Can you show a drawing of the position of your house on the lot, distance to property lines, and mark out the areas a vehicle can not drive. That way we can see where a garage can go, as well as where the easiest entry to the house would be. You said you have 35 feet on either side of the house. Does that include the setback, or would it be minus the set back? How many feet do you have in front and back to build on? If your husband wants a drive path to the back, mark out what area that means needs to not be built on. Lafdr

Adding to tox's note - many fixtures allow you to use either T5 or T8 tubes. I have a 22 x 22 garage and for "general lighting" I have (4) high output fixtures and it provides more than adequate general light. I also have (2) additional fixtures directly at the workbench - when I am working there, these are on and provide the direct light I need. I concur with Tox as well - you'll want to have them switched separately. My (4) overheard are switched in pairs. My (2) at the workbench are pull chain. So overall, I have about 8 tubes for general light and I'm happy with it. A few dimmer spots in the corners but I'm not hanging out or working in the corners plus the additional 4 tubes at the workbench is where I do the work.

There are many good garage door openers out there, so just look for one with the features you want. Ensure it has a rolling code opener, which prevents someone from capturing the signal and using the captured code to open your door. However, make sure you have a good installer and that they can provide maintenance over the years. Garage door openers take a beating and will need adjustment and tweaking as parts of your house shift or wear. You don't want it installed by a company or handyman who will be long gone when you need work on it. If a garage door is properly balanced, with the correct springs, it should take very little effort to move the door up and down. That is how they are designed. In general, that means that a 1/2 HP opener is good for a single width door, but you usually go to a 3/4 HP motor for a double width door. Bruce

I would paint the garage the same color as the front door. Unless you want a bright color for the front door, I think the current color is fine. You could paint the ceiling of the front porch haint blue to make it more refreshing.