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30 x 38 Full Circle Garage

glentre

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Gloucester, Virginia
I have been on garage journal for the past 6 months reading many garage builds and the general discussions to get ideas about building my own garage. This is a really good forum and I have learned a lot.

Now, it is my turn to give back so I am starting a thread on my garage build. I am calling it the "Full Circle Garage". From the age of twelve in 1951, I became interested in cars, primarily 1920's and 1930's vintage plus the cool custom cars of the era. I had three cars before being old enough to drive and did clutch and engine work in my dad's garage while in high school and early college. After college in 1961, I was a volunteer in one of the first Peace Corps groups in Chile where another volunteer and I set up and ran a mechanics school for poor rural young men so they could get meaningful jobs in the auto and farm machinery repair business.

After the Peace Corps, my interest in old cars and wrench turning were over as corporate life, four kids and then my own business consumed me. More than 50 years passed before my passion returned when, in 2013, I bought my first antique. So, I have come "Full Circle" with regard to my interest in cars. Our small two car garage is now too small and there is no room for any more. Thus the reason for building a new garage.

Now, many will ask why a 77 year old would want to spend good money on a new garage. Well, I am in good health both mentally and physically and want to keep active on a hobby I really love. I refuse to sit in a chair and wait for my time to come. Actually, it is my firm belief this new garage will add many happy and productive years to my life.

So, we signed contracts yesterday and expect to start construction shortly. I will do my best to keep this build thread going with descriptions and photos. Hopefully my first post and pics on the Full Circle garage will be tomorrow when the tree guys come to clear the area.

Looking forward to and welcome any comments from the GJ group.

Glen
 
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glentre

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Gloucester, Virginia
Re: Full Circle Garage

This is a photo of the garage taken from the plan. It will be 30 x 38 with a 13 ft ceiling. Interior stairs up to second floor for storage now and possible living quarters in the future.

Glen
 

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Hel1ion

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Look forward to seeing the project as Im planning almost the exact same build. Im not too far from you either. Who is building the garage if I may ask because Im not dead set on a builder yet.
 
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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Hel1ion,

It took me some time to find a suitable builder in the Gloucester area but was finally able to sign with a very knowledgeable contractor, Randolph Construction. I asked him if he did any work in the Richmond area and he said he did not. He is from Deltaville and explained that he has a hard time getting his subs to travel out of the general area. Plus, he says the travel cost and lost time makes him non-competitive if he goes too far from his home base.

Let me know if I can help you in any way on your project or answer any questions as my build progresses. What stage are you in on your build?

Glen
 
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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Sunbimmer,

Thanks for the encouragement. Your Texaco link looked interesting so I looked at your build. Started at the beginning and got a few pages into it and became curious about how it finished so I skipped to the end and realized it's not over yet. Your thread is quite extensive and I am keen on going back and reading about the whole project.

Glen
 
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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

This is a photo of where the garage will be built. The three trees at the back of the parking area are in the footprint of the garage and will need to come out.
 

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Hel1ion

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Glentre, Im still trying to decide what I should build first between a pole barn or a new garage. I have a 20x60x8 3 sided pole barn that came with the property Im debating on bulldozing that for a 40x50x12 pole barn or leave it for now and build a full on garage like you are.
 
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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Glentre, Im still trying to decide what I should build first between a pole barn or a new garage. I have a 20x60x8 3 sided pole barn that came with the property Im debating on bulldozing that for a 40x50x12 pole barn or leave it for now and build a full on garage like you are.

I guess it's a question of what shape the existing pole barn is in and how much it would cost to get it enclosed and suitable for your needs vs knocking it down and starting over. For cost reasons, I would have liked to build a pole barn but the new garage is adjacent to the house and must architecturally match the house as much as possible.

One never has enough garage space. If in your shoes, I would keep the pole barn as-is for storing cars out of the weather which would give you more room to get more cars. Then, a new garage would be the ideal place to work on them. Best of both worlds!

Glen
 
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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

The trees came down today. Builder now clear to start site work. Digging for footers is next.
 

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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Stump grinding down to dirt under the projected slab. Holes will be back filled with gravel and compacted. Rebar in the floor above the holes will be installed in case the holes settle any after the garage is finished.

Hope to start footers soon but in our area, the first priority for construction workers this time of year is deer season, turkey season, rock fishing season and getting ready for Christmas with work lower down on the list.

Glen
 

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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

When the **** house and equipment show up, you know start of construction is close.

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Big Dad

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Just finishing mine, its 32 x 38

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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

After many months of planning, work is finally starting.

IMG_1153.JPG Small backhoe digging up old rotted railroad ties where the new garage will sit. This machine will also dig the footer trenches.

IMG_1161.JPG Skidsteer leveling out the site and hauling away the old railroad ties and dirt.

IMG_1167.JPG Footer trenches done all in same day.

Next will be laying the rebar in the trenches and getting ready for the concrete pour.

Glen


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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Big Dad,

Nice garage... Wish mine was at that stage. On paper, a 30 x 38 looked huge even when placing cutout cars, lift and benches in it but it sure looks small once the site was laid out.

As many who have built garages say, no matter how large you build it, they are always too small.

Glen
 
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glentre

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Gloucester, Virginia
Re: Full Circle Garage

Making progress. Rebar laid in the trenches, lines set to align the vertical rebar, batter boards set and footers poured. Don't expect any more work to be done until after the new year. This is rural eastern Virginia and priorities are for time off to spend holiday time with family and maybe get in a little hunting and fishing. It's a philosophy I can certainly agree with. Hope the weather holds and we don't get any really cold weather so the foundation block can go in and the slab poured early January without having to worry about freezing.

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IMG_1177.JPG Rebar and copper ground rod which is required by code

IMG_1180.JPG All set to pour footers

IMG_1182.JPG Oops! Chute nearest the truck broke just as the pour was started

IMG_1190.JPG Had to complete the pour with a shorter chute and fill the farther trenches using a wheelbarrow. All ended well anyway.

Will post more progress after the new year. Merry Christmas to all the great members on Garage Journal.

Glen



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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Was away the last week spending time with family for Christmas and was surprised on returning to see that the block foundation had been finished. Didn't expect any work would be done between Dec 22 and Jan 2.

Weather permitting, the next step will be compacted fill and pouring the slab. Construction should go quickly after that.

Glen
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Big Dad

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Big Dad,

Nice garage... Wish mine was at that stage. On paper, a 30 x 38 looked huge even when placing cutout cars, lift and benches in it but it sure looks small once the site was laid out.

As many who have built garages say, no matter how large you build it, they are always too small.

Glen

32x38 is big enough I have 5 cars in mine right now ..plus my stuff :rocker:
 
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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

The site guys came Jan 4th to remove all the loose dirt, roots and debris from the slab area. After installing the 2" stem wall insulation, they were able to get all the gravel fill in and compacted the same day. Next comes rough plumbing for future bathrooms, laying wire mesh and rebar and finally pouring the slab.

Only problem, today we have blizzard conditions with about 8-10 inches of snow. If the weather stays cold, this white stuff will set us back at least a week or more. I tried to get out of my driveway but the snow drift I ran into raised the car up and it slid off the drive and partially down an embankment. After two hours working with chains wrapped around a tree and using a come-along, the wife and I were able to winch the car back up on the driveway. I'll try again tomorrow when the snow stops and it's not as cold. Forecast is for 10 degrees tonight.

Glen

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glentre

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Re: Full Circle Garage

Have not posted for some time since I was away during the slab prep and pour. The GC took photos but him being away and busy schedule meant I didn't get the slab pics til recently.

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Roughed-in plumbing for future 1st & 2nd floor baths. PVC stubbed out under footer for future connection

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Perimeter insulation laid and taped

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Several photos taken of plumbing locations since they will be about 1/2" or so under the slab surface and hidden. Pics will be printed and filed so I or future owner can locate the pipes.

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Wire mesh laid over entire area plus rebar at the rear of the garage over spots where trees and stumps were removed.

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Ready to pour

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Pouring 5" slab

Glen


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glentre

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More progress.

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Framing started. Used 12 ft 2x6 studs that county originally rejected but passed after they were certified and approved by a structural engineer.

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Double LVL beams over the door openings

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First floor framing just about finished

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The trusses arrive after a little difficulty getting down our winding driveway. They are for a 30 ft span with the eave tails extending to about 34 ft. It's a 12/12 roof so the trusses were too high to transport in one piece. The triangular top pieces are strapped inside the main trusses.

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Got a shot of the trusses on their way off the truck and on the way to the ground. They were all nicely strapped together and all landed in one bundle with no damage. When the house was built, the trusses were not strapped together and we had them spread all over the yard after they were slid off the truck.

While they were on the ground, the framers assembled, sheathed and attached Tyvec to the gable end walls, ready to be lifted into place

Glen







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glentre

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Truss setting day. The GC brought in a huge crane which was a big overkill for the job of lifting the trusses. They had one man operating the crane, one on the ground with a headset directing the operator and four men on the top of the walls to set the trusses.

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The crane, which is normally used for tree work had a bit of difficulty making it down the driveway but finally got settled with the outriggers extended and jacked up.

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The crane dwarfs the building

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The first gable end wall which was sheathed and prepped on the ground is lifted and set aside to be able to lift the one they needed to start with.

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The first gable end going up.

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Setting the remaining trusses and the doubled trusses at the dormers.

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Setting the last gable end truss. The whole operation including set up time took only three hours. Considering the cost and such little labor time to get them up, I have become a firm believer in using trusses.

Glen



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glentre

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More progress on the garage

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Framed stairwell to the future second floor apartment

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Framing for the wall mounted 3 ton Bard single package heat pump which will heat and cool the garage area. These are the hvac units that mount on the end of construction trailers and temporary school classrooms. I originally wanted to use mini splits but the cost was double the price of the Bard unit. $3,500 vs $7,500 is a no brainer for trying to keep the cost down.

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The roof is sheathed and the dormers on the front elevation underway

Things are moving along nicely now and there are hopes we could be finished by early April.

Glen


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glentre

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Some more progress

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Roof on and tar papered ready for shingles

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Stairs are in with temp treads. Finals will be installed after drywall is finished.

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Future second floor apartment looking toward stairs.

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Starting shingles on rear roof. This side is seven feet from the property line. It will have the Bard heat pump and the power company entrance panel and meter base. It's not a pretty sight for the neighbors so we plan on installing two fake widows with shutters to make it more pleasing to look at from the side we will never see.

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Shingle work just about done. Electrical and window installation scheduled for next week.

Glen


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glentre

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Joe,

Attached is a copy of the specs on the trusses. The upper triangular piece that goes on top of these is on another page. They are set on 24" centers except


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glentre

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Sorry... I Hit send before finishing.

They span 30 ft and are set on 24" centers except at the dormers and stair well where they are doubled up. 53" apart at the dormers and 77" apart at the stairs with ladder framing between.

Glen

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glentre

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We had a very unusual thunderstorm about an hour ago with a lot of small size hail. The forecast was for car damaging size hail so we made a gravel ramp and put our driver in the new garage. So, the first car in was not a ceremony but an emergency.

A heavy and eerie fog about ten ft high covered the ground after the hail stopped falling. Very interesting.

Glen

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jpcjguy

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Sorry... I Hit send before finishing.

They span 30 ft and are set on 24" centers except at the dormers and stair well where they are doubled up. 53" apart at the dormers and 77" apart at the stairs with ladder framing between.

Glen



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Thanks Glen! Looks great. What made you go with 24" centers as opposed to 16"?
 
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glentre

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Joe,

We went with 24" on center because it's cheaper and was approved by the truss manufacturer for the design of the garage. In addition, I am planning to install a motorized lift for raising stuff up into the attic storage area. If we ever convert the attic to living quarters, I will leave the lift in place but enclose it in a closet. This will be nice to send groceries up to the second floor. 16" on center trusses would not allow enough space for a lift.

Glen
 
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glentre

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Gloucester, Virginia
Still making progress but nothing evident enough to take photos. We had our framing inspection yesterday and apparently in this county, there is an exterior framing and an interior framing inspection. Since the windows and exterior man door were not installed yet, the inspector would not pass the framing until that was done. He would not do an interior inspection either since the exterior has to pass before the interior can be inspected. We have a really good GC but he is not from this county and not aware, as he should have been, that two framing inspections were required.

One interesting thing the inspector rejected was the attachment of the exterior plywood sheathing to the sill plate. The framers used common nails when the code calls for galvanized. The inspector's comment was that common nails will eventually rust and lose the critical attachment of the building to the foundation. I mention this for the benefit of others who are also at this stage in their build or who are in the spec preparation stage. It may or may not be code in your area but for the small additional cost, it seems like a good idea.

The rough electric has also been completed and we are waiting for an inspection which is supposed to be today.

Late yesterday afternoon, the shipment of our Bard wall mounted heat pump arrived but it was starting to get dark so photos were not possible with my iPad that has no flash. I took a shot this morning which is below. It is scheduled to be installed later this week.

Glen

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