Side garage or more accurately, the side entry garage, is a great way to remodel your home by taking advantage of extra space in the interior while preserving the look of the exterior, otherwise called the curb appeal.
We know that the best way to get a side entry garage is to buy a home that already has one in the floor design. However, several homes do not have this feature and you would have to re-design your home to get a side entry garage.
This undertaking can be quite expensive, requiring both money and considerable interior and exterior space. And that’s why we have presented you with the cheapest ways to get a side garage hopefully without breaking the bank.
Cheapest Ways to Side Garage
If your goal is to save money with your side garage while balancing look and appeal, durability, functionality, and feasibility, then check out the options below from the cheapest to the most expensive.
1. Vinyl Siding
As far as durable and appealing side garages go, they don’t get any cheaper than the vinyl siding.
With vinyl siding, you get an excellent balance of looks, longevity, cost-effectiveness, and variety (in terms of colours and textures).
Actually, apart from cost-effectiveness, texture variety is one of the biggest selling points of vinyl siding. Some lovely vinyl siding textures include stone and wood shingle vinyl textures.
It is true that vinyl does have a few drawbacks such as poor insulation and permanent colouring (you cannot repaint it), but it has a lot going for it including:
- Quickest installation time
- Easy and low cost of maintenance
- Suitability for all climates and temperatures
- Water resistance
- Resistance to damage such as splitting and splintering
- Dent proof and zero rust
Cost
The actual cost of vinyl siding depends largely on your location but the average is about $2 to $10 per square foot of installed vinyl.
The white vinyl is generally the cheapest of all vinyl siding options.
Recommendations
Make sure that the vinyl siding is installed by an expert and that it is done properly to avoid peeling and cracking in the long run.
Practice good maintenance. Power wash the vinyl every few years.
2. Aluminium Siding
Aluminium siding could even sometimes be cheaper than Vinyl siding. However, it is generally second best when it comes to overall costs.
Aluminium siding may not be to the taste of many, especially when you want to maintain a general look and feel in your home. We think that it is more suited to warehouses, workshops, and sheds.
Whatever the case, Aluminum siding provides the following benefits:
- General lasts at least half a century
- Flexibility in terms of how it can be installed (vertical and horizontal)
- Does not rust
- Unlimited colour variety
- Great resistance to most weather conditions and climates
However, there are reasons why Aluminium siding is no longer as widely-used as it used to be:
- The look can wane over time
- Maintenance and repair is difficult
- Transmits noise more than any other siding
- Often looks out of place in relation to the overall look of your space
Cost
Aluminium siding costs about $2 to $10 on the average. However, there are premium aluminium grades that cost a bit more.
3. Engineered or Synthetic Wood Siding
The perfect alternative to natural wood is the engineered wood siding. It has the looks and feel of natural wood siding but offers so much more:
- Greater durability than natural wood siding
- Easier and quicker installation
- Greater resistance to wood rot, cracking, warping, water, damage from pets and pests
- It’s a lot cheaper, too!
Cost:
Engineered wood costs about $3 to $12 per installed engineered wood
4. Fibre Cement Siding
For home spaces, fibre cement siding is the next best option when it comes to cost.
Fibre cement siding has the general look of wood and that’s probably because wood is used in its manufacturing, in the first place. However, with fibre cement side, you are getting much better value for money and without the drawbacks of wood siding.
- Outstanding durability up to a century
- Minimal maintenance requirements
- Resistant to damage and wear from the elements, time, termites and even pets
- Water resistance
- Variety of colour and theme
- Premium siding look yet very affordable
Although fibre cement siding is relatively affordable, it is a lot more labour-intensive than vinyl siding. Also, it requires superior expertise to install properly.
Cost
Again the actual cost of this siding varies with locations but the average is $10 to $20 per square foot of installed fibre cement.
5. Stucco Siding
Next in the affordability line is Stucco siding. Stucco is made from cement, water, lime, and sand. Even though Stucco siding is mostly from the past, it is enjoying some renaissance because of the following reasons:
- It is very easy to maintain
- It is fire and pest resistant
- Rich colour and texture versatility
- Incredible adaption to weather changes
- Complete resistance to rot, mold, and mildew
- Provides temperature and sound insulation
However, before using Stucco, you need to bear the following in mind:
- It is labour intensive and takes a lot of time to complete
- It is not as durable as some other siding options. But can get a good 50 years out of it.
Cost
Stucco siding costs about $10 to $20 per square foot of installed Stucco
6. Natural Wood Siding
Natural wood siding is on the first rung of the ladder when it comes to truly-premium yet affordable side entry garage for homes. Natural wood siding is especially known for the following qualities:
- Gorgeous look
- Weather resistance when given the right wood sealing
However, you may want to consider the following factors when thinking about going for natural wood siding:
- Higher maintenance costs and greater maintenance efforts than fiber cement and vinyl
- Lower durability than fiber cement and vinyl, especially for damage that isn’t weather-related
- Depending on the wood quality and type, the total cost – material and installation – can be a bit on the high side
Cost
Natural wood siding costs about $10 to $25 per square foot of installed natural wood
7. Brick Siding
Brick siding is one of those cases where you have to weigh appeal and variety vs practicality. Brick siding is extremely limited in terms of what you can do with the look. It is basically different shades of red. But, here are the practicality advantages:
- Provides comprehensive insulation, naturally
- Requires zero maintenance
- Excellent resistance to all climates and weather conditions
So, if variety isn’t a priority for you, brick siding is a winner.
Cost
Brick siding gets quite expensive, and it requires specialisation in terms of skilled labour. Installing this siding will cost you between $15 to $30 per square foot.
8. Stone Veneer Siding
On the higher price side of garage siding is the stone veneer. Stone veneer siding is a cheaper option to natural stone, and it is manufactured artificially.
Stone veneer cannot be used on its own but must instead be used as siding for wood or concrete. However, using stone veneer siding provides the following benefits:
- Very easy to customize especially when compared to other siding options
- Easy installation
- Exquisite, timeless, prestigious look
- Resistance to damage from the elements
- Easy to maintain. However, it will be damaged by harsh cleaning chemicals and pressure washers.
Cost
Stone veneer siding costs about $15 to $40 per square feet of installed stone veneer.
9. Metal Siding
Metal siding provides a broad range of siding options including in steel, zinc, copper, and so on. Each of these varieties have their own pros, and cons, and also have different installation costs.
For example, steel is the heaviest and cheapest of all metal siding options. But it is the least flexible and so is most difficult to work with.
However, here are the general benefits of metal siding:
- It is one of the most durable siding options
- It can be recycled easily
- It is water as well as fire resistant
- It has a classy look and can be presented in any colour and texture
- It is easy to maintain
- Metal siding is 100% resistant to damage from pests and pets.
Cost
Metal siding costs about $15 to $40 per square foot of metal installation
