Little old city garage

[ToolUsingAnimal]

I've been looking around here for a while, but I figured it's time to show mine .

Just over a year ago my wife and I moved into our first house. It was built in 1925 and it needed a lot of work to make it comfortable. Now that the inside is more or less squared away I get to go out and play in the garage!

Here's the outside from the driveway. Notice the left wall is cinder block? There's a wooden wall that forms the wall of the garage on that side, so I've got no idea why it's there. Maybe it was originally a carport?

Here's the side from the backyard. There's a little shed built off of it that's just big enough for a lawnmower (came with the house!) and a bale of hay, for some reason.

Inside is nothing spectacular. This place needs a lot of work! The pile of wood is scraps from the work we've done inside the house that have been piling up. There's junk in the rafters that I need to clean up, the door opener doesn't work, and one of the door springs is broken. That extra lawnmower you see is going to a friend of ours who just bought a condo. I don't need two, my lawn is the size of a postcard

And the other side, including the harbor freight tool cart. Not bad for the money. I just wanted something I could roll out to the car when I want to work on it, and it does that fine. The shelf above it has got to come down, I keep whacking my head on it.

My mini-lathe, don't have a place for it yet. Eventually I'd like to upgrade to a bigger, older model.

Old Delta Homecraft table saw that I've got to build a bench for

Finally, I can't resist not showing my vise. Popular topic around here it seems . I picked it up at a flea market last weekend for $15. I'll clean it up once I build a bench sturdy enough to hold it. This thing is heavy!

Thanks for reading! I'll post updates as I improve this mess.

 

[MReynolds]

I know how you can get more room in there...bring that Char Griller Duo over to my house. Nice looking vise, can't wait to see it finished.

 

[STORMEASTON]

Looks like you got a good place to start!

 

[garageclass.com]

Awesome place to start! watch out with the renovations it gets addicting

 

[JC23]

Clean 'er out, then get a good look at yer bones. Then you will be able to 'SEE' what is possible.

But first read Jack Olsen's threads so you start thinking of getting three inches out of every one inch like he and others did.

And remember to keep it fun! We're all pulling for ya!

 

[Motown 454]

That will be a nice space ,especially if you follow Jacks lead. A place for everything and two things in its place.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

Get a copy of Your Garagenous Zone and read the organizing chapter. You could get 90% of the utility you need out of that space in one weekend.

I would bet that if you were to make that shed on the back a little bigger though, you could get some of your garden equipment settled in and organized out of the main space.

First things first would be to optimize what you have...

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

I know how you can get more room in there...bring that Char Griller Duo over to my house.

It's a sweet grill. Best housewarming gift we got!

But first read Jack Olsen's threads so you start thinking of getting three inches out of every one inch like he and others did.

Jack's thread actually brought me here. I think I had looked for "garage storage" on Google and Jack's posts had me in awe .

One step forward, two steps back last weekend. I got the noggin-killing shelf down but had to add more to the pile of junk. On the upside, cleaning up the pile of rotten boards and rusty nails in front of the washing machine means I don't need a tetanus shot every time I do laundry. I know, my priorities are backwards

 

[NASMAN]

Great pick on that Athol vise.
I have one that is one or two models up from that one. Traded a pair of tire chains for it back in 1956. Got the tire chains for nothing.
Athol vise was eventually I am told by my brother, who worked most of his adult life for them, bought by Starrett tools of Athol. Not sure that they still have it or what they did with it.
I refused a lot for mine and had many that wanted it. It was the favorite vise at every place that I worked. Would hold almost anything. Mine has a rachet style handle and a 340 degree swivel base with two lock downs.
I also am kind of fond of it because I lived in Athol from second grade to seventh.
Build a strong bench and enjoy " The Athol "

 

[PhillyRow]

Looks like a great little space. I am a huge fan of small garages for the pure fact that we don't have nearly as much room as many of the garages on the board (Mine is 9' x 13'), so we do our best with what limited space we do have. Maybe think about enlarging the enclosed lean-to space and keeping your garden and home products in there and all of your tools/car/motorcycle products in the actual garage. Good luck in your endevour. I will be following this one...

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

Not a lot, but the shelf is gone, I've got an old table in there, and I installed central air!

It's a start

 

[WhatThaFrig]

Not a lot, but the shelf is gone, I've got an old table in there, and I installed central air!

It's a start

Looks like my ac system in my garage!

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

Well, a few things have happened since last year. The pile of wood got smaller because a couple local artists came and took most of the paneling and other good stuff. Then it got bigger, because we decided to demolish and rebuild our bathroom and figured we wouldn't need a dumpster. I'm learning you ALWAYS need a dumpster . So, I decided to take a look at some issues outside that've been bugging me.

First, this concrete wall. Why is it there?

It's not attached to anything, it just kinds of sits there. I knocked a couple blocks out of it out of curiosity.

It looks like it was there first, maybe as a carport, and when the garage was built they built a fully sided and painted wall and slapped it up against the existing one.

Now over to the other side. What the heck is this?

It looks like a flowerbed, poured with the rest of the concrete. It's got a tree growing out of it that's dug its roots under the pad for the side shed, so at least the tree has to go.

Finally, the big problem. The back of the garage is buried under many years of yard waste that've turned to dirt. I started with digging a hole at the back side where it's not as deep.

About 4" down until I hit the sill plate. Some pillbugs were happily munching away at it. It gets worse at the back.

If you're wondering where the gutter goes, it drains into a channel covered by that corrugated plastic. Water drains through the fence into the driveway of the building behind me. Not a good arrangement.

It was about 1 1/2 feet before I hit got to the sill here. The plywood side of the extension is good and rotten, and I can't imagine the sill plate here is doing very well. This is why the floor inside is always moist.

Here's what I'm planning:
1. Dig out the back of the garage. Add drainage.
2. Knock down the block wall
3. Tear down the side shed and kicked-out section in the back. They're rotten
4. Dumpster. I'll REALLY need one by then
5. Stiffen the structure to prepare to jack it up. Add more joists (there are only 2 in the middle that hold up the door tracks). Strong-tie brackets to hold the walls together.
6. Jack it up one side at a time, replace sill plates with pressure treat
7. Profit

 

[sneakyfast]

Cant advise you on anything but just curious why your friend needs the extra lawn mower in his condo...Perhaps you don't need a dumpster after all...ha ha.

I love hoarders....my dad is like that and I can dump anything I don't want on him much to the chagrin of my mother.

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

Cant advise you on anything but just curious why your friend needs the extra lawn mower in his condo...Perhaps you don't need a dumpster after all...ha ha.

I love hoarders....my dad is like that and I can dump anything I don't want on him much to the chagrin of my mother.

I didn't get it until I went to visit him for the first time either. At that complex, everyone has a little fenced in lawn they're responsible for. Snow removal and garbage are taken care of, but if you don't take care of your lawn the condo board steals your firstborn. Or something like that .

 

[beee85]

I like it, it looks like the one in the movie "Beautiful mind"

 

[bobemmerich]

Perhaps the concrete wall was put up to keep the garage wall from collapsing out? Or as a sound barrier for the neighbor?

 

[DrunkSmurf]

It almost looks like there may have been a different garage there before the current one. That might explain the cinder block wall and what looks like part of a footer/foundation sticking out on the corner.

Have to love old houses and the mysteries they contain...lol...Looks like you're off to a good start, and I've found that the more time you spend cleaning the more time you have to plan.

 

[AustinMiniMan]

The mysteries of old garage construction are great- I'm working on a three-car built in the 30's, or so I thought, at the moment. But none of the structural aspects lined up and some of the trim made no sense. Peeling it back, it turns out it was a one-car auto-barn from the teens, then a lean-to was added(30's probably), then to the other side a complete mirror image was added(50's). It's quite the mutt. I've had to do some structural "integration" but seeing it all unfold is always fun. Good luck, it's a nice looking little shop you have there- It's so nice to see something old re-purposed instead of being torn down.

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

Or as a sound barrier for the neighbor?

Clever! It's possible, the neighbor's yard is very close.

 

[bobemmerich]

Yeah. I highly doubt that a concrete block garage was there first. The construction of yours seems to be "period correct". I have a few thoughts...
1) sound attenuation
2) Added structural strength
3)someone thought about adding a complete concrete garage, but never finished it
Does it look like the garage could have been leaning at some point? Up here (northeast) some older houses(teens-50's) had garages added after the fact and the slab was poured after construction. Only way to tell for sure is either old photos OR possibly the town building dept.

 

[Stuart in MN]

How close is the garage to the lot line? I'm wondering if it was built to provide some sort of firewall against the neighbor's property...that doesn't make a lot of sense, but sometimes city codes don't make sense either.

 

[jeff51]

How close is the garage to the property line? If it's too close, code may have dictated a fire-rated wall (either that or moving the garage!). If that was the intent the wall should really be taller than the eaves, but just an idea...

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

I wonder about fire protection. I'll take a look at my other neighbor's garage wall tomorrow morning. His garage wall is even closer to my property than my garage is to my neighbor's. I couldn't find anything in the city's fire code about fire-retardant walls between properties, but dumber laws have been written .

I've taken down more of the wall, so hopefully I don't need it. I'll take some more pictures tomorrow when it's light out. Don't worry, I really doubt it was structural. Looking down the gap, there was a good straight 1/2" gap between the wooden wall and the concrete. The wooden wall isn't attached to the concrete in any way.

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

Well I took pictures like I promised, but Photobucket is down. The other neighbor's garage doesn't have a concrete wall on the side of my property, so I think it's safe to say it's not needed to meet code. I'll put the pictures up when I can. Thanks for following!

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

Here we go, Photobucket is back!

The damage so far:

I've pulled out one steel bar like you see towards the back of the wall in the last picture. The one that's left is proving to be a bear. I'm not resorting to dynamite yet though. Those trees growing against the wall make me uneasy. What do you guys think? Should they stay or should they go?

 

[d33pt]

i would take the trees out. they are small and dont look like they're doing much for you.

 

[mrstang69]

i would take the trees out. they are small and dont look like they're doing much for you.

Im no tree hugger, so I agree take them out.

 

[csp]

That back tree with the crotch down low is asking for future trouble anyhow. Get it out now while it's small. The roots could also be a future problem for the slab in the garage.

 

[bdkruger1]

Take out the trees, that's space!! Is the block wall on the east side of the building? And, how could the builder have put the siding on the building if the block wall was there first?

 

[Nick M]

Only in RI you would find something like that!

 

[ToolUsingAnimal]

Take out the trees, that's space!! Is the block wall on the east side of the building? And, how could the builder have put the siding on the building if the block wall was there first?

Weird huh? The siding stops about 2" from the outside edge of the wall and the outside corners are unfinished. The concrete only gives the mice a place to live. Maybe they loved the mice too much to knock down the concrete wall?

Only in RI you would find something like that!

Yeah, there's a lot of in this little garage.

 

[49stude2r6]

I am no tree hugger but I hate demolishing established plants. That said, I would rip those things out, 1) they look like problems with the garage floor, siding and roof in the future. 2) Looks like you could build a roof/garden port or small shed attached to that wall of the garage for a BBQ or yard tools etc. As small as this garage is I would guess the yard to be proportional so even a fence at the front of the garage would sheild prying eyes and make that some usefull storage.

 

[BUGTHUG]

Mabe a old chicken coop?

 

[Shamus]

The trees have to go. They were not planted but rather grew from seedlings that sprouted. No-one in their right mind plants a tree next to a concrete wall/foundation. The roots will continue to do damage and eventually take over and destroy the entire structure.

 

[Stuart in MN]

The trees have to go. They were not planted but rather grew from seedlings that sprouted. No-one in their right mind plants a tree next to a concrete wall/foundation. The roots will continue to do damage and eventually take over and destroy the entire structure.

Yes, these trees are essentially weeds and don't appear to be anything worth keeping - in that tight space there's not enough room for them anyway.

At least the block wall protected the shingles on that side of the garage. It's an interesting pattern with the double layer of shingles, my house and garage are shingled the same way and I've never seen it on any other buildings.

 

[ambenz]

Sounds like you have a plan with the garage thats good and sound.
cleaning up all around the garage is a must...getting some storage space on the side of the garage will be a plus as well as fixing the drainage.
Subscribed to this interesting thread!
Thanks for posting your progress!!!!!

 

[BEAVO]

if your neighbors been there for awhile maybe they talked to previous owner and knows what he/she done this for

 

[Curt_pnw]

7. Profit

I lol'd

Nice progress!

 

[sscustom]

looks like a great start ,there is still life left in her