new cold storage garage

[walleyeking48]

Hi all

I live in MN and I am wanting to build a garage in my back yard to store my fish house, boat, etc. I checked with the city (live in the county but in city limits) and I can build a 1600 sq ft garage or smaller. If I go over 1000 sq ft I need footings. I would like footings anyway due to the garage will be built in clay soils. I am thinking of going 34x40x12 sidewalls. I can only go 12' foot sidewalls due to local code. I have a few questions.

1. Footings. Obviously a traditional frost footing would be the best, but also very expensive. What is everyone's take on the monolithic footings vs the pole barn footing? I am leaning on going with the pole barn, BUT the city tells me I have to match the house. I have steel siding and asphalt shingles. Would it be cost effective to do a pole barn but frame it out for siding and get the correct rafters also for shingles.

2.Garage doors. I am looking at going 40'W x 36' D. Due to the design of my lot and septic system, and well I would have to put the doors on the 34' side. Can I get an 11' door with 12' sidewalls. I talked with one builder who said he could do it but it would be tight. He mentioned jackplates or something like that. What is a common size door in the 22 or 24' range? I would also have a 10x10 door for my truck on the same wall.

3. The builder I met with mentioned something about a vaulted ceiling to give me more room. Not sure how that would work.

4. Windows. I plan on putting 5 windows in. They would be placed high and non opening. I just want some natural light. Is that a mistake? I would also do a 36" service door.

I have a bunch more questions but this is a start. Thanks for taking a look at my post.

 

[Ralbert]

I have the same dilemma - wanting to do a cold storage garage for boat/toys, etc. and would be interested in what other people might have for cold storage garages along with answers to these questions! Thank you.

 

[slowtx275]

Don't know if it will help at all, but the door is the only thing I can answer on. I have a 35'X50' with 14' walls. I was able to do a 14' door, but had to do a slightly steeper pitch. The door is a 14x14 centered on the 35' wall, just had to do a 3/12 pitch instead of the "standard 1/12 or 2/12.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Where in MN are you at? If in the red river valley you will have highly expansive clay soils. I have seen a few pole garages here, but it seems like there are more issues with movement than the owners would like.

 

[walleyeking48]

I am in St Michael. Its close to the cities, about 30 miles NW of MPLS.

 

[rsparks64]

When I lived in Minnesota we just put things outside for cold storage.

 

[bcoke]

Hello from Vermont.....just built a 24 x40 "cold winter storage" **** shack for mowers,kids go carts , lawn decorations [a buggy for plants, a bike for plants etc] just to keep this ****........errr stuff out of my workshop/barn.......which is nicly heated [radient in floor.....so great] what my concrete gut specified was a 12 inch "alaska footing" which I had not heard of but is a monilithic slab 12 inches deep at footing running to 4 inches at slab size with the 4-12 inch depth over 18 inches at perimeter I hope this is easy to visualize.......it basically floats I guess, he does a lot of theses up here and they work fine for garages-sheds-maple syrup shacks etc........bobbycoke

 

[PhantomEB]

You mentioned Vaulted ceilings, gives you the illusion and feeling of a grander space. Myself I wish I had gone this route with my 24x24 with 9.5’ walls.

Cold storage, not in the city....seacans out in the back 40 is what I would do.