Has anyone seen this before? My plan is to get a 40'x60'x14 maybe a little larger, on the opposite end of the drive in door I plane to frame out 16x the width for a inside house, just basic for me to live in, so has anyone ever seen or done this? there's no permits where I live so I can do whatever I want without asking, anything better or any ideas you wanna toss at me before I start this venture, the garage will be a all steel more than likely
Garage with living inside?
- Thread starter jon1996
- Start date
TK-421
Well-known member
I believe people here are calling it a Shouse, there are lots of threads and different plans.
What I'd consider doing is making the building fairly tall, and then put the house stuff in a loft area, with tool storage/work space underneath. That's what I'm thinking about doing. You really don't need a lot of square footage, just a kitchen, full bath, bedroom, small living room. The less space you use for the house the more space you have for what really matters.
I'm hoping I can figure out some way to make a building about double what yours is though. But it's easy to make things massive when all you're doing is dreaming, it's a little harder once money needs to start changing hands.
You planning on erecting it yourself or hiring someone else to do it for you?
What I'd consider doing is making the building fairly tall, and then put the house stuff in a loft area, with tool storage/work space underneath. That's what I'm thinking about doing. You really don't need a lot of square footage, just a kitchen, full bath, bedroom, small living room. The less space you use for the house the more space you have for what really matters.
I'm hoping I can figure out some way to make a building about double what yours is though. But it's easy to make things massive when all you're doing is dreaming, it's a little harder once money needs to start changing hands.
You planning on erecting it yourself or hiring someone else to do it for you?
North Run Grader
Well-known member
I have an uncle who had 4 teenage children living at home. He bought an acerage and built a 24 x 24 garage with a minimum bathroom with the smallest, cheapest shower available. They sold the house in town, and moved to the acreage. It sure didn't take them long to build the house, the whole family was motivated, lol.
Follow the same guidelines as building an attached garage. Fire rated walls, self closing sealed door, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguisher, etc. You'll be building a box inside a box, I would add a separate entry and a few windows. Try to keep in mind in your design future uses, easily become a man cave, or wood working room, etc.
Follow the same guidelines as building an attached garage. Fire rated walls, self closing sealed door, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguisher, etc. You'll be building a box inside a box, I would add a separate entry and a few windows. Try to keep in mind in your design future uses, easily become a man cave, or wood working room, etc.
Ilikeike
ALLIANCE MEMBER
There's no permits where you live?
Are you in Mexico or another Central America country ?
Are you in Mexico or another Central America country ?
TK-421
Well-known member
Don't need permits or inspections or codes in unincorporated places. My grandpa didn't need any permits when he converted his garage into a living room and built a bigger garage, or when he added several additions to his house, or when he built his pole barn. He also didn't need to get them inspected or build them to code.
Cyberbear
Well-known member
Sounds like a great plan and good luck to everyone involved. Sounds like a great place to live, work and play.
soj
Well-known member
Talk to local insurance agents first.
jp
jp
Nowater
Well-known member
Gasoline vapors tend to stay near the floor, and are usually considered to remain below 24 inches. Most garages are at least eight inches below the living area, so the idea of elevating the living area is worthwhile.
I suggest meeting electrical, plumbing, and structural codes regardless if they are required or not, and especially if you plan to live there. Do you have a wife or children to think about?
I suggest meeting electrical, plumbing, and structural codes regardless if they are required or not, and especially if you plan to live there. Do you have a wife or children to think about?
I have actually done a bunch of homework on this topic.
My dream is to build a large, high quality, garage apartment and I found a gorgeous design plan. Unfortunately, you can build a nice house for what this
"man cave" will cost.
Basically, it is a large 4 car "supersized" garage with roughly 1700+ square foot deluxe apartment / living space above.
Features four overhead insulated doors that are 10'x10' with ample shop space in the rear area of the building for workbench and tools as well as the interior stairs leading to the second floor apartment. Downstairs garage area also features and a small kitchenette with washer and dryer.
The building is 60' wide and 50' in depth with 12' ceiling height on the lower garage level. The apartment area features two bedrooms, 10' ceilings ( 1 for an office space), 1 large bathroom, kitchen, stone fireplace, rear deck area and large living space / T.V. area.
Check with out your building codes and zoning ordinances.
I currently cannot build one in my area due to zoning restrictions.
Cost-- To build this garage apartment properly with a lower level exhaust fan / ventilation system, Lower level Heat and A/C, upper level Apartment air and heat, 6.0" HD concrete floor, "big ***" ceiling fans, good quality lumber (no particle board or pressed wood) and all the plumbing and electrical, fixtures, appliances etc --- $180,000.
This one will be on hold for a few years, because I will not build it unless it is made from quality materials.
My dream is to build a large, high quality, garage apartment and I found a gorgeous design plan. Unfortunately, you can build a nice house for what this
"man cave" will cost.
Basically, it is a large 4 car "supersized" garage with roughly 1700+ square foot deluxe apartment / living space above.
Features four overhead insulated doors that are 10'x10' with ample shop space in the rear area of the building for workbench and tools as well as the interior stairs leading to the second floor apartment. Downstairs garage area also features and a small kitchenette with washer and dryer.
The building is 60' wide and 50' in depth with 12' ceiling height on the lower garage level. The apartment area features two bedrooms, 10' ceilings ( 1 for an office space), 1 large bathroom, kitchen, stone fireplace, rear deck area and large living space / T.V. area.
Check with out your building codes and zoning ordinances.
I currently cannot build one in my area due to zoning restrictions.
Cost-- To build this garage apartment properly with a lower level exhaust fan / ventilation system, Lower level Heat and A/C, upper level Apartment air and heat, 6.0" HD concrete floor, "big ***" ceiling fans, good quality lumber (no particle board or pressed wood) and all the plumbing and electrical, fixtures, appliances etc --- $180,000.
This one will be on hold for a few years, because I will not build it unless it is made from quality materials.
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tomroblee
Well-known member
I've got a weekend/vacation place in SW Indiana. There are a lot of similar set-ups in that area (including mine--although I have a bigger living area). In may area pole barns are far more common than all steel buildings. I looked into steel buildings, but they just didn't make sense in terms of cost and logistics. My area has a lot of Amish barn builders, but virtually nobody with any experience in steel buildings.
I would think long and hard about whether I wanted to put the living quarters in one end of a 14' tall building rather than having a lean-to or wing with lower ceiling heights for the living area. 14' ceilings are too high for a single story, and too low for two stories. (I have seen living quarters built into tall barn that have a "sleeping loft" one end and a "storage loft" on the other end. These would be better for teenagers than geezers like me.)
Depending on how you are using your garage/shop area it might be better to separate the living area. I wouldn't want my living area built into a garage/shop that had a lot of dust, fumes, or inflammables. Having a separate living area "wing" would allow you the option of a more flexible floor plan for the living area.
A wood floor is more comfortable than a concrete floor. You might consider having a crawl space under the living area--or at least raise it up on a platform. It's an added bonus to be able to route ductwork and plumbing under the floor.
Even though you aren't required to follow a building code, you shouldn't vary much from good building practices---especially with regard to safety related issues like electrical and fire walls.
Your proposed 16' x 40' living area won't allow much room for storage or a laundry area. While you are in the planning stages, you should give come consideration as to whether you want your laundry area, HVAC equipment, water heater, and general storage located in the living area or in the garage. (I use part of my garage as a mud room/laundry/storage area.) It's nice to have at least a sink in the garage area.
Pay attention to egress requirements. You will want a door from the living area to the outside, and it makes sense to have bedroom window large enough to get out in an emergency.
Make sure to use lots of insulation. Insulation is dirt cheap during construction when compared to the cost of high efficiency HVAC equipment and/or fuel costs.
I would think long and hard about whether I wanted to put the living quarters in one end of a 14' tall building rather than having a lean-to or wing with lower ceiling heights for the living area. 14' ceilings are too high for a single story, and too low for two stories. (I have seen living quarters built into tall barn that have a "sleeping loft" one end and a "storage loft" on the other end. These would be better for teenagers than geezers like me.)
Depending on how you are using your garage/shop area it might be better to separate the living area. I wouldn't want my living area built into a garage/shop that had a lot of dust, fumes, or inflammables. Having a separate living area "wing" would allow you the option of a more flexible floor plan for the living area.
A wood floor is more comfortable than a concrete floor. You might consider having a crawl space under the living area--or at least raise it up on a platform. It's an added bonus to be able to route ductwork and plumbing under the floor.
Even though you aren't required to follow a building code, you shouldn't vary much from good building practices---especially with regard to safety related issues like electrical and fire walls.
Your proposed 16' x 40' living area won't allow much room for storage or a laundry area. While you are in the planning stages, you should give come consideration as to whether you want your laundry area, HVAC equipment, water heater, and general storage located in the living area or in the garage. (I use part of my garage as a mud room/laundry/storage area.) It's nice to have at least a sink in the garage area.
Pay attention to egress requirements. You will want a door from the living area to the outside, and it makes sense to have bedroom window large enough to get out in an emergency.
Make sure to use lots of insulation. Insulation is dirt cheap during construction when compared to the cost of high efficiency HVAC equipment and/or fuel costs.
coljar
Well-known member
bcoke
Well-known member
This is exactly what I have done , back in 1998 I built a gambrel style barn 24 by 48 feet with the second floor 26 by 48 feet on my retirement property and had a one car garage door of a single garage the rest of the fist floor was a stairwell going to second floor , a half bath, a utility room [boiler,well etc] and a woodworking/shop area .........upstairs was a three bedroom [think small] with a full bath and a 1/2 bath in the master.......the rest was a large great room with a wall of kitchen cabinets/ table /living room, I will try to attach pix........Had the slab put in,used panelized construction [built to my plans,brought in by three tractor trailers erected in two days most of the first day all walls and interior patrons with the trusses laid on top to be installed 2nd day......worke out great used it for 12+ years than built real house and use it as overflow guest cottage ....will try to post pix...bobbycoke
My Old Tools
Well-known member
There are several recent threads on this. I described mine on a thread last week. Several of us have done it. Probably easier outside the city limits. In Texas Farm Bureau Ins. and Germania Ins. are known to insure these type arrangements.
search terms are shop-dominium or barn-dominium.
search terms are shop-dominium or barn-dominium.
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TK-421
Well-known member
Got any guesses as to cost if the building is 100x100?
Chaz
Well-known member
Moose97
Well-known member
We have a family farm that has a 30X50 shop on it that we built an apartment inside. Bedroom, living room, kitchen and bath. Worked out great!
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
From a resale value, upstairs apartment probably would be better.
What ever you do, extreme car should be taken to have vapor and fire resistant walls between the 2 areas. 2 layers of 1/2" "plaster board" (first layer must have tape and one coat of mud on the seams) will give you a lot of fire resistance, but this has to go from concrete floor to roof, not just the ceiling.
I would strongly consider some type of negative ventilation (fans blowing out) in the garage area.
What ever you do, extreme car should be taken to have vapor and fire resistant walls between the 2 areas. 2 layers of 1/2" "plaster board" (first layer must have tape and one coat of mud on the seams) will give you a lot of fire resistance, but this has to go from concrete floor to roof, not just the ceiling.
I would strongly consider some type of negative ventilation (fans blowing out) in the garage area.
4lug39
Well-known member
Mine is 100X60X16 with 40X40X30 on one side for the house above the shop it cost right at 35,000. The slab and insulation cost a little more 40,000+. Then about 20,000 to finish it out. like others have said make sure you use lots of sound deading material and insulation. I have the shop tools and equipment under the house side and some of them(lathe,chop saw) could be heard upstairs. They were under the kitchen area but You could still hear them. I've put more sound deading material and a solid roof in that area and its fine now.
Barndominimums. all over Texas. A lot of concern about living space near fuels, lubes, etc., yet a lot of houses in the city have attached garages with all that plus a gas water heater with a lit pilot flame. Wouldn't do it myself, but..............others sure have.
No idea as to the cost associated with a 100' x 100' apartment / building.
Too many variables in terms of materials, fixtures, deep well, plumbing, septic, doors etc etc.
Obviously there would be more labor and more materials used for the construction as well.
I will make a wild card guess at somewhere north of $300,000 and that is if you already own the property.
A new machine shed with an addition off the back or side of the building would be the easiest, but then you are on one floor.
My hope down the road is to have a new garage apartment built and to build a new home all at the same time. This way you are able to better utilize all the contractors and materials / equipment. Get a total bid price from two or three reputable general contractors.
I roughly estimated the house and garage / shop setup at $500,000 plus the cost of the land, septic and deep well.
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