The time may come when you look at your existing garage building and decide it needs to be repaired or replace. But how do you know when it’s time to invest in a new garage or simply repair your existing garage? The decision rests on the parts of your garage that are failing and the investment it would take to repair those components in relation to the cost of building a new garage. With a number of new garages and garage accessories on the market, you may choose to invest in a new garage to increase your home value and avoid fixing something that will only need to be repaired again in a few years.

Cosmetic or Foundational

The first thing you need to look at is if your problems are cosmetic or foundational. Do you dislike the look of your garage? Is your door bent, discolored, or out of date? These are cosmetic repairs that are simple and fairly inexpensive to fix. Many garage contractors can reface your current garage and give it a whole new look.

However, if you notice that the walls of your garage are sagging or cracked, and you have standing water or other issues within the garage, it may be time to rebuild. Garages with foundation problems are often past the point of repair, especially if the foundation isn’t anything more than a flat concrete slab. It wouldn’t be advisable or economical to fix a garage situated on a bad foundation.

Roofing Problems

Many garages have shingle roofs, and just like home roofs these roofs need regular maintenance. A bad roof is not a reason to replace your entire garage. A roofer can easily fix leaks or missing shingles and even update your current roof to something more modern. However, you would need to compare the cost of a new roof to the cost of a new garage to determine the more worthwhile investment.

Unless your garage has serious foundation or structural problems, you can probably get by with refacing of your current garage. Any garage contractor can help you with new windows, a garage door, and entrance doors. Speak with a reliable contractor to help you decide if you need a replacement or just some repairs.