Basment garage, your thoughts on layout

[PCustoms]

Just bought the house, 1300 sqft ranch, in June. Originally configured with a 2 car basement garage 18' deep.

Long term (2-3 yrs out) goal is separate shop, but for now need to address these problems and get the basement space usable. Use will be woodworking and metal working, so ideally some split space.

Current issues:

• I have walled in 1 door and replaced the 2nd with an R17 model (originals were wood, and shot)
• The return for the furnace is the basement and the stairwell. Need to isolate stairwell so return air is only from cinditioned space on 1st floor.
• Stairs do not currently have a door at the bottom. There is a ~4x40 landing, and then the final step (at a short height) lands you on basement floor. Code requires 48" to a door, and due to the odd spacing of last step/landing I cannot remove the landing without re-framing the stairs

I see 2 choices:

1. Frame out 36"x48" landing inline with stairs, add exterior door. This gives me a 12'x48' straight shot back from my garage door, and a 12'x14' shot from my walled in door to the stairwell
2. Frame out 36"x48" landing 90-degrees to stairs (this is how current landing is). Result is 12'x18' straight shot from door, then a 60" wide passage to the back of the basement. Other side will be 12'x18'.

I'm keeping in the back of my mind if I should keep the ability to go back to a 2-car if I sell down the road, which would mean option 2 is the only option.

Once my dedicated shop is built, I will be using the basement for:

• Home gym
• Reloading Room
• Sporting goods storage

Current layout

Current stairwell, with 90-degree landing:

Looking from "Back Shop" towards the door:

Looking from stairs to "Back Shop" (latest image):

Option 1:

Option 2:

 

[JamesW84]

I'd love to help, but I'm having trouble understanding what you're referring to regarding landings and the like. Once you get your layout pics up, I'll try to pop back in. I'm sure others will have more to say then also.

Regarding the 2 car garage: An attached garage is important to a lot of people. I wouldn't want to remove mine permanently. Make it as easy as possible to go back to a garage including having the framing in tact. When you can say "all you need to do is remove these screws and drywall (already formed around the door space so they don't have to cut the drywall), that would be much better for resale. Some people simply can't envision anything...my girlfriend is one of them.

 

[starquestMM]

Sounds like you are in the same boat I was starting with bare joists and no air separation between the house and garage.

Besides being able to revert to a second garage, option two also gives you two work areas. That would let you keep your metal and woodworking separate if thats what you want.

 

[PCustoms]

Added layouts to the OP, thought I already had them sketched and I didn't so took me a little while.

Also note that the joist will be foamed next summer to seal everything up.

 

[PCustoms]

Regarding the 2 car garage: An attached garage is important to a lot of people. I wouldn't want to remove mine permanently. Make it as easy as possible to go back to a garage including having the framing in tact. When you can say "all you need to do is remove these screws and drywall (already formed around the door space so they don't have to cut the drywall), that would be much better for resale. Some people simply can't envision anything...my girlfriend is one of them.

Besides being able to revert to a second garage, option two also gives you two work areas. That would let you keep your metal and woodworking separate if thats what you want.

Option 2 does give me an easier separation between the areas while (more or less) keeping the existing 18' depth.

I walled in the 2nd door bay in a way that will come out easy, But i really envision putting faux stone on this next year while tackling the landscaping:

 

[JamesW84]

I'd do option 2 to divide your areas, but mostly to preserve the option for it to be a garage again.

I'd consider some fake carriage style "doors" that don't open in lieu of stone. Easier to take off later if desired. It would look more natural as well. People will always be able to tell that was a garage unless you side the house and over the doors or at the very least, remove that middle siding between where the doors were.

Just my thoughts. Nothing personal and take it for what it's worth. I hate not having options.

 

[PCustoms]

Didn't consider fake carriage doors, that may work for the aesthetics and the budget. Originally closed in the right foot because I didn't want drafts this winter and didon't have a need for 2 doors. Hadn't put thought into siding, but it was obvious I wasn't adding more vinyl!

Fake stone, from the trim of the left door all the way around the right side of house following the ground was going to be $3k!

 

[matt_i]

Is there any consideration for leaving it like it is? It seems more compact that way. I wouldn't think you need a "straight shot" staircase since you have the garage door for installing machines and tools.

 

[PCustoms]

Is there any consideration for leaving it like it is? It seems more compact that way. I wouldn't think you need a "straight shot" staircase since you have the garage door for installing machines and tools.

Option #2?

I can't leave it as is, the stairwell acts as the Hvac return, but without a door, it will ***** fumes from garage. Code says you need 48" straigh run at end of stairs before a door.