Is a Custom Garage a Worthwhile Investment or Luxury?

The Personal Enjoyment and Utility Factor

Let me start by examining how a custom garage done right can immensely improve the functionality, convenience, and livability of your home daily. I've heard numerous people rave about their custom garages transforming their living experience and tailoring the space to their specific needs and hobbies.

• For the Automotive Enthusiasts

Car enthusiasts with a small collection of classic automobiles won’t be able to make do by simply parking them in the standard two-car garage. They need secure, climate-controlled storage to protect their investments. 

An oversized four-car garage with an insulated two-car "showcasing" area can be outfitted with epoxy flooring, custom cabinets, and tool chests. Unoccupied bays can house a maintenance area with ample storage for auto detailing supplies, tires, etc. The space allows them to safely work on and admire their vehicles year-round in a well-appointed environment tailored for that purpose.

• For the Hobbyist

Another homeowner’s priority may be creating a highly functional workshop and storage area connected to the living space. A custom garage with a dedicated workshop area, built-in workbenches, shelving, and a full-wall garage storage system allows them to comfortably pursue hobbies like woodworking and home projects while keeping related supplies and tools organized but out of main living areas. The flow between the garage space and the home will feel seamless.

In both cases, the custom garages made the homes vastly more livable and tailored to the owners' specific needs and wants during the years they occupied the homes. That's the key return and value for an investment like this—maximizing your home's utility, functionality, and day-to-day enjoyment for as long as you own it.

The Resale Value and ROI Perspective

From a property value perspective, a custom garage can also pay off in a huge way at resale. It's a major amenity that immediately makes a home listing stand out and creates a "wow" factor for potential buyers. Well-designed garage spaces tailored for specific purposes like auto showcasing or hobby workshops signal quality and tend to resonate deeply with the right buyer pool. Orchard explains that ROI on a garage addition is between 64% and 81%, or an extra $20,000 to $35,000 on your home’s value.

I've seen custom garages allow homeowners to list their homes well over comparable neighborhood properties that lacked such amenities. And in hot markets, they often still receive multiple offers over the asking price and sell very quickly. That's because the custom garage signals careful planning, execution, and pride of ownership, making buyers willing to pay a premium.

Even in slower markets, a thoughtful custom garage remodel will likely earn back most of its upfront cost when factoring in the higher listing price and salability it provides. You're essentially forcing prospective buyers to pay for the upgrade you already made, rather than having to make pricing concessions later to sell a more unmemorable property.

The Pitfalls of Over-Customization

With all that said, there's also a line between building a thoughtfully designed, highly functional specialty garage, and just wildly overspending for the sake of it. The latter is where a custom garage can become more of an impractical luxury than a shrewd investment.

If you design a garage with superfluous bells and whistles that don't elevate the overall living experience or useability, you may not get the full return at resale. I've seen over-customized garages with excessive built-ins, floors, lighting, and materials that allow little flexibility for future buyers' different needs. Those can limit buyer interest and decrease perceived value.

For example, if you build an entire auto display pavilion and elaborate automotive art showroom area but the prospective buyer is more interested in woodworking, those ultra-specific automotive customizations likely won't increase the home's value much for them. They may detract from the garage's versatility from their lens.

The Best Approach

The most prudent approach is usually sticking to highly versatile designs that nail the main functional "must-haves" (secure storage, flex spaces, workshop areas, auto showcasing, etc.) while still leaving room for personalization by future owners.

You can create a stunning, envy-inducing garage setup while allowing for adaptability down the road. Offer the "shell" for different hobbies and needs, with versatile workspaces and storage solutions built in a non-permanent way. This allows you to strategically customize the space for your own uses while occupying the home, without compromising future marketability.

Conclusion

In the end, a custom garage can be an amazing, value-enhancing investment for your home if it's purposefully built with your specific lifestyle needs and priorities balanced against future resale in mind. Collaborate closely with an experienced renovation team. Discuss your goals and intentions upfront. Focus on maximizing usability and functionality over fleeting amenities and details that may not increase long-term value or enjoyment.

Approach it the right way, and you'll craft an awesome, tailored space for all of your gear, projects, collections, and toys that will bring you joy throughout your years of ownership. At the same time, you'll likely be making a smart investment that pays dividends in both personal utility and increased property value when you're eventually ready to sell.

Source

• https://orchard.com/blog/posts/how-much-value-does-a-garage-add-to-a-house