monkeyplasm
Well-known member
Hello all,
Daily lurker, rare poster. I'd like some opinions, qualified or not, on my garage re-build. I have questions about an existing slab I want to 're-use'. Thanks for any input you may have. Hope this isn't too long and rambling...
My codes inspector stopped by to let me know that my shed is going to have to come down. It was long term, yet temporary, storage for my garage-type junk since my garage burned down a couple years ago.
I have attached a couple pics of the remaining slab and "stem walls" (whatever they're called). Note that the slab has long ago settled a little low in the front right and pools shallow water halfway in and halfway out of the garage door openings. The slab slopes a little from back to front, probably by design. Slab is 31' by 26' deep; with 6" walls that leave a 30'x25' interior. I do not know how thick the slab is.
Note that the garage is set behind the back of the house by about 50 feet or more - note the google maps picture, pre-fire.
Blue would be fence/gate to access old garage. Orange would be new driveway or graveled area to get around the new garage. Green would be new garage (in the 2-garage scenario). Red is property boundary - existing driveway is as close to right boundary as is allowed. You can see that there is a lot of space between house and garage - the 'excel picture' proposed garage is 61 feet deep (including existing slab) and would still be ~15 feet from the back of the house.
Sorry for the vehicles in the way in the pics.
What I want, generally:
More garage - extending to the front. I can't go wider - setbacks are large on this property. I'd like to keep the existing slab as the 'dirty work area' and put a 'clean half' in front, as generally depicted in the attached 'excel' picture.
I don't want to have the expense of tearing out and replacing the slab if I can reasonably avoid it. I think I'd like pole barn (post/beam) style construction rather than standard stick built walls.
Issues:
Basically, all my problems/unknowns center on the existing slab.
Will the 'stem walls' on the slab screw the pole barn style up - I have no idea if I can safely/properly attach posts (instead of standard framed walls) to the slab.
If I go with standard stick framing, should I pour the same style slab as exists now with the mini 'stem walls'? With the slope of the existing slab I'm concerned about having a low spot in the middle of the side walls.
If the slope of the existing slab is a problem, should/can I 'shave off' the 'stem walls' and somehow build a level wall building platform.
Existing slab 'stem walls' have most of their tie-downs (earthquake straps) damaged or missing.
How can I determine the slab thickness (for a 2 post lift), drill a hole?
Can a new slab be correctly poured so it ties into and abuts the existing slab? (after driveway aggregate removal)
I guess I'm having a hard time swallowing the idea that the existing slab, which seems generally fine, needs to come out.
Rebuild options seem to be:
(1) Put back the same garage that was there before.
(2) Add to existing slab (somehow) and make a bigger multi-use garage.
(3) Put back existing garage, then leave a big gap, then a new garage of similar size - maybe attached to the house. This leaves the 'dirty garage' hidden from the street and accessed from around the side of the new garage. See the google maps picture. Another benefit of this option is the ability to build in stages.
Thanks for your patience if you've read this far! I'm feeling somewhat paralyzed by too many unknowns and all the options. What ideas or answers do you have, what would you do?
Daily lurker, rare poster. I'd like some opinions, qualified or not, on my garage re-build. I have questions about an existing slab I want to 're-use'. Thanks for any input you may have. Hope this isn't too long and rambling...
My codes inspector stopped by to let me know that my shed is going to have to come down. It was long term, yet temporary, storage for my garage-type junk since my garage burned down a couple years ago.
I have attached a couple pics of the remaining slab and "stem walls" (whatever they're called). Note that the slab has long ago settled a little low in the front right and pools shallow water halfway in and halfway out of the garage door openings. The slab slopes a little from back to front, probably by design. Slab is 31' by 26' deep; with 6" walls that leave a 30'x25' interior. I do not know how thick the slab is.
Note that the garage is set behind the back of the house by about 50 feet or more - note the google maps picture, pre-fire.
Blue would be fence/gate to access old garage. Orange would be new driveway or graveled area to get around the new garage. Green would be new garage (in the 2-garage scenario). Red is property boundary - existing driveway is as close to right boundary as is allowed. You can see that there is a lot of space between house and garage - the 'excel picture' proposed garage is 61 feet deep (including existing slab) and would still be ~15 feet from the back of the house.
Sorry for the vehicles in the way in the pics.
What I want, generally:
More garage - extending to the front. I can't go wider - setbacks are large on this property. I'd like to keep the existing slab as the 'dirty work area' and put a 'clean half' in front, as generally depicted in the attached 'excel' picture.
I don't want to have the expense of tearing out and replacing the slab if I can reasonably avoid it. I think I'd like pole barn (post/beam) style construction rather than standard stick built walls.
Issues:
Basically, all my problems/unknowns center on the existing slab.
Will the 'stem walls' on the slab screw the pole barn style up - I have no idea if I can safely/properly attach posts (instead of standard framed walls) to the slab.
If I go with standard stick framing, should I pour the same style slab as exists now with the mini 'stem walls'? With the slope of the existing slab I'm concerned about having a low spot in the middle of the side walls.
If the slope of the existing slab is a problem, should/can I 'shave off' the 'stem walls' and somehow build a level wall building platform.
Existing slab 'stem walls' have most of their tie-downs (earthquake straps) damaged or missing.
How can I determine the slab thickness (for a 2 post lift), drill a hole?
Can a new slab be correctly poured so it ties into and abuts the existing slab? (after driveway aggregate removal)
I guess I'm having a hard time swallowing the idea that the existing slab, which seems generally fine, needs to come out.
Rebuild options seem to be:
(1) Put back the same garage that was there before.
(2) Add to existing slab (somehow) and make a bigger multi-use garage.
(3) Put back existing garage, then leave a big gap, then a new garage of similar size - maybe attached to the house. This leaves the 'dirty garage' hidden from the street and accessed from around the side of the new garage. See the google maps picture. Another benefit of this option is the ability to build in stages.
Thanks for your patience if you've read this far! I'm feeling somewhat paralyzed by too many unknowns and all the options. What ideas or answers do you have, what would you do?
