Building 2nd story apartment

[Cummon]

Hey guys new to this site..... So far I love it!

I'm in the process of having a 42 by 80 shop built. The Wall height is 18 ft. There will be one large 12 by 14 garage door on each end and 2 36 in doors. This should leave about 15 foot on either side of the garage doors. I'm planning on making a 15 by 30 apartment and in sake of trying to save as much garage space is possible, I will think I'm going to make it all 2nd story, except for the bathroom. The garage will be framed with 2 by 8 3-ply post 8' o.c.

I'm debating how to go about this... Any ideas and suggestions? I was thinking about putting some Lolly columns in to support the other end. I've read a lot of threads on this form and some have some pretty good info looking for some more a little more specific.

Thanks!!

 

[larry_g]

Has the building process started yet? Are you planning to install this after the building is completed, or is there still time to plan this into the build? What kind of building construction, stick, pole, steel or something else?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Stuart in MN]

I will think I'm going to make it all 2nd story, except for the bathroom.

You may be limiting the rental market (if that's what you have planned) by putting the bathroom on the main floor with the rest of the living space upstairs...if I was looking for an apartment, I'd probably pass on that configuration.

 

[Cummon]

Construction will start mid-week, and the apartment will be design after, but before concrete ( to allow for drain placements.. etc. It's a pole building, our intention for the bathroom on the main floor is for everyone else in the garage to use without having to go through living space. Be not worried about rental.

 

[Cummon]

Update pics

 

[rjn2649]

IMO if you can afford to do this I would put toilet/sink downstairs and full bath up, I get not worrying about rental, but if you got to REALLY go in the middle of the night stairs are a *****...
And when your working in a garage, sinks don't always get cleaned right after each use.

 

[larry_g]

Construction will start mid-week, and the apartment will be design after, but before concrete ( to allow for drain placements.. etc. It's a pole building, our intention for the bathroom on the main floor is for everyone else in the garage to use without having to go through living space. Be not worried about rental.

If you look at my building below you will see that I set some extra poles to accommodate the second floor and modified the roof trusses to also allow for the stairs. Plan this in now and you'll be miles ahead of trying to work something in later. I did just that and built the mezz at a later date, but all the 'foundation' work was done in the initial build.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Cummon]

If you look at my building below you will see that I set some extra poles to accommodate the second floor and modified the roof trusses to also allow for the stairs. Plan this in now and you'll be miles ahead of trying to work something in later. I did just that and built the mezz at a later date, but all the 'foundation' work was done in the initial build.

lg
no neat sig line

This is similar to what I'm planning on framing up as far as the floor goes. However at 18' tall the roof trusses are a non-issue. I'm just contiplating if attaching a header board to the posts on the side and running 14' off that to to some lolli-colums is safe and structurally sound. More or less framing it like a deck so to speak...

 

[Cummon]

This is similar to what I'm planning on framing up as far as the floor goes. However at 18' tall the roof trusses are a non-issue. I'm just contiplating if attaching a header board to the posts on the side and running 14' off that to to some lolli-colums is safe and structurally sound. More or less framing it like a deck so to speak...

What do you guys recommend for the floor bracing? 2x8 hooked to an LVL on each side?

Sent from my E6830 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[firebirdparts]

I don't understand the term "floor bracing". Floors are incredibly strong and you don't brace them.

15' is a tiny bit of an overreach with a 2x10 but look it up. It may actually be okay with SYP, I don't remember. 14' is definitely okay with 2 x 10's. To your question about attaching a header board to the posts, I think that is going to be plenty strong, but technically the building wasn't designed for that. It depends on how much supervision you have in my opinion.

 

[6768rogues]

Lay out the apartment and make sure you put windows in the rooms that need windows according to your code. Most occupied space needs light and ventilation, and sleeping rooms need openings for emergency use. Putting them in later is more expensive.
Most codes require some kind of fire resistive construction between a garage and living space, so plan for that. And a required exit cannot go through the garage.