Oh boy- Need some suggestions. Brick Outbuilding

[cturboaddict]

my 2 cents is saving the building along the wall with the door and 2 window openings i would install a door and 2 glass panels. this would be my man cave/clean workroom area. a/c stereo,computer, tv etc. Now the reason for the windows is to look into my garage with all my toys. It is easy to knock it down but it is history

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This is the way I've been leaning... But knocking out the wall in it's entirety and making the man cave area much smaller.

 

[cturboaddict]

What about of you were to remove the one wall along the low side of the property.
This is it concidered an patio?
If you do that you could still store stuff in it like a mower and garden tools

Bob

Sneaky... But I like it.

 

[cturboaddict]

Obviously, when I said make it a shed AND build a garage, I didn't know about that goofy City ordinance. Not sure what the purpose is. So.....

1. Talk to your closest neighbors, and see if any of them would object to you fixing this up AND building a nice looking garage. After all, it is a bit of an eyesore right now, and they might appreciate you beautifying the neighborhood.

2. Then (assuming your neighbors are on board) I would have a sit down talk with someone at the planning commission (or whatever the governing body is). MANY times, a variance can be worked out provided none of your neighbors object. Seems silly and counterproductive to me to require tear down of this building just because you want a real garage. You might be surprised.

If that isn't an option, easy call for me; tear it down and build a proper garage.

Neighbors are def on board. It's in direct view of their backyard, and they have to stare at it more than I do. LOL
I've already spoken to them about it.

 

[cturboaddict]

Build onto it, make the addition the size you wanted in the first place.

This is the direction I think I'm going to pursue. It really only needs a 10' bump out, pitch of the roof and solid floor.

 

[cturboaddict]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all of their suggestions and 2 cents! I really do appreciate it.

I think I'm going to chase the route of just building onto it for now. Obviously keeping the brick theme. I'll need to get the city out there to discuss it's structural integrity, but that'll finalize if I go that route or have to tear it down.

 

[hotdogstand]

Off topic, but where are you at in Collinsville? My parents still live off 157 towards Maryville.

On topic, it's a cool old building, and adding on would look nice if you could match the brick and rebuild the roof. I would get a cost estimate of "doing it right" and one for tearing it down and building a proper shop. It isn't worth saving if it comes out looking "frankensteined" at the end.

 

[cturboaddict]

Off topic, but where are you at in Collinsville? My parents still live off 157 towards Maryville.

On topic, it's a cool old building, and adding on would look nice if you could match the brick and rebuild the roof. I would get a cost estimate of "doing it right" and one for tearing it down and building a proper shop. It isn't worth saving if it comes out looking "frankensteined" at the end.

About 2 minutes from the "Ketchup Bottle" off of 159. Closer to the old uptown.

 

[hotdogstand]

That's a pretty nice area. I used to work at the Advance Auto Parts right there.

 

[ozyborn]

Will make a great shed for yard equipment. Can mot have all that stuff cluttering up a garage.

 

[Farmall450]

Build onto it, make the addition the size you wanted in the first place.

Yeah, though the location and blending them together may not be ideal.

 

[hemifalcon]

Just out of curiosity--how large is your property and what is the zoning? Pure residential? I'm assuming you're in a regular municipal area rather than in a county so let me ask--have you checked to see if the village board will hear you for any thoughts/designs/plans which are beyond the allowance of local codes/ordinances? If you are in a community with open-minded persons on the building commission, you may be in luck.. I went through the whole process in my town and it was well worth the wait. I live in a regular neighborhood, however my property consisted of two lots. I paid for an attorney to complete the proper paperwork for the county to combine the two lots into one PIN. After that was completed and I had paperwork to support it, I went to the Village Board. I explained to them what had been done as I could not build on the empty lot and now that the lot was essentially "one" and much larger (only 1.4 acres) I brought to them my idea for an oversized garage. I was limited at a 1500sqft (based on historical ordinances) building and asked for permission to go to 2400 and provided them all the reasons for why I wanted/needed this space and what it would look like with regard to the community appearance. I presented them with plans and drawings (nothing special, generated online and at the Menards Pole Barn design kiosk) and let them work it out. I went to a couple hearings--where I was the only one at the meeting other than board members and after 7 months they approved an increased size for the structure up to 3000sq ft. Well-that was a surprise--so I designed a larger building and got a permit.. Awesome--well the last hurdle was getting over the height limitations as I was limited to 18' for a single level structure. I again went to the planning commission and explained based on the needs of my new hobby building that I needed at least 21'6".. They granted 22' without issue and smiled at me as I left the hearing. It took some time, but in that waiting period I was able to save more money, get some quotes from builders and ultimately know for sure that I was happy with the plan.

Try going outside the box and if your village code enforcement person straightaway tells you "no"--know this--he's not the final say so. If there's a building/planning commission, get them engaged. Oh--and try not to get frustrated with them--they'll help you as much as you help them understand what and why you're trying to do it..

And--good luck..

 

[59 wagon man]

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This is the way I've been leaning... But knocking out the wall in it's entirety and making the man cave area much smaller.

i can understand that but maybe this can be like a clean room /man cave and the window will kinda showcase your shop good luck it is a neat little building

 

[cturboaddict]

Why not just leave it alone & build what you want a short distance from it... then use it for storage like the previous owners... Fix it up with a proper floor & new windows etc after you build what you actually need?

THE SAGA CONTINUES~~~~~~~~~~~

So, after reaching back out the city. I've found out that I can keep the outbuilding and still build my garage. So, I've decided (and glad that I can) to use this space for my mower and other yard junk that I don't want in the shop.

Now, the new location I've picked (up near the second driveway) has it's own issues. One deep slope that drops off about 15' from the house. At the further most point, It's roughly 7' below the sloped driveway. (reverse slope none the less).

Do you think I should FILL/Compact and then dig foundation or should I build a massive 8' stem wall on the far side? I'd like the garage to be level with the driveway, even if it is a little lower than the street height. I got a price from a local garage builder that pretty much blew me away after talking with the concrete contractor. He didn't seem to really be very helpful and just tossed a ton of money at it. More money than is in my price range. I'm capable of building it all myself, but I'll leave the concrete to others.

The new 26x26 garage's back wall would essentially cut through that brush. And the wall closest to the house would be just on the edge of that rock driveway line.

If you look closely, you can see the outbuilding behind the brush line.

 

[John in OH]

Just a heads up .....

I don’t really know much about stem walls with backfill etc., but I do recall (but very sketchy on the details) that several years ago a guy here on GJ had a similar site where he built a garage on a slope. To get the front of the garage level with his driveway, he had to build a 6-7 foot or so high block foundation wall at the rear, with foundation side walls tapering up to driveway elevation …. not too unlike your situation.

He had the block walls built, then back-filled and compacted the inside area of the foundation, poured the slab and built a very attractive garage. Then, somewhere in this process and before it was all done, the rear foundation wall buckled out, floor tilted, and it all went to hell.

Big ******* contest with builder, city, etc.,etc. All went on for months. I wish I had kept a link to the thread …. but it should be in the Garage Gallery section somewhere, IIRC.

Bottom line lesson to be learned …. If you go this route, make sure the foundation, foundation deadmen, and backfilling steps are designed and executed properly or you could have a disaster!!

 

[Jeff]

I would fix-up the outbuilding and let the mother-in-law stay there.

Interesting thread...thanks for sharing.

 

[Road_runner]

You could either pile or provide strip foundations, then stem walls and span between them either with concrete beams or pour a suspended slab.

I am in the UK and about to start on a 24' * 24' garage. Due to its location and slope, I will have to pile. The garage will have 3 rows of three piles (back, middle and front) that will then support stem walls. Between the walls will span concrete beams which carry concrete blocks flush. You then skim for your final floor surface.

The advantage is that I will have an air void under the floor (the same as a house) so hopefully the floor will never get too cold!

 

[cturboaddict]

Just a heads up .....

I don’t really know much about stem walls with backfill etc., but I do recall (but very sketchy on the details) that several years ago a guy here on GJ had a similar site where he built a garage on a slope. To get the front of the garage level with his driveway, he had to build a 6-7 foot or so high block foundation wall at the rear, with foundation side walls tapering up to driveway elevation …. not too unlike your situation.

He had the block walls built, then back-filled and compacted the inside area of the foundation, poured the slab and built a very attractive garage. Then, somewhere in this process and before it was all done, the rear foundation wall buckled out, floor tilted, and it all went to hell.

Big ******* contest with builder, city, etc.,etc. All went on for months. I wish I had kept a link to the thread …. but it should be in the Garage Gallery section somewhere, IIRC.

Bottom line lesson to be learned …. If you go this route, make sure the foundation, foundation deadmen, and backfilling steps are designed and executed properly or you could have a disaster!!

Ill most def have an engineer review it!