Garage Build Thread - The beginning

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Sad to say, both my toy cars are still in 150 miles away stored in my Dads barn. And my attached garage is full of ****. And I am not allowed an additional structure on my lot.

Its time to get creative.

I'm going to keep track of my garage progress here.

Current plans:
Back of my house has enough drop that I am going to build a "garage" under my deck. Have some pretty good plans for it, but will have to see how it goes. Current dimensions are 16x22. Hoping to get get started in April or May. Will not be able to access with car, so its going to be a workshop and place for yard tools (which are currently eating up my 3 car attached garage).

I will post some pics of my garage as is soon. Its bad. Unfinished drywall, uninsulated doors. 1 outlet. Plus, I have completely torn apart my Buick DD to do some trans and front suspension work, so the place is 100% disaster. I spilled 4 quarts of trans fluid last night, so the new floor is pretty f'd too
Had to wire my 220V compressor last night to do the struts on the Lesabre. Atleast thats done, although I want to put it in the basement ultimately and run air to both the workshop and the garage.

So far, I have a pretty open realm of possibilities. Purchased some craftsman wall cabinets, and some "side cabinets" off of craigslist. Going to build a workbench and storage setup with pocket doors. Garage is 3 bay, but only 19 feet deep. Not a ton of room if I want to actually park 3 cars inside.

My goal is $2k for everything. Insulating the doors, wiring, finishing drywall and storage, and also epoxy the floor.
I have 110V wire and outlets, and most materials to finish drywall already, which will help.
Tool cabinets purchased were $400 and wiring for 220V was $100 total.


Pics coming.

 

[Zeke]

So you're going to move all that you can to the back and use the garage as a parking garage. Sounds good. I assume that the new cabinets are going to the new shop. It's not exactly clear in your post.

I think having a place to put all your stuff while cleaning up the existing garage is a good move.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Correct - the stuff I bought is just for the attached garage. The budget is too!

I'm not going to be able to get a great start with the cold weather set in (Michigan) and also without having the deck area constructed. But I am going to work on wiring and lighting as I can throughout the winter.

Really wish I would have epoxied the floor when I closed on the house and the cement was brand new, but other things were a priority and wanted to finish ceiling first...

 

[bacarl]

Sounds like a great project idea. Post up some pics of the deck area "pre-construction" along with the garage disaster area pics. It'll be interesting to see what you're working with.

I see you're from Michigan too...cool!

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Thanks!
I will add some pics this evening.
Proof of current disaster situation. Lol.

 

[Zeke]

Well, the ****** fluid will clean up. Get it done before it soaks too far down. I have done some dastardly things cleaning up spills like that. I used acetone to dilute and high pressure water to remove. The thing is to collect the waste and you can't do that with a shop vac or things go boom.

There may be an air pressure venturi vac that will safely **** up the waste.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Here is the side of the house about 10 months ago, I will have to take a new picture to show progress. Garage has extra space on either side of doors, so I call it a 2-car garage with 3-car opening

Here was the mess as of Friday night. Car is back together and out, so that has helped. Still, can't believe it looks this way!

Cutting wood and doing cement work all summer (for sidewalks and walls) has made quite the dust mess. My toolbox has always been spotless...then owning a house happened.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Update:
Got the furniture moved, and finished up and cleared some stuff out.
Bought some 3/4" foil insulation (12 sheets) from Menards for $11.98 a piece. It is doubled on each panel, for a total of 1.5" of insulation and R10 value. A real pain to install, but it looks great and the garage was a lot warmer this morning.
Added bonus: Doors are much quieter!

Here are the side cabinets I purchased off Craigslist. This will be built into a workbench sometime soon.

Wall cabinets for detailing supplies. They are the Craftsman Professional cabinets. Got them for $50 a piece on CL.

Wired 220 to the garage for compressor. It is going to go down to the basement next to the furnace and just air hose reel in garage.

Also found out the very front wall does not have insulation. So my next garage project is going to be tearing down half the drywall, wiring it all the way I want, then re-installing the drywall.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Won't be doing much for the next week or so...gotta build mantle in the house. So let the dust fly in the garage.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Update: Ripped down all the drywall where there is no insulation. What a mess. Broke out some brick and added 3rd light fixture between the doors like we wanted. Going to start wiring tonight.
Picked up 5 rolls of R-13 JM insulation from lowes for $10.40 a roll.
One of my doors they forgot to run the wiring for the pad and the sensors, so everything is just stapled to the ceiling.
Also, scored a 220 V Qmark heater and thermostat new off of craigslist for $155 total.
Eating away the 2k budget pretty quick!

Goal is to have wiring and insulation done by Sunday night.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Update, I need to post pics..missed my goal of insulating!

The one door opener was put up sloppy. They forgot to run wiring in the walls, so the sensors and door pad stuff was stapled to the drywall. Ran conduit and remounted everything.
Ran 3 new circuits to the garage. 2 for outlets and 1 for lights. Went from 1 outlet in the garage to 14. Going to start framing in two closets and soffits soon. Along with building the workbench. Air Compressor is going downstairs after all. Still have to do alot of 220 wiring for the heater, outlet, and AC in basement.

Bought some awesome recessed commercial 8" florescent lights on CL. Brand new with trim rings for $160. 19 of them. Not going to use them all in garage though. They are indoor/outdoor with a rapid fire ballast. Made in USA. The guy had a ton of lights he had bought in a storage unit. One of the best deals to date.
Tomorrow night is insulating the open walls and running some speaker wire. Probably going to set up a place for a TV mount too.
I won't be home the next 3 weekends...so its going to be pretty slow going over the next month.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Finally some pics.
Went through 5 rolls of insulation tonight. Need atleast 2 more.

This is where I started Saturday, drywall down, no wiring anywhere.

The far side opener was a real mess. All the wires stapled to the drywall. I added a 3rd light fixture to the exterior (between the two doors) so I needed to get power to that area. Ran PVC conduit from the new junction box. Also used 1/2" conduit saddled on top of the opener to run the door pad and sensor wires down to the T.
Opener was moved up a few notches to be level also.

Before:

After:

Removed the bottom 2' of sheetrock on this wall. Blown insulation...what a mess.

Wired wired wired...3 circuits added to the box. 2 for outlets and 1 for the recessed lights going in the (soon to be built) soffits.
Gang boxes completed above where the workbench will be

Finally getting somewhere

 

[AP_photo]

Great work so far.

 

[JC23]

If'n you don't already, you'll appreciate that work later on. Actually, every winter!

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Can't believe its been 2 months since Ive posted! I have been steadily working. 2 closets in corners are built. Soffit storage is done. Workbench is built. All the drywall is back up, skimming the ceilings smooth tonight. Air Compressor is in the basement.
Will post some pics of the progress.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Oh, and both the cars pictured are sold! haha. Just realized that. Bought a new Buick Regal. What an upgrade from the Lesabre. She had 197k miles on her..time to move on.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Bought 380 sq ft of porcelain tile for $75 on CL.

I am going to retitle my garage to the Craigslist Garage!

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Update finally! Been on vacation and busy, so progress slowed...hoping to primer this weekend so I can get started on tiling!
Ceiling is sanded smooth, just need to primer and paint, hang new lights.

Soffits/Lights and right corner closet. 24" bifold door and can still fit GTO in. 3/4" red oak for $32 from menards is whats the floor of the soffits. Im going to double up C channel and add gray panels with finger pockets to conceal. Tons of storage and 0 square footage.

Left closet and workbench framed in. Facing the workbench with Pine and building 4 cabinet doors for the middle. Mini fridge goes to the left of the left cabinet.
You can also see where I have planned for my toolbox to sit under the higher part with the air vent register for heater.

View from bottom:

Soffit covered up an ugly door mount.

Now Im going back to spackle the walls again....let the dust fall.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Weekend of spackling and sanding, couple days left...stuff isnt drying too fast with all the rain and humidity. Bought the border tile at HD today for $1.50 sq ft. Also 5 gallons of paint...everything sounds fun except the remaining sanding

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Painting/lights/workbench all complete. Time to start tiling! Hoping to get it all down this weekend.

 

[Thedoc14]

The joys or not so joyous task of sanding dry wall. I bet your blowing out solid chunks of plaster from your nose...
Place is looking great, it will be worth all of your efforts as soon as you get the paint on...

 

[Mmfh]

Nothing I hate more than sanding sheetrock! Plus the dust seems to get everywhere. It will look great when finished though.

Keep the pics coming, we all love to see what you are up too.

Mm

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Now:

Workbench with mini fridge and cabinet doors installed

200 sq ft to go!

 

[Flounder_Pounder]

Nice work!

 

[philwire]

yep, this will look pretty nice once done!

 

[nuttynil]

Keep at it buddy from england

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

laid another 160 sq ft last night....now I need to rip out the wooden step and pour cement, then finish tiling. The "kick" under the entry door looks terrible after only 1 year since its drywall. Looking forward to tiling it and making it more durable.

 

[JeremyOHL]

Lookin' good... Subscribed!

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Took an evening off to go get one the cars.... quick picture i took last night. Still need to grout!

 

[gapfast]

Very nice work!!

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

I need to finish up the last bit of tiling and stairs, grout, tile the baseboard, and paint wood around the garage doors. Some how there is still a long list of things to do. Need closet doors and shelves also, and finish hooking up Air Compressor (it was moved to basement)

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

4 months since last update? oops.

I am finishing the soffits with some C-channel I picked up in 16 ft pieces and sliding pocket doors. Almost completely done with everything...

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Whew. Finished installing all the L and C channel in the soffits. Found an alum supply place that sells in 16 ft pieces, which was great as my backwall is 15' 8" of soffit.
Headed to home depot in the morning for some fiberglass board to pop into the channels, then I can put all my stuff back up there!

Lots of progress since the last posted pics!

Oh, and organizing stuff when cabinet space is available is the best part.
I have a full cabinet dedicated to lube.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Finished another Craigslist project. Bought this wooden tailgate some guy had for a 30's Chevy Truck...

Framed, hinged, blah blah. It is my new folding workbench...

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Until I get under the deck storage, a few unwanted things will stay in the garage. (lawnmower and table saw) Also storing a huge Pella door through the winter for now...

Tile thershold at the door.

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Fantastic renovation! Almost a year since you first started this thread; Happy Anniversary!

How's the $2k budget holding up? I think renaming your garage to something like 'The CL' is a good idea; Craigs List, Car Lair, Craft Lounge, it's all good. Speaking of CL, it might be a pleasant exercise to sit back with a cold brew, tally up all the CL items you've scored, and 'ballpark' what those items would cost you at the retail price. I know I'd love to see that list. I live in the boondocks and CL listings around this region are pretty much useless. What area do you live; must be a metropolitan area to do so well with finding those CL treasures. Keep us posted on your progress; you've come a long way in just a year's time. Well done!

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Wow, crazy its been a year! Thanks!
The main thing CL allowed me to do was buy things that I otherwise couldn't as the lighting is way overkill and all commercial. I easily hung up $1500 worth of the fixtures (13 total) for cheap, and the cabinets for work bench and Cman storage cabinets.

Got the cars cleaned up, GTO in storage and the wifes Regal actually inside for once!
Couple pics.

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

Oh, and the 2k budget. Eek. I don't know, the project drug out so long and other ones were going also, so I don't know. I know I ended up with around $900 just on the floor, and a few hundred just in wiring. I would guestimate that I am around $3200, and also around 200 hours of my time.
Forget that my heater came from CL too and saved around $100 on that.

 

[03TorchedMach1]

Awesome garage! How does the tile hold up to the cars, floor jacks and such?

 

[BUCKNERBUCK2]

No isses at all so far! And I have drug some serious stuff across it (table saw for one) and nothing leaves a mark. Also dropped some tools from ladder height with no issue. Thrilled 100% with the floor..the ONLY downfall is the manual labor.