instead of above is another interesting idea,” explains Lovegrove. “We did this with a three-bay garage. The Muskoka Room had windows on all three sides and it was basically an exercise room. We added a small bathroom so that if, in the future, the owner added a tennis court, or a basketball court, he could shower.”

Upper level living accommodations often include a media centre and modern kitchen area. Stoves are not allowed but close by, outside on the deck, is a barbecue. Photograph: Courtesy of Brian Hoar

Interior - upper level
Depending on the rules set by your particular municipality (see chart) include a nanny suite, guest accommodations or a game room on the upper level.
“The second storey to a garage can be storage, high-end accommodations, a playroom for the kids or perhaps a well-designed games room complete with a home theatre, pool table, small bar area,” states Lovegrove. “Get away from the main cottage and watch a movie!”
Municipalities throughout Muskoka have a confusing array of bylaws. All are different and what one will allow the next one will not.
Lot coverage, size, height and use all vary.
As a consequence, living areas above garages are not always an option, but where this is possible, it opens up interesting opportunities for guest accommodations.
Floor areas are generally restricted. For example, the Township of Muskoka Lakes allows a maximum of 650 square feet while Lake of Bays allows a maximum of 581 square feet for the second storey. Gravenhurst does not allow living areas above unless it is an attached garage. There may be other restrictions on kitchen or wet bar facilities but once it’s worked through, great living spaces can be created as alternatives to rooms above the boathouse or guest cottages.
Combining garage and living space maximizes facilities on lots where coverage is an issue.
Access to the living space can be accomplished with a separate entrance through the lower level or from exterior stairs in combination with an attractive deck for the morning coffee or that glass of wine. The deck is also home to the barbecue. Stoves are not allowed.
Small living areas are a challenge to design – every square foot must count. But it can be done, and done well. They can be unique and often become the most favourite place of all.
Bigger is not always better.
Join us in August when we turn to our next custom building project.

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