The number of two-car garages in Jefferson County with two cars in them is small. The stuff wins. If your goal is simply to park inside again, here is the practical version of how to get there.
Sort into four piles, not three
Everyone says keep, donate, trash. Add a fourth: belongs outside. That fourth pile is what the building is for, and it is usually bigger than people expect once they start naming things. Mower, trimmer, blower, gas cans, fertilizer, ladders, wheelbarrow, garden tools, hoses, bikes, sleds, camping gear, coolers, the pop-up canopy, holiday decorations, the kids’ outdoor toys.
Notice what is on that list: almost none of it needs to be climate controlled, and almost all of it is what is currently parked where your car goes.
How much building that takes
Run the numbers rather than guessing. A riding mower is about 6 feet by 4 and needs room to back out. Ladders want 10 feet of wall. Bikes want about 2 feet of wall each if they are standing. Totes stack, so they want shelving, not floor.
For a typical family, an 8×12 handles a push mower household. A 10×14 or 10×16 handles a riding mower plus bikes plus seasonal storage, and that is where most people in this area land. A 12×20 covers all of it plus a workbench and gives you room to grow.
Buy shelving, not floor
The mistake is filling the floor. Run 12 inch shelves at eye level for small things you need to see, 16 or 24 inch shelves down low for totes and heavy items, and keep the long walls clear for tall things you lean. A lofted style gives you real overhead storage for very little extra money, which is the best value in the catalog for exactly this problem. Put light, bulky, seasonal things up top.
Get the mower in and out easily
You will do this fifty times a year, so make it easy or you will start leaving the mower out. Order the ramp with the building and ask for a longer, gentler one rather than the short steep default. Consider a door on the long side rather than the gable end if backing the mower in is the main motion.
Keep the fuel out of the house
This is an underrated benefit. Gasoline, oil and lawn chemicals in an attached garage share air with your house. Moving them to a vented detached building is a genuine safety improvement. Put gable or ridge vents in and store the cans at the vented end.
Where to put it
On the high point, on a level gravel pad about a foot larger than the building on all sides, close enough to the driveway that you will actually walk to it. Check Herculaneum’s accessory structure setbacks and any subdivision covenants before you order.
Cost and terms
Buildings start at $1,900 for a C+ Utility 6×8 and $2,762 for a Cardinal Utility 8×8, and we build up to 16×60. Rent-to-own has no credit check, 24 to 60 month terms, from $75.44 a month, first two months as the deposit, no early payoff fee. Every Cardinal building carries our 10 year guarantee covering storm damage, settling and craftsmanship, plus a 50 year LP SmartSide siding warranty and a lifetime AdvanTech floor warranty, with claims handled by us.
Get Started on Your Herculaneum Building
You do not have to drive to a lot to get moving. Use our 3D Shed Builder to pick your size, siding, colors, doors, windows and add-ons and see the building take shape on screen. When it looks right, send it to us and we will confirm pricing and a delivery date for Herculaneum.
Prefer to talk it through? Call our main office at 618-518-5578. We will walk you through building styles, custom options and rent-to-own and financing, and answer anything on our FAQ page. You can also see what we serve nearby on our location page.
