Hi name is Juan and I'm a car fanatic (everyone: hello Juan). I'm a vintage racer and enjoy working on my cars and motorcycles.
Inspired on LLWillisFan’s “Concrete Underground” construction project, and as suggested by other posters (Sigma X and HPW) following I describe my soon to be started future home. Similar to his project, my house will have a concrete shell and the design is modern/contemporary.
The project started back in the mid 2,000’s when I decided that I needed extra garage space to house the cars and the bikes and have some space to work on them; currently I store some cars and my trailer off-site. We had also decided that since we had little ones on the way we would prefer to have a 1 storey home of larger proportions. Our current home is 2,500 sqft/ac and the new one will be 6,500sqft/ac. More importantly the garage space grows from 700 sqft to 2,400 approx!
Being that I live in South Florida, whilst our lot is unusually large by local standards (1.1 acres) it is very small compared to LLWillysFan’s. Due to the tropical nature of the local weather (and my experience with natural disasters) the first requirement was that our new home and garages were to be built with a concrete envelope (including a poured concrete roof). All impact windows and doors, a generator, provisions for PV panels and solar water heating (both for the pool and household usage).
The garages are split into a 3-bay garage for the daily drivers and a separate 3 deep bay unit that could fit my enclosed ATC trailer; the workshop. The workshop will have 2 regular roll up type garage doors and a barn door type on the bay dedicated to the workshop section. There will be provisions for mezzanine type storage over the bay destine for the trailer (which I might end up selling anyway but that is another subject), a large enclosed storage closet and a full bath. The slab is spec’d for a four post lift on the center bay.
The garages will be insulated (including the doors), will use wall mounted openers and will provide for automated exhaust provisions via humidistat controlled exhaust fans. The workshop will have a “minisplit” a/c and will be connected to the whole house audio/video/data distribution system.
Originally we were going to have an additional bay which was to have a storefront type window into the kitchen/family room so we could see one of the cars (my wife’s idea!). Due to HOA setback considerations we had to eliminate that bay
.
The process has been quite long since trying to build something that does not follow the typical style architecture in use around here (what I refer to as “Mizner’s Mediterranean Revival”) is not easy. We had to go over a long process with the HOA for approval of our design. I’m blessed to have good neighbors who can see our vision and our plans have been approved.
Originally my plan was to build the envelope using ICF (insulated concrete forms) which is a leave in place type form for the structure. We were to have 4.5 inches of foam on the exterior of the perimeter walls followed by 6 to 8 inches of poured concrete, then another 2.25 inches of foam and the drywall. On the roof, we were going to use a similar form but one that is one sided with 16 inches of foam on the underside of the roof.
Looking at the quotes put together by the different specialist shell contractors we contacted, I realized that the cost of going that route carries a substantial premium over building the walls out of CMU with tie beams and using a metal joist poured roof. I had all the structural and MEP engineering done considering ICF and it is being revised now.
Being that we will have poured beams and columns and some cells on the CMU’s will be “grouted” we will have a strong shell but the insulation will not be as good as with ICF. BTW, we plan on using closed cell icynene spray foam on the walls and roof.
Quotes are in and hopefully the engineers are done by the end of January so we can go into permitting and start construction!
Following is a rendering of the house. Please note that, the “checkmark” shaped roof will be flat due to building considerations. There will be a perforated aluminum brise soleil around all sides of the roof and the clerestory windows will remain.
Inspired on LLWillisFan’s “Concrete Underground” construction project, and as suggested by other posters (Sigma X and HPW) following I describe my soon to be started future home. Similar to his project, my house will have a concrete shell and the design is modern/contemporary.
The project started back in the mid 2,000’s when I decided that I needed extra garage space to house the cars and the bikes and have some space to work on them; currently I store some cars and my trailer off-site. We had also decided that since we had little ones on the way we would prefer to have a 1 storey home of larger proportions. Our current home is 2,500 sqft/ac and the new one will be 6,500sqft/ac. More importantly the garage space grows from 700 sqft to 2,400 approx!
Being that I live in South Florida, whilst our lot is unusually large by local standards (1.1 acres) it is very small compared to LLWillysFan’s. Due to the tropical nature of the local weather (and my experience with natural disasters) the first requirement was that our new home and garages were to be built with a concrete envelope (including a poured concrete roof). All impact windows and doors, a generator, provisions for PV panels and solar water heating (both for the pool and household usage).
The garages are split into a 3-bay garage for the daily drivers and a separate 3 deep bay unit that could fit my enclosed ATC trailer; the workshop. The workshop will have 2 regular roll up type garage doors and a barn door type on the bay dedicated to the workshop section. There will be provisions for mezzanine type storage over the bay destine for the trailer (which I might end up selling anyway but that is another subject), a large enclosed storage closet and a full bath. The slab is spec’d for a four post lift on the center bay.
The garages will be insulated (including the doors), will use wall mounted openers and will provide for automated exhaust provisions via humidistat controlled exhaust fans. The workshop will have a “minisplit” a/c and will be connected to the whole house audio/video/data distribution system.
Originally we were going to have an additional bay which was to have a storefront type window into the kitchen/family room so we could see one of the cars (my wife’s idea!). Due to HOA setback considerations we had to eliminate that bay
.The process has been quite long since trying to build something that does not follow the typical style architecture in use around here (what I refer to as “Mizner’s Mediterranean Revival”) is not easy. We had to go over a long process with the HOA for approval of our design. I’m blessed to have good neighbors who can see our vision and our plans have been approved.
Originally my plan was to build the envelope using ICF (insulated concrete forms) which is a leave in place type form for the structure. We were to have 4.5 inches of foam on the exterior of the perimeter walls followed by 6 to 8 inches of poured concrete, then another 2.25 inches of foam and the drywall. On the roof, we were going to use a similar form but one that is one sided with 16 inches of foam on the underside of the roof.
Looking at the quotes put together by the different specialist shell contractors we contacted, I realized that the cost of going that route carries a substantial premium over building the walls out of CMU with tie beams and using a metal joist poured roof. I had all the structural and MEP engineering done considering ICF and it is being revised now.
Being that we will have poured beams and columns and some cells on the CMU’s will be “grouted” we will have a strong shell but the insulation will not be as good as with ICF. BTW, we plan on using closed cell icynene spray foam on the walls and roof.
Quotes are in and hopefully the engineers are done by the end of January so we can go into permitting and start construction!
Following is a rendering of the house. Please note that, the “checkmark” shaped roof will be flat due to building considerations. There will be a perforated aluminum brise soleil around all sides of the roof and the clerestory windows will remain.
. I see you take them on the track is tht just Porsche track days or actual racing events?
