Above 1200 Sq/FT “Red Fox Garage” 32’x60’

[whizzer182]

Since I very much enjoy looking at everyone else’s garage build projects, I thought I’d start one of my own. These first few posts will take us from 2020 until current day.

Beginning of the story…..

In early 2020, after a few unsuccessful attempts, we were able to buy a dilapidated house on the opposite corner of the block from the house that we live in, we lovingly named it our “Blue House”. Blocks are small in our little town, so from our lot line, down the alley, this lot is only 125’ from our property. It was a beautiful home, wasn’t it?

 

[whizzer182]

Then… about two weeks after we closed on the house, the world turned upside down from Covid. Nonetheless, we were able to get the house demolished mid summer of 2020, while making plans for our garage, some time in the future, after the world had calmed down.

 

[whizzer182]

Fast forward to the fall of 2021, building material prices were still crazy, and showed no signs of going down. I decided that the garage was never going happen so I sowed the lot to grass so that I didn’t have to keep tending to the never-ending onslaught of weeds that kept growing in the bare dirt.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Is that little white tin sided building yours?

 

[whizzer182]

Is that little white tin sided building yours?

Yes, it is/was, pretty rough, but it did a nice job of holding a lawn mower and some other miscellaneous junk.

Now we’re up to the spring of 2023, materials had declined, somewhat, and my wife and I decided that it was now or never. So we got bids and pulled the trigger on our new building in April. More expensive than we’d hoped, but we were doubtful that it would ever be cheaper.

The good thing about waiting so long is that I had plenty of time to dream/plan for what I wanted. Concrete was supposed to be poured early July and the contractors were to start early August.

 

[whizzer182]

To try to save a few dollars, I was in charge of preparing the lot for the floating slab, and getting rid of the small, existing garage. Fortunately, I was able to find a guy that lived nearby that wanted the shed, and sold it to him for a load of topsoil, to be delivered when my new shed is done. He also paid for it to be moved away.

So I borrowed a skid loader and dug a hole for the gravel to go into. I had everything ready for plumbing mid June, so that it could ready in time for my early July concrete schedule. Then I began waiting patiently for a contractor to show up.

 

[whizzer182]

Jump ahead a few months….. and now it’s early August. The plumbers came and ran the sewer and water lines to the street.

Obviously, the early July concrete didn’t happen, turns out the concrete company that bid my project had “forgotten” about me, at least according to my general contractor. Now we were scheduled for mid August.

I did decide to get myself a skid loader instead of borrowing one though, Facebook marketplace find.

 

[whizzer182]

And then August came and went, still no concrete. After a few calls with my general contractor, I decided that the only way I was going to get anything built in 2023 was to line up a concrete contractor myself. Made a call to a well-regarded concrete contractor, hoping he would be willing to bid it and wasn’t completely booked up. He came out to look at the lot right away on his way to another project, gave a comparable bid and told me “I’ll get it done in September”. He lived up to his word, and on September 30, I finally had concrete getting poured. Bright and early the next day they formed and poured the curb.

The owner of the company filled the hole I’d dug with gravel on a Sunday and his crew formed it up later in the week. They were worried about rain when they were forming, so actually hand dug the thickened edge all the way around the slab the day they poured before they put rebar in. I neglected to take any pictures while they were pouring the slab.

Then, about a week and a half later, they came and poured the parking pad.

 

[whizzer182]

Now, the concrete is cured and it’s the middle of November. The carpenters came! They spent four days on my project, and the entire building was framed up, sheeted, mostly house wrapped, and the windows were installed.

It was at this point that my six year old told me that we needed a name for our garage. I told him that he needed to think of a good name for it, which is where the title “Red Fox Garage” came from.

 

[whizzer182]

Fortunately, we were blessed with a nice December, and the shed didn’t get filled with snow as it was the middle of this month before we saw the carpenters again. One windy day they came to put steel on the roof, and then shortly thereafter, they came to stay. Which brings the story to today. All but a few small odds and ends are complete on the exterior, and the interior walls are framed up.

This is where I get to take over. Plan to finish the interior myself, will have the plumbing, hvac, and a portion of the electrical work done professionally, but other than that, all the labor will be on me.

 

[GlennSullivan]

Really nice. I wish I had the space to go a little longer and deeper and you have a separate lot for vehicles, trailers, etc.

 

[rzims]

beautiful build!

 

[whizzer182]

It was a big day today! The city and electrician hooked up my power. Have most all of the outlet and lighting boxes set, just about ready to pull wire.

HVAC contractor was also here and we put a plan together for heat and air conditioning.

 

[GlennSullivan]

Always good to have power!

 

[whizzer182]

Making some progress, the electrician has the lighting circuits in the office and little kitchenette done, and got my “night light” circuit hooked up to try out one of the lights that are going in the shop portion. Just one of the 100w ufo lights really lights the place up. Garage will be pretty bright when all 12 are going. He has also started pulling wire for the outlets.

First photo is of just the single ufo light. That fixture will turn into a single 60w equivalent led bulb that will be on all the time, perhaps one with a built in dusk to dawn photocell. Decided that because these door openers don’t have built in lights, we’d need something after pulling into the garage at night.

Second photo shows the other two temporary lights going as well.

 

[whizzer182]

Been a couple of weeks since my last update. Bathroom plumbing is roughed in and inspected. We have wire pulled to most all of the outlets in the shop and office portion, would have them all done, but I ran out of 12/2 tonight. Bathroom and kitchen area are next on the list.

Also got the attic access boxes made and the soffit baffles put in, won’t be long and I’ll be putting in insulation. That will be great, my little 70k diesel heater struggles to keep it warm in here.

Decided to hire the Sheetrock hung, for the price, I thought that it was better to have someone else do it than struggle for who knows how long by myself. Still plan to tape and texture it myself though.

 

[freudianfloyd]

This is a big one! You hear that, Elizabeth?
- Redd Foxx

 

[whizzer182]

Here we are, about three weeks later. All but wrapped up on my electrical. My electrician isn’t fast, but his work is excellent. He just has a few more boxes to twist up, the panel is all but done. Electrical inspection is scheduled in two days, so I’ll be insulating later this week.

My HVAC guy also has his line sets run and ready for insulation. He didn’t want to run the mini split lines in the wall as he says he’s had trouble with them leaking over time, so they’ll be ran outside.

Sheetrocker is scheduled for the first week of March. I have to be moved out of my storage shed before the end of March, so hopefully he gets done in plenty of time so that I can get the walls taped and mudded.

 

[Digster]

looks really nice.

 

[Thirdyfivepickup]

ok, I'll bite...

Why The Red Fox Garage?

 

[whizzer182]

ok, I'll bite...

Why The Red Fox Garage?

Post #9 explains it. My Kid’s idea.

 

[whizzer182]

Today was a 70 degree day, on March 1, in South Dakota. Had some outdoor work done today. The rain gutter contractor got all of his work done, and my electrician hung my outdoor lights. The driveway and where i plan to park my trailer is pretty well-lit. Actually probably would have been just fine with fewer outdoor lights.

 

[jessew]

Looks awesome! Looking forward to seeing how you finish out the inside

 

[Jayman17]

Great looking shop! Please send that 70* weather out my way...

 

[whizzer182]

All ready for Sheetrock! Everything is insulated, wiring all roughed in and inspected. Sheetrock is delivered and waiting.

Another 70 degree day, so I got my point-to-point internet connection hooked up and put on the roof, all the wiring is done for that as well, at least in the shop, will need to run cat6 in the house some time later. Was much easier to do before the Sheetrock came, glad we had a nice day.

Sheet-rocker is supposed to be here next week. Will post updates when he’s completed.

 

[whizzer182]

Been a while since my last update. Unfortunately, not much progress…. My sheetrocker, who was supposed to start the beginning of March, eventually came and hung the Sheetrock in the “office” the end of April. I got that room finished up and primed today. Hopefully….he’ll come again soon and get some more done so I can continue on.

If there’s one thing building this garage has taught me, it’s patience.

 

[whizzer182]

Some progress since my last update. We have the office and bathroom all finished and ready for paint. The sheetrocker got the kitchen and south wall hung on Friday, so I spent the weekend working on that. Says he might get the shop ceiling done this week.

 

[whizzer182]

Mid June progress update. Have all the Sheetrock hung except the wall that has the garage doors, about 6 pieces left to hang. Hopefully they’re done this week. Building is all insulated, my wife and I got the insulation blown in last Sunday.

I took this coming week off of work, so I should be able to make some good progress finishing the Sheetrock.

 

[whizzer182]

My week off was productive, have almost everything ready to sand, a few **** joints need a little more attention, and the wall with the doors needs one more coat.

Probably would be done with everything today, but had to deal with a flooded basement in our house this Friday and Saturday, over nine inches of rain this past week, with 7 1/2” all coming in one 24 hour period. Sounds like others around here are worse off than me, so I won’t complain.

 

[whizzer182]

A few steps closer to being done. The corner trim is up in the shop, and everything is primed. Got the first coat of paint on in the office as well.

Masking off the garage doors was quite the chore, took way more time than I anticipated.

 

[rixtrix1]

Great looking shop, but a burning question for me is how you were able to take a residential property and build just a garage on it? Code there must be a lot less restrictive( Than here in the Phoenix area)? Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to what goes on inside the garage!

 

[ybnormal]

Red Fox garage.....I see naming possibilities here!

man cave = The Grady, Leroy, & Skillet Cave
unwanted relatives staying over = The Aunt Esther Memorial Suites
the workshop with unfinished projects = the Get Rich Quick room
the kitchen = the Sanford and Rising Son room

 

[rixtrix1]

Today was a 70 degree day, on March 1, in South Dakota. Had some outdoor work done today. The rain gutter contractor got all of his work done, and my electrician hung my outdoor lights. The driveway and where i plan to park my trailer is pretty well-lit. Actually probably would have been just fine with fewer outdoor lights.

Whizzer182, the garage outside lights look good; you should have no trouble finding the garage. I am having a heck of a time finding a gutter contractor that will respond to a phone call here in the SE Phoenix area; too much residential and apartment construction going on in the fastest growing metro area in the country to bother with single jobs, I guess!. Could you PM me with a cost per foot( which I know will be different than my area, but probably close enough to budget). They all advertise with leaf shields, but we have nothing but a few palm trees within 100 yards of our home, so nothing to clog the gutters.

 

[whizzer182]

Great looking shop, but a burning question for me is how you were able to take a residential property and build just a garage on it? Code there must be a lot less restrictive( Than here in the Phoenix area)? Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to what goes on inside the garage!

Thank you! We live in a town that only has a population of 800, so zoning ordinances are non-existent. Really the only building/setback rules there are is that a structure has to be a “mower width” from the property line.

Red Fox garage.....I see naming possibilities here!

man cave = The Grady, Leroy, & Skillet Cave
unwanted relatives staying over = The Aunt Esther Memorial Suites
the workshop with unfinished projects = the Get Rich Quick room
the kitchen = the Sanford and Rising Son room

I’m going to have to look up Red Fox, some more. The first time I’d heard of him was a previous post on this thread. Maybe I’ve know about the guy forever, but just didn’t know who he was.

 

[ybnormal]

Whizzer182, the garage outside lights look good; you should have no trouble finding the garage. I am having a heck of a time finding a gutter contractor that will respond to a phone call here in the SE Phoenix area; too much residential and apartment construction going on in the fastest growing metro area in the country to bother with single jobs, I guess!. Could you PM me with a cost per foot( which I know will be different than my area, but probably close enough to budget). They all advertise with leaf shields, but we have nothing but a few palm trees within 100 yards of our home, so nothing to clog the gutters.

other stuff can clog gutters. the little pieces of gravel from roof shingles (if you have those), the blown earth and dust. both of these can turn into muck that will clog a gutter.

 

[ybnormal]

Thank you! We live in a town that only has a population of 800, so zoning ordinances are non-existent. Really the only building/setback rules there are is that a structure has to be a “mower width” from the property line.


I’m going to have to look up Red Fox, some more. The first time I’d heard of him was a previous post on this thread. Maybe I’ve know about the guy forever, but just didn’t know who he was.

don't. know. redd. fox ??!!??!!

 

[whizzer182]

Been a while again since my last update, things are moving along. Finished up the trim in the office and bathroom today, have had the flooring in for a week or so. The whole interior is painted. Still need to paint the doors, get them hung up, and do some caulking and touch-up painting on all the trim. Thirteen inch tall trim makes it pretty hard to get corners all lined up, oh well, “Caulk and paint make me the carpenter I ain’t”!

Should have the cabinets hung in the kitchen tomorrow will upload some pictures of the whole shop once I get those hung up.

 

[whizzer182]

As promised, here are some pictures of what the whole shop looks like right now.

Pretty much a mess, but it sure is nice to have enough room to spread everything out while I’m working.

 

[whizzer182]

A little progress since my last update, I’m back to waiting for other people again. HVAC guy came last week, after a friend and I poured concrete pads for the two outside A/C units and propane tank. He got the mini split all set up, and the shop portion outside A/C unit set down, he’s supposed to come back this week to install the furnace, heat pump and duct work.

My electrician came for a day to get the circuits for the heating and cooling units powered up, so when the HVAC guy comes back he can test them. While he was there, he hooked up all the shop lights, and got the most important outlet of the shop powered up…..the one for the refrigerator! Hopefully someday soon he’ll come to finish the rest.

Plumber came and is all but done, finally have a working toilet! Both sinks are hooked up and the outside faucet is going. No hot water as the electrician still needs to hook up the water heater.

I’m hopeful that the guy that I’ve hired to dig and rock/gravel my driveway comes soon. It’s getting to be prime grass planting season here in South Dakota and I sure would like to get the mess of weeds that’s outside cleaned up before winter.

 

[GlennSullivan]

Coming together very nicely.