Garage planning and building

[schurchill39]

I am going to be building a garage in the spring so I figured I would start a thread to keep track of progress as I go through the planning and building phase. I'm a first time home owner so I am new to this whole "lot development" thing. Hopefully with the questions and answers found here it will help other beyonders in the same boat as me.

Right now I am just busy planning and budgeting. I live in a narrow lot development area in the south so I do not have much room to work with. My lot is 25.3ft x 111.5ft and according to the Calgary city bylaws I can have up to a maximum of 60% of my lot covered based on the zoning (R-1N).

Basically, less my house, I am working with 57x25.3ft to put as big of a garage on it as possible while not completely getting rid of my yard. I have a 8foot wide deck off the back of my house so really that 57 feet is more like 42.5 ft once you account for the back apron I have to have (6.5 ft I believe)

My question for you guys right now is how big would you go? I am limited to 21 ft wide but I am considering anywhere from 26-30ft deep. Also I've heard at least 10 ft ceilings are the way to go as I'd like the option to put a lift in it later. I have two green spaces in my community so having a "big" back yard isn't much of a concern for me but I don't want to diminish my resale value by getting rid of all of it.

What are beyond's recommendations for size? What are some of the things you wish your garage had, or some things you like about your current set up that you'd like to share?

[AndyL]

I don't think it's possible for someone on a modern city of calgary lot - to say they built their garage too big... :D As deep as the city will let you go (don't forget they deduct decks from that coverage %)

Wall to wall - you'll barely squeeze 2 cars in there with room between... So depth will be everything to you.

If you're planning a hoist - it REALLY wouldn't hurt to beef the slab up a bit (ie 5-6" instead of 4") See the recent drywall thread - even 4-6" of pony wall - never hurts.

Did some work in one beyonders garage this year - who used a pair of french doors as entrance doors - that was pretty sweet :) Windows are awesome.

Depending on which community - 10' walls can be problematic, if you find your in an area where the eave height issue comes up - scissor trusses can allow the same (or better) open space above.

[schurchill39]

Good points Andy. My deck is less than 2 feet high so no permit was required to build it and as such I didn't include it in the square footage. However that being said even if it was included I would still have tonnes of (allowable) room to build. As far as the eave height goes according to the by law I can have a detached garage up to 10m high, so lots of room to work with.

I like the windows suggestion and the french doors. My uncle has wall to ceiling windows facing the house and the light it lets in is awesome! (mind you he has a pool for a back yard). I'll definitely be contacting you come build time for garage door suggestions!

What about the reduced back yard size? Do you guys see that being an issue negatively affecting the value of a home?

[SKR]

I see reduced back yard size being just as negative as a garage that's too small. I think it depends on your neighborhood. If it's more of a place for starting out, I'd say the backyard isn't as important because you probably wouldn't be drawing many families. If the next owners might have kids, then you would want a bigger backyard. I have a small backyard and the only time I go in it is to cut the grass.

I would at least build the garage big enough to park one full size truck, which any prospective buyer will probably have at least one, and keep enough useful space. Mine is 21x24. It's okay but it's a little snug. I have to open the door if I need to open the tailgate to load or unload anything. I'd like at least 26'. Probably no more than 28' because then I would just have a bunch of floor space to do nothing with.

[blairtruck]

will have to keep it .60m from property line so that takes 4 feet off your maximum width. not sure on the exact number.
but when i staked garage we would put it .75 instead of 0.60m from the closest Property line. just to make sure not to be the exact minimum.

soffet is 0.45m gutter 0.10 that puts you at .55m or 5cm from property line if you only go the .60m from P/L

[benyl]

30ft deep and 12 ft ceilings. With such narrow width, I would want more head room for storage of winter tires, etc. 10ft is pretty minimal with a lift. You will be hitting your head all the time if you park a project car on the lift and your daily underneath.

Also, make sure you go with an 18x8 door. Bigger the better for easy clearance.

[Rarasaurus]

If you build with a fireproof side you can go right to the property line, just no overhang or eaves on this side. You just have to order your trusses so they drain towards the house and alley. This isn't so bad and mostly just adds the extra cost of the fireproof drywall.

With your width I would look at that so you can still have room on the other side for a bit of a path. It would also allow you to go wider than 21 potentially.

[CanmoreOrLess]

As mentioned, large enough for a full sized truck, this is Alberta. It needs to be large enough to open a hatch or truck tailgate. Think about what you are going to do with the floor, mine is polished (big mistake) and slippery as hell in the winter. You can't get enough windows really, it is your man cave; make it livable. It would be solid to have an loft/office/suite above the garage, there are a few on one street in my area, someone had the right idea when building. There I blew the budget.

[88CRX]

Don't do windows if your not gonna heat or ventilate the garage. You'll have moisture problems all winter. Also windows take away from wall storage space, just do lots of lights and your set.

We built a garage with the builder (just around corner from you) and its 20' wide by 22' deep. It's not huge by any stretch but it's not small. Have a civic and element parked in there and there's enough room for a work bench and storage cabinets and you can walk around all side of both cars. 20'x24 would be ideal.

[88CRX]

Also for height we're 8' plus a 1' concrete frost wall and there's not even enough height to hang tire racks above the cars or storage cabinets. Another 2' height would be so much better, could have meaningful shelves running down the side walls then.

[OU812]

run PVC from house into slab and 90 up so you can run power/cat6/cable etc easily

[benyl]

Originally posted by 88CRX
Don't do windows if your not gonna heat or ventilate the garage. You'll have moisture problems all winter.

Moisture problems are from a lack of draining. Even with heat, you will have condensation on the windows. Put in a floor drain.


Your garage is getting more and more expensive.

[schurchill39]

Originally posted by benyl
30ft deep and 12 ft ceilings. With such narrow width, I would want more head room for storage of winter tires, etc. 10ft is pretty minimal with a lift. You will be hitting your head all the time if you park a project car on the lift and your daily underneath.

Also, make sure you go with an 18x8 door. Bigger the better for easy clearance.

Theres a guy right down the alley from he with a huge garage and I've been meaning to go pick his brain about it (or head down there in the dark with a tape measure lol). Definitely going with high ceilings, but I don't want it to take away too much from everyone else's lot.



Originally posted by Rarasaurus
If you build with a fireproof side you can go right to the property line, just no overhang or eaves on this side. You just have to order your trusses so they drain towards the house and alley. This isn't so bad and mostly just adds the extra cost of the fireproof drywall.

With your width I would look at that so you can still have room on the other side for a bit of a path. It would also allow you to go wider than 21 potentially.

I read about this after I posted and thought it was a great idea. I saw a few houses in the neighborhood tonight that have done this on my walk tonight. The only problem I see coming out of this is that if I build before my neighbors its going to be tight for them to put on siding and eliminates the chance for them to go as big (mind you I would rather I went bigger as opposed to them).



Originally posted by OU812
run PVC from house into slab and 90 up so you can run power/cat6/cable etc easily

Did that this summer before I laid sod. 28 inches deep and I ran 4 or 5 fishing lines though it to make things easier. Just need to figure out if I can run my nat gas through there as well or if I need to trench that in separately.


Originally posted by benyl

Your garage is getting more and more expensive.

I have a dollar figure in mind and I plan to do most of the work myself minus the concrete pad so I think even going oversized I should be able to stay within that range.


Any other opinions on the smaller back yard?

[gyromonkey]

I had almost the same situation, mine is 20x24, I wanted 24x24 but due to a utility right of way on my corner lot they would not allow me to go wider. I have a couple questions and suggestions, I have built dozens and dozens of garages and lucky the last one i did was mine.

Are you planning on doing a Slab on grade pad? with the typical 3-4" slope? or are you going to be doing 4' frost walls? If you opt for slab on grade make sure you budget for a 8" curb wall around the perimeter, that way you don't have to worry about water leaking through gap below the exterior walls and concrete, I believe theirs even a Tread about a guy have moisture issues and more then likely the builder did not do curb walls due to cost,

What are you planning to run out in the garage? what ever it is double it, and make sure you run a Sub panel out to it, don't just run a 15amp out to the garage and hope it will be enough. all and all if your building a garage do what makes you happy but keep in mind the next buyer is more then likely upgrading and a sweet garage always helps.

Here are a couple things i did to my garage 4 foot frost walls, Vaulted ceilings 16' in the center, two 4x4 skylights for natural light, 8 ceiling lights and 6 wall mount light rough in's , 40 amp sub panel, 3 2" underground conduits, 220 for welder, 16 plugs, 5.1 stereo, 2 wall mount TV locations along with phone and internet, security camera's, Gas ceiling heater, Wifi thermostat so i can adjust my garage temp from anywhere, Roxul insulation, taped and painted, Side mount garage opener with a 8 foot by 18 food door. and a bunch more, it sounds crazy but I worked for the builder at the time and they allowed me to build my own dream garage the only thing I have not completed is the VCT tile flooring but to replicate this set up your looking at around 35-40g's This is my man cave i guess even though my house is just as extreme and I live alone lol

[HomespunLobster]

Can't you get a petition signed by your block allowing you to do more than the 60% land usage for a larger garage on your property?

[schurchill39]

gyromonkey I like where your head is at. I'm hoping to keep it around the 20k give or take a buck so maybe not quite as extreme as that.

I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with the concrete yet as I still have a lot to learn about it and how it SHOULD be done but I definitely want to do curb walls. I used to live in a house where the garage did not have them and it had some major water leakage issues.

I will want one if not two 220v for a welder and/or a larger air compressor for sure and it will be heated via natural gas. Lots of lights and tons of plug ins all the way around. I have 4 inch conduit in the ground so that should be more than good to bring across any wiring I'll need.

I was talking to my neighbor last night and he wants to build up to his property line as well. That's where we got stumped because then how do we side both garages? My guess is that because mine will be build first it will get siding as per normal, then when we build his we side that wall before moving it into place? Seems a little jerry rigged but then again I am new at this so any experienced builders suggestions are more than welcome!

[ExtraSlow]

If you both want to build to the property line, why not do a party wall like they do in those duplex infills (sorry, semi-detached). Seems like a good option.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by HomespunLobster
Can't you get a petition signed by your block allowing you to do more than the 60% land usage for a larger garage on your property?

i believe the bigger issue even if you had the land is that you can only do a max of 75 square meters

[frozenrice]

Just my .02.... Is there any thought about a walkway from the yard to the alley? Might want to rethink building up to the property line if you that is something you want/need. You can see what your other neighbourmis planning. Maybe build up to the property line on that side and leave 3-4ft on the other side for your neighbour to build his up against your property line. You get a walkway and he has room to do his siding.

[blairtruck]

ive surveyed alot of garages in the 12 years as a land surveyor. there is also a building pocket which you are allowed to build within. usually has the .60m all around the property.
also if you really want to build right to the property line the size of your lot can change over years slightly. your property report might say your lot is 15m even for example. then landscaper knocks out your property pin and your neighbors. Now in order to define your property line when you sell a new RPR is needed. you would have to go to the next closest property pin. could be a few lots could be a block before you find one. then you take the distance between the 2 property pins and bigger or smaller. never the exact number cause we work in Millimeters in canada. you have to proportion the distance for all lots. your lot could shrink/grow 5cm. even more in Old neighborhoods. The Property pins in the ground govern your lot size not what is says on paper. we put property pins in with GPS +/- 2cm error right off the bat.

i would always leave 10cm buffer room to property line just incase. might not matter now. but say you build on P/L and 10 years from now a new neighbor does an rpr and finds out your garage sits 3cm into his lot. might mean nothing. could cause some problems. seen it happen. not so much with garages. but People always build their fences without surveyors. then neighbor complains its in the wrong spot. gotta get a surveyor to verify. might as well get them the first time.

[gyromonkey]

Originally posted by schurchill39
gyromonkey I like where your head is at. I'm hoping to keep it around the 20k give or take a buck so maybe not quite as extreme as that.

I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with the concrete yet as I still have a lot to learn about it and how it SHOULD be done but I definitely want to do curb walls. I used to live in a house where the garage did not have them and it had some major water leakage issues.

I will want one if not two 220v for a welder and/or a larger air compressor for sure and it will be heated via natural gas. Lots of lights and tons of plug ins all the way around. I have 4 inch conduit in the ground so that should be more than good to bring across any wiring I'll need.

I was talking to my neighbor last night and he wants to build up to his property line as well. That's where we got stumped because then how do we side both garages? My guess is that because mine will be build first it will get siding as per normal, then when we build his we side that wall before moving it into place? Seems a little jerry rigged but then again I am new at this so any experienced builders suggestions are more than welcome!

Like mentioned above you can get a Party wall agreement with your neighbor that way you guys can attach both buildings, just make sure its done with a lawyer and is totally clear on responsibility of each of you, IE roof repairs, Damage due to fire or water damage.

If you go the party wall way you will need to leave a 1" space between the two buildings, No siding would be necessary you just need to use 5/8" type x drywall or something comparable, with I believe a 45-1hr burn time. The drywall must be continuous from the ground to the trusses and taped, all plugs in the party wall that a with in 2' of each other must be in a fire rated box or you build a 2x4" box around them and drywall the inside of it along with fire calking.

My garage is attached with 3 others the building is 80' x 24' i've build a bunch of stuff like this so if you have any questions just shoot me a pm and I can help you out. I also have my party wall agreement if your interested in some more details

[schurchill39]

What do I need to take into consideration when laying concrete for a 2 post lift? up the concrete thickness in the area where the posts will be installed? I would assume go up to about 6 inch. What about the rebar?

[Sugarphreak]

...

[AndyL]

I'd say - you check with the prefered hoist supplier - you ask them for recommendations :)

Take what they recommend - then talk to the local concrete contractors... Find a middle ground...

I've read and seen some good results with that new fiberglass stranding they add to the concrete before they pour - I know at least 2 slabs poured with it, that haven't cracked ala typical mesh/rebar.

oh and garagejournal.com

[gyromonkey]

Originally posted by schurchill39
What do I need to take into consideration when laying concrete for a 2 post lift? up the concrete thickness in the area where the posts will be installed? I would assume go up to about 6 inch. What about the rebar?


Ive Installed a couple Lifts over the years, Best thing to do is Contact a Lift supplier and go from there. I did a four post In Airdrie through Lift king in may and all that was required was a 18" 10mm rebar gird pattern the gravel was tamped and 4" of concrete on a zero slope. That being said I poured the floor on a Friday and the lift went in on Monday and Tuesday am I had a 72 Nova SS and a 71 Mach 1 parked on it. the floor dropped 1.5" with in a week. It should have had at least a month of cure time but that's the Joys of building show homes that have been Delayed. The whole triple car garage will now have to be removed once the show home closes and fixed before it sells.

My garage is Set up for a lift, But I went way over board I have a 12" Grid and I did 4 8" grade beams across the garage, I also wired it for a Disconnect I believe that's over kill but I am still not sure what lift i was going with. I know you can get a four post lift through lift king installed for around 3500 and its not a bad setup it was pretty slick.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[AndyL]

Well... You can buy 1lb bags for about 3$ each about 1lb/cuyd mix rate... A 24x24x6" pad is 10cu yd...

But I guarantee Lafarge charges a SHIT ton more than that to toss that bag into the hopper :)

[gyromonkey]

Concrete contractors are so fucking cheap here though. With my driveway they spaced it closer to 26" and I called them on it... because it is supposed to be 24" MAX by code, not 24" give or take. I wanted them to just add some bars between in one direction so I would have 26" x 13" spacing, quick and easy solution. Fuckers actually spent time to re-space it at exactly 24" instead. I've pretty much already accepted that it will crack on me down the road.

Yeah Its amazing that they would send a guy back to correct the spacing but more then likely the builder contacted the concrete company and then they contacted the Sub Crew who cam back and I'm sure they where bittter about it. I have been in so many fights over the years over poor quality and I bet i have torn out 50-75 driveways and almost all of them have been billed back to the Concrete company due to spacing, the rebar not being lifted when to the center when they pour or the main one rain damage its like a rule that they pour driveways as soon as they see rain clouds

[gyromonkey]

Double post crap.


Its been a while since I did Take offs but I'm pretty sure you can get it supplied and placed for around 200 a yard, I know the last town house project I finished was even less then that but we have 68 units so we got a volume discount. The project I'm just starting has 144 units so it should be interesting so see what kind of pricing we get

[roopi]

I was driving east on Seton Blvd today just past the hospital and notice a 3 car garage (1 double and 1 single door) with a complete second floor. It is in the process of being built. I was shocked at the size of this garage as it is being built in the backyard of a laned home. It is a corner lot so I'm guessing that's the only way he was able to make it fit. It actually looks bigger then the home in front of it.

[blairtruck]

wrong thread oops

[speedog]

Originally posted by blairtruck
i wouldn't do it here where people think they own the road. you will get pinched by some rig pig or dumb ass soccer mom who thinks they are above bikers.

if bikers drove like normal then lane split at lights i dont think i would have a problem with thats. its the bikes that are ripping in and out of lanes and doing it at speeds they think are safe. but with idiot drivers i dont thinks bikes are ever safe.

i don't own a bike and also never even sat on a bike in my whole life.
Wrong thread?

[88CRX]

Originally posted by roopi
I was driving east on Seton Blvd today just past the hospital and notice a 3 car garage (1 double and 1 single door) with a complete second floor. It is in the process of being built. I was shocked at the size of this garage as it is being built in the backyard of a laned home. It is a corner lot so I'm guessing that's the only way he was able to make it fit. It actually looks bigger then the home in front of it.

Saw that the other day too. Looks like a suite above the triple garage.

[gogreen]

One thing to account for in advance would be the location of the man door and how that affects your floor plan. My last garage was 20' x 24' on a heavily sloped lot, which meant it needed a 2' foundation wall. So it needed a landing inside the garage with two steps down to the floor. That ate up quite a bit of floor space and took away depth.

My current garage is 18' x 26' which is pretty tight widthwise but the extra depth makes for a lot more useable space. I also recommend at least 10' ceilings, and for windows if I had it to do over I'd just place them up high in the side wall and use the wall space for hanging storage. I wanted 10' ceilings for if I ever get a body rotisserie (extra height means extra clearance to flip a car body to 90 degrees). If you don't go with scissor trusses for clearance another option would be storage trusses.

For outlets, make sure to place them above workbench level and place one near where the opener will be (my garage has tons of outlets but a lot are in goofy spots).

A lot depends on what your intended usage is, but 20' x 26' is fairly versatile without taking up too much yard space.

But yes, check out the Garage Journal as Andy mentioned. :)

[gyromonkey]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gogreen
[B]One thing to account for in advance would be the location of the man door and how that affects your floor plan. My last garage was 20' x 24' on a heavily sloped lot, which meant it needed a 2' foundation wall. So it needed a landing inside the garage with two steps down to the floor. That ate up quite a bit of floor space and took away depth.


Good point, A easy way to get away with out building a landing if required is to make the door a out-swing and a landing is not necessary by code, I did this in my garage just to make sure I did not have to worry about losing space. of course you still may need one depending on the drop

[schurchill39]

I'm fortunate enough to have a pretty flat yard so the door/landing wont be an issue.

I am having second thoughts about the lift though. I don't know if I'll have room for a second car let alone much else should I have a lift in there.

[schurchill39]

Well my back yard is almost all melted so its time to get the concrete pad poured. Does anyone have any recommendations for concrete companies before I turn to google? Or do any beyonders do it for a living?

[Sugarphreak]

...

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by HomespunLobster
Can't you get a petition signed by your block allowing you to do more than the 60% land usage for a larger garage on your property?

That sounds like a good idea until your Indian neighbor builds a prison looking compound next door for his eight brothers and their families.

[pheoxs]

Can anyone that's had a garage built lately mind posting the size/details and price please?

I'm going to start looking at houses in a couple months and want to plan to have a garage, looking for a rough figure to compare if I find a house with a double garage vs just a house with sufficient lot for one how much I'd be spending to build a garage.

Is ~30k reasonable? It'll probably be build myself with my dads help, just don't know the cost of materials/concrete/permits etc in Calgary.

[prae]

Originally posted by pheoxs
Can anyone that's had a garage built lately mind posting the size/details and price please?

I'm going to start looking at houses in a couple months and want to plan to have a garage, looking for a rough figure to compare if I find a house with a double garage vs just a house with sufficient lot for one how much I'd be spending to build a garage.

Is ~30k reasonable? It'll probably be build myself with my dads help, just don't know the cost of materials/concrete/permits etc in Calgary.

30k is pretty high. If you are building it yourself, garage packages for a basic 22x24 will be under 10k and the pad might be 3-4k. Budget 15-20k for a double you build yourself.

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by prae


30k is pretty high. If you are building it yourself, garage packages for a basic 22x24 will be under 10k and the pad might be 3-4k. Budget 15-20k for a double you build yourself.

Where would be best to look at the packages? Just like Home Depot?

[jeffh]

I did mine about 4years ago. My 24x24 pad with 20" concrete wall cost 7700. Garage package was about 5400 c/w 2x6 construction. Garage door was bought thru my friends pa for about 800. Permit is about 400. Electrical is about 500. These are prices if you do it yourself and if you know people in trades and in the supplier biz. Then tack on extras for opener, gas & heat, insulation, drywall etc.

[BrknFngrs]

Originally posted by prae


30k is pretty high. If you are building it yourself, garage packages for a basic 22x24 will be under 10k and the pad might be 3-4k. Budget 15-20k for a double you build yourself.

That price on the pad seems quite low; I would have expected $8-9k for the pad alone.

[FraserB]

Should be able to do the ground work for a pad yourself, or at least the rebar work. Then you just pay for the placement of the concrete. Either way, your cost should be reduced.

[AndyL]

Originally posted by pheoxs


Where would be best to look at the packages? Just like Home Depot?

Check the usual suspects - as well as star building materials (alyth/Blackfoot) and crap who's the other one. ... Used to be trusses then they started doing it all...

[jeffh]

Star building material and rona for packages

[schurchill39]

Who have you guys used for the cement pad? Short of calling my builder to see who they use I'd like some recommendations of people you have used in the past. Not necessarily looking for the cheapest but for the best service and product.

[schurchill39]

Got my first quote today because the misses insists I see what it would cost a contractor to build it.

For a 24'x26' with 10' walls, 8' garage door, custom vaulted scissor trusses, and a 60 amp sub panel it would come to just shy of $29,000. This would be with an unfinished inside but includes all of the drawings, permits, concrete work, a digital keypad lock, 1 door and 1 window.

I'm thinking maybe I don't need the custom vaulted scissor trusses and I have many friends who are journeymen electricians that could do the sub panel for me. If I knock those two "add-ons" off then I would be right around $25,000 without insulating, drywall, or running a gas line.

Thoughts?

[Russo]

Originally posted by schurchill39
Got my first quote today because the misses insists I see what it would cost a contractor to build it.

For a 24'x26' with 10' walls, 8' garage door, custom vaulted scissor trusses, and a 60 amp sub panel it would come to just shy of $29,000. This would be with an unfinished inside but includes all of the drawings, permits, concrete work, a digital keypad lock, 1 door and 1 window.

I'm thinking maybe I don't need the custom vaulted scissor trusses and I have many friends who are journeymen electricians that could do the sub panel for me. If I knock those two "add-ons" off then I would be right around $25,000 without insulating, drywall, or running a gas line.

Thoughts?

Hey, do you know who is supplying the trusses? and do you have a picture of how they would look? I am building a garage and want more clearance inside as well.

Thank You

[schurchill39]

Originally posted by Russo


Hey, do you know who is supplying the trusses? and do you have a picture of how they would look? I am building a garage and want more clearance inside as well.

Thank You

No I don't, it was a quote. Google vaulted scissor truss.

[schurchill39]

Second quote was for $24,150

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by schurchill39

For a 24'x26' with 10' walls, 8' garage door




That can easily accommodate an 8'x18' or even an 8'x20' door. Wider is better especially if you have a truck or SUV. I have an 7'x18' door with window panels, but no windows in the rest of the garage.

Also plan to have plenty of lighting. My garage has 9 fixtures (24 T8 tubes total) on 3 independent switches.

http://i57.tinypic.com/2ykakhk.jpg

[brucebanner]

Something that my dad did was put up vinyl panels on the walls and ceilings. It's bright, easy to clean and I think it looks fine.

Not a close up of the walls but to give you an idea (don't mind the pose haha):

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r150/bruceodonnell_/dadsgarage.jpg

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish



That can easily accommodate an 8'x18' or even an 8'x20' door. Wider is better especially if you have a truck or SUV. I have an 7'x18' door with window panels, but no windows in the rest of the garage.

Also plan to have plenty of lighting. My garage has 9 fixtures (24 T8 tubes total) on 3 independent switches.

http://i57.tinypic.com/2ykakhk.jpg

Out of curiousity how much did everything cost you or did you build it / finish it yourself?

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by pheoxs


Out of curiousity how much did everything cost you or did you build it / finish it yourself?

The garage is attached to the house that was built in 1997 so the only thing I can speak to in terms of cost would be the builder upgrade charges and the DIY fluorescent lighting.

I looked up my garage door upgrade from a regular 7'x16' to a 7'x18' was $467 (in 1997 dollars) and another $380 to add window panels. Fluorescent lighting project was done in 2013 for about $650 including adding a second garage circuit.

The yellowish drywall on the walls was also a DIY project a few months after moving in. Builder did the insulation and vapour barrier and I did the drywall with a buddy to save some money. We were too lazy to tape and mud it.



One more thing I can add is to upgrade the man door to 36" wide.

[schurchill39]

Third quote came in at $26,500 with 2x6 construction, a crawl space in the rafters and a gas line ran. It would be another $1200 for a Renzor heater. This is with no electrical and some fancy lift master 8500 side mount lift.

I'm not sure how I feel about 2x6 construction. I don't think that's really necessary for a garage. What are beyond's thoughts?

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by schurchill39


I'm not sure how I feel about 2x6 construction. I don't think that's really necessary for a garage. What are beyond's thoughts?

What's the price difference to 2x4? (sorry not tracking u in case you've already stated)

I just think 2x6 would increase R value (fit more insulation), more sturdy.

[eblend]

If anyone is building themselves and needs an extra window, I got a used one here anyone can have for $20. Just throwing it out there as I know a lot of packages only come with one window which is a crime. Also recommend garage door windows, really help with the light in the garage

[eblend]

Originally posted by schurchill39
Third quote came in at $26,500 with 2x6 construction, a crawl space in the rafters and a gas line ran. It would be another $1200 for a Renzor heater. This is with no electrical and some fancy lift master 8500 side mount lift.

I'm not sure how I feel about 2x6 construction. I don't think that's really necessary for a garage. What are beyond's thoughts?

I did 2x4 in mine and it's fine....I don't really see the point of 2x6 really.

The side mount lift is great, I got one in my house and my door is pretty much an inch from the ceiling, allowing for maximum clearance.

[schurchill39]

I've gotten a few written quotes from people and have picked my builder. They aren't necessarily the cheapest but I liked how the owner does the majority of the building and the only thing he contracts out is the concrete and the electrical. All of the quotes I received were within the same ball park to get the structure to pretty much the same point so it all came down to references and quality of work.

I've opted to just have them lay the concrete and build the garage but I will run all of the electricity myself (with the help of a friend who's a journeyman). I just couldn't justify the extra $1000-$1500 to add in a 60amp sub and a 220V plug.

Also not sure how I want to proceed with heating. Everyone made valid arguments about gas vs electric. Because I am not looking to have this T-shirt weather year around but want the ability to heat it when I am tinkering around, I am leaning more towards infrared heaters. Similar to these (http://www.johnstones.com/patio-heaters/infra-tech-heaters/4000w-wall-mount-electric-heater.html) I still have lots of time to figure it out.

Construction probably wont start until mid- end of June

[CapnCrunch]

Can anyone confirm that it's allowable by code in Calgary to build a detached garage on a slab on grade?

It just seems a bit odd to me that I can pour a garage slab right on grade, but I need to dig 4' down for a deck foundation.

[88CRX]

Originally posted by CapnCrunch
Can anyone confirm that it's allowable by code in Calgary to build a detached garage on a slab on grade?


You definitely can, that's how most home builders build them.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by CapnCrunch


It just seems a bit odd to me that I can pour a garage slab right on grade, but I need to dig 4' down for a deck foundation.

why? :dunno:

the entire point of a deck is that it is raised, so either you would have a solid foundation under the whole thing (which would be expensive) or you have footings... which require depth to create strength since they have a much smaller footprint

[Sugarphreak]

...

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by ercchry


why? :dunno:

the entire point of a deck is that it is raised, so either you would have a solid foundation under the whole thing (which would be expensive) or you have footings... which require depth to create strength since they have a much smaller footprint

So if I can build a garage on a slab on grade, why can't I build a deck on top of one?

[ercchry]

Originally posted by CapnCrunch


So if I can build a garage on a slab on grade, why can't I build a deck on top of one?

loading, drainage... why would you spend the money on a slab to cover it with a deck... :dunno:

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


There are a couple of reasons; first is for a deck your foundation is pretty small... so the soil will freeze around it totally and you will get frost jacking and spring settlement as a result and your deck won't be level next year if don't go deep enough. Really 6 feet is better than 4 btw.

Second is due to total load... unlike a deck the garage is huge and heavy so it will be more than the load created by frost jacking, plus it won't get full frost penetration below.

It is still good to do a thickening around the perimeter however, both to take load of the walls and to strengthen against frost damage.

The only thing with a slab on grade is it may move uniformly, so any U/G plumbing or electrical should be brought up straight through a sleeve in the slab that allows for a bit of movement.... not through a wall just above the floor.

It still doesn't add up. I can't build a home on a slab. I still need 4 ft frost walls.

I just doesn't make sense that I can build a garage on a slab, run water/electric/gas lines through the slab, and then not care if it heaves around all over the place.

FYI, I'm not arguing with you guys on what the code says, just that it seems inconsistent.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by ercchry


loading, drainage... why would you spend the money on a slab to cover it with a deck... :dunno:

I don't want to build my deck on a slab lol. My point is, by code I can't. So if its not strong enough to support my deck, why can it support a garage and my 6000lb truck?

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


A home isn’t the same as a garage; it is heavier, has a far greater value, has a lot of services tied into it, and needs to be fully weather sealed. For these reasons you need a more substantial foundation which better resists movement. If you garage sinks a couple of inches on one side, it really doesn’t matter much… you might get some minor issues like gapping between the siding or garage door, or maybe some minor leakage of water inside… but really it is a garage so it isn’t a big deal. On the other hand if you house is sinking… you have a much more serious problem.

I don’t really know how to better explain it better than that, a garage for all intents and purposes is just a fancy shed for your car. That is why it costs 25K to build and your house costs 250K to build.

I know what your saying, I'm just curious why a deck has more stringent foundation requirements than a deck. Especially since I can run the exact same services to my garage as I have in my house.

Trust me, most beyonders could build a 250K garage if they felt like blowing that kind of cash.

[Sugarphreak]

..

[pheoxs]

So I finally am officially buying my first home after a few places and offers fell through.

I have a 24x22' pad poured from the house was built and utilities run out there. I'm looking to have a slightly modified garage built, airdrie's bylaws allow a taller garage so I am looking for 12' walls and scissor trusses to have tons of space for a lift on one side.

I'm okay with building it myself / with family helping out but are the rona/star building places able to make custom packages? I contacted both but waiting to hear back on prices and if they can even do that.

Are there any other options besides having a building do it? I've seen you can get garage plans online and then source the material myself, has anyone gone this route?

[schurchill39]

Originally posted by pheoxs
So I finally am officially buying my first home after a few places and offers fell through.

I have a 24x22' pad poured from the house was built and utilities run out there. I'm looking to have a slightly modified garage built, airdrie's bylaws allow a taller garage so I am looking for 12' walls and scissor trusses to have tons of space for a lift on one side.

I'm okay with building it myself / with family helping out but are the rona/star building places able to make custom packages? I contacted both but waiting to hear back on prices and if they can even do that.

Are there any other options besides having a building do it? I've seen you can get garage plans online and then source the material myself, has anyone gone this route?

:hijack: :hijack: :hijack:

You can get plans online but to get your building permit you need to get them stamped by an engineer to prove its a safe structure. Star building supplies can put anything together for you, there might just be an extra charge depending on how custom you want it or how much different from their "stock"packages you want to go.

[schurchill39]

The pad was framed on Friday and poured today while I was at work. I'm a little concerned that they didn't leave a rough in for the man door. The builder is trying to tell me that its normal to have a 6.5" lip at the door but that doesn't sound right to me at all. I have never seen a garage yet with that big of a lip, a few inches maybe but not 6.5". That makes it a huge pain in the ass to get a lawn mower or wheel barrow in and out.

What does beyond think?

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d129/schurchill39/Garage/IMG_0074.jpg

[88CRX]

Any dirt needs to be 6" away from any non-treated wood framing (door sill) so I wouldn't worry too much about it. How high is the grass to the top of concrete?

[eblend]

Originally posted by schurchill39
The pad was framed on Friday and poured today while I was at work. I'm a little concerned that they didn't leave a rough in for the man door. The builder is trying to tell me that its normal to have a 6.5" lip at the door but that doesn't sound right to me at all. I have never seen a garage yet with that big of a lip, a few inches maybe but not 6.5". That makes it a huge pain in the ass to get a lawn mower or wheel barrow in and out.

What does beyond think?

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d129/schurchill39/Garage/IMG_0074.jpg

Mine is just like that, it's a drop into the garage, like a step, and it's a damn good thing. My dad's garage doesn't have it and floods when the snow melts, mine stays dry.

[funkytuqe]

Yup, mine is like that too. Just build a step if you feel its a bit high.

[schurchill39]

Its 6.5" on the inside but because the pad is above grade it works out to about 13" on the yard side. I had the builder come over today and he agreed that it was too high although he does recommend having a lip there for moisture like eblend said. They are going to come cut it in half where the door is.