Howdy everyone, figured I'd finally start a thread... as with many, I've been browsing some very cool garages for months and months. I'd like to say I've run off with many amazing ideas but I'm pretty stubborn and I have somewhat of a vision of what I want and what it will be like in the end, not over the top in any way but a working shop for my toys.
I purchased my first home myself last August (2012). Corner lot in a crescent, small front yard, huge back yard. 11,000 sq ft lot in the city. It is a wartime 1 1/2 story house (of all the houses I browsed, I knew if I didn't find myself a wartime house like this I wouldn't be happy... again, stubborn). I'm very happy with the house, it will need many upgrades an improvements in the coming years but of course... garage first!
In my gigantoid back yard there was an existing garage (20x20 approx) which was decrepit and falling apart, I wouldn't have used it for ANYTHING, it would have to be destroyed. ALSO I have a 16x26 "workshop"/"shed". It has wood shingles, tin siding, wood floor, a utility sized overhead door, and a man door, vaulted ceiling, insulated and drywalled, electric heat (but won't ever use it)... for what this thing is, it is really in amazing shape... it is the shed of all sheds in my area.
Onto my garage plan. All it took was a nice day with some stakes in the ground and a measuring tape to figure out how big I wanted to go... I started my basic plan just after I bought the house last year. With the massive back yard an oversized garage could easily be built, provided I appeal the city bylaw for sq. footage of an outbuilding... this process started in January and took until nearly April to be approved (all the neighbors in my area plus city planners would be able to object to my plans if they wished). As my username dictates it came out to 40 ft by 26 ft. It EASILY fits in the back corner of the yard without intruding on the usable backyard space/grass/fire pit/deck... and in the future a trampoline, pool, oversized beer pong playing field... ooh ok, maybe not the last few, but I assure you, there IS room!
As for the construction of the building. 40x26 floor. 2x6 walls. 9' wall height. 5/12-2.5/12 pitch vaulted scissor trusses (the scissor trusses weren't an original thought, late addition to the plan... will have something like 11ft peak height inside). In-floor heat (full plan not done, but the tubing is going in!), slab on grade/thickened edges, insulated of course.
Here are the pictures of progress so far, and sorry to disappoint but its not that far yet though there has been a lot done to prepare and get to this point, from a seriously late spring (FU snow!), to building demolition, rebuilding of fence and general waiting for other people and permits... but its happening and I'm excited!
Overhead shot of my lot courtesy of the great and wonderful Google.
From the house, pre demo
Heheheheheheheeheeheheheh
And this is where we are (basically) today
I have rebar and base material here now, my skid steer will be back very soon to finish leveling/base... hopefully during the week I can finish the insulation, rebar, and tubing... fingers crossed concrete can be the 22nd/23rd. My garage package is due to show up July 5th... so yea, you'll have to wait a bit for the cool bits to start happening
And a shameless plug for the toys that will be kept in here, whilst my appreciation for cars goes a long way I'm a little off the mainstream with my choices in automobiles
My 88 Lancer Shelby. Mods... uh, well, lots. 12.4@114mph
My beater yet totally awesome 72 Datto 510, I drive this thing a lot, cheap!
My daily other beater, hauler, rust bucket... no pics with roof off, but I assure you it does so when I get a chance!
Well, that is all for now... sorry for the tease, but I assure you all more is coming!
I purchased my first home myself last August (2012). Corner lot in a crescent, small front yard, huge back yard. 11,000 sq ft lot in the city. It is a wartime 1 1/2 story house (of all the houses I browsed, I knew if I didn't find myself a wartime house like this I wouldn't be happy... again, stubborn). I'm very happy with the house, it will need many upgrades an improvements in the coming years but of course... garage first!
In my gigantoid back yard there was an existing garage (20x20 approx) which was decrepit and falling apart, I wouldn't have used it for ANYTHING, it would have to be destroyed. ALSO I have a 16x26 "workshop"/"shed". It has wood shingles, tin siding, wood floor, a utility sized overhead door, and a man door, vaulted ceiling, insulated and drywalled, electric heat (but won't ever use it)... for what this thing is, it is really in amazing shape... it is the shed of all sheds in my area.
Onto my garage plan. All it took was a nice day with some stakes in the ground and a measuring tape to figure out how big I wanted to go... I started my basic plan just after I bought the house last year. With the massive back yard an oversized garage could easily be built, provided I appeal the city bylaw for sq. footage of an outbuilding... this process started in January and took until nearly April to be approved (all the neighbors in my area plus city planners would be able to object to my plans if they wished). As my username dictates it came out to 40 ft by 26 ft. It EASILY fits in the back corner of the yard without intruding on the usable backyard space/grass/fire pit/deck... and in the future a trampoline, pool, oversized beer pong playing field... ooh ok, maybe not the last few, but I assure you, there IS room!
As for the construction of the building. 40x26 floor. 2x6 walls. 9' wall height. 5/12-2.5/12 pitch vaulted scissor trusses (the scissor trusses weren't an original thought, late addition to the plan... will have something like 11ft peak height inside). In-floor heat (full plan not done, but the tubing is going in!), slab on grade/thickened edges, insulated of course.
Here are the pictures of progress so far, and sorry to disappoint but its not that far yet though there has been a lot done to prepare and get to this point, from a seriously late spring (FU snow!), to building demolition, rebuilding of fence and general waiting for other people and permits... but its happening and I'm excited!
Overhead shot of my lot courtesy of the great and wonderful Google.
From the house, pre demo
Heheheheheheheeheeheheheh
And this is where we are (basically) today
I have rebar and base material here now, my skid steer will be back very soon to finish leveling/base... hopefully during the week I can finish the insulation, rebar, and tubing... fingers crossed concrete can be the 22nd/23rd. My garage package is due to show up July 5th... so yea, you'll have to wait a bit for the cool bits to start happening
And a shameless plug for the toys that will be kept in here, whilst my appreciation for cars goes a long way I'm a little off the mainstream with my choices in automobiles
My 88 Lancer Shelby. Mods... uh, well, lots. 12.4@114mph
My beater yet totally awesome 72 Datto 510, I drive this thing a lot, cheap!
My daily other beater, hauler, rust bucket... no pics with roof off, but I assure you it does so when I get a chance!
Well, that is all for now... sorry for the tease, but I assure you all more is coming!