How Old Are You And When Did You Build Your Garage?

[evil_twin]

Alright, I've been floating around the forum looking at the galleries and reading all the tech talks. Reading up on this really gets me eager to build my own garage, but first I need a house. I've been looking around in the market, for housing, and have been searching for the right house so I can start my garage build (after I get settled in the house of course).

My question overall is how old are you now and how old were you when you built/started building your garage?

Right now I'm clocking in at 22yrs, with no garage (except for using my parents).

::Sorry guys/gals, I'm not trying to call anybody out for being older. Because I know when I'm older I will still be a kid at heart

 

[rieferman]

33 yrs old here. First house was bought when I was 25 in the city, no space for garage. Current house bought 4 years ago... took me 3 years to finish all the other work, then I could rebuild the barn.

 

[Eazy716]

bought my first house with garage when I was 24. I rebuilt the garage at age 25. I'm now 28

 

[Vincet]

35 years old when we built our house with a 3 car attached garage o a liitl over 2 acres. Then 3 years ago I had a 30x40 shed built, 10ft sides, 12x9 door, 2 utility doors, built with attic trusses. I'll have a 9'x40' upstairs room some day.

I''ve got a ton of EXCELLENT ideas from this sites - THANK YOU!

 

[BLUBAYOU]

I'm 33, finally built my own garage over the past year. Got the CO last week in fact! 3 years ago I built my own house, and to do the garage better justice (and to stay in the budget) I delayed the garage build for a few years, since it was to be detached anyway.

I'm actually glad I put it off for a little while, as we were going to put it in one spot on our property, then came to find over the two years since building the house that we wanted it elsewhere on the property.

 

[DHS]

I built my 20x36 when I was 22 out of reclaimed materials. It works for me but I'm sure not everyone would like it, its a little rough, lol.

 

[dmw56]

Had my first garage built when I was 34 it was a 36' X 24' with a storage loft the same size. My current garage/shop was built when I was 46 it is 40' X 40'.

 

[tcianci]

55 here, built my house and attached garage when I was 24, nobody told me that it would be too small!!!

 

[bimmer1980]

I was 20 when my twin bro and I had our 50'x96 shop built in SD at the home place--it was bought and paid for with money we earned in the summer.....

I'm 29 now and working on a 1600 sq ft garage at my place in PA.

 

[NRChopshop]

i was 24 when i bought my first garage last year.....the house came with it

 

[Falcon67]

Built the shop in 1997, 53 this year. I think. Numbers confuse me unless they are on a tape measure...

We bought the house and it came with a shed. I need to scan in those pics before they fade away. The only build pics I have are Polaroids. How quaint.

 

[Joe69]

I bought my current house/garage when I was 27. I'm now 40 and in the process of buying another house with a 3 car garage and a pole barn.

Joe

 

[sammerdog]

45 now. Bought my first house when I was 19. No garage, but I was happy to have concrete - my first apartment had been just a gravel turn-around. Swung engines into a Gremlin and a Chevette in the snow in the driveway.

Moved up to a house with a detatched single stall when I was 26. Thought that was the cat's pajamas.

Contracted the current place with the 3 stall attached at 29, built the single stall myself out back at 35.

 

[Flathead Red]

I am 41 and have been in the military for the last 23 years and had a couple houses but have yet to build my garage. Once I retire and we find a more permanent house, I will build my garage.

Flathead Red

 

[evil_twin]

Wow guys/gals. I didn't think this thread would take off as fast as it did. You all give me so much hope for building mine. As I stated in another thread, my girlfriends' boss is starting his garage build and I am VERY excited to see the final result.

 

[OldCarGuy]

I was 20 years old when I purchased my first home that didn’t have a garage. And built a three car garage before a year had passed. Did all the construction by myself. Including digging the foundation by hand and mixing concrete with a 3 cubic foot mixer. I paid cash for all the building materials. Most at salvaged prices. Even tore down an old industrial building for the 12" blocks that I used in the foundation,, for less than a nickel a piece.

Again some 40 years later I built my retirement complex. Do to the magnitude of the project plus my age. I contracted out some of the work. And I still paid cash for the entire project.

 

[Mario]

Bought the house at 25. It had a 2 car garage, uninsulated and didn't even had a slab. 2 years later I built a slab for the garage. 1 years later I insulated it.

I'm now 35 and 2 years ago I build an addition, garage is now 30x32 compared to the old 22x24 I had. Also redid the roof and the exterior.

Now I really need to get it organized...

 

[rwhite692]

It is generally far less expensive (especially now) to buy a place that already has a garage space that suits your needs. Good Luck!

 

[jonlb]

I built my 24x24 when I was 19 or 20. I'm 23 now and completely out of space with only one jeep in it.

 

[evil_twin]

All of your posts are simply inspiring!

 

[G-force]

I was 28 when we bought our first house that had a garage I could be proud of. It was a 3 car 30'x25'.

Here's a picture of me in my garage at that time...

 

[ddawg16]

Built my garage last year...I was 52....which would now make me 53.

Except for the foundation, I sunk every single f*&&ing nail into that garge....lifted every single board....oh....I did pay someone to put on the roof shingles (I've done that before and the $600 was well worth it) and someone to do the stucco....and after watching them do it....well worth the $1300 for that labor....

It was a great workout.....

 

[Kevin54]

I built my first garage at 26. It was a 24'x24' on a slab foundation. I bought a rundown house and started remodeling it and needed a garage for tools.
Divorced at 34 and built my second garage which was a 22'x32' with 6' overhangs side and front. My wife and I bought a house, started remodeling and needed a garage to store tools.
At 42 I built my third garage. A 28'x36' with 6' overhangs front and side. Needed a place to store tools and work on rides.
Now at 53 I enjoy the garage, need to add on and get a lift.
On the first I did everything including the floor. The last two the foundation was subbed out. Next time, everthing might just be subbed out. LOL!!!

 

[Goobzilla]

I had a nice shop in WA when I was 31 (34x32x10). Had an opportunity to move back to CO a few months ago and now I'm building my dream shop for my 40th birthday 40x64x12

 

[srmofo]

I was 20 when I bought my place and all it had was a tiny one car...more of a tall shed really. I just started and finished my garage this week....7 years later. those first few years were spent in a drunken haze

 

[zmotorsports]

I was 18 and a senior in high school when I took out a loan from my dad to build a 24' X 26' shop on my parents farm. He already had a shed/garage for a couple of tractors but I wanted something of my own. He made me sign a contract and loaned me the money which I payed back within a year. After getting married I continued to work out that shop to save up enough for a down payment on a house. Then after my wife and I moved into our new home (ages 22 & 20) I worked out of that same shop for another 4 years to save up enough to build our current shop at our home. Been there ever since. Mike.

 

[Flathead Youngin']

In 03 I built a 30x34 with a complete upstairs. I'm now 35, we bought 40 acres and I'm looking to build a 40x80.

I know where you are coming from. I wanted a garage so badly when I was younger. I chose to go to college and many of my buddies were working "normal" jobs, so they had "things." And, it was VERY easy to look at folks 30-50 and see all the cool stuff they had; garages, ATVs, etc. Looking back, it takes years to have that stuff. It's not something that they aquired over night.

Be patient and keep your eyes on the prize. If you need to, get an education and a job that will allow you to have the things in life you want. Work hard towards that and it'll come.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

40 and sporty....Bought my house when I was 26, three car garage. The house was 7 when I bought it.

 

[1AB JAG]

I bought my first house when I was 36. It came with an attached one car garage that was just big enough for our car and the lawn mower. We bought our current house 12 years ago. It has an oversized two car garage that I can put all three of our cars in (one on wheel dollies) and a decent work bench area. It's a work in slow progress, seems there is always some other house issue that take precedent over the garage. Hopefully that will change this spring!

 

[61scout80]

bought our new construction tract home in 4/08. has an attached 2 car. it's my first garage. spent plenty of time turning wrenches in friends shops until this point.

 

[OccupantRJ]

57 now, and started out at 12 years old under an old barn shelter. Built an 8 X 8 at 18, and built drag race motorcycles and choppers in it. Next one was 13 X 10, when I was 22, and included a metal lathe and hydraulic press. Next one was at 31, a 28 X 50 footer, which ended up as a fully equipped machine, fabrication, and woodworking shop, until a flood claimed it 5 feet deep. I'm now restoring and expanding a 26 X 26 garage that was here when I bought this house. I am adding 440 sq ft to it at this time, and filling it with my previously stored equipment. I'm more of a working shop guy than a parking garage guy.

 

[thammel]

My turn. Restored my Triumph TR6 in the driveway at 35. Finally bought a house with garage at 38. Sold house and bought better house at 48 with garage but added a 36 x 32. Divorced at 52, bought another house and just had a 32 x 28 attached built at age of 58. Will turn 60 in 1 month. Time flies. This will be the last and best garage, albeit a little smaller than last one. Put in plumbing, 12' ceilings, pex in floor, 2 x 6 walls, permanent stairs to attic room which is 12 x 32 x 7' ceiling. Will have lift, heat and ac, powder room, the works. Ready to retire and restore cars. Wish bank account were ready.

Tom

By the way, bought the TR6 for 3k$ and sold it 19 years later for 11k$.

 

[Free Willie]

45 now, bought first house with 2 stall 20years ago (thought it was great)
bought current house without garage 7 years ago(what was I thinking)
started 40x32 post and beam 1-1/2 yrs ago and finished in a year.
Great Wife-- made me do it. didn't want to see me working in driveway anymore.

 

[december45]

I was 39 when we bought a house with 30'x40 shop... i dont count 2 or 3 car garage that comes with a house attached or not.... I was 44 when we moved and we bought a house with an existing shop 40'x125' , when i was 49 we moved and i built a house and built a shop 40x80 and we then moved again and we built a 40'x60' shop... and im pretty sure it will be my last shop... im 58

 

[D.J.]

Will be 53 in March. Still don't have my first garage yet. Planning on building but having trouble saving any money. Our economy ***** even in good times, let alone in times like these. The wife and I did build our house in 1990. Getting excellent ideas by following this site. One day I will have a garage and won't have to change motors in the gravel driveway, like I'm doing now on a 1986 Ranger ext cab. Do some quick jobs in Shop at work, but no long projects can be done there. Be thankful you all have what you have! Thought about just pouring a foundation and slab with pex tubing and waiting to frame and build, but contractor freind talked me out of that saying concrete without coverage would deteriorate. O I'm rambling now. Keep up the good thread ideas, guys! Later all.
________
Paxil withdraw

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

I'm 38 and working with the Architech now on my garage to be built next spring / summer.

 

[jake00]

29 -- bought the house at almost 25 with a 2 car attached

 

[nissan_crawler]

27 now, bought the house with a 19x23 garage not long after I turned 20. Once it's paid off and remodeled, I'll decide whether to build a shop here, or sell and move out of town and start fresh, depending on the housing market at the time.

 

[mslisaj]

I was 50 when I bought my home and built a 3600 sq.ft. building behind my house. Been working on it now for eight years and it's finally finished. My late husband and I were in the car business for 22 years and I have all our equipment set up and I think when I retire in the next couple of years as a truck driver I will go back into business myself as I finally OWN the location and am moved in to stay.............

But yes, 50 was the magic age.

Lisa

 

[Dan0myte]

I was 27 last year when we bought our house (28 now). It came with a 21x24 double car detached that I'm working on upgrading.