dipper's garage build thread

[dipper]

Here's the start of my garage build thread. I currently have an old, beat up 18x18 detached garage. Plan is going to be to tear it down, dig out concrete pad, and put up a new 20x22 in its place (this one will be on a foundation too). My building permit is in process right now and I should find out later this week. I am planning for the 30yd dumpster to be delivered friday so I can start the tear down.

Heres a few of the features/specs of my new garage:

20x22x19h (accessible attic via pull down stairs)
16x7 overhead garage door, steel sandwich, insulated
32" 9-lite entry door on side
Three 36" Jeld-Wen vinyl slider windows (new construction)
poured footer with 4 courses 8" and 2 courses 6" block
2x4x8 walls
2x10 ceiling joists
2x8 rafters
OSB sheating
Plywood roodecking
Prodex insulating housewrap
vinyl siding
100A Square D sub-panel

I've got a contractor lined up to do the concrete work and I'll be doing all the other framing/finishing/electrical work with the help of friends and family.

pics will be up on my website, the trench for the electric is already done.
http://www.geocities.com/lobotie/Garage/garage2.html

 

[Steve in Mi]

The trenching looks first class. NY gets plenty cold, do you plan on heating your garage? Now is the time to plan for the insulation below ground if you will be. I assume the insulated 16 X 7 OH door and Prodex are for that reason. I'm not familiar with the Prodex product, yet, but I'll check it out.

 

[kenfath]

I'd suggest going with a 36" mandoor. WHY? This is a case where bigger is better!

 

[PAToyota]

I'd agree that a 36" man door comes in handy in a garage. I'd also say that with a C1500 I'd be looking at a 8' tall door at least... Even though yours is likely shorter than my K2500 it can be nice to back the truck into the garage with something in the bed. I'm not quite clear on your foundation wall, but a good idea is to build the wall up two feet above the finish floor height - that way you get a ten foot ceiling with the eight foot framed walls and you also solve the problem of being able to wash things down without getting the drywall wet.

 

[boiler7904]

Everything sounds and looks good so far. I'd consider going to a 16' x 8' overhead door.

 

[dipper]

I'll look into the 16x8' door, but last time I checked at lowes the price was considerably higher. I got a downpayment on a door from a local company that does cash-n-carry, 16x7, steel sandwich for $630 with tax; which is what I'm budgeting for a door. The truck is lowered so I'm not concerned at all about the height of the door. I'll enjoy the 16' width more..

The foundation is going to be four courses of 8" and two courses of 6" block. I am hoping for a 9' ceiling after I put up an 8' wall on top of it.

The 32" door is what I'd like in there, plus I already bought it. Gotta deal on it, $75.
I do plan on heating the garage, just not this year (well, I'll use my kerosene out there this winter) but hopefully next summer/fall I'll be installing some type of hanging natural gas heater.

 

[PAToyota]

I'll look into the 16x8' door, but last time I checked at lowes the price was considerably higher. <snip> The truck is lowered so I'm not concerned at all about the height of the door.

My thought is that considering the thousands of dollars one spends on a garage, easier to spend a couple extra hundred to do things right than slap your head in the future thinking you should have done something differently.

Personally, I have nine foot doors on my shop and there have been quite a few times I've backed the truck in with inches to spare because of something in the bed or on the trailer... Also, I have a Bobcat and carrying things into the shop with it makes good use of the extra height.

 

[boiler7904]

It's not just the vehicle height that I'd consider. For instance, the soft tonneau cover on my truck is removable as one piece (frame and tarp). I hit the head of my 7' door with it every other time I take it off the truck to haul something.

My boss' son used to have a 7' tall door in his garage. After deciding last year to build a kit plane there, he needed a 8' tall door. It was a pain to tear the front of the garage apart, install a new header and put the house back together. Cost a lot more than putting in a 8' door from the beginning.

 

[kbs2244]

Amen on all the advice on doors being higher. The only reason for a16 foot wide door is if it is going to be regular parking space for 2 cars. Other wise 10, at the most 12, is easy to hit, even backing up a trailer. But height is a PIA to change later. Go with at least 8 foot high, more if you can.
And put you 32 inch man door on Ebay and get a 36 inch one. It seems backwards from the above, but when you have something on a 2 wheeler in Feb. and don't want to let all the heat out by opening the big door, you will be glad you did it.

 

[dipper]

I'm gonna look into the 36" door, I hope I can find a decent one over the next couple of weeks and I'll just exchange the one I already bought.

The price on the 8' door is $200 more than the 7'; and I will not need that height. I'm not building any planes, nor will there ever be a cap on my truck. If anything, my truck will only be getting lower.

I may be building a loft above the garage door for storage as well and the extra room will be better suited for that than an 8' door.


Update: building permit got approved and the existing garage will be torn down this weekend.

 

[gotta56forme]

Dipper,

If it's the Wayne-Dalton door at Lowe's, call around to some of the independent garage door installers. I'm getting the same door I could get from Lowe's for almost $500 less, installed from an independent dealer. Lowe's wanted about $1500 for the W-D 9600 series 16'x8' ranch panel door installed. I'm getting it for $994 installed with my door opener! Check the door manufacturer's website you are interested in for other dealers near your zipcode. I just paid my down payment this morning. It pays to do a little shopping.

Scott/Gotta56forme

 

[Kevin54]

The price on the 8' door is $200 more than the 7'; and I will not need that height. I'm not building any planes, nor will there ever be a cap on my truck. If anything, my truck will only be getting lower.

I hope you don't kick yourself later. The reason I say that is that the house garage we have has 7' doors. The wifes '96 Blazer with a luggage rack did not have much clearance. And that is a smaller size Blazer. When I built my garage I put in two 9'x 7' doors. With a 9' I could barely get my car trailer in (2" on each side clearance) And at 7' tall on the door, you still lose a little room so you don't get the full advantage of a full 7'. So now there are a few trucks (not mine) that I cannot get into the garage. But the reason I put in that size was so I could save a hundred here, fifty there, and so on. All in all with the way I built my garage 28' deep x 36' long x 8' ceiling I may have save a thousand and do not really have what I want or need. I thought to myself the same thing..." I really don't need the doors or ceiling that tall" but I found out wrong. One time of needing it is one time too many. I've had to do a few things outside when I could have done them inside with just one more foot of headroom. What can I say Its water under the bridge now. And the thing that really aggravates me now is that I ran across a deal on a heavy duty 2 post lift for $1500 and it is right down the road from me, but guess what?

 

[kbs2244]

Well, we all live, and hopefully learn.
I used to tell my boys in their running around years, "They say experience is the best teacher. That might be true, but just remember, it dosen't have to be your experience. Learn from others mistakes."

 

[PAToyota]

Still say that the $200 is money well spent now because it will be many, many times that much if you ever find you need the extra height later.

 

[dipper]

The door is coming from a local door dealer/installer.
The price I paid for the 16x7 is $632 including weather stripping, hardware & tax (that's cash & carry; and I'll be installing the door).

 

[IDASHO]

At the VERY least, do yourself a favor and install the garage header as high as possible, and frame down from there to make your door opening.

That way when you (or the next owner) realize that a bigger door is in order, it wont be such a pain.

 

[Kevin54]

That way when you (or the next owner) realize that a bigger door is in order, it wont be such a pain.

Good idea.

 

[dipper]

***Update ---Garage is Gone!!***

Spend all day sunday tearing the garage down. Started with the roof which was the hardest part, then the walls.

9am

2pm

4pm (me cutting)

5pm (finished & cleaned)

More pics can be seen following the link in my signature.
Next step is to remove the old floor and dig the footers.

 

[kbs2244]

Arn't sledge hammers, pry bars. and Sawsall's fun tools?

 

[Bevis]

Have fun on that floor...

 

[dipper]

hmmm...yeah the floor. Couldn't pass the $500 from the contractor to dig that out for me. I will be helping to keep any cost increases to a minimum.
That should start next week.

 

[RAYJAY]

good luck on the build . also the link does not work

Jeff

 

[dipper]

thanks Ray, link in sig is fixed.

 

[dipper]

***Update***

Floor was jackhammered and removed on Monday.
Footer was dug,inspected and formed on Tuesday.
Footer pour was in process Wednesday morning as I left for work.

 

[dipper]

***8/31/07 Update***

Block was finished yesterday - 5 couses of 8" and 2 courses of 6".
Anchor bolts and filling rebar cavities will be finished this morning.
Inspection for the wall is set for this afternoon then I can start backfilling.

 

[dipper]

Sill plates were installed last friday. Wall framing was started on sunday and finished on wednesday 9/12/07.

http://www.geocities.com/lobotie/Garage/garage5.html

 

[JMURiz]

Wow looking real good! Reminds me of mine, old neighbor hood, not a lot of space to build so you do what you can. Great progress!

 

[dipper]

***9/17/2007 Update***

Wall sheathing went up and got all the rough openings cut out. Attic floor is also installed. Going to start framing the roof rafters this weekend.

http://www.geocities.com/lobotie/Garage/garage6.html

 

[dipper]

***9/22/2007 UPDATE**

I got the roof rafters installed today along with the endwalls. Gotta finish up the front end wall and frame in for a 30x41 single hung window also. Going to work on the overhangs and fascia board this week to be able to start roof decking next weekend.

http://www.geocities.com/lobotie/Garage/garage6.html

 

[bthrb4u]

wow, thats one hell of a pitch on the roof. but thats going to give you alot more storage room. looking good!

brody

 

[Steve in Mi]

Will it be necessary to have some wires relocated? They appear very close to your roof. Take care when you are roofing that it doesn't turn out a shocking experience. It's coming along nicely.

 

[dipper]

I had the phone and cable lines moved up as high as they could go, but they are the two that are now closest to the garage. The electric (which would be much more costly to move) has about 12-18" clearance from the roof, so that shouldn't be a problem. Next spring/summer, I will move the phone and cable lines to the rear of the garage, and feed the house from the garage.


As for a progress update, I took last weekend off to go to a friends wedding in NJ, so it is still not closed up yet. I will hopefully get the other side of the roof deck on this weekend and get to roofing. I also need to get the inside graded and ready for the floor.