With the constant shift in car shapes and sizes as your family grows on top of storage requirements, ensuring you build the perfect, secure garage to hold everything as your needs change is crucial. But not to worry, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of options to help set you on the right path!

Garage Width: The most common garage layout found on homes is a standard two-car garage. Equipped with a single door, generally 12 to 18 feet wide, that allows for two vehicles of the same or different sizes. An alternative garage layout is a two-car garage split down the middle with a vertical beam and two smaller doors on either side. This is a sleek aesthetic that is visually pleasing but may bump up cost with the required dual door setup and door openers. Another option is a single-car garage that starts at 8-feet wide.

Short vs. Tall: The standard height for garage doors is 7 feet tall, which works perfectly for most vehicles. However, if you have a lifted truck or jeep or have an installed roof rack or cargo carrier, you will need to opt for something taller. Raise the height to 8 or 9 feet to ensure proper clearance.

Door Material: Although it’s not the first thing you think of when building a garage, the door material used can make a big impact. Steel garage doors panels are most popular and start at 1/8-inch thick with no insulation and be as think as 1 1/2-inches thick with a piece a foam in between the layers. Additionally, homeowners can choose wood, glass, vinyl, or fiberglass doors.