Doing ACTUAL work from a subdivision garage? Thoughts? Experience?

[bwitt]

So I know this "guy" who works on cars in his garage; some for a profit. He lives in a subdivision with no HOA, but there are city ordinances about parking inoperable, unregistered vehicles on personal property. He occasionally brings home a parts car, but it's stripped and off to the scrappers as soon as possible. He uses air, welds, grinds, paints, sands and makes a mess inside his garage. He minimizes outside work as much as possible and keeps his driveway clean of oil stains and the like. He doesn't leave car parts sitting around the yard and has a small, hidden storage area behind his shed where he stashes scrap metal and bumper covers, etc. He made friends with his neighbors and they ask for advice from him, as he is a "car guy." He has had up to six cars at his house, some to be repaired and flipped, some belonging to customers and some are personal vehicles. He always puts the projects in the back and off the street. He's done this for 10 years with no problems. Bottom line, keep the front pristine, the back tidy and the noise, dust and fumes to a minimum. Be friendly and helpful to everyone you meet and you'll be just fine.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

So I know this "guy" who works on cars in his garage; some for a profit. He lives in a subdivision with no HOA, but there are city ordinances about parking inoperable, unregistered vehicles on personal property. He occasionally brings home a parts car, but it's stripped and off to the scrappers as soon as possible. He uses air, welds, grinds, paints, sands and makes a mess inside his garage. He minimizes outside work as much as possible and keeps his driveway clean of oil stains and the like. He doesn't leave car parts sitting around the yard and has a small, hidden storage area behind his shed where he stashes scrap metal and bumper covers, etc. He made friends with his neighbors and they ask for advice from him, as he is a "car guy." He has had up to six cars at his house, some to be repaired and flipped, some belonging to customers and some are personal vehicles. He always puts the projects in the back and off the street. He's done this for 10 years with no problems. Bottom line, keep the front pristine, the back tidy and the noise, dust and fumes to a minimum. Be friendly and helpful to everyone you meet and you'll be just fine.

I think I know the guy... His name is B Witt... Is that your buddy?

 

[zmotorsports]

No HOA, our lot is .29 acres and run an automotive/motorcycle/machining/fabrication business out of the small 1150 square foot shop in my back yard. I would not work out of my two-car attached garage facing the street.

Mike.

 

[bwitt]

I think I know the guy... His name is B Witt... Is that your buddy?

Hmmm... are you an undercover code enforcement agent or an IRS agent?

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Hmmm... are you an undercover code enforcement agent or an IRS agent?

KAOS, secret agent 86.....

 

[Hobbit]

I'm in an HOA with explicit rules that no work is to be done in the driveway or street. All of my work is completed inside the garage. In the daytime I make plenty of noise and stop at dark. My loudest tools are the compressor & impact wrench. Until recent I thought I was the only gearhead in the plat but a few nights ago I stepped out on the rear deck and heard a compressor in someone's garage behind me. I could not hear it from inside. After I win the 1.3 billion tonight I will farm out what little wrenching I still do.

 

[CJM8515]

Find a lot that is somewhere rural yet still worthwhile for the commute. my boss did just that. He used to have a full fledged shop, 2 day and parking and so forth. He downsized about 5 years back and decided to concentrate on service trucks. Well problem was at first he let the guys take them home, but that leads to over use, abuse, extra miles, etc. Then he parked most of the trucks at his house. Originally he used to keep 2 there, then it became 4 and someone complained. He found out in his town a GVWR or over 8000lbs is a no go (but it was for neighbors to have boats, larger trucks, landscaping trucks, even an rv) because someone had it out for him. The way the laws were written he himself couldnt take his work truck home (for reference all of the trucks were vans or pick ups, not junk either but newer stuff).

Well he had enough, found a house a 1/2 hour south of his last home. Middle of the woods, dirt road, last house on road, big lot, only one neighbor to the left, everything else wooded. best of all-it was cheaper than his current house!

Personally I have lived in a more rural area, it was affluent but no one cared as everyone had 2+ acres so hearing anything unless very loud wasnt gonna happen much. Moved to more of the burbs, 1/2-1 acre lots, no real trees (was a farm) and more affluent people. I work on my own stuff and help buddies sometimes. But I have this one jackwagon who bothers me all the time and calls the police over bs (he is mostly a drunk when he calls and is a white collar guy, bmw and everything). Well he complained so much over simple yard work or personal vehicle repair that the police basically told him off.

If I could move anywhere, I want rural. Dont care if I fgotta commute. Course that doesnt always guarantee you no issues. 2 months back I went to my cabin to go hunting with my cousins and brother. Cousin brought an AR15 and on sunday (cant hunt) we shot about 300rds). Well someone had an issue, usually since its a very rural place and each lot is 5+ acres (we have 20+) no one cares what ya do. Well since its a cabin and we dont stay there year round they called the realty company since its for sale and complained. They passed us the message. No state, local or federal laws were broken, just a neighbor (we think we know who it is) who likes to cause bs.

If I move I want to be rural, and have acreage or woods and the less neighbors the better. NO HOA for any reason, that can be a slippery slope. Just cause you get away with it once or 10x doesnt mean the 11th time will happen. Ive read to many horror stories..