A 3-car garage is one thing many people would benefit from having but never wind up getting one for numerous reasons. That said, a 3-car garage is a worthwhile investment, and the process of getting one does not have to be complicated.
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What Is a Standard 3-Car Garage Size?
There is no true standard 3-car garage size because everyone needs different spaces to accommodate their vehicles. There are only general estimates based on what’s most common. That is why it is never a good idea to build a 3-car garage without first considering how much space you are going to need, as building a garage that is too small will defeat the purpose.
Standard Garage Size In Square Feet
If we were to recommend a standard 3-car garage size in square feet, 22×32 is about what it would look like. That measurement can comfortably fit three regular-sized vehicles inside while still having space to spare.
Often people will choose to have a garage built that is bigger than 22×32 simply for the additional space. You don’t necessarily need to do that if you don’t plan on putting other stuff in your garage aside from cars. However, having the extra space available is never a bad thing.
Standard Garage Size In Meters
In meters, the standard 3-car garage size is 2.04×2.97.
Standard Garage Size In Yards
In yards, the standard 3-car garage size is 7.33×10.76.
3-Car Garage Dimensions Minimum
Most people consider 20×30 feet the absolute minimum size for a 3-car garage. Any smaller than that, and you’re looking at what is essentially an oversized 2-car garage.
Because the point of a 3-car garage is to allow for more usable space than a 2-car garage, it’s a bit uncommon to find extremely small 3-car garages at all. However, they are good if you are 100% certain that having a lot of space is not a priority.
If you own several small cars, then a 3-car garage with smaller dimensions might suit you better, as there it’s possible to have an overly large garage. Though again, having additional space can come in handy if you decide to buy some larger cars later on.
Dimensions In Square Feet
In square feet, 3-car garage dimensions usually are 32×22, 36×25, 38×26 and 40×30
Dimensions In Meters
In meters, 3-car garage dimensions usually are 2.97×2.04, 3.34×2.32, 3.53×2.41, and 3.72×2.79.
Dimensions In Yards
In yards, 3-car garage dimensions usually are 3.54×2.44, 4×2.78, 4.22×2.89, 4.44×3.33.
Oversized 3-Car Garage Dimensions
If you’re thinking of getting an oversized 3-car garage, you’re looking at a garage that can get up to 30×60 feet. These are the garages you will want if you want that extra space, either for big cars and trucks or other things that won’t fit into smaller garages with your vehicles. Consider things like lawn equipment, freezers, etc.
These garages also tend to come with larger houses, as it doesn’t look right to have a huge garage that is part of a regular-sized house.
Dimensions In Square Feet
In square feet, oversized 3-car garage dimensions are 30×60 and 40×30
Dimensions In Meters
In meters, oversized 3-car garage dimensions are 2.79×5.74 and 3.72×2.79
Dimensions In Yards
In yards, oversized 3-car garage dimensions are 3.33×6.67 and 4.44×3.33
3-Car Tandem Garage Dimensions
A tandem garage sounds fancy, but it is relatively simple to understand if it’s a new term to you. Essentially, a tandem garage is where one car fits in behind another, meaning that the layout of these garages puts far more emphasis on longitudinal space instead of lateral.
Whether a regular garage or a tandem garage provides more overall space, they are relatively the same. It’s more about what type of layout you prefer from an aesthetic perspective. However, one major caveat many people point out with tandem garages is the difficulty of getting cars out of them.
Because tandem garages do not possess the same width as regular garages, you have to put cars into them one at a time. So, let’s say you park three cars inside and then want to get the first car out. To do that, you would have to back out the first two, as there is generally only one garage door with tandem garages.
A 3-car garage almost always comes with three separate garage doors, so accessing each vehicle inside is made easy.
Tandem Garage Dimensions In Square Feet
In square feet, tandem garage dimensions usually are 18×20, 20×20, 22×22, and 20×22.
Tandem Garage Dimensions In Meters
In meters, tandem garage dimensions usually are 1.67×1.86, 1.86×1.86, 2.04x.204, and 1.86×2.04.
Tandem Garage Dimensions In Yards
In yards, tandem garage dimensions usually are 2×2.22, 2.22×2.22, 2.44×2.44, and 2.22×2.44.
Standard Garage Height
The standard height of any given garage varies mainly depending on the construction of the rest of the house. Whether it’s a one-car garage, two-car garage, or three-car garage, the height never depends on a single factor. This is why if you’ve been in enough garages, you’ll have seen ceilings of different heights.
Standard Height In Feet
In feet, the standard garage ceiling height is 7-8.
Standard Height In Meters
In meters, the standard garage ceiling height is 2.1-2.4.
How Deep Should a Garage Be on Average?
20 feet is the minimum recommended depth for a garage to accommodate most cars and trucks.
Standard 3-Car Garage Door Dimensions
On average, a garage door’s dimensions sit somewhere between eight and 16 feet wide. Eight feet or nine feet wide is the norm for most single garage doors, whereas if a garage has a double garage door, 16 feet is the standard.
Standard Garage Door Height
In feet, the standard garage door height is 7-8.
Standard Garage Door Width
In feet, the standard garage door width is 8-9.
Things To Consider When Planning a 3-Car Garage
Even if you know the basics of what to expect when it comes to the dimensions of different 3-car garages, there are several other factors you’ll want to consider before diving into the process of building one.
Consider a Cost/Budget
Before you even start thinking about garage layouts and precisely what kind of garage you’re looking for, you should have some budget already in place.
Going into building a 3-car garage without first having a budget in mind is a recipe for disaster. You want to plan the building around whatever set amount of money you’re willing to spend and then make slight adjustments to that budget depending on certain factors.
What you don’t want to do is the opposite, which is start building a 3-car garage and make up the budget as you go along. You don’t want to have your plans dashed because some aspect of the garage will cost you considerably more money than you can or are willing to spend. Having a budget beforehand will prevent a situation like this from occurring.
What Do You Intend to Use Your Garage For?
Part of knowing what your budget will be does involve knowing what kind of use you’re looking to get out of your new 3-car garage. Generally, if you’re looking to have more space, you’re going to have to pay more money, so your budget will naturally have to rise in that case.
As you can likely imagine, more spacious garages allow you to store more inside of them instead of only cars. However, suppose you’re the type of person who uses garages for the sole purpose of putting cars indoors. In that case, you don’t need to spend more money on a larger garage.
What Type of Garage Layout Do You Want?
Next is the layout of the garage. Choosing between a regular and tandem 3-car garage will come down to personal preference. Tandem garages can save much space, but getting cars in and out of them is a bit more complicated, so consider whether you’re okay with some of the restrictions that come with such a layout before deciding.
Consult Your Homeowner Association
Before any building can happen, it’s essential to contact your HOA and let them know that you’re planning to construct a new garage. Many HOAs have rules and regulations for new construction, and you want to ensure you don’t violate any of them in the process of building your garage.
Get a Reliable Builder
There are many construction companies out there, and it’s sometimes tough to know which ones are reliable. Reading reviews and testimonials on a specific company is always the best way to get a sense of what you can expect from them. If possible, you should also look at samples of work they’ve done for their past clients to see if it’s of the quality you’re looking for.
Plan Ahead
Planning is the most critical part of building any garage, and good planning involves all the above considerations. Regardless of how thoroughly you plan, you will almost always encounter unexpected occurrences during the building process. However, good planning can still help cut down on these occurrences significantly.
Being well prepared will also make it easier for you to make any necessary adjustments along the way, so we can’t stress the importance of this aspect enough.
Conclusion
It probably comes as no real surprise, but constructing a new 3-car garage is a lot of work in the planning and building phases. Is it worth the time and investment? Yes, a 3-car garage is worth it if you’re tired of having a regular garage and want something different that will also give you more space to work with.
Simply remain patient, follow the considerations we went over, and take your time in each step of the process. If you do those three things, you’ll have your dream 3-car garage in practically no time at all!
