Garage Dimensions & Sizes Guide

27 June 2023

Residential garages offer so much more than just a place to store your car. A fully enclosed garage that's secured with a garage door is essentially another room in your house. Aside from being a place to keep your car safe, a garage can also be used for storage, as well as double as another living area. Garages are commonly used as games rooms, craft areas, gyms, and as handy work areas. Larger garages provide more space for such activities.

While large garages are useful for extra space, it's important to consider how big you can realistically make your garage. The most popular size for a garage is a double garage, but some properties may not have enough room for a double garage and you may need to make do with a single-car garage.

Of course, a double-car garage costs more to build than a single-car garage. The former will require twice as much material and twice as much labour, which leads to a higher cost. So your budget is a big factor to take into consideration too when deciding on a garage size.

When deciding on the size of the garage you intend to build, it’s important to consider the following factors:

• Number of vehicles you want to park in the garage

• How big the vehicles are

• What you're planning on storing in your garage

• What sized garage will complement the aesthetics of your house

• The area of space you have available for the garage

• How much value will be added by building the garage compared to the cost of building the garage

• Whether you want to use your garage for additional activities

The above points should help to give you an idea of what garage size will be most suitable for you.

Once you know what size garage you're after, you should take consider the standard garage sizes so you can figure what will fit on your property.

Standard Garage Sizes

To determine whether you have enough space to build a single, double or triple garage, you should take some measurements of the space where you're intending to build. Once you have the measurements of the area take the below standard garage dimensions into consideration when making your decision. Height wise, most garages are typically around 2.1 metres internally, but this can be raised if required and will depend on what kind of vehicle you’d like to house.

Single Garage

The average garage dimensions are 3.5 metres (width) x 6 metres (length).

Double Garage

The average garage dimensions are 6 metres (width) x 6 metres (length).

Triple Garage

The average garage dimensions are 9 metres (width) x 6 metres (length).

Now that you're aware of the specific dimensions of standard garages, you should run through a few things to decide what size will suit you best.

What you will be parking in your garage?

First and foremost, a garage's main function is housing cars. The number of cars you own, and how many of them you want to park in the garage will be a big factor when choosing a garage size.

However, a garage can provide a safe and protected area for other vehicles that aren't necessarily cars, too. Whether it's a motorcycle, electric scooter, mini smart car or large vehicles like a mini bus, van or truck, garage dimensions can be constructed to fit a specific vehicle.

Single car garages and double garages are standard options, but these can always be custom-made to fit what you need. Your local Fair Dinkum Builds team can help you right through the design stage and through the build – or, if you're a seasoned builder, they can be purchased in the form of a ready-made garage kit.

What else do you want to use your garage for?

If you're building a garage with the intent of using it for other purposes, you should think about what those purposes will be and how much room they'll require. If you're looking to keep just one car in the garage and use the rest of the area for something else - like a tool area, then a double garage should give you enough room.

Alternatively, if you'd like to park more than one car in the garage and still have room to use the area for any additional activities, it may be a good idea to consider building a triple garage.

In Australia, it's very common for homeowners to set up a small gym area in the garage. Gym gear can be expensive and can get stolen or damaged when left out in the yard. When the equipment is kept in a garage it can be kept safe by a secure garage door.

How much stuff do you want to store in your garage?

The average Aussie garage has a lot of items stored in it - in fact, it's quite rare to come across a garage that doesn't have anything stored in it. A garage can be a great space to store bigger items that don't really have a place in the house. These items can be kept secure and safe by keeping the garage door closed.

Of course, some of us are hoarders while others hate clutter. So, different people have differing amounts of belongings that they'd like to store in their garage. If you're building a garage with the intention of using it as extra storage space, think about roughly what you'd like to keep in there and how much room it will take up. This will help you make a decision about the size of garage that will work for you.

How much space do you have to build the garage?

Even if you're set on building a large garage if you don't have enough space available it won't be possible. Often homeowners make the mistake of assuming that they can use all of the space on their land to build a garage. However, there are rules surrounding how close you're allowed to build to boundary lines. Plus, a cramped yard isn't an aesthetically pleasing look and may lower the value of your house.

To find out more information about the regulations of what you are allowed to build on your property, check out our guide here.

After ensuring that you've abided by the building regulations of your local council, you can assess whether you have enough space to build a garage of the size that you desire.

Consider your budget

If you would like to build a large garage and have space for it, then you'll need to work out the costs to figure out if it fits your budget. A single garage is the most affordable option but will probably only give you enough room to park one car in it.

Your garage doors and opener options can also be a significant cost to consider when it comes to building a garage. In Australia, a single car garage door might cost between $800 and $2700 depending on the size and style that you go for. A double roller door could generally cost between $1300 and $3600.

Triple garages are becoming more common – but a full triple roller door, not as much, as they can cost over $4500. Adding in Automatic and Smart Home enabled openers add convenience and an extra safety feature for in a family situation-whereas manual doors can help keep the build and installation costs down.

Aside from garage doors, the bigger a garage is the higher the cost of labour will be. Similarly, the materials for a larger garage will set you back a lot more than the cost of building a single garage.

No matter your budget, contact our team directly for a quote to easily get an idea of how much it will cost you.

FAQs

What is the standard size of a garage?

In Australia the standard garage sizes are as follows:

Single: 3.5 metres (width) x 6 metres (length).

Double: 6 metres (width) x 6 metres (length).

Triple: 9 metres (width) x 6 metres (length).

How do you size a garage?

Garage sizes are measured from the outside, not the inside. So the room inside the garage will be slightly smaller than the measured dimensions once you take into account the garage walls.

How much does a garage cost?

The price for a garage can vary greatly. A few factors that will affect the price of a garage are:

• Size

• Structure

• Site foundation

• Installation process

• Design

• Whether you choose a custom garage or a ready-made garage

• Whether the garage is attached or detached

Do I need council approval to build a garage?

This depends on the state you're building in, as well as the regulations by the local council. However, most areas will require council approval to build a garage.

Other Helpful Garage Buying Guides

Do I need council approval for a garage? 

Garage design ideas

Will a garage increase the value of my home?

Ready for a quote?

If you're looking to build a garage and are interested in getting more information about your options and the cost, get in touch with our friendly team for a quote.