Pros and Cons of Front-Facing Garage Entrances

February 3, 2022

When building your custom home, you have an opportunity to design rooms, features, and more just to your liking. If you decide to have a garage as part of your design, it’s important to consider all of your options including the location of your garage entrance. Here are a few pros and cons of front-facing garage entrances to help you decide what is best for you:

3 Pros of a Front-Facing Garage

A front-facing garage entrance can provide some benefits. Here are a few pros of a front-facing garage:

1. Front-Facing Garages are Convenient and Easy

When it comes to evaluating a street-facing garage entrance or side entrance, it’s hard to ignore convenience. Front-facing garages are a great option because it can be much easier to turn in from the street and pull right into your garage.

Your driveway will also be a lot closer to your front door. This can be a nice convenience for you and for your guests. They can park and have a short walk to your front door.

2. They Can Buffer Noise

If you’re building in an urban area or an area with a lot of noise, a front-facing garage is a great way to block some noise. If your garage is built in front of your home, it naturally will protect you from excess street noise. It also is a great way to block your home from excess light coming off of your street.

3. Front-Facing Garages are Great for Narrow Lots

If your lot is much narrower than it is wide, then building a front-facing garage might be a better choice than a side entrance garage. Because your lot is narrow, you can put your garage in front and save space for the rest of your home. And, it may allow you to have a larger backyard, depending on your lot size.

3 Cons of a Front-Facing Garage

Although there are advantages to a front-facing garage, there can be some disadvantages as well. Here are some cons of a front-facing garage:

1. They Can Take up Valuable Space

Since your garage is prominently in front, it will take up a lot of space. You’ll need to decide which is most important to you – garage space or yard space.

If you decide a front-facing garage is what you want, keep in mind it can take away from your home living space as well as your yard space. But, there are ways to keep living space while also having a front-facing garage.

2. It May Take Away From Your Home’s Design

With a front-facing garage, it will be the first thing people see from the curb. Garages, especially those with double doors, can be flat and a little boring. Because of this, you might be stuck with a bland view in the front of your home.

When designing your custom home, you will have some say in this, but your options may be limited with a front-facing garage. But, there are a lot of design options available for sprucing up your garage that can help a front-facing garage stand out. High-quality doors are one of the garage must-haves and they often come with a lot of available stylish upgrades.

3. You May Not Have Much Driveway Space

Keep driveway space in mind as you design your home. Because your garage will be in front of your home, you may be giving up valuable driveway space. If ample parking and driveway space are important to you, a front-facing garage might not be right for you.

There are pros and cons of side-entry garages, front-facing garage entrances, attached garages, detached garages, etc. These are just a few of the pros and cons of front-facing garage entrances to keep in mind as you think about a garage for your custom home. This is one of the essential garage considerations for your custom home and evaluating the pros and cons of all the options can help you figure out what’s best for you.

When it comes down to it, you get to decide what is best for your needs. If you’re ready to get started on your custom home, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!