My 38' x 50' Garage Build

[zef_66]

So this is my first post here. I've lurked a long time. For my first, why not start my build thread.

I am in the slow, painful process of building a 38' x 50' garage on some property we own. The property is about 1.5 hours away, so things progress slowly. Especially when doing the work yourself. We purchased the land 5.5 years ago with the intent of building a house and living there someday. In my mind, the first and most important thing to have is a garage. So I'm starting on it.

5 years ago it looked like this:

I worked diligently when I could to get the area cleared. Then last fall, I had a driveway put in:

And the spot for the garage cleared:

(This photo is from almost the exact same spot as the first photo)

Through the winter, I have been working on the getting things in order. First, I have the rough floor plan:

I'm sure this may change a bit as I go. But it's a start. I also have the attic truss layout and quote. And today I am working on my zoning permit and erosion and soil conservation plan. Really fun stuff but it needs done.

I'm hoping to start first thing in the spring digging the foundation, pouring the footer and laying block.

Stay tuned for more!

 

[iajonesy]

Wow. What a beautiful area. Mind if I ask where it is?
I notice that you have front and rear overhead doors,is that something you must have? Seems to me you are losing a lot of valuable wall space by doing that.Could you get by with one door on the back side? Just curious,it's still nicer than mine and you're paying the bills.
By the way welcome aboard the Garage Journal. I hope you like it here.You will get much unsolicited advice and comments. I meant no offense with mine. Keep the photos coming,we all like pictures.

Mike

 

[zef_66]

Wow. What a beautiful area. Mind if I ask where it is?
I notice that you have front and rear overhead doors,is that something you must have? Seems to me you are losing a lot of valuable wall space by doing that.Could you get by with one door on the back side? Just curious,it's still nicer than mine and you're paying the bills.
By the way welcome aboard the Garage Journal. I hope you like it here.You will get much unsolicited advice and comments. I meant no offense with mine. Keep the photos coming,we all like pictures.

Mike

Thanks Mike,

This is in North Central Pennsylvania. We own 68 acres total that we will be building our house on someday. But the garage is coming first.

The way the garage is going to be positioned, they are actually going to be side doors. So the garage is going to be a pull through. It just works with the way the land and house-to-be is laid out. At least in my mind it work.

No problems with the advise. It all helps me look at everything from different angles. Things I may not see, someone else does and it helps overall to point them out.

Thanks!

 

[zef_66]

So for a minor update, I got the zoning permit. There were some problems between the zoning officer and the conservation district.

I am going to general contract this myself. So I am the one that has to jump through all the hoops. In order to get a zoning permit, I need to contact and discuss my project with the local conservation district that handles soil erosion and water drainage and stuff. Regardless of the size of the project, any time I dig dirt I am required by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to have a soil erosion plan in place. This is to be a written plan several pages long that details the project, site map, and the soil erosion control practices I plan on using. Again, regardless of the size or amount of dirt I am moving, I am required to have a plan like this.

So I follow all the procedures and do my plan. I call and discuss my plan and garage project with the local conservation district. Per their regulations, because my the amount of dirt I will be moving is less than a pre-set amount, my plan is not required to have a formal review. So the guy I talked to sent me a letter stating this. Apparently this letter was not good enough for the zoning officer. So I had to make more phone calls, she had to call the conservation district guy herself. He had to make up a new letter for her. And send it out to me and her. Then the zoning officer could issue the permit. But, that is what I had to do.

I know this stuff is small compared to some of the BS that you guys have to deal with. But it still ***** when I am not used to doing this stuff. But nonetheless, I got my permit. Now to wait for the 2 feet of snow that is on the ground to melt and the ground to dry out and I can start digging!