Above 1200 Sq/FT New digs, bigger garage!

[rmmiller]

So we decided to take the plunge once again and make a move. I had outgrown the garage when a new project car followed me home, what had once been an acceptable sized work area was now cramped beyond using. I was making due, moving my truck out when needed, moved my work bench to the back wall and maneuvering cars for space.

As winter was creeping in I was preparing to take the boat in for winterization on a rainy, windy day. As I was out removing the cover, getting wet and cussing up a storm about it when my wife suggested we build a shop. That would let me have a work space and the boat would take up the bay of the garage I was using.

We started looking into that option when we remembered the drain field and reserve took up the entire back yard area. A call to the county and I was in touch with a very helpful inspector that was more than willing to work with me. In the end I was going to need to work with an engineer and would likely have a smaller space than desired.

The next strike was talking to a neighbor that recently built a shop and hearing the price, sticker shock! Last shop I had we built in 97, 28x30 and it was under 10k with free labor from me, the brothers and dad. Dad is now in his last days and we are all old enough we didn't want to build it!

With all that in mind coupled with momma wanting to do new floors and possibly a bathroom make over we said screw it, lets sell and get what we want! We had been eyeballing the plans for the house we went with for some time. As nice as a shop would be, it would only enable me to drag home more **** I don't need so we just upped the garage size. I also added bonus room trusses over the main garage for storage and the boat will just have to live outside.

This is the house, the last bay is 15 wide by 30 deep. Not huge but plenty big enough for me. The second project can languish in the main garage along with our drivers. I am having them wall off my work space, no more dirty cars from my mess making! Looking at May/June for completion, till then we're in a tiny duplex. I'll update as the build moves on.

 

[rmmiller]

This is the garage I had, the cars are at my brothers place until they get the house done.

In work mode.

Storage mode, the Chevelle and Maverick are in the right bay.

 

[Ak Jim]

Is the house being built? Can you extend the 3rd bay all the way to the back of the house? Looks like there are no windows along that wall. Would provide a lot of room if you could extend it.

 

[MacTexas]

One of the things about my house is I always wished the utility room was bigger. Other than that I like the plans.

 

[rmmiller]

We did address that, the image posted was the stock floor plan from the builders web site. That is an area my wife has complained about for years and now she'll have some room. We are also going to have them run the cabinets where the appliances are and move the appliances to the wall where the cabinets are shown. Only reason for that is she wouldn't be able to reach the window to open it!

 

[rmmiller]

Is the house being built? Can you extend the 3rd bay all the way to the back of the house? Looks like there are no windows along that wall. Would provide a lot of room if you could extend it.

It is being built and I did consider stretching it some but what the stock plan doesn't show is we added a window to the laundry and there will be three small windows on the wall above where the bed would be in that back bedroom. those were something my wife wanted.

 

[rmmiller]

All moved out of our house and into a 900 sq ft,1940's duplex. We close on the sale this week and permits are in on the new house. Can't be done soon enough!

 

[puttinonthekritz]

Regarding the garage I'd move the rear garage service door to one side so it opens against a wall and you have more wall space for storage, etc. Also, what garage door width are you doing, 10ft?

 

[puttinonthekritz]

I'd like to offer a few suggestion as well regarding the house plan, I just built my home two years ago and had a few lessons learned. Since you have 4ft wide halls I'd suggest 36" wide doors for both your two utility room doors for bringing in your furniture, washer/dryer, carrying in groceries.

Also, your shared master bath wall with bedroom #2 utilize a double stud wall, 5/8 drywall (two layers if possible), and fill each stud cavity with Rockwool safe and sound insulation from sound transfer of the running water, toilet, shower in the bedroom. And a piano window above the mirror on the master sink wall would let in some nice natural light since you have 9ft ceilings.

 

[puttinonthekritz]

I'd like to offer a few suggestions as well regarding the house plan, I just built my home two years ago and had a few lessons learned. Since you have 4ft wide halls I'd suggest 36" wide doors for both your two utility room doors for bringing in your furniture, washer/dryer, carrying in groceries.

Also, your shared master bath wall with bedroom #2 utilize a double stud wall, 5/8 drywall (two layers if possible), and fill each stud cavity with Rockwool safe and sound insulation from sound transfer of the running water, toilet, shower in the bedroom. And a piano window above the mirror on the master sink wall would let in some nice natural light since you have 9ft ceilings.

 

[puttinonthekritz]

In addition, that concept could be applied to your shared bathroom and bedroom room #3 wall as well. If a double stud wall is to thick and don't want the loss of space you could always use a 2x6 top and bottom plate and utilize 2x4s framed to the outside every 16"oc, so the vibration of noise transfer is theoretically through only the top and bottom place, not every stud. Also, still filling the cavity with Rockwool and utilizing a denser 5/8 drywall (again, 2 layers preferable).

This practice I would also carry over to your powder room bathroom since its so close the living room and kitchen. Utilize the Rockwool in the entire room stud bays and 5/8 drywall at least on the interior portion of the bathroom and pantry wall side.

That's my two cents Also, how wide/long is your kitchen island?

 

[PugetDude]

Congratulations on selling your place!
Subscribed to follow the build on the new one.

 

[travisn1]

Can you post your 'custom' plans when they are done? Even just a screenshot like the stock one would be great. Always collecting ideas for a future build.

 

[rmmiller]

Regarding the garage I'd move the rear garage service door to one side so it opens against a wall and you have more wall space for storage, etc. Also, what garage door width are you doing, 10ft?

Right there with you, it will be discussed at our pre-build meeting. In the future we may put the boat in that bay (pending completed cars) and would need to be able to access the door.

In addition, that concept could be applied to your shared bathroom and bedroom room #3 wall as well. If a double stud wall is to thick and don't want the loss of space you could always use a 2x6 top and bottom plate and utilize 2x4s framed to the outside every 16"oc, so the vibration of noise transfer is theoretically through only the top and bottom place, not every stud. Also, still filling the cavity with Rockwool and utilizing a denser 5/8 drywall (again, 2 layers preferable).

This practice I would also carry over to your powder room bathroom since its so close the living room and kitchen. Utilize the Rockwool in the entire room stud bays and 5/8 drywall at least on the interior portion of the bathroom and pantry wall side.

That's my two cents Also, how wide/long is your kitchen island?

Appreciate the suggestions, as far as double walls, I considered that but this is for a couple of dincs (dual income no children) and we didn't really see the need. In my opinion it's too much house and not enough garage but she needs an office killing one bedroom, we'll have the spare suite for guests and I didn't care enough to remember her plan for the fourth!

We plan to discuss the door width as well at the meeting, I tossed the window idea at my wife and the wheels are turning.

Can you post your 'custom' plans when they are done? Even just a screenshot like the stock one would be great. Always collecting ideas for a future build.

Once it's dialed in I'll post it up.

 

[rmmiller]

Dirt's moved forms are up and the snow came so things are on hold. Not sure what they are up to and if it will pass inspection but the have the footings formed along with the stem walls with no concrete poured as of yet. This is the first I have seen this, watched many houses built around here and it's one then the other. Only thing that makes sense is they will still do one then the other by pouring around the forms. Guess we'll see.

 

[rmmiller]

Hoping they are close to a pour, we're thinking once the roads clear a bit more they will go to town. The lot is at the end of a cul-de-sac at the bottom of a hill, doubt they want to bring the trucks down when there's a chance they won't get back out.

 

[rmmiller]

Progress, foundation is done, water, cable and sewer to the house. Needs natural gas run and probably inspections.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Exciting project. I don't know how I missed it for more than a month - well, I actually DO know how I missed it but I won't into it - but glad I caught on to it before the build really gets going.

Gonna be fun to watch!

 

[rmmiller]

Hopefully updates will start coming more frequently. It should be getting the lumber package soon, the one they are building ahead of us is mostly framed and waiting on trusses.

 

[rmmiller]

seeing some action now, this was Thursday and there is more done since. Should see trusses next week.

 

[TimTaylor75]

That's going to be a great spot! Congrats!

 

[rmmiller]

That's going to be a great spot! Congrats!

Thanks! It will be a good spot, many of our complaints about previous homes have been addressed and this one is as close to right as I think we'll ever get.

 

[rmmiller]

Here's the front elevation and the finalized floor plan.

 

[rmmiller]

Starting to look like the plans!

 

[MrScott99]

Looks awesome. I really like your floor plan!

 

[quadrcr87]

That is a good size garage for an attached! It would be like adding a 15 x 30 to the side of my garage and I would love it.

 

[rmmiller]

Looks awesome. I really like your floor plan!

Thanks, we had looked at the plans for a little more than a year before finally going with it.

That is a good size garage for an attached! It would be like adding a 15 x 30 to the side of my garage and I would love it.

It's going to be a welcome addition! The garage we had before was the same as the two car bay with the 15 x 30 as the third. For us we'll be adding the 13 x 24 as extra space over the last one. The best part is my mess will be contained to that end bay. No more unhappy wife when she finds her car covered in dust from my junker!

 

[rmmiller]

Been a while since I added updates, they're getting to the tedious part of building a house but the projected closing date is less than a month out. Took these at the beginning of May and forgot to post them, first one is the work shop area, last two are the parking bays. I should get much more interesting once we have keys and I get to laying it all out!

 

[LXCam]

That’s going to be a really nice set up. Congrats on the new almost complete digs.

 

[rmmiller]

Thanks, getting excited to get in.

 

[MrPink]

Love the size, I wish I had the area to do that in. Most I can do is turn my enclosed porch into the tool storage/work area.

 

[rmmiller]

We were fortunate to be able to get a lot wide enough for the house. The builder is in three different areas in town and where we wanted to land they only had one lot big enough. There were two others considering the lot but we jumped first. It's also at the end of a culdesac so we won't have traffic flying by.

Stopped in last night to look and they have the laminate floors done. Carpet needs to go down in the bedrooms and the floors will be wrapped up. Getting closer!

 

[jbrentd]

I like the house and garage layout a lot. You're almost there!

 

[rmmiller]

We are getting close, fortunately we aren't getting bit by the covid shortages. All the appliances are in the garage as are all the light fixtures.

 

[rmmiller]

I sure let this wither away! I managed to get things half assed set up then decided to change the layout. I also made my own Magic Stairs, was committed to buying theirs but where I wanted them the trusses took a little wiggle and were too narrow for what was required. I also built a shed, did a bunch of yard work for wifey and dinked around with my project car. I'm in the middle of reworking my workspace, I'll post pictures as I get some progress done.

Here are my stairs in action, I have replaced the cable pulleys and it smoothed out the action a ton.

The attic was a mess, I had no storage set up so the **** was on the floor. Last weekend I started closing it in, had to build a false wall at the end so I could insulate and put up OSB. I got a start down one wall and was able to get some totes off the floor.






The shed is done except exterior paint, it was too cold once I finished siding so it will wait til spring. I went with 8x12, it fit the location and kept me small enough to not need a permit. The ballpeen was a nod to my dad, He passed two years ago and this was my first project without him helping out. On many of the projects we did together I would break out that hammer to drive nails. As soon as he had opportunity to get his hands on it he would send it flying and tell me to get a real hammer. As I was working one day I broke it out to drive a couple nails in his memory.

 

[Boostingaz]

That's a real nice looking shed. Good work.

Ummmmm fyi, there is a guy and his dog in your attic, looks like they have been there a while.

 

[rmmiller]

They were the supervisors, that's how long it took me to get to that project!

 

[rmmiller]

Making headway little by little. I set up another bench along an open wall, moved my cabinets over and added some Wall Control panels. I like these a lot, much nicer than the white wood panels.


Also made more progerss in the attic. It's been a slow go mostly because I really don't want to do it and it's out of sight, out of mind!