Wow, 20x22 is small but its happening.

mikeyr · Nov 4, 2008

Tons of rules, tons of garbage with the city but its finally happening, I am building a garage. If you want to read all the garbage I had to go through like Solar rules where on Dec. 21 at 4:30PM the shadow of my building can't touch my neighbors building and other things like that, you can read about it at http://www.rambour.com/garage but its moving along fast now that it has started.

I am adding on 22x20 to a existing 20x20 garage, I sure wish I could have gone MUCH bigger but the city would not let me so I am getting the biggest I can have, when done it will be 20x42 and since I am moving from a 440 sq. ft. garage this will be plenty big but as I look at the forms WOW 22x20 is SMALL. I could not continue the existing wall straight back since the existing garage is 18" from the property line, so there is a 4ft. inset but I will make use of that by storing not often used stuff there.

We hope to move in on Thanksgiving weekend and the contractor said he will be done by then. I had considered building it myself but my wife suggested having it done so it would be done in a timely manner, that is probably the first time I was not upset by being put down by her

You can see the forms are going in nicely, the back of the existing garage is still up for now but will go away, new section has 9ft. walls with scissor joists

Already have run a dedicated 100AMP sub-panel out to the garage

russlaferrera · Nov 4, 2008

Ever notice when You try to do something, it seems that every official is against ya? I mean, I know life is an uphill battle. But why do they make it so hard?

The build is coming along , so be happy

ersatzs2 · Nov 4, 2008

I spent a delightful 5 days in Santa Barbara just last week. Driving around a bit, I'm not a bit surprised getting a permit for a garage is an ordeal. In fact my wife commented on this after we saw for the second time moldy-looking canvas carports sitting in the driveways of nice looking houses. What a great car town though. Every morning I was there I saw some new amazing car parked along the beach.

PocketThunder · Nov 5, 2008

My old roommate went thru the same thing with his city's council in Wisconsin. He had to design an inset of 2 feet for the last 12 feet of his garage because the city council voted 3-2 to not let him have the extra 24 square feet to make his garage square and enable him to park both daily drivers + two collector cars in the garage. His argument was, wouldnt they rather see cars parked in the garage vs. sitting outside? But the council didnt agree.

JMURiz · Nov 5, 2008

Glad you finally got a permit, the space will be really nice I'm sure...especially with that SWEET Dino Spyder in it!!!

As always, keep us posted on the progress.

I had to make the system work for me as well...and a neighbor had to go through a variance hearing for his corner-lot garage...what a PITA to go through to make the area actually look better.

BTW I think their need for a 'wall' in between is lame but seems like you'll make it work for you...I like your 2 doors on the new addition idea too.

PERFORMANCE-RED · Nov 5, 2008

I don't think a 20x22 addition is to small. Can't wait to see the progress.

customcab · Nov 5, 2008

Glad to see you can finally proceed. I had similar problems on my garage. Had to do a "tandem" setup like yours because of setbacks and other restrictions. Keep us posted with lots of pix!
later, Phil

mikeyr · Nov 5, 2008

I took some more pics at lunch time today but not really anything worth posting yet, they had some rebar down and that was all that is different from yesterday (I will post pics anyway later).

The big day is tomorrow as the inspector signs off on the foundation and then the bigger day is Friday as the concrete gets poured ! You can expect lots of pictures of that

My contractor is putting in a few goodies after the inspector leaves just in case I want to put in my Hot Dawg heater and my sink after its built. Water drainage will be a big problem but that is later down the road, at least there will be a spot in the slab for it.

Thanks for all the comments but I saw it again today and it sure looks small, I even took out my measuring tape to make sure. No matter its going to be AWESOME with scissor trusses and drywall on the ceiling to reflect the light, 2 skylights and something on the walls, thinking plywood painted white so I can pound in nails/screws anywhere I want instead of sheetrock. I will start running the electricity to the new area from the sub panel this weekend, I can't wait.

Its 860sq. ft. total and my current garage at my current house if 480 so this is bigger just not "big enough"

mikeyr · Nov 6, 2008

Yesterdays picture viewed from my neighbors 2nd. story window *Yeah, I AM VERY UPSET I HAD TO LOSE THAT TREE FOR THIS GARAGE* but it gives a very good view of what I am doing. I just spoke to them a minute ago, the inspector is there RIGHT NOW so all the rebar is finished, can't wait until lunch to go see it.

I also can't wait until I plant some new trees

mikeyr · Nov 7, 2008

Here is one from yesterday with all the rebar and some weird ground system (ufer ground), not sure why the ground since the sub-panel was already brought over from the house and signed off by the city but my electrician says it will be better that way so I am buying into it (that is what happens when you trust your contractor) and from reading on the web (trust but verify) it seems to be a good thing.

And finally the concrete !!! progress !!!

Oh yeah, don't look at the mess of the yard or especially house, we have not moved in yet.

C G · Nov 8, 2008

Ive heard of some strange rules but never one about where a shadow lands.

You keep saying how small your addition is...I just built my first "Only my stuff goes in here" garage. Its as large as the city will allow with all the site restrictions, its 18X28 and its a mansion to me =)

TejasBimmer · Nov 9, 2008

C G said:
Ive heard of some strange rules but never one about where a shadow lands....

That is a weird rule...I guess the use of night time flood lights would not work to eliminate the shadows....

PAToyota · Nov 10, 2008

Actually, you'll likely be seeing a lot more of such rules as solar panels for heat and energy become more prevalent.

mikeyr · Nov 11, 2008

I hope not on the rules but it is being done to keep peoples "views" even though my neighbor has no view, he also wont have my buildings shadow touching his.

No more work until Thursday

framing was supposed to start tomorrow and the trusses are being delivered tomorrow but the framers called and said they will start Thursday

one day delay which upsets me slightly but they still have 2 weeks before I move in and I doubt this will take more than a few days to frame anyway.

mikeyr · Nov 12, 2008

there be trusses in the driveway, daughter called to complain she can't park in the driveway

Pictures soon.

89MustangGt · Nov 12, 2008

mikeyr said:
My contractor is putting in a few goodies after the inspector leaves just in case I want to put in my Hot Dawg heater and my sink after its built. Water drainage will be a big problem but that is later down the road, at least there will be a spot in the slab for it.

I am new to the forum. Mikey, that is a nice addition you are having built.
For me, I am having a 20X20 garage built as we speak. Like you, I am having plumbing and drainage installed so I can install my sink "after" the inspector signs off.

For me an enclosed 20X20 garage beats the old 18X20 open carport I used to have for 28 years. I can't wait. I should have my garage completed in Jan 09.

mikeyr · Nov 21, 2008

Damm things are moving SLOW!!! for some idiotic reason my architect/engineer called for steel Simpson Strongwalls instead of wood ones. Wood ones take 2 days, steel takes a 2 weeks so thing got stalled. Walls are up and sheeted with plywood but no roof yet as they were waiting for the strongwalls that came in yesterday. Roof should go on next week IN THE RAIN that is forecast

At least my priorities are straight, installed the 4-post lift last night ! no doors, no roof but the lift is in place

Pics will come over the weekend and it still "might" be finished by Thanksgiving but I am NOT holding my breath.

mikeyr · Nov 24, 2008

Ok, those steel Simpson walls finally came in and now things are MOVING, of course its going to rain for 3 days and the roofs wont be up, they already cut the skylights in the existing garage even.

A pic of the trusses as promised last weekend, a pic with the 4-post in and of course my priorities really are set correctly, even the car is already in, no roofs, only walls and no doors but the car is in

And YES you can see that there will have to be some work on the existing garage ceiling height for the lift to remain there but the new addition has 11ft. to the top (scissor trusses on top of 9ft. walls). Other pics are of the infamous Simpson steel wall that cost me a week.

mikeyr · Nov 24, 2008

Oh yeah, real progress, still have no doors on 2 9ft. doors in the new part but i have a new front door

I am amazed at how much clearance I have, opening was raised to 7ft. and this door is nearly level so I did not lose much, I did lose enough height that I can no longer take the lift into the driveway but that is ok, I never planned to anyway, the only place I want to put the lift is in the new part in the back with all that clearance.

autoist · Nov 24, 2008

Exactly what is that car...it has a Ford grille but the headlights are wrong...in many ways it looks like an MG....

mikeyr · Nov 24, 2008

Its not a MG, its the far superior competition to a MG

That one is a 1934 1.5 Litre Singer the other car not in the garage yet is also a 1934 Singer but a Le Mans.

MG is close, same country...in the 30's it was kind of a Ford vs. Chevy thing, everyone who drove the Singer thought it was better than MG and everyone who drove MG's thought it was better then Singer, they were the 2 big boys in those days. And that is a Singer grill, not a Ford grill.

mikeyr · Dec 10, 2008

PASSED INSPECTION !!!
YES YES YES !!!

Now I have the final inspection after I put the siding on but that is a detail that will wait a few weeks or so. I have to move my existing garage into this one before the 20th when I have to be out of the old house, so moving take priority but as far as I am concerned ITS DONE!!! pics very soon.

I hope to get the final inspection which is just the siding and doors and minor stuff like that between xmas

and the new year but this allows me to get the roofing done this week before the scheduled rains next week. I will tyvek the outside this weekend to protect the plywood some. Wow what a mess this was...

cyclopsblown34 · Dec 11, 2008

I thought that was an MG with an inappropriate grille as well. Thanks for teaching me something new.

ersatzs2 · Dec 11, 2008

The Singer is just fabulous. Do you have more photos posted anywhere? What are your plans? There must be a Singer web group...

mikeyr · Dec 15, 2008

ersatzs2 said:
The Singer is just fabulous. Do you have more photos posted anywhere? What are your plans? There must be a Singer web group...

Sorry, I took the weekend off to work on my garage before the rains, got it Tyvek'd and waterproofed and never came online.

As to the Singer of course there is a web group, http://www.singercars.com/ although I had a death in the family earlier this year and I have been building a garage the last part of this year so the home page is terribly out of date. But the rest is all good to go.

As for my 2 Singer's (both of which are now in the garage) for more pics you can go to http://singer.rambour.com/4str/index.html for the one that was asked about earlier, my plans for it is to make it go and leave it alone, its a survivor and I can make its original 1934 paint shine in most places so I don't think I should restore it (although that was my plan when I purchased it and I reserve the right to change my mind). Also the Le Mans is at http://ayw709.rambour.com/ there are links somewhere on the Singer website to my cars of course but this is easier than making you look. AND THANKS for the comments on my car.

mikeyr · Dec 16, 2008

Getting there, permits were signed off, moving things in and its all sealed up now. The 2 "barn" doors are up and the building is Tyvek'd and waterproofed so I am ignoring the siding for a few weeks, I will get it to it after the holidays and hopefully before the new year, moving the house now and we lived in the old 31 years so its a lot of junk to move.

mikeyr · Feb 13, 2009

And its finished...Friday the 13th even !!!

City inspector signed off a few hours ago...all done and time to fill it up with tools.

Wow, 20x22 is small but its happening.

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