PROJECT STORY · DOORS & INTERIOR RENOVATION · THORNHILL
Adding a Direct Garage Entrance to a Thornhill Home
This Thornhill home had an attached garage with no door into the house. We added an interior entrance, with steps and a handrail on the garage side to reach the higher house floor.
- Location
- Thornhill, Ontario
- Project
- New direct entrance between the home and attached garage
- Main problem
- The attached garage could only be reached by going outside first.
- Result
- A direct interior route from the house into the garage.
- PLANNING A NEW EXTERIOR OPENING?
Everyday access
An attached garage with no way through
To reach the garage, the homeowner had to leave the house and enter from outside. A doorway through the shared wall would remove that detour.
Daily routine
The new route
The new door connects the interior directly to the garage.
Before and after
- Before: Leave the house → walk outside → enter garage → get into vehicle
- After: Step directly into garage → get into vehicle → go
Garage-side construction
Creating the garage-side access
We opened the shared wall, installed the door and trim, and built steps on the garage side to reach the raised threshold. A handrail follows the approach.
Planning responsibility
Planning a garage-to-house opening
Before cutting a garage-to-house opening, the wall, concealed utilities and required door assembly need to be checked. The difference in floor levels also determines how much room is needed for steps and a landing. Applicable building and fire-separation requirements must be confirmed for the property.
Finished from both sides
Finishing the entrance from both sides
White casing meets the existing baseboard inside the home. On the garage side, the steps and handrail connect the concrete floor to the new doorway.
Homeowner planning
Could this work in your home?
A proposed opening needs enough space on both sides for the door, landing and steps. A site visit establishes whether the wall and approach are suitable.
Feasibility depends on
- Garage location relative to the living space
- Wall construction
- Elevation difference between the house and garage
- Available landing and step space
- Utilities or services inside the wall
- Applicable building requirements
- How the opening will affect the interior layout
Project result
Straight into the garage
The completed entrance lets the homeowner reach the car and garage storage directly from indoors.
Planning value
What this project shows homeowners
- Direct garage access is most useful when both the interior route and garage-side approach are practical.
- The floor-height difference can materially affect the doorway location and required approach.
- Concealed utilities and the wall assembly should be reviewed before an opening is created.
- Requirements for an opening between an attached garage and the home should be confirmed for the specific property.
- The finished doorway should integrate with the interior wall while remaining practical from the garage side.
CONTINUE EXPLORING
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Would direct garage access make your home easier to use?
Strataline can review the location of the garage, the interior wall and the elevation difference to determine whether a practical new entrance can be created.