Raising garage roof

[Zaffer]

I couldn’t find any information on my particular example of what I would like to do. My garage is a hybrid as it has been added onto several times over the years by previous owners: the center portion was stick built and has a concrete pad poured in it, approx. 16 feet deep by 10-ish feet wide and I plan on keeping it as the structure is in good shape.

The portion I would like to raise the roof on is one of the additions and is approx. 24 feet deep and 13 feet wide, currently with a dirt floor and is a pole building addition. The roof on one side has the rafters attached to the studs on the stick-built portion of the building (lag bolted), about 10 feet up from the floor and resting on a top plate on the outer poles on the other side, about 7 feet from the floor.

I would like to raise the shorter side to about 8 feet as I am planning on pouring a concrete pad in this section and would like to put an 8 foot wide by 7 foot tall traditional roll-up door in it. Accounting for the future concrete pad, the best I can do from floor to ceiling on the shorter side is 88” - 89” to the bottom of the existing rafters, which I believe is too short for a roll-up door. This would also put the other side of the garage door opening about six to eight inches from the interior wall. If I’m mistaken in the height requirement, please let me know.

Essentially my current plan is to raise the exiting roof by jacking up the shorter side about 1 foot like a hinge. I would pre-build a short stud wall and install that between the roof and the top plate. Has anyone done this, and if so, any issues?

I would rather do this than tear off and rebuild a new roof as the roof is in good condition and it’s older, more dense wood. Plus, with the current price of lumber, not cheap. My other issue is that a previous owner has installed concrete retaining “walls” between the poles, so replacing the existing poles with longer ones would be a royal PITA and he used telephone poles, which vary is size.m

The first attached picture shows the current roofline and the opening is 6 feet high by 12 feet wide. Yes, I am planning on framing in the door once the roof is raised.

The second picture is the top plate.

If any more info or pictures are desired, please let me know.

 

[billconner]

All seems doable but the roof pitch will probably be less than is considered suitable for shingles - usually 4:12. metal is considered ok to 2:12 and in theory you can do shingles 2:12 but with 100% ice and water shield. Just consider roof pitch.

 

[Zaffer]

The roof is currently metal, so not worried there. I just want to make sure my theory is sound and doable in practice. I have the jacks from renovating my houses (prior and present) and have installed support beams on structural walls, so theoretically it’s the same principal, just on a “larger scale”.

Any advice on the best way to put my theory into practice from prior experience would be great!

 

[firebirdparts]

FWIW my dad had a barn with the roof raised this way. Barn built around 1850 and I think the roof was raised 4 feet (straight up - 4 feet on all 4 corners) in about 1900. Looked like total hell but it stood over 100 more years and didn't even lean in that time. They brought cranes in and took it down to build a house on the site.

So yeah, it's possible, and the forces ought to be obvious. It's not easy to stiffen that elegantly given that the lower portion is telephone poles. The shape is not very helpful to attach anything to. You can stiffen it at the end walls like crazy, in the corner, and so you should take advantage of that. That's what kept the old barn vertical.

 

[mikedodge]

From those pics it looks like that part was built like quick lean to without much support. Especially since the roof is metal it looks like it would be easier to strip the metal off it and take it apart or at least separate it into sections and raise parts at a time moving from one end to the other.

 

[Zaffer]

The roof is old style construction as our barn and house roofs are similar. The poles in the ground are sunk at least 3 feet, are 8 feet on center, and 6-7 inches around, and have 2x10’s for stringers, so I don’t think they’re going anywhere anytime soon.

As for attaching the short stud wall, I plan installing another top plate on the poles and bolting the stud wall to the plates.

 

[CombatNinja]

I'm sure it can be done but the only thing I would do to that mess is light a match.

Seriously, if I understand your intent it is to raise the height of that lean-to section. It just looks like a total mess and I would honestly tear the whole lean-to down and start over and make it wider as I am assuming that the reason you want more height is to put in a lift. 13' wide is going to be very restrictive when trying to work around a car.

 

[Zaffer]

Nope, no lift. I just want to have enough ceiling height to install a standard garage door.

The other things that limit me are that the exterior wall (low part of the ceiling) acts as part of the fence line for the front horse pasture and hell if I’m extending part of the building into the pasture (plus my wife says no) and the building is on a grade, so I would have to tear down the retaining wall as well and redo that as well, which definitely involves more work/time/money. If I had the time to do a tear down, rebuild, and total re-engineering, then sure, I’d do that, but alas I don’t. I also don’t want to spend $20k-plus to do everything, especially with where lumber prices are. I’m also in the middle of installing a second bathroom in my house, raising 2 kids, rebuilding a fence line in one of our pastures, working full time, painting our 94 year old farm house, fixing the north side of our barn, renovating 3 personal cars, among other things, so time is definitely an issue.

As for 13 feet being tight to work on cars, given the average car is 5-6 feet wide, that still leaves 3-1/2 - 4 feet on either side to do things. Plus, if this goes as planned, and I need more room, I can knock the wall down between this part of the building and the center part to make more room.

I have another building that I use as an equipment shed that I plan on putting a lift in in the future, but that building needs more work to make any of that happen and is down on the above list at the moment.

I’m doing this building because I need to get an outbuilding in decent, workable shape before the cold weather gets here and this one needs the least amount of work, amazingly enough. I just need to get the roof raised so I can frame in the garage door and make it weather resistant and have some sort of climate control available inside.

 

[Sumboodie]

Nope, no lift. I just want to have enough ceiling height to install a standard garage door.

The other things that limit me are that the exterior wall (low part of the ceiling) acts as part of the fence line for the front horse pasture and hell if I’m extending part of the building into the pasture (plus my wife says no) and the building is on a grade, so I would have to tear down the retaining wall as well and redo that as well, which definitely involves more work/time/money. If I had the time to do a tear down, rebuild, and total re-engineering, then sure, I’d do that, but alas I don’t. I also don’t want to spend $20k-plus to do everything, especially with where lumber prices are. I’m also in the middle of installing a second bathroom in my house, raising 2 kids, rebuilding a fence line in one of our pastures, working full time, painting our 94 year old farm house, fixing the north side of our barn, renovating 3 personal cars, among other things, so time is definitely an issue.

As for 13 feet being tight to work on cars, given the average car is 5-6 feet wide, that still leaves 3-1/2 - 4 feet on either side to do things. Plus, if this goes as planned, and I need more room, I can knock the wall down between this part of the building and the center part to make more room.

I have another building that I use as an equipment shed that I plan on putting a lift in in the future, but that building needs more work to make any of that happen and is down on the above list at the moment.

I’m doing this building because I need to get an outbuilding in decent, workable shape before the cold weather gets here and this one needs the least amount of work, amazingly enough. I just need to get the roof raised so I can frame in the garage door and make it weather resistant and have some sort of climate control available inside.

Going to be a small car that is only 6 feet wide.

Pulling that roof to raise it is going to be in the 10-15k area if you do it right.

 

[Zaffer]

H1 Hummer is right around 7 feet wide, for reference. The cars I have are smaller: Porsche 914, e30 BMW, Fiat 2000, and Miata.

 

[Zaffer]

Really? You think 10-15k to pivot the roof myself?

 

[Zaffer]

ANYWAY, to get back in topic, my PRIMARY reason for pivoting the roof up is to be able to install a standard 8’W by 7’H garage door after the concrete slab is poured and the instructions I’m seeing state that I need at least an 8’ ceiling to allow for the track.

Yes, I’ll be using it to work on my cars, woodworking, general house projects, and the retaining walls are already in place, so the dimensions aren’t changing. The overall structure is in good shape, so there’s no point is taking down wood in good condition. I may end up replacing some wood if it’s in bad shape, but that’s always the case with older buildings.

As far as “burning the addition down” and building new, I, unlike some on here, do not have the capital to do so at the moment. I also wouldn’t burn my house down if a corner was rotted out, I’d just repair it. I love how easy people make it sound to “just tear it down and build new”. Sure, if I had a couple hundred thousand in the bank just waiting to be spent, this would be fine, but I, like most people, don’t. Plus, this opinion is not inline with the information I’m looking for and is, therefore, both unhelpful and irrelevant.

Rant done.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Sorry if I missed it, but wouldn't a roll up door fit the opening you have now? Or will the slab make the opening too low?

Is it possible to make the slab lower? Cheaper to dig a little than it is to raise the roof?

 

[CombatNinja]

If that is the stated goal, just get a custom door. Way cheaper than what you have planned. Why would you go through all that work/expense/time just to accommodate on over-the-counter garage door?

 

[Zaffer]

First, I’d like to apologize for my last rant. Around mid-day today, I got attacked by hornets while moving some old hay bales to make room for new ones and they were making a nest in one of the old bales (square bales, BTW). One got me right in front of my right ear and when I smacked it off, I boxed my ear by accident and lost most of my hearing in that ear while slightly muffling the hearing in my left, so I’ve been in a fowl mood this afternoon. If I offended anyone, I apologize. This is a great community and I reference it quite a bit for advice while doing projects on my outbuildings, so thank you everyone for taking the time to respond.

Now, onto the responses:

Concerning the door, I would like it tall enough to fit my truck, 4WD drive Tundra, all stock. I need to make the doorway taller to accommodate the truck and by doing so, shorten the distance between the top of the door and the bottom of the ceiling joist. Right now I have 89” from the bottom of the joist to the ground, currently, before the slab is poured. Even if I dig down and keep the top of the slab at ground level, it would still only be 89”. Maybe not TOO bad of an issue, but my property/driveway slope towards the door, maybe about 2-4 degrees decline (just guessing) and I do plan on putting gravel down in front as well (currently grass). I also plan on putting in a drain along the slab skirt to minimize water intrusion as well. I’d like to try to avoid a custom door due to cost, but not too sure what something like that starts at around me (central VA).

As for cost to raise the roof, I don’t think it’ll be that much in materials since I’ll need lumber for a 1 foot tall by 24 foot long stub wall, hardware for attaching the wall, lumber for filling in the one end without the door, and lumber for framing out the garage door, which I’ll need either way. Other than that, what am I missing?

I get it’ll take a little time to cut the nails and raise the roof, but I can’t imagine it’ll be that bad. I did remove a load bearing wall and install a beam a few years ago in my house and replace all of the floor joists in the second rear half of my house during COVID, so I can’t see this being too terrible. That being said, I’ve never done this before which is why I’m looking for advice on how to do it. Other ideas are welcome, however I am not tearing it off and building new due to cost and time, but mainly cost. Plus, I like renovating/modifying things, which is why I live in a 94 year old farm house (Yay, balloon construction)!

 

[619DioFan]

If you jack the short side in order to install a 12 inch high stud wall you will end up tearing the rafters off from what they are attached to at the other side. you need to remove the roof first ( including the rafters ) add the short stud wall then reattach the rafters a foot higher at the other side. if you are careful during demo you can reuse every thing.

 

[billconner]

Lots of people here like to spend other people's money.

I think your idea is sound. Seems like hardest or most tedious is recutting the rafters to sit flat on the new top plate. (It would be kind of neat to fill that in with barn sash. ) Think flashing will hinge?

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Can you show a picture of how the rafters of the lean-to are attached to the stick built portion? It seems to me that jacking the other side up would partially tear loose that attachment or put a bending force on the stick built wall. Also, if you add a short stud wall on top of those poles, won't the loads on the roof want to bend that wall in like a hinge? You might need to sister something to the side of at least some of those poles to maintain the strength of the outer wall.

 

[mikedodge]

The roof is old style construction as our barn and house roofs are similar. The poles in the ground are sunk at least 3 feet, are 8 feet on center, and 6-7 inches around, and have 2x10’s for stringers, so I don’t think they’re going anywhere anytime soon.

As for attaching the short stud wall, I plan installing another top plate on the poles and bolting the stud wall to the plates.

The roof looks like it's only supported on either end so you'd need to add more to it to raise it safely. Do it wrong and you can damage the wall you already have and the roof itself. Like i said from the pics the roof looks pretty basic so it would be pretty easy to take apart and reassemble at the higher height you want.

 

[Zaffer]

After some more measuring and looking around, I came across another solution which is the slide-to-side garage door. The benefit of this is that I wouldn’t have to raise the roof and I don’t have to worry about the headroom. Not nearly as much info in them, so still a consideration. Anyone have any experience with this style of door? They’re primarily for garages with little headroom above the door. I know it would reduce available wall space to hang things, but I have plenty of that elsewhere.

Really, it’s only the low side of the roof that’s the issue as by the time you reach the center of the proposed door, there’s plenty of headroom, even enough for an opener. Has anyone used a 12” radius track? If so, what’s the minimum space needed for that between the top of the door and ceiling? I believe the 15” radius needs at least 12”, so does the 12” radius bring it down to 9” or 10”? If that’s the case, I may be able to squeeze an overhead in there.

I know I said I wanted to be able to get my truck in there as well, but I’ll have to resign myself to just cars. I can always alter my equipment shed to fit my truck whenever I get around to that.

 

[Zaffer]

After some more digging, it looks like there are VERY few options for residential slide-to-side garage doors. It’s a shame because it’s a great idea, but I guess not too popular here. At the moment it looks like I’m stuck either installing barn-style sliding doors or nothing. Any other ideas would be great, though!

 

[Old Man Roger]

Does a roll up take up less space than a traditional garage door? I wonder if you couldn’t mount a roll up so it rolled up outside, like in a box?

Just trying to think outside the box.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Kinda like this where it rolls up outside instead of inside.

 

[Zeke]

Bifolds that swing out. You get the full opening. On an opener, I don't thing that's going to be easy, but could be done at least on the taller side with a arm style gate opener.

 

[Zaffer]

I’ll have to see about bifolds once the concrete slab is poured. The current issue is the slope towards the garage might get in the way, but with the bottoms of the doors being raised a couple inches with the slab, it might be JUST enough to clear.

I may just use the barn doors I have on there now. I built them for the center part originally, but when I put a roll-up door in, I may just leave the track in place and use them for the other side. They are 4 feet each, so even with a 1-2” overlap, that still gives me over a 7-1/2 foot opening, which is plenty for what I want to do with it.

Current building as it stands is attached.

 

[Zaffer]

I considered a roll-up door but my wife quickly nixed that idea as she thinks they’re ugly, and I can’t say I disagree. It is a good idea from a space saving standpoint, though.

And the window in my previous post is due to the fact that the old opening was too large for the windows I had, plus the original opening had no header. I had to install a header and just haven’t installed siding to cover it up. Although now that I’m raising the ceiling in the center portion of the building (it’s currently 6’2”) to 9 or 10 feet, I may adjust the window height as well so it allows some natural light into the shop area.

 

[Innovate1]

After some more digging, it looks like there are VERY few options for residential slide-to-side garage doors. It’s a shame because it’s a great idea, but I guess not too popular here. At the moment it looks like I’m stuck either installing barn-style sliding doors or nothing. Any other ideas would be great, though!

Are you talking about a barn door style or one in sections that slides to the side and turns and goes down an inside wall? My grandparents garage had one that turned and went inside. Don't think I have seen one since then and the last time I saw that was about 1980. It was a very old house.

 

[Sumboodie]

Really? You think 10-15k to pivot the roof myself?

To do it right, it needs to come off and be redone. I'm not sure how you would "pivot" the roof? The slope would be much too shallow I'd think?

 

[Sumboodie]

Lots of people here like to spend other people's money.

I think your idea is sound. Seems like hardest or most tedious is recutting the rafters to sit flat on the new top plate. (It would be kind of neat to fill that in with barn sash. ) Think flashing will hinge?

No, not at all, just being realisitic.

I'm running into a shop that someone tried to do and failed because they were too cheap to do it right.

Cutting corners to save even just $100 and then it bites in teh *** down the road. Do it right the first time is how I try to approach things.

Worked out of another shop same way and it was a constant fight with keep the place warm, stuff freezing up, roof leaks, mice, etc, mostly because it was done with massive corners cut.

 

[Zaffer]

I get that and usually I do things the correct way, and generally add a little overkill while I’m in there. I also usually do the “while we’re in there…” as well. I just wanted to see and get opinions on what was possible. At this point, if I do end up lifting the one side, it would be removing the roof and adding structure, but I’d reuse the rafters as they’re in generally good shape, replacing ones that aren’t.

That being said, at this point, mainly due to time, I’ll just let sleeping dogs lie and keep it as it’s at the moment. Maybe once I get my equipment shed sorted, I’ll revisit the idea.

 

[Old Man Roger]

What about a door that just hinges up and out?

 

[billconner]

No, not at all, just being realisitic.

I'm running into a shop that someone tried to do and failed because they were too cheap to do it right.

Cutting corners to save even just $100 and then it bites in teh *** down the road. Do it right the first time is how I try to approach things.

Worked out of another shop same way and it was a constant fight with keep the place warm, stuff freezing up, roof leaks, mice, etc, mostly because it was done with massive corners cut.

It's just to store a car, not work or live in.

 

[Sumboodie]

It's just to store a car, not work or live in.

"As for 13 feet being tight to work on cars, given the average car is 5-6 feet wide, that still leaves 3-1/2 - 4 feet on either side to do things. Plus, if this goes as planned, and I need more room, I can knock the wall down between this part of the building and the center part to make more room."

 

[billconner]

"As for 13 feet being tight to work on cars, given the average car is 5-6 feet wide, that still leaves 3-1/2 - 4 feet on either side to do things. Plus, if this goes as planned, and I need more room, I can knock the wall down between this part of the building and the center part to make more room."

Same kind of thinking in government that gets us $600 toilet seats.

 

[tstaude]

What if you jack up the roof and sister posts to the existing ones in the ground instead of making a whole stud wall?
Then make a header at the top of those posts, both inside and out.
At the hinge area you can just get some simpson strong ties and bolt it all up.

 

[Sumboodie]

Same kind of thinking in government that gets us $600 toilet seats.

Huh? I posted the reply I was responded to. You said the guy's garage was just for parking, when he clearly said he was working on stuff in there.

 

[Uncle murph]

I’ll have to see about bifolds once the concrete slab is poured. The current issue is the slope towards the garage might get in the way, but with the bottoms of the doors being raised a couple inches with the slab, it might be JUST enough to clear.

I may just use the barn doors I have on there now. I built them for the center part originally, but when I put a roll-up door in, I may just leave the track in place and use them for the other side. They are 4 feet each, so even with a 1-2” overlap, that still gives me over a 7-1/2 foot opening, which is plenty for what I want to do with it.

Current building as it stands is attached.

Cool building!

 

[Zaffer]

Yes, I will be working in there. It will store cars as well, but it will be multipurpose. If I do decide to raise the roof, I’ll just remove the old roof and build a new one, mainly due to the need to add bigger joists to handle the possible addition of solar panels down the road.

As for the building itself, I do like the design and the age of the building, which is another reason I’d like to keep it. I know a lot of people would just knock it down and build new, but I like old buildings and think they’re worth fixing. Plus, the wood the center section is built out of you can’t buy anymore.

Thanks for all of the responses and input.

 

[Wolley]

Carriage house style doors built out of wood you could make yourself. On hinges and any size you want.

Jacking that up is an option if you have a bunch of jacks, blocking and lumber, etc. I wouldn't hinge it. Disconnect from the barn and the outside posts and take the whole thing up at once. It would be probably easier to just disassemble carefully then re build at the elevation you need though.