New home detached garage issue

[bobafixed]

Back in mid November when we initially spoke to our home builder, we asked them to give us a price on building a detached double garage. The sales guy recommended that we don't build a garage through them since it's over priced and that we should instead hire a contractor or DIY it. Needless to say, I was impressed that he was actually trying to help us save some money. I did some research about DIY double garage kits and figured I'd ask if it was possible for them to pour the concrete pad for us. I didn't mind having them do it even if they overcharged -just for the sake of convenience. They got back to me about a week later and said it wouldn't be possible for them to pour the concrete for us. I figured, no biggy... i'll just find someone to do it for me then.

Mid-December, we finished up all the paper work on a new home build. Signed all the papers, put down the deposit and we're still waiting patiently for the final blue prints to come in.

Fast forward to today... my gf calls in to ask a few questions about the garage pad. Long story short, we're now told that it will not be possible for us to build a double garage due to city bylaws?

It's pretty infuriating that we explicitly asked them multiple times if it was possible to build a double garage. Each time we asked they treated it like a stupid question.. "of course, of course you can get a double garage out in the back (duh)".

What are our options at this point? Are we pretty much hosed for listening to the sales people?

[barmanjay]

Well

I have a contractor that is well versed with bylaws and etc.

I believe you need a certain % of your property that cannot be developed (it's different for each community) and pending you house footprint, you should be able to build a small double garage (back alley entrance)

iirc: some of the newer areas like coventry is 50% can be building footprint (this includes decks over 24" attached to the house)

Give Carmine a call

he should be able to give you some answers

403-818-6639

You will need your real property report (should be supplied by builder) after your house is built


Another option would be an oversized single with an attached covered carport to it (gravel base and walled on 3 sides that will have no building footprint)

[D. Dub]

My first instinct would be to raise hell until you get your deposit back and build with someone else where you can have a garage.

Or worst case scenario get this crappy salesman to find you a lot on which you can have your garage.

[sillysod]

You will just have to pay an additional fee. YOu will be able to do it.

ALso try to keep it away from the electrical or gas. if you build over that then you will likely need to get it sleeved, which = $$$.

im over my allowd % coverage on my lot and all i had to do is pay a premium for each additional square meter.

[Masked Bandit]

OP, who are you building with?

[Weapon_R]

What is the bylaw violation? If its just the fact that you need to move the lines underneath, it can be done but its expensive. If it's another issue, find out what it is and then you can determine whether a garage can be built after.

[bobafixed]

Originally posted by barmanjay
Well

I have a contractor that is well versed with bylaws and etc.

I believe you need a certain % of your property that cannot be developed (it's different for each community) and pending you house footprint, you should be able to build a small double garage (back alley entrance)

iirc: some of the newer areas like coventry is 50% can be building footprint (this includes decks over 24" attached to the house)

Give Carmine a call

he should be able to give you some answers

403-818-6639

You will need your real property report (should be supplied by builder) after your house is built


Another option would be an oversized single with an attached covered carport to it (gravel base and walled on 3 sides that will have no building footprint)

Thanks Barmanjay, I'll give them a call if there's no other way to do it.

@ Masked_bandit: Our homebuilder is broad view homes.

@ Weapon_R: I'm not sure what the bylaw violation is. When you say "move the lines", im not entirely sure what you mean by that?

[Weapon_R]

In the past, you could put a pad over the gas lines that run through your yard. Many older homes are built like this. Now, you cannot put a concrete pad over the gas lines, for example, so you have to pay to move the lines so that they remain unobstructed by a concrete pad.

What I'm saying is that the builder might be avoiding the construction because the lines run where a pad would be built. The cost to move the lines is really expensive (around $3k last time I checked for Atco to come out and do it).

If there is some other bylaw violation, like the one barmanjay mentioned where a certain percentage of your property must remain undeveloped, then you have bigger problems.

[bobafixed]

From there email they stated:

"due to the maximum allowance for lot coverage which is 45% a double garage or pad is not allowed from the city of Calgary."

:(

[barmanjay]

Originally posted by bobafixed
From there email they stated:

"due to the maximum allowance for lot coverage which is 45% a double garage or pad is not allowed from the city of Calgary."

:(

hmmm

can you get the exact lot size,.. then get the exact sq/ft of the main floor


post it up,.. or pm it

[sillysod]

Originally posted by bobafixed
From there email they stated:

"due to the maximum allowance for lot coverage which is 45% a double garage or pad is not allowed from the city of Calgary."

:(

go downtown with your drawings and they will fix it for you.

How much coverage are you looking at? I am at 55% and it was no problem, just extra $1500 or something.

1. how big is your lot (meter x meter)?
2. what is the foot print of your house (meter x meter)?

[Rarasaurus]

^ The deck also makes a difference or if the house has a front veranda. If your deck is taking up some of your coverage make it smaller. Or build stairs to a deck that is under 2 feet high.

[88jbody]

might have to downsize your garage to an oversize single

[nonofyobiz]

Poke around the city of calgary website, I was looking into ti before and there's a number you can call or someone you can talk to to find out what the max size garage you can build is.

I thought i had a file saved or a bookmark or something but i couldn't find it.
Just search it on the website

[mrbojangles]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
...In the past, you could put a pad over the gas lines that run through your yard. Many older homes are built like this. Now, you cannot put a concrete pad over the gas lines, for example, so you have to pay to move the lines so that they remain unobstructed by a concrete pad...



Hey Weapon R, is this recent? Before you just had to have your gas line sleeved before pouring a pad. That's what Atco did for me when I built my garage.

[sillysod]

Originally posted by mrbojangles


Hey Weapon R, is this recent? Before you just had to have your gas line sleeved before pouring a pad. That's what Atco did for me when I built my garage.

they still sleeve (or they did 4 months ago)