Garage and taxes

[Kevin54]

For a lot of you guys adding on to your garages, how does it affect your property taxes? My taxes seem high as they are. I am wondering that after you add the huge additions on, does your taxes seem to go up significantly or do you notice much of a change at all? I am seriously considering adding on just so I can get a lift in and for some more room, but I hate the thought of my taxes going up any more. Every time we turn around the bastages are passing another levy for one thing or another. My 23 year old house has taxes as high as the brand new $300,000 house right down the road from me. Something that I don't understand at all. Also....and this may sound dumb, but are taxes on a pole barn different than on a stick built on a foundation and footer? Heck, I even get taxed on my overhangs (porch) on my house. It seems they tax on the amount of roof area or to clarify, the area that is under roof whether it be an open porch or enclosed room.
So I was wondering if anyone has really paid attention to how much a garage addition raised their taxes. It would be hard to figure as some years other levies affect it but if anyone has broke it down, I would appreciate it.

 

[EuroVt]

A fridg or old washing machine on the porch and a couple of junk cars in the yard might help.

 

[ddawg16]

A fridg or old washing machine on the porch and a couple of junk cars in the yard might help.

He is talking TAXES....not FINES......

My property tax valuation went up $28K after I finished the garage. Initially, they wanted to raise it $120K.....when the guy came by, we were not home....he saw the spiral stairs....upstairs windows....so he assumed we had a rec room or bedroom up there.....

Once he came back and actually walked up the stairs and saw all the junk being stored there.....changed it.....as he put it "Yep....just storage"......then once I explained that the windows were just so it didn't look like a stucco brick....he totally understood...

In CA we have the prop 13 thing that keeps our property tax valuation at the level of when you bought your house....but 'improvements' are excluded....so if you remodel the kitchen....if the value of the remodel was $10K, then they increase the value of your house by $10K.

 

[Addrock]

We just were appraised after construction each indoor parking spot = $5000. We haven't been reappraised, I suspect I'll have to do something like DDawg and try to minimize the value to the assessor.

 

[Falcon67]

Keep it low key, watch for the next valuation assessment, file a protest. All those valuations and taxes are online here, so it's easy to look up what the neighbors are getting socked for by the assessor. Compare and complain - most people do not and if you give the assessor a little Joe Friday with a polite attitude, you might be surprised at the flexibility. No assessor has ever been allowed inside anything and never had one ask.

The shop at the old house was assessed as additional living space. "Well, there is an air conditioner on the building." "OK, so I don't like to sweat when I'm building birdhouses with my grandson, it's a garage full of junk. It's got some lights too." "Oh, OK." Saved on that issue. Note the "1926" on the detached - no, it was 1997 LOL. And they are also wrong on the sq/ft - but I'm not telling them it's 1550 if they can't add. Our valuation jumped $5K between 1998 and 1999, but it wasn't the shop that did it as far as I can tell. IIRC< that was the year they really socked us and we complained big time. Comparables were getting out of whack with people paying big $ for smaller houses is much worse shape. "Well then your house should be worth more!" "I'm not paying for other peoples stupidity in the housing market." Ooo, that was a portend eh? We settled.

> It seems they tax on the amount of roof area or to clarify, the area that is under roof whether it be an open porch or enclosed room.

SOP - area under roof.

<table class="improvements" summary="Improvement #1" style="border-collapse: collapse;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><th style="width: 119px;" nowrap="nowrap">Improvement #1:</th><td class="propertyImprovementDescription">RESIDENTIAL</td><th style="width: 90px;" nowrap="nowrap">State Code:</th><td style="width: 30px;" nowrap="nowrap">A1</td><th style="width: 90px;" nowrap="nowrap">Living Area:</th><td style="width: 60px;" nowrap="nowrap">1394.0 sqft</td><th style="width: 60px;" nowrap="nowrap">Value:</th><td style="width: 60px;" nowrap="nowrap">N/A</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table class="improvementDetails" style="width: 600px; border-collapse: collapse;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr> <td class="arrowBlank" style="width: 90px;">
</td><th style="width: 60px;">Type</th><th style="width: 150px;">Description</th><th style="width: 60px;">Class CD</th><th style="width: 120px;">Exterior Wall</th><th style="width: 60px;">Year Built</th><th style="width: 60px;">SQFT</th> </tr><tr> <td class="arrowMiddle">
</td><td>MA</td><td>MAIN AREA</td><td>RSF08</td><td>W</td><td>1926</td><td>1394.0</td> </tr><tr> <td class="arrowMiddle">
</td><td>OP</td><td>OPEN PORCH</td><td>RSF08</td><td>
</td><td>1926</td><td>98.0</td> </tr><tr> <td class="arrowMiddle">
</td><td>OP</td><td>OPEN PORCH</td><td>RSF08</td><td>
</td><td>1926</td><td>320.0</td> </tr><tr> <td class="arrowMiddle">
</td><td>BG</td><td>BUILT GARAGE</td><td>RSF08</td><td>
</td><td>1926</td><td>400.0</td> </tr><tr> <td class="arrowLast">
</td><td>DG</td><td>DETACHED GARAGE</td><td>RSF08</td><td>
</td><td>1926</td><td>576.0</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[jam0o0]

around here the key is to protest or complain about the value they seem to randomly assign. i know my parents could have bought a decent new car with the amount of extra taxes that the city wanted to charge after re-valuing their house. they complained and the increase was cut to 25% of what they originally wanted. and their were no additions to the house or property.

 

[mobetta]

I removed a very crappy 15x19 0ne stall garage and put up a 26x26.

the building dept told me it was valued at $25K, so they could get a bigger cut, and the tax man says the improvement is worth $18k.
I doubt that I could sell the property for $18K more than a year ago, but if I look at my neighbors tax values, they are all paying more than me, and most have 2 car garages.

now if only they used some of that $$$ to actually PLOW the streets to the curb.

 

[december45]

Our property tax evaluation, went up by 40k, with the new shop

 

[milkovich]

Our property tax evaluation, went up by 40k, with the new shop

Mine went up about $25k... which is fair because thats about what the shop cost.

Never thought I'd hear myself saying a tax was fair.

On an aside, anyone ever notice the only taxes we get to vote down are the local taxes for schools and roads and stuff we actually want. Imagine if we could vote down federal entitlements and military spending? I guess being a senator or representative wouldn't be as much fun (or as profitable).

 

[texasprd]

Kevin,

I don't know how they do it in your county, but where I live, the main structure and improvements are all classified individually (or at least they are supposed to be) and the value based on the classification. Accordingly, a pole-barn should thoretically be appraised lower than a stick-built structure w/ foundation - all other factors being equal. I'd suggest calling your county tax-assessor office and setting up an appointment with an appraiser so he can go over the classification system with you.

Good luck!

 

[long handles]

Outside the city proper, the Borough has a mandatory land use permit. It's $25 and some paper work. 480 sq ft. is the magic number that you have to have one or an addition of 10% and some other legalese.

No inspections, no nothing.

Basically in my mind, the mandatory land use permit is nothing more than the mechanism the Borough is using to know when they need to get an appraiser to come back by for a look see so than can adjust your appraisal and get the cha ching flowing their direction.

 

[drmoonshine]

Yea taxes will go up but just minimize how much they go up.

 

[mikeyr]

My garage brought my valuation up $22K

In my area they have different rates for living space and non-living space and some formula for costs.

So if you build it yourself and did not spend a lot on materials, you are basically penalized for having the skills and time and they appraise at x$ per sq. ft. depending on living or work space ($70sq. ft. work, $120sq. ft. living when I built 2 years ago). The actual number goes up and down almost monthly I am told and you can easily argue it if you want I am told.

If you had a contractor do the work then its whatever it cost you to have the work done the max, they still use that formula but the absolute max they can go up was your costs, in effect if you believe them they use the lower number, the sq. ft. formula or the contractor costs, I don't believe a tax guy would ever use the lower number but that is what they claim.

Its confusing, I just know that the $300/year my garage costs me is worth every penny.

 

[JMURiz]

My garage made the county estimate my value had gone up $75k!!!
That's for a 22x24 garage, crazy huh? The lot is only 5200 sq/ft too. I guess that's just the going rate for a 2-car garage in an area where maybe 30% even have a garage.

 

[Gary S]

It depends a lot on where you live.
My 24x48 stick built garage raised my valuation by $17k. I feel that was fair.

 

[Groovy]

Taxes and Insurance both went up at my last house when I built the larger garage. At this house I file a dispute as the county is getting way out of hand with the assesments especially house on or near the water. I also asked hey if housing values dropped 35% +/- why didn't the assesment drop as well? The granted no increase but kept it the same.

I mention the insurance part because I had Wells Fargo scammers inc mortage on that house and they decide to force insure for brick by brick rebuild mortage insurance jacked that mortage payment something like 28 percent out of the friggin blue. I refied and got away from those... then sold that place. Something to consider or at least think about

 

[NUTTSGT]

The pole bldg taxes should be cheaper. If it doesn't have a concrete floor or footing it is usually considered temp.

The taxing on the roof is for water run off. I believe you can thank Ohio EPA for that one. It helps pay for the storm water/ sewage separation.

Make a stop by the county treasurer's office, see if qualify for a rollback on your property taxes.

 

[thrifty bill]

My 23 year old house has taxes as high as the brand new $300,000 house right down the road from me. Something that I don't understand at all.

Rule #1 on property taxes, learn the rules in your area, and file a dispute.

In my area, they have several reasons that qualify for a reduction. One is on actual value (good luck with that one), another is on "inequity". Since here everyone's taxes are on line, I spent a couple of hours researching similar homes in my area, and cited ten of them that were assessed lower, despite being larger, having more bedrooms, and so on. I easily won the dispute. My two hours of work saved me more than $1000 over the five years assessments are kept in place. I do not know what others do for a living, but there is nothing legal I could do that would make me $500 an hour.

As long as you have the facts and a logical argument, the dispute system in my area is fair.

 

[december45]

Milkovich; the $40k that ours was evaluated at, was taken from the cost of the building, which is right, I dont mind paying my fair share, and if my fair share was used in some kind of "reasonable" fashion i would be even glad to contibute to our community/county/state/country.Its the whole take from the working guy and give to the NON workers (who choose not to work) that gets me in a big way.

I believe that these following figures are correct, but if they are off please feel free to correct them. I am posting them from memory and for consideration. these are for the past two years;

medicaid up 58%
medicare up 15%
Welfare entitlements up 69%
SSecurity benefits up 18%

our tax money in general is going to all the wrong places....

 

[pete379]

my prop. values have gone DOWN the last 3 years, but the tax has gone UP ! the assessor, said on the tv news "it actually depends on our budget" as to whether or not taxes go down
pete

 

[djmartins]

Ok, here is where I have a problem with some of the stories I read on this thread: why are you ok with them taxing you at what an outbuilding cost to build?
Talk with any realtor and they will tell you that will be LUCKY to get an increase in the value of your property of 30% the cost to build an outbuilding!
Build a $50k separate garage and your actual market value is less than $15k more than before.
Talk to a local realtor and try to get some paperwork from them showing this and THEN head to the assessors office!

 

[ajchien]

Income down, Taxes potentially up. That means my garage stays the same size.

 

[Kev442]

My inspector said they standardized at a set value per square foot. They were having problems with people building their own building and saying "See, it only cost me $10,000, that's all the assessment should be, not $25000."
He said it is very tiring trying to explain that their sweat equity has value too, not just the materials.
A guy a mile down the road put up a brick garage that matches the house exactly. Yup, same assessment per square foot as a stick built building.

 

[milkovich]

our tax money in general is going to all the wrong places....

Spending by category

Definitely eye opening.

 

[bluebolt]

I don't know how the parish assesed my shop, it has an assesed value of $13,500. I know the cost to build that I reported to them was higher than that so apparently they don't value it the same as the house.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Overall property values land and structures has decreased over the last 2-3 years, taxes increased some.

4-5 years ago the overall property taxes increased 87K one year, and another 70K the following year. I appealed, had my act together, paperwork, comparables, pictures, the whole nine yards. The ruling board agreed with me that it had been assessed too high and reduced the assessment by a massive 5K. Thank you mam may I have another.

It's unclear to me how much the pole building increased the assessment if any, as they don't break the structures down. However, my pole building is classified as an 'Ag building' and looks like your every day industrial pole building on the outside. Assessors don't come into the structures around here, in fact many of them never get out of the car.

It's been suggested to me by some real estate people that the pole building does not add any value to the property, as the people likely to buy in this area now don't want such a building on their property. That works for me, I'll take the thing with me when we move to our farm.

 

[REAL HOT SCHITT]

HI PETE.
GREETINS FRM NEW ZEALAND.
I HAVE 17 ACRES IN SEMI RURAL "OAMARU" NEW ZEALAND. AND WE PAY $ N.Z 535.00 EVRY QUARTER. HERE WE CALL IT RATES NOT PROPERTY TAXES.

THE "WAITAKI DISTRICT COUNCIL " HERE CLIPS THE TICKET EVRY WHICH WAY THEY CAN SO IF U BID? THEY WILL USE THE HIGHEST PROPERTY VALUATION THAT THEY CAN DREAM (GOVT VALUATION) UP SO THEY CAN USE US AS COLLATERAL FOR LOANS / AND TO PAY FOR THEIR STAFFS HUMONGUS SALARIES.
THE BUILDING STANDARDS /WORKMANSHIP ENFORCED HERE IS POOR AND POOR MATERIALS ARE TO BE USED ON BILDINGS..... I CAN BILD WAY ABOVE THE STANDARD AT LEAST 4 TO 600 STRONGER THAN COUNCIL SPECS BUT IM NOT ALLOWED, AND HAVE TO HIRE A PEN ENGINEER WHOM SPECIFIES CRAPPIER STANDARDS ANYWAY.
IT REALLY SUX... AS WE ARE COMPELLED TO APPLY FOR BILDING PERMIT WHICH IS A SMOKESCREEN SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE U DISCLOSED COSTS BY STEALTH...SO THEY CAN JACK UP THE TAXES.(THE BILDING STANDARDS /OR SAFETY ASPECT MEANS NOTHING).

YEAH, SO LOOK UP THE MEANING OF..... ALODIAL TITLE AND SUI JURIS... RE; ALODIAL TITLE WHICH MEANS TRUE OWNERSHIP...WHAT IS THE POINT IN SAYING THAT U OWN WHEN IN REALITY THE POWERS THAT BE SAYS YOU DO NOT OWN!....AND U ALREADY BUSTED YA rrrrRRRRRR'SSS OF PAYIN A LIFETIME-O-MORTGAGE?.

OH! ....LOOK UP THE TERM.... "WINDOW TAXES" THIS WILL REMIND U OF SUMFINK?.
I THOUGHT GEORGE WASHINGTON FOUGHT THE POMS AGAINGST UNJUST TAXES AND THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF U.S LEADERS WERE TO CONTINUE GEORGES LEGACY?.

CHEERS CARL G

 

[bitbycarbug]

Milkovich; the $40k that ours was evaluated at, was taken from the cost of the building, which is right, I dont mind paying my fair share, and if my fair share was used in some kind of "reasonable" fashion i would be even glad to contibute to our community/county/state/country.Its the whole take from the working guy and give to the NON workers (who choose not to work) that gets me in a big way.

I believe that these following figures are correct, but if they are off please feel free to correct them. I am posting them from memory and for consideration. these are for the past two years;

medicaid up 58%
medicare up 15%
Welfare entitlements up 69%
SSecurity benefits up 18%

our tax money in general is going to all the wrong places....

Spending by category

Definitely eye opening.

Point. CounterPoint

HI PETE.
GREETINS FRM NEW ZEALAND.
I HAVE 17 ACRES IN SEMI RURAL "OAMARU" NEW ZEALAND. AND WE PAY $ N.Z 535.00 EVRY QUARTER. HERE WE CALL IT RATES NOT PROPERTY TAXES.

THE "WAITAKI DISTRICT COUNCIL " HERE CLIPS THE TICKET EVRY WHICH WAY THEY CAN SO IF U BID? THEY WILL USE THE HIGHEST PROPERTY VALUATION THAT THEY CAN DREAM (GOVT VALUATION) UP SO THEY CAN USE US AS COLLATERAL FOR LOANS / AND TO PAY FOR THEIR STAFFS HUMONGUS SALARIES.
THE BUILDING STANDARDS /WORKMANSHIP ENFORCED HERE IS POOR AND POOR MATERIALS ARE TO BE USED ON BILDINGS..... I CAN BILD WAY ABOVE THE STANDARD AT LEAST 4 TO 600 STRONGER THAN COUNCIL SPECS BUT IM NOT ALLOWED, AND HAVE TO HIRE A PEN ENGINEER WHOM SPECIFIES CRAPPIER STANDARDS ANYWAY.
IT REALLY SUX... AS WE ARE COMPELLED TO APPLY FOR BILDING PERMIT WHICH IS A SMOKESCREEN SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE U DISCLOSED COSTS BY STEALTH...SO THEY CAN JACK UP THE TAXES.(THE BILDING STANDARDS /OR SAFETY ASPECT MEANS NOTHING).

YEAH, SO LOOK UP THE MEANING OF..... ALODIAL TITLE AND SUI JURIS... RE; ALODIAL TITLE WHICH MEANS TRUE OWNERSHIP...WHAT IS THE POINT IN SAYING THAT U OWN WHEN IN REALITY THE POWERS THAT BE SAYS YOU DO NOT OWN!....AND U ALREADY BUSTED YA rrrrRRRRRR'SSS OF PAYIN A LIFETIME-O-MORTGAGE?.

OH! ....LOOK UP THE TERM.... "WINDOW TAXES" THIS WILL REMIND U OF SUMFINK?.
I THOUGHT GEORGE WASHINGTON FOUGHT THE POMS AGAINGST UNJUST TAXES AND THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF U.S LEADERS WERE TO CONTINUE GEORGES LEGACY?.

CHEERS CARL G

The internet thanks you.

 

[jmh21586]

I read the word "Fair" a couple times in this thread.


What is fair about the way property taxes are collected?

Why should I pay more or less in taxes on my property than anyone else?

 

[december45]

Well let me add a couple of comments....
1st.... Milkovich, there looked to be plenty of areas to cut and slash on that chart...
2nd... using the words "fair" and generally being ok with being taxed.
Fair is used in the context, of what tax amounts could be, at present im paying 1% of the selling price of the home, back in the 70's we fought hard to get prop 13 passed, and yes what might have been, would have been hellaworse. In the big scheme of things prop 13 was a good thing for us.
Being ok with, tax or being taxed for my property... actually i am NOT ok with it, but in the world as it is, We have to pay for the schools, fire protection, a portion of road maint. and it goes on and on... and here is where i have alot of heart burn.. these funds are NOT spent reasonably, these tax dollars are wasted in some obscene ways.
So.. i am NOT ok with paying taxes and I know taxes are way too high (taxed enough already) but i also know we need some of these services that are provided by our tax dollars.

 

[jmh21586]

We have to pay for the schools, fire protection, a portion of road maint. and it goes on and on... and here is where i have alot of heart burn.. these funds are NOT spent reasonably, these tax dollars are wasted in some obscene ways.
So.. i am NOT ok with paying taxes and I know taxes are way too high (taxed enough already) but i also know we need some of these services that are provided by our tax dollars.

I'm certainly not arguing that there is no need for taxation, just the fact that homes are taxed on value.

Does it cost the schools more to teach my kid than my neighbors kid just because my house is worth more?
Does it cost the fire dept and police dept more to service my house simply because it costs more?

Of course not.

Property taxes based on value may be the easiest way to tax, but it is by far the most unfair way to tax.




Back on subject: I go out of my way to prevent the tax man from being able to see into my garage. As far as they know it is a shell. Completely unfinished. And that's what I want them to continue to think.

 

[denis4x4]

After purchasing and remodeling our house, I added a 24 x 48 barn with two stalls and a 20 X 50 pole barn for hay storage. I got ag status building permits that were $25 each. After getting out of the horse business, I converted these buildings into a shop and parking storage.

The point is that it's worth checking into ag exemptions that will drop your assessments.

BTW, the containers in my avatar are considered temporary storage and are not assessed.

 

[jvitez]

The city I previously lived in had this bizarre rule whereby a building was "temporary" and therefore not part of your property assessment if it had a wood foundation. So I built a garden shed with a pressure treated 6x6/plywood foundation, and all was well. If I built it on a concrete foundation, it would add to my property assessment.

Taxing property based on market or any "value" is blatantly unfair. Why do I deserve to pay a larger percentage of municipal services used by all, strictly because my property is worth more than someone else? It's simple actually: socialist greed and envy. Leftist ideology says you actually, morally, do deserve to pay more because you have more. Hmmm, so lets see, the loaf of bread should cost me $4 because I make twice what my friend makes, so he'll only have to pay $2 for the same loaf of bread.

The fairest tax is a "poll tax." Divide the municipal budget by the population, and you have the per capita tax. Four people in my family, therefore I pay 4 times what a single person pays. Simple, fair, equitable. But not in the eyes of most people, who want someone else to pay their share.

Margaret Thatcher's government fell partially because she introduced a poll tax. When everyone felt the real price of government, instead of only the top 20% who paid 80% of whole cost (Pareto's Law), all hell broke loose. Leftist's and bureaucrat's definition of rich: someone who makes more than they do.

Anyway, our current municipality charges a 40% less municipal tax rate than my previous city, but the school tax is the same because we're in the same school district. School taxes make up more than 50% of the total tax bill here, also based on the value of the entire property including detached garages.

 

[december45]

I am in full agreement, the system could use some serious changes, im a little miffed about paying so much money for education, my kids are out of school long ago, but im still paying.... but then that is a subject for another time.
I agree, with keeping the appearance of "completely unfurnished" for a variety of reason.
When i went to get the permit for my shop, the guy at the county said first thing, im "sure this is an ag building" and dumb me who knew nothing, said huh? he responded with yes im sure this will be an ag building you know ag buildings are taxed at a lower rate.... wink wink... of course im saying yep sure thats what it is.
I went to find out about getting one of those metal car port things, we see them all over $895.00 installed, they are made with square tubing, and metal roof... while talking to the guy who sells them the question of permits came up, of course you have to have a permit to put one up, how ever, he told me that the permit costs were more than the building and the install. it just seems out of control

 

[december45]

Kevin thanks for starting this thread, its very interesting, and a good thing to be aware of how we get taxed on our garages/shops

 

[Crazy Car Guy]

After purchasing and remodeling our house, I added a 24 x 48 barn with two stalls and a 20 X 50 pole barn for hay storage. I got ag status building permits that were $25 each. After getting out of the horse business, I converted these buildings into a shop and parking storage.

The point is that it's worth checking into ag exemptions that will drop your assessments.

BTW, the containers in my avatar are considered temporary storage and are not assessed.

the containers with a truss roof AWESOME ! may have to run that one by the better half. i think she would go for that if i got rid of the old mobile home i drug in our bottom for storage.

i seen some one say they got there taxes paid lowered by $5k holey smoleys i couldnt immagine that bill if they took 5k off it !!!!

i never thought to check about tax value with putting up a new pole barn. we did talk about wanting to stick build a house and remove the hilbilly mansion (2 mobile homes with a metal roof) but decided to redo it to save the tax rate increases. thinking on the new barn i will be building its the only "perminate" structure on our place and probably will double our yearly property taxes to $218 witch is nothing but they get a ton on our cars yearly to make up for the low property taxes.

just want to throw in.....lots of great threads on this site to get you thinking and looking at things differently

 

[idoine in toronto]

What is the tax rate people are paying on the assessed value of their land and structures?

Here in Toronto I pay approximately .083% of the total assessed property value IIRC.

Our home and land values are reassessed every year, although not by a human, but by a computer program. There is no online listing of property tax values here, that I am aware of, that you can use to compare comparable properties with you own. If you appeal your assessment you run the risk of having the assessor recalculate your property at a higher value. Properties are reassessed again when they are sold using the sale price as a new base line. In other words two identical neighboring homes on identical lots can end up with different tax bills if one is sold say every 5 years while the other is not.

Our assessment has gone up in value dramatically in the past 10 years (with no physical change to our prop) while at the same time some city services that used to be included in the prop tax are now billed separately.

Several friends whom have challenged their hike in assessment values have had success in the first year then to find the following years their assessments have gone back up faster than the neighboring properties, essentially making up for the loss.

 

[Andy Griffith]

BTW, the containers in my avatar are considered temporary storage and are not assessed.

Yes, same in our area. Same thing for those 'portable' free standing metal roofed RV carport deals, and same thing for an 'RV' that still has the wheels on.

Our extended family is of the mind that you cannot have too many 'temporary' covered structures on our properties for storage. The RV ports are especially nice as you can run the metal roofing most or all of the way down the sides if you desire.

People around here make good use of the shipping containers. They also use the semi-truck trailers with the wheels and landing gear still on so they can move it with the tractor or dozer when needed. The drawback to these is they require a set of stairs to enter/exit. Finally some folks use an old refrigerated semi trailer for meat hanging during aging or cold storage.

We bought our excavator from a guy in Oregon who made extensive use of shipping containers. He would put two sets of 40 footers end to end, spaced 60' apart in width, then install one of those round roof (corrugated looking) open-end shop/storage buildings on top of the containers. This gave him a bunch of storage inside the containers and provided a huge drive-through dry space to store rolling stock.

 

[jvitez]

That's one reason I'd never live in Toronto. Sadly, you have one of the worst municipal governments in Canada. I hope your new mayor can do something positive.

I would never move back to be under the aegis of a larger urban municipal government. Small is beautiful. I love suburban living. And I'll love it even more when I finally get to build the extra detached garage I'm planning, that won't kill my tax bill here.

BTW: we pay about 1% a year of assessed value. It's a byzantine calculation, but ends up around that number. (Assessed value of land, plus assessed value of building (s), multiplied by 45% for residential structures, divided by 1000, multiplied by the "mil rate" for the local school division, plus the mil rate for the municipality, minus $450 per residence provincial rebate.) Oh, and multiplied by the cubed root of the hypotenuse from your front door to the tangent intersection line of the Mars/Pluto alignment, plus 1 during leap years.

 

[LWW]

Yeah, thinking about the increased tax burden when I get started and finish my garage addition here in Kalifornia has me re-evaluating my plans. It'll probably add about $2000 to $2500 to my current $8500 annual tax liability.

I might just do the foundation/patio and then go with a "temporary" structure...

We'll see... Need to get the new job started first...