Does this Garage Addition Work Well with the Existing House?

3 years ago

We are working on a big renovation project. We have a back entry garage which comes from the right side which takes away our backyard as we have a pie shaped lot and has a lot of asphalt. We plan to remove this and want to get a backyard and more greenery.

We were originally going to do a side entrance on the left but it creates a lot of driveway and limits the yard.

We want to move the driveway and due to structural reasons, the front is best location. We are turning a front porch into a room and so will be working in that area anyway, digging. So my arch has drawn a garage addition on left with a covered terrace - our house is from 1912 and we want to have some consistency. So I've included a color 3D of the house (from when we thought we would go deep into left side garage entry in current basement and new terrace, in case you look at aerial view). Now we would start the garage according to the attached site plan instead. Do you think the visual of the house from front with left front garage (in pencil sketch) is visually consistent, addition too big? What might you do to change it? Would you prefer an open terrace?

I've included - concept sketch for new garage addition from front view, the aerial view of plan we are not likely to do bc there is so much going towards back, and also site plan to match the concept sketch.

What would you change or does this look aesthetically consistent, appropriate?

Featured Answer

Anna (6B/7A in MD)

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Whatever renderings are after the pencil sketch, I really like them. They look very cohesive and visually pleasing. I'm just a "joe schmo" but I think it's a good design.

Is the covered terrace (which I also think is a great idea) in the yellow-siding renderings? Is it behind the space with the chimney? Given the limited yard space you have, the covered terrace offers you another way to enjoy the outdoors. Would you use retractable screens to minimize bugs?

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Comments (8)

nadia442
3 years ago
Roof scale, pitch and general language seem aesthetically in harmony with the existing house and well-balanced contextually. Beautiful home!
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PRO
PPF.
3 years ago
Where is the 3D that goes with your pencil sketch?
bonnaccra thanked PPF.
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bonnaccra
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I understand and have requested it as I really need it in order to visualize this. My landscape arch. has a more technologically-forward team and I will need to go back to him. The arch are more traditional in style and don't yet do that ;( Any thoughts on the old version (here is site plan) which matches the 3D shown vs the new idea - just comparing site plans first. I know the aesthetic is hard to judge with just the one sketch ;(

Can garage additions generally be designed to integrate with an existing house or is it possible it cannot be done here? I want to be hopeful;) I think my arch likes the original idea with the longer driveway.

We have tight lots in my area - and man the yard on this is so limited and that's my main issue.
PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
3 years ago
This tread started in August of last year... Someone already did the 3D images for you of the house, and they probably still have the layout on file... Just sent them a new picture with the changes and they will move the garage forward, It will be much faster and cheaper than to retrace and rescale the entire layout from scratch and create a 3D model.
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bonnaccra
Original Author
3 years ago
I will follow-up with landscape architect as they did the 3D. I guess I wanted to see if we can sense if this is sticking out too much and competing with the house. If there are any ways to assess that before the 3D, that would be nice or I guess it may be afterwards then.

Just to frame the addition - it is below grade and the roof of garage would be level with the floor of adjacent room on right (office, now porch). So we planned to make it a patio (outdoor space) and they though putting a roof to match my house would tie it in. I think the roof is not recessed and large and that may be creating competition. I'm not sure if you have any other comments before I try to push for the 3D? I think if they can edit it for anything worth changing before 3D that's ideal. thanks again!
PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
3 years ago
IMO it will look good. I personally like how houses with dropped elevations look and after all the retaining walls in and all of the landscaping done it ties everything together.

Good luck and if you can please show the updated 3D image.

Thanks!
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bonnaccra
Original Author
3 years ago
The yellow renderings are the alternate driveway idea without an addition (changing entrance to the driveway to the left side vs the back which it is today). I wanted you to see what the house looks like and will look like as that left front area is currently a covered porch but will be converted to a room.

It does not show the addition as that would be to the left of the front left room on the 3d. i'm just trying to provide a good amount of perspective without a new 3d. I do not think we would add retractable screen as we are putting in an addition in back and it will have lots of windows..

do you see the 3d and the long driveway? that is limited yard space and we get more yard space if we do the addition as it moves the entrance to the garage to the front of the house. That is why we are trying to get the garage entry more towards the front. We explored entering under that top left room (and having second garage in existing under room next to it) but there is a fireplace behind the wall for that front room and would require a lot of structural changes.

my arch thinks the covered terrace is competitive with the main house so I want to rework as needed to see if we can make it more cohesive/integrated. I think if we can, we need to recess it a little and work on the roof to make sure it is not too pronounced. DO you understand what i'm saying?