Hello, longtime reader, first time poster, finally have my own garage

[Javelin]

Hi everyone! I know some of you from other forums and clubs and have read the epic threads for years. Although I have owned a garage since 2006, it was always filled with other people's "stuff" and used for things besides working on cars. I had a few years with a shed and a HF carport tent but that is all behind me now.

I recently moved into a rental with an awesome 2-car garage that's an extra half car long and has some built-in storage. After dealing with all of the other things with moving and life changes, I am finally ready to transform it into a working space. This obviously won't be the highest end or coolest garage, I have a budget and don't own the house, but I am hoping to apply the tips and tricks you have all given to make a functioning space for working on my race cars.

Without further ado, here is the first episode:

Note that my channel is not monetized and I have no sponsors or affiliates, this is strictly for fun. I appreciate any advice, tips, tricks, or feedback you have, especially as it pertains to things I can do and "take with me" when I leave.

Thanks!

Michael

 

[coljar]

I watched your video and it shouldn't take too long to clean that up and organize things into a working area. Even though you said you've been reading for a while, welcome to the Garage Journal.

 

[Javelin]

I watched your video and it shouldn't take too long to clean that up and organize things into a working area. Even though you said you've been reading for a while, welcome to the Garage Journal.

Thank you! Yeah, the clean up should be fast, it's more the "getting it functional" part. I have some shelving to put up but I haven't really figured out beyond that things to do that I can take with me.

 

[coljar]

I will tell you this, when I was planning my garage, I had a basic idea of what I wanted and where I wanted to put things such as benches, tool boxes, etc., but as time went on, I changed most of the small details. What I'm saying is, once you have things cleaned up, don't be in a big hurry to get it finished.

 

[nadogail]

Welcome Aboard

 

[GTO]

Welcome,and don't blame us if you start to spend all of you $$ on tools...
You know you need at least 20 ratchets now.

 

[Javelin]

I will tell you this, when I was planning my garage, I had a basic idea of what I wanted and where I wanted to put things such as benches, tool boxes, etc., but as time went on, I changed most of the small details. What I'm saying is, once you have things cleaned up, don't be in a big hurry to get it finished.

Sound advice, thank you.

 

[Javelin]

I did a timelapse of the next day I had out here:

 

[Javelin]

Welcome,and don't blame us if you start to spend all of you $$ on tools...
You know you need at least 20 ratchets now.

LOL, you all already did that! I worked in the industry for years and built up the hand tool collection pretty well. That's why I needed the boxes.

 

[sherlocktk]

My advise is to be careful where you put something the first time as that is where it will live forever. Take some time and thing through what you will use most and have that closes to prime wall space. It takes a lot of will power to decide to move a tool box to the other side of the garage after it has been there for a year or so.

 

[Javelin]

I'm preparing the garage for the incoming Snowmageddon!!!

 

[Spareparts]

Just put everything on wheels so you can move it around

 

[Javelin]

I've been chipping away at the garage project little by little. Mostly just trying to keep up momentum and not take steps back.

 

[Javelin]

Well not a lot happened to the garage during all of the snowstorms, but I did manage to almost finish building my HF tool cart, which through a series of hilarious events became dubbed the "DANGER BOX". As anyone who has assembled one of them knows, there comes a part where you have to drop the heavy tool chest part on top of the 4 legs and try not to sever your fingers. My assistant dropped it, nearly crushing my hand, so she dubbed it DANGER BOX and refused to touch it! I drew up a funny little pencil sketch and related it to my local car forum:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/i-built-a-hf-tool-box-and-it-nearly-severed-my-fingers-so-i-started-a-metal-band/150760/page3/#post2688170

That in turn inspired one of the guys to make a die cut vinyl of the logo to send to me for the box, which I applied here:

 

[Javelin]

So the house I am renting is going up on the market now, and I need to decide whether to buy it, rent somewhere else, or buy somewhere else. It is a double lot and there's room for a separate garage still.

Thoughts?

 

[OneOfEm]

Two thoughts:

1. At certain stages of life, a house is temporary. Sometimes "temporary" could be 10+ years, but it's not a lifetime commitment. Embrace that, and move.

2. I prefer putting more thought into buying a house than just buying one by default. You chose the house you're in to rent, not to buy. That said, if the "not a lifetime commitment" part of #1 applies and you're willing to stay in your current house for long enough for a purchase to make sense, *and* you're happy with the house, the location, etc., go for it.

 

[jfish]

Welcome PNW friend.

I bought my house with a detached 24x30 9 years ago. My first garage. I had this grand idea of how it was going to be. I've rearranged the space 10 times. And I'm just about ready to do it again.

The space will evolve as you use it. If you are only renting, I wouldn't go overboard.

In terms of buying? I don't know your income/education/career situation but I'll say this...

What are you paying for rent?
What is the asking price?
What mortgage terms are you able to get?

Me? I tried this same scenario about 20 years ago with a condo. The story is more complex, nonetheless it didn't work out for me. HOWEVER.

Had there been no collapse of the HOA. I could and would have kept that condo as a rental. Point being. You are renting the house now. What's to stop you from buying it and renting it in the future and buying another home?

Good luck! I don't log in often anymore but I'll follow and check in regularly.

 

[Javelin]

Two thoughts:

1. At certain stages of life, a house is temporary. Sometimes "temporary" could be 10+ years, but it's not a lifetime commitment. Embrace that, and move.

2. I prefer putting more thought into buying a house than just buying one by default. You chose the house you're in to rent, not to buy. That said, if the "not a lifetime commitment" part of #1 applies and you're willing to stay in your current house for long enough for a purchase to make sense, *and* you're happy with the house, the location, etc., go for it.

I guess I should throw in more details!

I moved to this city in 2006 when I bought my first house here. Got married, had kids, bought a bigger house 3 blocks away in 2016. Got divorced last year, ex-wife took over the 16 house, and I moved into the rental because it's 2 blocks away (making parenting plan stuff easy) and I like it. 3 bed, 2 bath, XL long 2 car garage, powered shed, room to build a shop, giant back deck with 2 pergolas with wysteria grown around them, etc. Love the place quite a bit, it just has been neglected.

Ex is planning on staying put until at least 2024 to get oldest kid through elementary school, and I plan on staying in same school district as the kids grow up. My finances are solid enough to buy again, but I'm also not opposed to renting if I can lock down a long term lease.

 

[Javelin]

I got the shed cleaned out and started storing big things in it from the garage to help make room, so not so much work on the garage itself, but it's definitely related!

Video here:

 

[BajaScout]

Making progress!

Keep up the good work. I like the time lapse videos.

 

[Javelin]

Making progress!

Keep up the good work. I like the time lapse videos.

Thanks! I'll have to do more now that I'm getting used to the camera.

 

[ddawg16]

Welcome Javelin.....

Like the others have said.....it will change. Use it for awhile....then you start to find out what really works.

As for buying the house? Tough one....Can you afford it? Are they giving you a good deal? The fact you are already living in it means you pretty much know what is wrong with it.

Even if it is not perfect.....buying a house is almost always a better option....when you rent....you get nothing back when you leave. When you own....for the most part, what you put into it, you get back when you sell.

We bought our house in 2000....with no money down. Right now, if I was to sell, I think we would walk away with about $500K. Not a bad return in 18 years.

 

[Bent Handle]

The good part of buying something you’ve lived in is you generally know what’s wrong with it and can work a deal accordingly.

 

[Javelin]

I had the inspection today, no surprises just the stuff I already knew about living here since October. I did an update video and really showed the outside area where the shed is and where I can build a shop.

I'd really appreciate any feedback from anyone who has built a shop or had a shop built. My idea is bulldoze the completely rotted shed and expand the concrete slab all the way to the property line and fence lines, and then build a metal building shop that has room for about 3 cars including a lift. I'd do a wide garage door facing the driveway (perpendicular to the current garage door). The house is wired for 220V on a 50 amp breaker for a hottub that's no longer in service, and there's already a wiring run made to the shed.

I appreciate any advice!

 

[Javelin]

Any ideas?

 

[Javelin]

Back by popular demand, timelapse!

We finished building Danger Box the HF tool cart, got some oil and filters in the mail, and then got serious about putting tools away. Got a lot done!!

 

[Javelin]

Here's the regular-speed video of the aftermath of the timelapse:

All-in-all it went well and we got a lot accomplished. Danger box is finished and probably 80-90% of my tools are now stored in the boxes and the workbench is pretty well cleared off. It's starting to look like a real, usable garage now.

 

[Javelin]

My daughter wanted to make a video, so she filmed me accessorizing the Danger Box:

 

[Javelin]

More tool finds to fill up the boxes:

 

[qwerth]

welcome !

 

[Javelin]

So, I bought the house! Closed at the end of July and now it's mine all mine, so the real garage rehab can begin in earnest this weekend. Should be good!

 

[Javelin]

I started on the garage again in earnest now that I own it and made some good progress.