How to Maximize Your Shared Garage
March 25, 2022
In America, there are some states where having shared driveways and garages is common. As the name implies, a shared driveway or garage is when there is more than one home using the same driveway or garage. A shared driveway usually happens when the space is limited between houses for another driveway so the two houses agree that they share one and they just access their garages or parking through the backyard. There are times that half of the driveway will fall in one property and another half in the other property. Sometimes, it just falls in one property but again, a mutual understanding between two homes or more has been arranged that they share the same driveway.
When this happens, the responsibility to maintain the driveway is for all the homeowners who are part of the deal. For example, the driveway has some concerns and needs to be repaired as soon as possible. The homeowners who share the driveway will be responsible to split the bill and pay for their share. If for example, one owner does not have the budget at the moment, then it’s still recommended to proceed with the repair job. In the future, your property value goes up so you’ll be able to sell your house at a higher value. If you need to be paid for the repair job in the future, then talk it out with your neighbor and give them some payment terms they would be able to afford.
Sometimes, there are arguments that arise from property lines and deeds. Back your claim up with papers and documents. There you would find the right of usage and ownership. If it’s confusing, then you could have a survey done so that you’ll have a more specific ownership claim and clear delineation in property lines. You could always talk to a lawyer and consult about your rights and maintenance agreements as well as the cost of repairs, extension, etc especially if you are caught in a brawl with your neighbor who you share a driveway with.
Then, there are instances when the garage is shared. It’s basically the same structure with the same roof. Inside, you would see how it is divided because there is a wall in between the two areas of the same garage. This means you won’t be able to access your neighbor’s garage without their permission and vice versa. You will also have separate doors so when you open yours, you won’t end up opening your neighbor’s as well. There are times when maintenance of the garage will be done simultaneously. It still doesn’t change the deal that you have complete autonomy over your garage and it could look like whatever you want it to look like. Of course, there would be small or big problems that will come up when you share a garage with one or more neighbors. All you have to do is to maintain a close relationship and have open communication lines among everyone concerned. If the dispute remains to be unsolved, then you could always bring in a mediator or an unbiased third party to help you resolve the conflict.
Since you share a garage, you might encounter some problems with power. You must check whether one household is just receiving the part of the bill. What you should do is to make sure to rewire and get your own circuit. In this way, you both could freely use your garage without minding if the other party would get annoyed with a hefty electricity bill.
When this happens, the responsibility to maintain the driveway is for all the homeowners who are part of the deal. For example, the driveway has some concerns and needs to be repaired as soon as possible. The homeowners who share the driveway will be responsible to split the bill and pay for their share. If for example, one owner does not have the budget at the moment, then it’s still recommended to proceed with the repair job. In the future, your property value goes up so you’ll be able to sell your house at a higher value. If you need to be paid for the repair job in the future, then talk it out with your neighbor and give them some payment terms they would be able to afford.
Sometimes, there are arguments that arise from property lines and deeds. Back your claim up with papers and documents. There you would find the right of usage and ownership. If it’s confusing, then you could have a survey done so that you’ll have a more specific ownership claim and clear delineation in property lines. You could always talk to a lawyer and consult about your rights and maintenance agreements as well as the cost of repairs, extension, etc especially if you are caught in a brawl with your neighbor who you share a driveway with.
Then, there are instances when the garage is shared. It’s basically the same structure with the same roof. Inside, you would see how it is divided because there is a wall in between the two areas of the same garage. This means you won’t be able to access your neighbor’s garage without their permission and vice versa. You will also have separate doors so when you open yours, you won’t end up opening your neighbor’s as well. There are times when maintenance of the garage will be done simultaneously. It still doesn’t change the deal that you have complete autonomy over your garage and it could look like whatever you want it to look like. Of course, there would be small or big problems that will come up when you share a garage with one or more neighbors. All you have to do is to maintain a close relationship and have open communication lines among everyone concerned. If the dispute remains to be unsolved, then you could always bring in a mediator or an unbiased third party to help you resolve the conflict.
Since you share a garage, you might encounter some problems with power. You must check whether one household is just receiving the part of the bill. What you should do is to make sure to rewire and get your own circuit. In this way, you both could freely use your garage without minding if the other party would get annoyed with a hefty electricity bill.