Choosing the right size garage is a crucial decision. It determines the structure's functionality and convenience, so you should carefully consider it. Critical factors include vehicle size, amount of storage space needed, ease of parking, and more.
In this article, we look at the UK standard garage sizes and help you choose the right one for you.
Our clients often ask us questions about garage sizes, so we decided to answer the most common ones in this article.
In the UK, a single garage is, on average, 2.55 metres (8.3 feet) wide by 5.2 metres (17 feet) long. That is because the average car measures about 1.8 metres (5.9 feet) by 4.4 metres (14.4 feet).
An average-sized single garage provides enough room to park a modern small or medium car.
In the UK, an average-sized single garage typically has a floor area of 43.5 square feet (13.26 square metres), which can accommodate small and medium cars.
There are certain rules set down as permitted development but these do not apply to everyone so please read this article to learn more about building a garage on your property without applying for planning permission.
It is worth exploring the article above further as you may be able to build up to 4 metres (13’ 12” feet) high and on up to half the land surrounding your property. Your local planning authority will be able to confirm the exact options available to you.
In the UK, national regulations do not require a minimum garage size. However, local planning authorities and building control departments sometimes set specific guidelines.
At Chart Garages, the smallest garage we build is 5.4 metres (17.7 feet) wide by 3 metres (9.8 feet) long. That is because we believe ease of access, walking space, and ample storage room are essential to any garage.
It depends on the size of the vehicles you want to store in it. A two-car garage should be at least 5.5 metres (18 feet) wide and 5 metres (16.4 feet) long. However, if you wish to open the doors from both sides of the vehicles, you should choose a 6 metre (19.7 feet) by 6 metre (19.7 feet) garage.
It can be tempting to pick the smallest garage size that fits your vehicle to save money. However, a smaller garage will likely pose an inconvenience.
If you choose a garage size just big enough to fit your current car, you might need to park on one side or reverse in so you have enough space to open the driver’s door. That means being careful when parking your car, even if you are in a rush. Moreover, you cannot store any items - be it tools, bikes, or gardening equipment - inside the building.
To choose the garage size that suits your needs, consider the following factors.
Of course, the most important factor is the size of your car. Make sure you find the exact dimensions of the model you bought. The vehicle must fit easily through the garage door with both side-view mirrors open and there should be enough space inside to open the driver’s car door.
Land space is also critical. If you wish to build a garage without planning permission, the building must take up less than half the land around your property.
Consider how you want to use the area around the building, too. For example, do you wish to park your car in front of or near the garage when you only stop at home for a short while? Where will guests park?
A garage will outlast your current vehicle by many years, so choosing a size that suits your plans is important. When you retire, you may start a new hobby that requires a workshop. When the kids move out, you may want to claim one of their rooms to use it as a home office and move their belongings into storage. You may need to buy a bigger car in the future, and cars are growing wider at a rate of 1 centimetre (0.4 inches) every two years.
A garage is an asset - think about how to leverage it in the future.
If you are a confident driver, ease of parking might seem a minor factor. However, driving or reversing into a small garage requires attention and patience, even on days when you are exhausted. Building a garage just a few feet wider can make a huge difference in convenience.
The bigger the garage, the more room you will have to open the doors of your car and walk around. Extra walking space is especially beneficial when retrieving items inside the vehicle.
Will you store only your vehicle in the garage? Or do you want to build standing shelves where you can keep tools, gardening equipment, snow chains, and more? Do you own any bikes?
Small cars are between 1.6 metres (5.2 feet) and 1.8 metres (5.9 feet) wide and 3.5 metres (11.48 feet) and 4.2 metres (13.8 feet) long.
Examples of small cars include:
For a small car, we recommend a garage size of 5.4 metres (17.7 feet) by 3 metres (9.8 feet).
You can opt for a smaller size, but if you choose the dimensions we recommend, you can open all doors inside the garage, walk around the vehicle, park easily, and use some of the extra room as storage. Building a slightly oversized garage has no disadvantages.
Medium cars are between 1.8 (5.9 feet) and 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide and 4.3 (14.1 feet) and 4.75 metres (15.6 feet) long.
Examples of medium cars include:
For a medium-sized car, we recommend a garage size of 5.4 metres (17.7 feet) by 3.6 metres (11.8 feet). Upgrade to a width of 7.2-metre (23.6 feet) if you need more storage space.
Large cars are between 1.9 metres (6.2 feet) and 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide and 4.4 metres (14.4 feet) and 5 metres (16.5 feet) long.
Examples of large cars include:
For a large car, we recommend a garage size of 7.2 metres (23.6 feet) by 3.6 metres (11.8 feet). We recommend increasing the size to 9.1 metres (29.8 feet) by 4.2 metres (13.7 feet) for additional storage.
A garage door’s size is crucial when choosing the garage dimensions - you need to be able to drive through the door with ample room to spare.
Standard garage door sizes in the UK are typically either 2.13 metres (7 feet) wide by 1.98 metres (6.6 feet) tall or 2.13 metres (7 feet) by 2.13 metres (7 feet).
Double garage doors are usually 4.26m (14 feet) wide by 2.13m (7 feet) tall.
At Chart Garages, we build garages with bay-dedicated doors. Each vehicle enters the building through its own set of doors, so you do not need to worry about parking your car in a way that allows other vehicles to use the same set of doors. This type of floorplan allows for ample interior space inside.
If you own more than one vehicle and the land around your property is large enough, you can add multiple bays to your garage. These will allow you to store all your vehicles securely in one place.
If you are still determining what garage size you need, we can help you assess the right one based on the number of bays you require.
As we mentioned above, a garage is an asset. It does not only serve as a storage space - you can turn all or part of it into an extra room.
Think of a woodworking workshop, a gym, an art studio, a yoga and meditation room, a potting shed, or a music studio. The options are infinite.
Build a garage with one or more spare bays, install insulation, and add a solar power system to turn your garage into the hobby room of your dreams.
