Garage reno/expansion estimates?

[LiveandLetDrive]

Hello all,

Edit to rewrite more succintly:

I want to convert the unfinished room at the bottom left into a nice garage. I'll either maintain most of the current framing and keep it an oversized 1-car, or expand it out into the hill, at least across the existing stairs if not to full 2-car proportions. Can someone who's done this kind of work before estimate the budget and complexity range of these two options?

 

[strnge]

Build what you want.

 

[LiveandLetDrive]

Well I do like that option!

 

[kd3pc]

Location will play a BIG part in costs, as will engineering, if you do any more than use the space as a workshop, not really garage material.

Least cost will be to keep the size and framing, just seal it off from the rest of the living space. Even that will easily run several thousand $$ unless you are doing all the labor. Still a door and lumber will be at least $1K, foundation, footers and slab/floor $3-10K. The pics show the floor of the proposed space to be wood subfloor on some skids or piers.

It only goes up from there. Excavation costs, engineering and sealing, foundation and floor at a minimum if you choose to expand.

It may be way more cost effective to simply build a new structure if you want any more than what your plywood floor will support. Can't drive a car on the plywood, more than a few times, if that.

 

[LiveandLetDrive]

Feels like stripping it down and building larger is going to be the way. I'd definitely love to build something huge and freestanding but there's just no space for anything on the lot, thus trying to keep it roughly within the existing footprint. It's not directly bordering any living area (the adjacent downstairs is a workshop/laundry room and just a deck above), though it shares structural beams with the living area. Any more thoughts welcomed, otherwise I'll hopefully be back soon with a build thread...

 

[Playwme]

Option 1, Convert.
Budget- cheap
Complexity- easy

Option 2, Extend into hill.
Budget- expensive
Complexity- not so easy.