Do you mean a secondary entry for guests and non-residents? Do you mean a door for access to the outside for trash, deck, etc.? Do you mean a hinged door to/from the garage? What do you mean? Really?

Yes, secondary entry for guests.

Hinged door, either opening into the actual garage, for people to enter through the house entrance from the garage. You'd have to walk past our mess though, not sure I really like that idea. There is a mudroom upon entering the house though, great for off loading guests coats and bags.

Or it could also open into the utility room, bonus would be you wouldn't have to walk through our garage mess. I'd lose a little cabinet space, but not enough to be concerned, there is more than enough storage with the loss. There would already be hanging space in there, so still a good area for off loading coats.

I don't know which might be better. If it's even needed at all.

Is the garage attached to the house? Add a door to it! You will appreciate it when it rains, or when you need to retrieve something from the car. Will your trash cans go in the garage?

Yes, attached. It's already huge, it's a three car garage, which is why I was hesitant to expand it for a door, but if it's something I will regret then I will.

I'm not sure on the trash cans, there is an indention in the garage where they could easily go. The cars will be in the garage. But, my husbands work truck might not be, you have an excellent point there!

I agree with the above. Definitely add a door. In the house we live in now, our kids always use the garage side door to enter and exit the house. It's more convenient plus it allows our front door entry (inside and outside) to stay clean and tidy. We lived in a house without the "hinged" door to the garage and it drove me crazy. If we were doing yard work and you needed a tool from the garage you had to open the big overhead door and walk by your vehicles to get it. Ideally there would be a path from the hinged door into the house without too many obstacles.

Ideally all guests would walk around to the front door, however, laziness seems to have taken over and people just can't be bothered. I asked because there isn't one currently on the plan and my niece, who recently built, told me to consider one. She has people knock on her garage door instead of walking around to the front door. It seems insane to me, but it happens to her frequently.

I vote for # 4: Undesirable.

I want guests to enter the house through the front door entrance. I'm including a pretty entryway, a place for them to drop their things -- I'm putting effort into this, and I want guests to use them. I don't want them to enter through the garage, past the laundry room. This applies to ALL guests from my mom to casual church friends.

I don't think people pay enough attention to their driveway, parking and entrances. The way you arrange parking and doors will tell your guests where you want them to enter. In an ideal situation, the guests would park in an obvious spot ... a spot that would provide them with a clear pathway to the front door, which would be visible from the parking spot. No other door would be visible /confusing. The worst is when guests park on a side drive and must walk around a protruding garage in hopes of finding a front door that they can't actually see from the parking area.

On the other hand, a door from the garage to the back yard is a good thing -- but it's just for the people who live in the house.

I hope it's clear when we are done. I know there are a few who will make a fuss, one in particular. Though I could make her, her own special entrance with her name painted on the front, she would complain that the font wasn't to her liking. lol

Post your floor plan

I agree. We need a floorplan to understand what you are talking about. I can't understand why your niece would have anyone near her garage doors to enter her house. UNLESS--the driveway where they would park is far away and not in sight of the front door. And, that is a common problem with many plans that put the garage on the front of the house (and usually side entry).

So, a floorplan, basic, is what is needed to really give you a decent answer to your question.

Keep the overhead garage door closed! And swing the driveway near the front door.

I
hope it's clear when we are done. I know there are a few who will make a
fuss, one in particular. Though I could make her, her own special
entrance with her name painted on the front, she would complain that the
font wasn't to her liking. lol

Yeah, I know that person. No matter what I cook (and I'm an excellent cook) isn't what she wanted. My house isn't clean enough. My 29-lb dog is big and scary. And she treats everyone this way all the time.

guests walk around to the front door landscaping and sidewalks point the way... plus you can ya know, see it! Ours DOES have a door to the backyard from the garage, which I LOVE. No walking around the house/garage to get stuff out just to go back to teh backyard...

mrspete, you have my sympathy, those people are no fun to deal with.

Thank you all so much, got just the info I needed!