Usually introducing myself is priority #1 when I join a forum, but I think this time around I was too awestruck to remember.
I came across the link while browsing on a 67-72 GM truck website. And all I can say right now is I F'IN HATE THIS FORUM
. No, not really, but all the pictures here have me drooling and turning green with envy and it is stressing me out.
So anyways, I bought my house 3 years back when I was 19. I looked at a couple houses that had reasonable sized 2 car garages that were heated. But in the end I decided that it was in my best interest not to buy a house based on the garage. I ended up finding a bank repo for dirt cheap needing interior renovation. However, this house didn't come with much of a garage, but more of a barn. It is small, and quite useless in my opinion. Some of my relatives say it would be a shame to tear it down, but in the end I am the one who has to use it, and I don't think any extensive modifications will make it into a satisfactory work area.
I have essentially gone all 22 years of my life so far without a garage. It wouldn't even phase some people but it has been eating away at me for quite some time, given the fact that I really enjoy a lot of hobbies that would benefit from having a decent heated shop. I am in to classic cars and associated mechanical work, dirtbikes, scale modelling, woodwork, and I would like to try doing more fiberglass work (did a couple sub enclosures in my old car and loved the result).
As it stands right now my 1969 GMC is in need of a restoration and I don't have anywhere to even start on it. I bought the truck almost 6 years ago and at that time the body work was about 10 years old, so it has help up considerably well. It will need new doors but that is the least of my worries as I have every intention of doing a frame off, high horsepower total redo. I also wouldn't mind having somewhere to put my daily driver, a 2004 Silverado, when the weather gets nasty in winter.
Initially when I bought this house I was thinking of doing a modest 2 car, something like a 24x26 on the cheap. I've recently had a change of mentality, and feel that if I am going to spend money to build something, I better be damn sure I spend what I have to in order to build it to suit my needs. Right now I am still tossing a few different scenarios around, and need to obtain information from the city as far as what restrictions I will run into.
After looking at some of the builds on here, I have decided that my build will use attic trusses for a second level. From the research I have done, the added truss and material expenses are quite minimal considering the amount of area that can be gained. And the more I think about it, a second level would be ideal for some of my smaller hobbies and allow the main level to be primarily for automotive work. Otherwise I would be looking at doing a much larger single level structure with an office type space, and I'm sure this would likely end up being a less cost efficiant route. As of right now I am thinking of building along the lines of say 22x32. That will leave enough room of the main level for 3 vehicles (the 69 will likely occupy 2 spaces while being rebuilt), and still have decent room upstairs.
When the time comes, whatever I build will be done by myself with help of family and friends. I have helped my father renovate almost every house we have lived in, as well as build a storage area at the lake and many other structures. My uncle built a 22x26 garage about 3 years ago, and though I wasn't able to help with much of it, my brother did. He spent a year doing some construction work as well. My grandma's boyfriend is also a retired carpenter. He plans on building a garage this year, so he will end up going through all the motions before I do, which will definately be beneficial to me. Needless to say, I will have a wealth of experiance around to help.
The only problem right now is I work 6.5 hours away from home. I'm not really around very often, so just getting started is going to be a long process. Even finding somewhere to put the stuff I currently have in my garage is going to be fun. I am also not quite where I want to be financially yet. I have full intentions of doing this build funded solely by cash. I hate the idea of borrowing from the bank. I just paid my house off 3 years early and only have truck payments now. Technically I could probably get most of the garage done with what I have in the bank, but my goal for this winter is to set aside enough for at least the concrete and framing. I don't think it will be too hard to at least get the structure up and sided, then worry about heating, drywall, insulation, ect at a later date.
I'm going to try and post some pictures of my vehicles, house and current barn.
I came across the link while browsing on a 67-72 GM truck website. And all I can say right now is I F'IN HATE THIS FORUM
. No, not really, but all the pictures here have me drooling and turning green with envy and it is stressing me out.So anyways, I bought my house 3 years back when I was 19. I looked at a couple houses that had reasonable sized 2 car garages that were heated. But in the end I decided that it was in my best interest not to buy a house based on the garage. I ended up finding a bank repo for dirt cheap needing interior renovation. However, this house didn't come with much of a garage, but more of a barn. It is small, and quite useless in my opinion. Some of my relatives say it would be a shame to tear it down, but in the end I am the one who has to use it, and I don't think any extensive modifications will make it into a satisfactory work area.
I have essentially gone all 22 years of my life so far without a garage. It wouldn't even phase some people but it has been eating away at me for quite some time, given the fact that I really enjoy a lot of hobbies that would benefit from having a decent heated shop. I am in to classic cars and associated mechanical work, dirtbikes, scale modelling, woodwork, and I would like to try doing more fiberglass work (did a couple sub enclosures in my old car and loved the result).
As it stands right now my 1969 GMC is in need of a restoration and I don't have anywhere to even start on it. I bought the truck almost 6 years ago and at that time the body work was about 10 years old, so it has help up considerably well. It will need new doors but that is the least of my worries as I have every intention of doing a frame off, high horsepower total redo. I also wouldn't mind having somewhere to put my daily driver, a 2004 Silverado, when the weather gets nasty in winter.
Initially when I bought this house I was thinking of doing a modest 2 car, something like a 24x26 on the cheap. I've recently had a change of mentality, and feel that if I am going to spend money to build something, I better be damn sure I spend what I have to in order to build it to suit my needs. Right now I am still tossing a few different scenarios around, and need to obtain information from the city as far as what restrictions I will run into.
After looking at some of the builds on here, I have decided that my build will use attic trusses for a second level. From the research I have done, the added truss and material expenses are quite minimal considering the amount of area that can be gained. And the more I think about it, a second level would be ideal for some of my smaller hobbies and allow the main level to be primarily for automotive work. Otherwise I would be looking at doing a much larger single level structure with an office type space, and I'm sure this would likely end up being a less cost efficiant route. As of right now I am thinking of building along the lines of say 22x32. That will leave enough room of the main level for 3 vehicles (the 69 will likely occupy 2 spaces while being rebuilt), and still have decent room upstairs.
When the time comes, whatever I build will be done by myself with help of family and friends. I have helped my father renovate almost every house we have lived in, as well as build a storage area at the lake and many other structures. My uncle built a 22x26 garage about 3 years ago, and though I wasn't able to help with much of it, my brother did. He spent a year doing some construction work as well. My grandma's boyfriend is also a retired carpenter. He plans on building a garage this year, so he will end up going through all the motions before I do, which will definately be beneficial to me. Needless to say, I will have a wealth of experiance around to help.
The only problem right now is I work 6.5 hours away from home. I'm not really around very often, so just getting started is going to be a long process. Even finding somewhere to put the stuff I currently have in my garage is going to be fun. I am also not quite where I want to be financially yet. I have full intentions of doing this build funded solely by cash. I hate the idea of borrowing from the bank. I just paid my house off 3 years early and only have truck payments now. Technically I could probably get most of the garage done with what I have in the bank, but my goal for this winter is to set aside enough for at least the concrete and framing. I don't think it will be too hard to at least get the structure up and sided, then worry about heating, drywall, insulation, ect at a later date.
I'm going to try and post some pictures of my vehicles, house and current barn.
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