26x34 MN Garage Plans - suggestions?

[mnwebb]

Hey all!

Lurker for years and finally about to build. I live in the Twin Cities (MN) and am highly restricted, by the city, about what I can build. The footprint (and height) are Grandfathered in and city will not allow dormers or any more space to be added. The plans are for a two door+ garage with a large work area. There will be a small workspace above for my wife, a painter. Because of limited headspace I think I lose my in-floor lift (which I will be selling fyi).
Cannot have water in garage, and not sure how to heat/cool yet. Planning on a ton on insulation and see if a mini-split can keep up, in floor perhaps as well? Planning on diy floor paint.

Any thoughts will be appreciated as the collective knowledge here is amazing!

Thanks!
Wilson

 

[Stuart in MN]

The plans look nice. I'm in Minneapolis and have a similar garage - mine is 24 x 40 but does have a storage loft on top.

 

[mnwebb]

Nice Stuart, is there anything that you would do differently now that you've had it a while? How many garage doors do you have and what type of heat/cooling do you have?
-W

 

[spudley]

The double doors certainly look better than one single 16', but 8' is real tight. Could you stretch those to 9'?

 

[mnwebb]

Good idea Spudley, thanks!

 

[Stuart in MN]

Nice Stuart, is there anything that you would do differently now that you've had it a while? How many garage doors do you have and what type of heat/cooling do you have?
-W

I have one 8 foot and one 16 foot door; the wall across the back of my lot blocks off the remainder of the garage so while it's four cars wide I only have doors for three. I can and do park a 4th car in the end spot, but it takes some maneuvering to do so - I have a summer car and a winter car, so I just swap their positions in the fall and the spring.

Even though I built it years ago I haven't gotten around to installing any insulation or heating system...in the winter I just rely on insulated coveralls when I'm working out there. I am getting tired of that method the older I get.

In floor hydronic heat is very nice, a friend of mine has it in his garage. However, that type of heating system works best if you keep it at the same temperature all winter, it's not very good at being turned off and then turned back on only when you're working out there. Probably the most practical choice would be a natural gas powered unit heater, hung from the ceiling.

 

[spudley]

The plans look nice. I'm in Minneapolis and have a similar garage - mine is 24 x 40 but does have a storage loft on top.

Stuart, how do you access your loft? Inside stairs or a pull down? I ask as I'm nearing a very similar 24' x 38' (or 40') build.
Nice job on the cedar siding.
Do you have a build thread?

 

[jonshonda]

imho there isn't nearly enough room between the cars and from the edge of the garage door to the exterior wall.

We have two 8' doors, and if I were to build a garage with two 8' doors (9' would be ideal, but ymmv) I would do at least 4' from the edge of the garage door to the exterior wall, and 4-5' between the doors to allow enough room for car doors to open w/o contacting other cars or objects.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Stuart, how do you access your loft? Inside stairs or a pull down? I ask as I'm nearing a very similar 24' x 38' (or 40') build.
Nice job on the cedar siding.
Do you have a build thread?

No build thread, sorry - it was built 20 years ago (pre-digital camera), and while I have photos of the build I'd have to scan them all so I never got around to it when I joined here.


I have a pull down stair. It's not the best solution, as the regular attic-type stairs you get from the big box store aren't all that strong - carrying heavy objects up them is a little scary.

 

[mnwebb]

See what you're saying, good point Jonshonda.

 

[spudley]

No build thread, sorry - it was built 20 years ago (pre-digital camera), and while I have photos of the build I'd have to scan them all so I never got around to it when I joined here.


I have a pull down stair. It's not the best solution, as the regular attic-type stairs you get from the big box store aren't all that strong - carrying heavy objects up them is a little scary.

Thanks for the response. I know all about pull down stairs as I use them in the garage at home. I'm building about 200 miles away on a lake and am struggling with positioning an inside stairway. But I'm adding a full shed dormer to a 12/12 roof so whatever I lose in stairway, I'll gain upstairs in space.
I like your upper gable end doors.

 

[spudley]

Mr Webb,
Have you considered one 18' door instead of two singles? Looking at the plan, it appears you'll be struggling to get a car square on the lift with a single door opening even if it is 9' wide. But maybe you could back them in?
Or maybe switch the stairway to the back corner, put your man door on the gable side entering where your landing is now on the plan. Then you could add another 9' garage door where the man door was planned. You'd then be squared up and straight in onto the lift.

 

[matt_i]

I don't believe a mini split is a good choice other than to get AC.

I think you'll do better with natural gas in some form.

 

[mnwebb]

Thanks Matti and spudley...I did think of that but my driveway doesn't really allow for a door on the left side. I also think that I may not have a lift at all, I have every little headroom and not sure that the costs are worth the 48" that I will be able to raise the car. I also had the steps in the rear (and a service door on the East side) but decided that I would get tired of walking all the way to the back of the garage every time I went upstairs.

 

[Ben W]

I think your mandoor should open the other way as it will be more comfortable when heading upstairs.

 

[BruceMc]

You're probably already aware but, with that orientation, half the snow that falls on your roof potentially slides off and lands right in front of your doors. If nothing else, you might want to consider moving the man door over to the sidewall.

 

[spudley]

You're probably already aware but, with that orientation, half the snow that falls on your roof potentially slides off and lands right in front of your doors. If nothing else, you might want to consider moving the man door over to the sidewall.

At least it opens "into" the garage. Anyway they don't get much snow in MN.

 

[4 FN 27]

I would go 9 foot doors for sure. Shift everything left if you are not planning on a lift...heck even if you are planning on the lift. Wall space is precious. To the right of the Van as designed you have +/-22 inches to open the door and less if you put anything on that wall. I would make that 30 min and 36 preferred.

Have you considered a pull down stairway to access the above? I mean it is inconvenient but you'll retain the floor space.

Have you considered a Trench Drain going the width of the doors? Like 6-8 feet in and having the floor slope towards it from both directions so you can get the water out. Day light it into your French drain. If the concern is the city and if they will allow it do not trust your builder to give you the correct answer. Been there and done that. Had a heated MN Garage for 15 years and no floor drain because I took the builders word for it that I could not have one in Maplewood. Found out later when my neighbor built you can.

I would layout the walls and door openings out and park your vehicles and see what kind of room you really have. Small investment for a long term building.

 

[Stuart in MN]

You're probably already aware but, with that orientation, half the snow that falls on your roof potentially slides off and lands right in front of your doors. If nothing else, you might want to consider moving the man door over to the sidewall.

My garage has a similar layout, and it's never been an issue in 20 years. Even when we get big snowfalls it's typically 'sticky' enough that it won't slide off the roof.

Now, the snow on the ground may drift in front of the door, but that depends on the orientation of the building, along with any nearby things like fences or trees that may affect how the wind blows the snow around it.

 

[mnwebb]

Good to know Stuart, thanks! I do have an overhang on the mandoor as well.

4 FN 27 I have consider a pulldown but it will be used quite a bit so that's not possible.I did find out that a drain or trough is allowed. How do I keep cold air from coming in at large volumes? A trough is probably better for snow huh? I will look in the 9' and doors shifting thx. I never had space on that side of my current garage so maybe I overlooked the possibilities!

Good idea Ben W, thanks!

 

[4 FN 27]

4 FN 27 I have consider a pulldown but it will be used quite a bit so that's not possible.I did find out that a drain or trough is allowed. How do I keep cold air from coming in at large volumes? A trough is probably better for snow huh? I will look in the 9' and doors shifting thx. I never had space on that side of my current garage so maybe I overlooked the possibilities!

Good idea Ben W, thanks!

Understand. How about a spiral staircase???

I highly recommend a trench drain parallel to the garage doors. 1/8 to 3/32 pitch...1/4 max. Keep an eye on the concrete guys. They like way more slope and that can be a real pain.

Put a trap in. Make it easy to clean out just in case it silts up.

 

[Riley]

Any way to get the door height up to 8ft? A modern full size truck wouldn't fit the way it's drawn.

The other thing I think you may want to review is the limited interior ceiling height. It depends on what you plan on using it for I suppose. Even if it was only one stall, getting to an interior height of 10ft to 12ft maybe with a raised truss design for one stall. You'd have a some what raised storage for one end of the loft but not too big a deal.

My thinking is that it would mean the lift does not necessarily have to go away and really "future proofs" your efforts.

Other ideas would include under slab insulation, get radiant piping in the slab while you can, and remember your hands work as well as any for some of these things and are probably cheaper than paying someone to do it for you.

Have fun!! Looking forward to following along.

PS - Looking at your drawings again it appears the loft is really only over the 6 ft or so over the man door. If so, then I'd definitely consider going up across both stalls, you
already have the roof pitch, use the space either for the loft or the work space.

PS 2 - Ok, I was confused by the door placement for the loft, Dwg 2 showed it opening at the top of the stair, while Dwg 3 shows it opening off a kind of floating? "landing" at the top of the stair. So the loft is full length with the sky lights etc. I'd still give some thought to a raised bay ceiling maybe pick up the space by pulling the entrance wall to the side of the building. Anywho....

 

[mnwebb]

4 FN 27 I love the idea of a spiral staircase but my wife needs to carry large canvases up and down. I agree with the trough idea and will definitely look into it and the advice will be useful, thanks!

Riley great ideas, thank you also! We will never have a truck...the door height, and ceiling, are limited by the entire height that we are allowed to build. The upper room is already quite small and really can't lose anymore height.
I am insulating the heck out of the slab and trying to do the same for the whole building. I go back and forth on in-floor heating and it's costs. I'm not going to be in the lower section everyday but will be in the upper so figuring out how to keep the 2nd story heated most efficiently even when the lower is vacant. If it's highly insulated will electric be best, gas, or in-floor, idk and welcome any suggestions.
I think that I understand your thoughts about the extra spaces but I fell it will be better to have a small about of storage from below than to have a small awkward space within the upper room. Their is no ceiling above the steps and and the other side of the landing, if that make sense.