Covenants & Limitations of Detached Garage Sizes

HOA Restrictions

• If you wish to build a detached garage or enlarge an existing detached garage and your residence is governed by a homeowners association, HOA restrictions may contain information about the size, location and appearance of your detached garage. For example, the HOA rules may require you to build a garage that holds two or more cars to reduce the number of parked cars on neighborhood streets. The rules may also require that the exterior of your garage match the architectural style of your home.

Deed Restrictions

• Homeowners must comply with deed restrictions even when their property is not governed by an HOA. Builders sometimes include deed restrictions to preserve the quality and appearance of a neighborhood or subdivision by requiring, for example, all lots to include certain types of plants in residential landscaping. A deed can require that a garage be attached or detached, that the roofline of a garage not exceed a specified height or that the square footage of the garage is a certain size relative to the square footage of a residence on the same lot.

Local Restrictions

• State, county and municipal restrictions govern virtually every residential lot. These restrictions help ensure that lots include driveways, utility rights-of-way and sufficient green space for the area. Local restrictions usually include setbacks -- limits on how close you can build to your neighbor's property line. If you are adding a detached garage to your property, setback restrictions may affect the size and the location of your detached garage.

Identifying Restrictions

• It is important to identify covenants and restrictions before you begin building your detached garage. If you build a garage that does not comply with regulations, and you do not obtain a variance before you build, you could be required to tear down the structure or pay a substantial fee to let the structure stand. If you belong to an HOA, contact your HOA board to find out what restrictions will affect your detached garage. You should also read the deed to your property and review local building regulations to determine what setback and structural limits apply to your project.