Adding a Garage: Gaining Valuable Space and New Options

Your home may already have an attached garage that you have woefully outgrown. Perhaps you have a residence that was built without a garage. So naturally a new garage, either free-standing or an addition, will gain valuable space and protection for your vehicles. But don't forget to consider all the new options that may also come along with a new garage: workspace / workroom; garden room or mud room; storage for yard equipment; and additional attic space for long-term storage.

Integration of the New Garage with your Existing Home

At Josey Construction we work carefully to match the architectural details of your current home when we add a garage. Beyond merely the matching brick style, shingles and paint colors, our owner Colin Josey utilizes his carpentry and home construction experience to craft a design where the rooflines, eaves, fascia, trims and finish-out details integrate seamlessly with your home. Driveways and turn arounds are also planned to smoothly blend into your lot's layout. Our goal is to have the new structure appear as if it was always there! Take a look at two highlighted examples of our custom garage projects below.

New Brick Garage - Fairview

This home already included an attached 2-car garage. However, the clients wanted to gain extra space and a place to house their vintage car. At the same time, they took the opportunity to add an additional storage room and a 'garden room' with extra windows and ample light to overwinter favorite tender potted plants.

New Garage and Driveway (plus complete construction photos) - McKinney

This 2-story framed home in the historic district of downtown McKinney did not have a garage, as is common with most homes of this era. In this project, matching the construction and craftsmanship of the original home was paramount. Josey Construction worked within the parameters of detailed layout plans provided by the client and added extra touches in the eaves, fascia and windows to echo the carpentry details of the by-gone builders of the original home. The gabled roof allowed for an amount of attic storage space, accessed by a pull-down ladder. The back of the garage holds extra shelving and a workbench. Custom carriage-door style garage doors were installed. In addition, brick inserts were put into the new driveway to give a special touch.

Garage Planning

Steps Needed Before Construction Can Begin

A new garage, be it a free-standing building or an addition / extension of your home, must follow all the guidelines and requirements for new home construction. We must address the exact placement of the structure on your site plat in regards to utility easements and deed restrictions along with the building codes of your city and homeowner's association.

As you decide on the additional options you may want in your garage for more than just to park vehicles, we can help you determine the desired size of your structure. Next you'll want to consider what utilities you will like in the garage. Electricity is a given so you may power outdoor safety lights and interior lighting. Most people will want an electronic garage door opener. What about extra plugs for tools? It's best to include plugs in multiple locations. Don't neglect considering the option of having water supplied to your garage. You could then have a utility sink, a connection to water plants or do potting, and an additional outdoor faucet for a garden hose.

There are other considerations and requirements that may not be so obvious. First is the geological formation of the ground where we will lay your foundation. You will need a soil analysis to determine the depth of your foundation and size of the beams to be used. This is part of your city's building code inspection to insure proper foundation construction so you may be issued a building permit. Depending on your soil conditions, engineered foundation drawings may be required. Secondly, each city and neighborhood will have specific requirements on the boundaries of where a building is allowed to be erected on your lot. Determining this building code information will need online research and possibly a visit to your city's Building Permit department. Thirdly, detailed drawings must be submitted to your city for the floor plans, roof plans, and electrical layout plans. Your initial free quote from Josey Construction will not include the drafting of any formal plans, nor the research of your city's building codes. However if you do accept our initial estimate and wish to proceed further, these detailed plans will be drawn out and correct parameters of your city's building codes will be determined in the next stage of our proposal at no additional charge.

In the final stage of our proposal we also will layout a construction timeline for the major steps of Concrete, Framing and Roof, Brick or Siding, Electrical, Interior and Painting. You will see where certain steps must be accomplished sequentially, while other work can be done concurrently. As with any outdoor construction, your timeline will be directly affected by the weather. With a general timeline like this you will be able to see how inclement weather impacts the time needed to complete your project. Josey Construction will always work closely with you to keep you informed of the schedule at all times!

Our Garage Construction Background

With over 28 years of experience in the construction industry, owner and project manager Colin Josey brings a broad range of skills to new garage and garage addition projects. (Read his full Profile) Colin chose to work in this industry because he started as a Certified Carpentry Journeyman as a young man, and has thorougly enjoyed being involved in all phases of construction ever since. He loves working in the north Dallas area because his family has made their home here, and he enjoys the people and places in Texas.

In addtion to remodeling, Colin has extensive experience in heavy construction and so is well-versed in the essential knowledge of structural requirements. In his career he has also constructed framing for bridges, commercial buildings and done complete new home construction. Josey Construction has completed numerous projects in the North Dallas area and we welcome your request for local references.

Certifications & Accreditations

Josey Construction is a Screened and Approved Professional member of Service Magic. Josey Construction has undergone the approval verification of Service Magic; this includes screening of the appropriate State Licenses, Registrations, Insurance Coverage and financial stability. Ratings and testimonials from Service Magic are independently collected from clients who have had work completed by Josey Construction. Our current rating is 4.75 out of 5. Josey Contruction is also an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau of Dallas.

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(but we welcome after-hours appointments to fit your schedule!)

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