If you’re living in the Chicago, Illinois, area, garage space is often at a premium, especially in terms of width. While you may want a garage to store your vehicles and items, your property may not be able to accommodate a side-by-side garage. If that’s the case, a tandem garage is an excellent solution. Learn more about what a tandem garage is, its dimensions, and how it can benefit you by reading this guide our team at Overhead Garage Door created.
Introduction to Tandem Garages
Unlike a traditional side-by-side garage where cars park next to each other, a tandem garage is long and narrow, and the vehicles park in a row. This type of garage is beneficial for long, narrow lots or townhouses. Some tandem garages have a garage door at both ends, making it easy to drive the vehicles out without having to move the other one. With a tandem garage with two doors, you need space and a driveway on the backside of the garage to effectively drive the car, SUV, or pickup truck out.
With a tandem garage, you can build shelves for vertical storage of your recreational gear and extra household supplies, allowing you to keep your possessions organized. You can also use part of the garage space as a workshop for DIY projects.
Benefits of Tandem Garages
Tandem garages have many benefits. They’re space efficient, increase your property value, and can make your house look more appealing.
Better Space Efficiency
A tandem garage allows you to park two cars sequentially, requiring less space on your property. A side-by-side garage takes much more space and resources. If you live in an urban area with small lots, a tandem garage is beneficial for keeping your cars secure and off the street.
Increased Property Value
Most homeowners and renters appreciate having a garage for their vehicles and for storing items. If you have a tandem garage, you’ll increase the property value, and if you’re renting out your home, townhouse, or condo, you can charge more rent with a tandem garage.
Added Curb Appeal
A large double garage door or two garage doors may not have the same curbside appeal as a tandem garage door. With one door, the house or townhouse has a sleek look that adds curbside appeal.
Cost-Effective To Build and Maintain
Because a tandem garage is narrower than a double garage, it takes fewer materials to build it, making it cost-effective. In addition, you have less space to heat or cool, which is essential for the hot summers and cold winters we have in the Chicago area.
Flexible and Versatile
As with any garage, a tandem garage can be attached to the home or detached if you have space. With numerous tandem garage plans available, you can park two, three, or four cars in a limited area and still have vertical space for extra storage.
Types of Tandem Garages
You can choose between many different types of garages in a tandem configuration: attached, detached, single-level, double-level, apartment, and multiple spaces.
Two-Car Tandem Garage
A two-car tandem garage is the most common design. Depending on the plan, a two-car version is generally about 12 feet wide and 38 feet long. It’s wide enough for one vehicle with room to walk around it, and it’s long enough to park two vehicles, one in front of the other.
Three-Car Tandem Garage
A three-car tandem garage often has two doors or one large door. One side of the garage has space to park two vehicles sequentially, and the other side has room for a third vehicle parked by itself. Dimensions for a three-car tandem garage range from about 18 to 24 feet wide and about 38 to 40 feet deep on the tandem side. The single-car side is about 20 feet deep.
Four-Car Tandem Garage
If you have several vehicles, you may need a four-car tandem garage setup. From the outside, the garage door looks similar to a standard two-car garage, but the garage itself is deeper than a traditional one. The dimensions for this setup are about 28 feet wide and 40 feet deep, which allows you to park two rows of cars sequentially.
Specialty Tandem Garages and Custom Designs
You can also get a custom tandem garage. Garage configurations can accommodate taller vehicles, such as an RV, add workshops and additional storage space, and even have an apartment on top of the garage. When you work with a tandem garage specialist, they can integrate special items, such as windows, lighting, storage, climate control, and smart features, to make the garage convenient and efficient.
Depending on your needs, you can add a small interior room inside the custom garage for an office or extra secure storage space. Working with a professional garage designer will help you create the perfect customized tandem garage.
Challenges and Considerations for Tandem Garages
When considering a tandem garage, think about issues such as flexibility of parking. Unless you have a drive-through tandem garage, you’ll need to work out a schedule of who parks in the front, as you’ll have to shuffle vehicles around.
Size is important as well. If you have a large SUV or pickup truck, you’ll need more room than for a small sedan. Utilizing accessories such as bike racks, shelving, and stackable storage containers will help make the space organized and accessible.
Choose the width, depth, and height you’ll need to decide if you need a two- or three-car tandem garage, and check your budget for additional features.
Get Garage Door Installation in Greater Chicago Today
Tandem garages are an economical and effective way to store your vehicles and possessions securely. Contact our team at Overhead Garage Door in the Greater Chicago area to learn more about tandem garages. We offer a full range of garage door services, ranging from emergency repair to installation.
Image by Mathias Reding is licensed with Unsplash License