Garage Addition -Attached/Detached - Need Advice

[maddog1234]

I am looking to add some garage space to our home as well as a gym/bonus room. Currently we have 594 sq foot 2 car garage.

I am debating between "bumping out" our current garage or a detached. I had a design drawn up a few years ago for attached but got sticker shock at roughly $56k for the work! Cost included insulation, drywall, paint, trim, 2 utility doors, Anderson windows (we live on the river so want nice large windows in the gym area), Hot Dawg heater for entire garage space and a PTAC unit in the gym.

The addition was going to be 30x16 with 20 foot depth being the garage and 10x 21'10" (additional footage using a narrow area in our current garage that doesn't get used because it is hard to access.

Pics of the home, garage and proposed plans that we are considering are attached.

Please let me know what you would do or consider! I have major sticker shock with that cost per sq ft for a garage space.

Thanks!

 

[CombatNinja]

I don't know your location but it looks like PA, OH or somewhere like that. Your original quote of $116/sq ft. was patently ridiculous. No reason you cannot get that done for $75/sq ft or less. Get a second opinion.

 

[cdestuck]

Does seem high but you know what we'll all say...More Garage. Get some more bids and the choice is then yours

 

[JoeMcGov]

Do you know the current material value of the Anderson windows with taxes and delivery? It could be of the magnitude of seven grand.

 

[Spook001]

I dont think you could get much done here for 75 sq ft. More like $125+ and we are not a high cost area. 10 years ago, when I could hire a carpenter cheap, probably could. Labor and matierals are all higher now. And upmarket windows and trim would make it higher yet.

 

[Spook001]

Insulation, drywall, windows, heaters, paint, trim, probably some electrical, yeah that adds up fast.

 

[fourjeepin]

Do you know the current material value of the Anderson windows with taxes and delivery? It could be of the magnitude of seven grand.

They were $1k per window when I had a quote for 12 windows. Double the next highest quote.

 

[3onthetree]

Well no wonder it costs so much. Here's what could be adding up:
1. You are removing the exterior wall in its entirety, and that includes veneer brick and 8" or more of the foundation wall that will be sticking above the slab.
2. It looks like that first back window falls right behind and below the a/c condenser. So you're moving that, the fuse box, and is that another meter at the corner?
3. Does that include the side asphalt drive and full length with widened curb cut or partial side load only?

Want to save money?
A. Leave the exterior wall. Cut a reasonable size opening in the garage and man door in storage. Less foundation concrete to demo. Then remove the brick DIY at a later date if desired.
B. Reuse the side window.
C. Reuse the side door.
D. Use just 3 new back windows, shorter to stop above the condenser. Anderson is expensive.
E. There could be more savings with HVAC depending on how that existing sliver is done.

 

[ddurrett896]

I would build the detached first, then do the attached later down the road if you want more. Just because it will be easier to get a concrete truck and material back there now.

If you attached, I'd brick the front to match the original garage.

 

[maddog1234]

Well no wonder it costs so much. Here's what could be adding up:
1. You are removing the exterior wall in its entirety, and that includes veneer brick and 8" or more of the foundation wall that will be sticking above the slab.
2. It looks like that first back window falls right behind and below the a/c condenser. So you're moving that, the fuse box, and is that another meter at the corner?
3. Does that include the side asphalt drive and full length with widened curb cut or partial side load only?

Want to save money?
A. Leave the exterior wall. Cut a reasonable size opening in the garage and man door in storage. Less foundation concrete to demo. Then remove the brick DIY at a later date if desired.
B. Reuse the side window.
C. Reuse the side door.
D. Use just 3 new back windows, shorter to stop above the condenser. Anderson is expensive.
E. There could be more savings with HVAC depending on how that existing sliver is done.

Thanks for the advice.

2. Yes, with this design, the condenser would need to move and our natural gas meter is right there. Maybe I do away with this window altogether? I would be fine with that considering the work to get it there.

3. This would include just the approach to the garage and nothing on the side from my understanding.

A. Are you saying to cut a large spot in the existing wall so the 2 areas will be easily accessible but not entirely removing the wall, correct?

I like your recommendation of reusing the window and door. I will do that.

 

[maddog1234]

Do you know the current material value of the Anderson windows with taxes and delivery? It could be of the magnitude of seven grand.

I don't know the itemized cost for those alone. I will look at another brand considering all the comments on the window costs. Thanks

 

[3onthetree]

Cost wise you're probably at similar for detached 2 (maybe 2.5) car vs. attached 1 car+gym ($35-45 depending?). The big question is how much room you want and how important is that view, not from just using the treadmill but from seeing a garage in the backyard from the family/kitchen/patio.

With the attached, it would be silly to spend a few thousand to move gas/ac just for the benefit of 1 in a string of 4 windows. But you should match the existing brand. I would check with the city on how they would view that "storage" with an entire window wall, as they may try to make that conditioned space which then might need 6" curb and be taxed on SF (you did say adding a/c to it). Maybe just high transom windows could get around that if so.

Yes, a big cost is labor in removing the wall. If you keep just a 4' or 6' opening between garages, you could even move the gym door over and keep that sliver for a "closet." It all depends on how much money you're willing to spend to make this attachment look like it was built from the get-go.

Driveway "side load" I used the wrong terminology, I meant just a partial 3rd stall entry. But there looks to be a crown in the existing driveway, so you might need to remove some of that to get one uniform 3-wide surface.

 

[pbon]

As you get older, an attached heated and air conditioned garage is nice. I go into the attached garage at my current house more than I went into the detached garage at my old house. It was only 15 feet away but was not full time heated and in winter I was not excited to go unless I had to. I am in my attached garage every day or two.

 

[cvairwerks]

Moving the electric, gas and condenser and the one vent, coupled with taking out the two trees and the required dirt work is going to be probably at least $10K of that estimate.

 

[xyster101]

Never hurts to get 2 or 3 quotes, but choose the company you think is honest, which might be the expensive one.

That is a lot of work as others have said. If you could leave part of that exterior wall, it would save some money. You have a lot of utilities to move. Looks like you have:
-furnace vents
-AC condenser
-Radon system
-Main electric (which requires cutting the power for a day to move that)

So while the build might be a normal price to build it, there is a lot of time in taking apart what you already have there, moving it, new foundation, tying the old to the new, maybe adding a sub panel, matching the roof. I don't think that the $56k was way out there.

You will use an attached space more then a detached. Attached spaces also add more value to everything.

 

[maddog1234]

Never hurts to get 2 or 3 quotes, but choose the company you think is honest, which might be the expensive one.

That is a lot of work as others have said. If you could leave part of that exterior wall, it would save some money. You have a lot of utilities to move. Looks like you have:
-furnace vents
-AC condenser
-Radon system
-Main electric (which requires cutting the power for a day to move that)

So while the build might be a normal price to build it, there is a lot of time in taking apart what you already have there, moving it, new foundation, tying the old to the new, maybe adding a sub panel, matching the roof. I don't think that the $56k was way out there.

You will use an attached space more then a detached. Attached spaces also add more value to everything.

For the utilities, much of that shouldn't need to be moved as they are behind our study which is on the north side of our existing garage. The proposed gym area will come in about 4 feet into the existing garage in the back.

 

[cvairwerks]

Depending on the current line set on the condenser and the evaporator location, that could require going up a size if you have to move it very far. We looked to move ours when we installed a new system and we were going to have to upsize it as it was already at the maximun length. Moving the gas meter and power drop can cause you to have to do other upgrades if applicable codes have changed since the house was built. Depends on you location and how persnickity the local code people are. I’d bet you have code limits as to how close the panel can be to a window.

 

[jmiller_2308]

I'd second pbon's preference for an attached garage especially if wherever you are has some nasty weather. I live in MN and go out to my heated/cooled attached garage every day. I think I actually spend more awake time out there than in the house.

Being attached it is easy to pop out for a quick task or even pop back in for a snack or a bio break. If my garage were detached I'm certain I'd be out there a lot less simply because I'd need to deal with winter, rain, etc. issues when going between. Mind you, those aren't bad, its just significantly easier to not have to deal with it.

Smells and possibly noise can be issues with the attached garage but with good insulation I haven't had any real issues. I do wish I had put in the exhaust fan that I had planned and forgot - DOH!

Zoning factors may play into attached vs. detached. In my case height issues would have been an issue on a detached whereas with the attached it was considered the same structure and I had no issues with height.

Utility connections for an attached should also be significantly easier. Electric is probably the easiest to deal with for a detached but if you need gas and water you could easily eat up a lot of money to supply them to a detached garage. My buddy built a detached and although running gas wasn't too terribly expensive the utility company made him put in an entirely different service so he ends up paying twice the overhead every month.

 

[maddog1234]

Cost wise you're probably at similar for detached 2 (maybe 2.5) car vs. attached 1 car+gym ($35-45 depending?). The big question is how much room you want and how important is that view, not from just using the treadmill but from seeing a garage in the backyard from the family/kitchen/patio.

With the attached, it would be silly to spend a few thousand to move gas/ac just for the benefit of 1 in a string of 4 windows. But you should match the existing brand. I would check with the city on how they would view that "storage" with an entire window wall, as they may try to make that conditioned space which then might need 6" curb and be taxed on SF (you did say adding a/c to it). Maybe just high transom windows could get around that if so.


Yes, a big cost is labor in removing the wall. If you keep just a 4' or 6' opening between garages, you could even move the gym door over and keep that sliver for a "closet." It all depends on how much money you're willing to spend to make this attachment look like it was built from the get-go.

Driveway "side load" I used the wrong terminology, I meant just a partial 3rd stall entry. But there looks to be a crown in the existing driveway, so you might need to remove some of that to get one uniform 3-wide surface.

Thanks again. What are your thoughts on lengthening the truss span to 36' versus the current 30'? I could keep the attached wall in place with the cutouts you referenced. I will then be able to gain extra 6' depth and extend the back of the garage past the existing rear of the house which I wouldn't mind at all.

Aside from the extra square footage, I was thinking a drop in roof height for the addition may look good as well?

 

[maddog1234]

Here is a better picture of the back of our house to see what it would look like if we extended 6' past the existing garage for this addition like I mentioned in my last post.

 

[3onthetree]

lengthening the truss span to 36' versus the current 30' . . . extend the back of the garage past the existing rear of the house

a drop in roof height for the addition

I have red lines shown for a longer 36' truss. You would have a portion sided (in yellow) above the existing roof that you would see from the family room. And from the front the roof ridge would be higher than existing. I think that's what you were describing.

A version with a drop in roof height is shown in blue. The front garage wall would have to be shallower to achieve this.

 

[maddog1234]

I have red lines shown for a longer 36' truss. You would have a portion sided (in yellow) above the existing roof that you would see from the family room. And from the front the roof ridge would be higher than existing. I think that's what you were describing.

A version with a drop in roof height is shown in blue. The front garage wall would have to be shallower to achieve this.

I think I'd like the 36' option. Anyone have feedback on that? Would it look too "scabbed in"? I really would like the extra square footage without going wider which would make the approach look all garage.

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[3onthetree]

Your call. The hip on the family room extension is actually the odd roof compared to the rest of the house, but that one does fit in very nice there.

Whatever you do, match the existing roof with the flush gable fascia and returned eaves down low. The original drawings didn't do that. Assuming all your power and gas goes straight back rather than turn to the side?

Also looking at the pic again you already have 2 openings in the garage wall - the man door into new storage and a good 5.5' walk-thru at the window. Looks maybe like CMU foundation, a little cheaper to demo.

 

[maddog1234]

Your call. The hip on the family room extension is actually the odd roof compared to the rest of the house, but that one does fit in very nice there.

Whatever you do, match the existing roof with the flush gable fascia and returned eaves down low. The original drawings didn't do that. Assuming all your power and gas goes straight back rather than turn to the side?

Also looking at the pic again you already have 2 openings in the garage wall - the man door into new storage and a good 5.5' walk-thru at the window. Looks maybe like CMU foundation, a little cheaper to demo.

Our gas line currently runs under the proposed addition. I will have to pay to get that moved. Power comes overhead, on this side of the house as well.

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