Relocateable Garage

[ilateapex]

New to the forum but have been looking for a little while.

I am looking for ideas on building a garage mainly to work on my race car. I want something that can be taken down and moved later if I ever decide to sell my home. Finding someone who wants the detached shop at a home is far and few between and may actually take value from the home. In addition I want this shop to blend in with a residential housing area. To me this means no extremely high walls and an exterior similar to found in residential construction. This could be wood or vinyl siding or something similar. I also need about 12’ ceilings in the middle at least for a lift.

I have thought of just building wood panels and bolting them together with a tray ceiling truss. Maybe putting the electrical systems on a panel that can be removed fairly easy. Wall panels could be insulated and just leave some sheeting off to bolt together. Siding removed when time to move, Roofing would be wasted unless I can find a way to use metal roofing. I don’t mind a metal building but don’t want it to look like a metal building. The shop does need the typical systems of electric and Heat and AC.

Size would be around 24’ X 32’ or so.

Any ideas? Anyone been there done that?

Thanks,

Michael

 

[bluesman2a]

Cargo container.
Vinyl siding.
Done.

Seriously, though I think you have a couple of very divergent goals. If you were looking for something smaller, I would suggest a shed, built on skids, but that's a pretty darned large building to be "removable".

About the only thing I could possibly suggest is to maybe look into SIP panel construction of some sort.

Regardless of how you go, you're probably going to need a concrete foundation; that would NOT be movable.

 

[wrigh003]

Have you considered moving to an area where a detached shop/barn isn't so unusual? I live on a little over 2 acres out in the semi-rural burbs, and part of the reason I wanted our place was that I could build a shop on it, never have to deal with the neighbors complaining (our house is unusual in its LACK of a detached shop/barn/garage/megashed, plus there's no HOA), and not have to sweat whether I'd be running off prospective buyers years down the line.

Just a thought- you may live in the greatest school district ever, have a 30 second commute, and have awesome neighbors or any other reasons not to move.

 

[ilateapex]

I am aware the slab could not be moved and would demo it.

The idea of being movable is not dictated by where I am as much as it is when I may leave. If I never leave then the building will never move. I am currently looking to move and am looking at places that have to potential space to build what I want. We are actually moveing from far out to closer in even though in my small town closer in does not mean much. The house I have looked at that have the shop already there don't meet my family's needs.

Michael

 

[bluesman2a]

I am aware the slab could not be moved and would demo it.

The slab is a significant portion of the cost for something like this. Mine wound up being something on the order of 25% of the project.

As I have seen a slab taken out something on the order of what you are talking about, I would say it would be non-trivial/expensive. In fact the slab removal would probably negate any savings of taking the building with you or any impact to the value of the house.

 

[Jononon]

I don't get it. You want to add cost to the structure to make it moveable, when the largest single part, by cost, of any garage is non-moveable

Why not build a conventional structure and, if there is a loss in property value/difficulty in making a sale, in years to come, simply pull it down ?

 

[powellscooter]

I cant see how a well built quality outbuilding could possibly devalue a piece of property.

 

[ilateapex]

I have thought about just disposing of it when I need to remove it but was hoping to put it back up somewhere else.

The out building would be built on part of a lot with no house. Basically buying a house and extra lot (not from same people), build garage on extra lot. Lot may be worth more as a lot than a garage. Each lot is about 1 acre.

Michael

 

[russlaferrera]

ilateapex, I can not see how this will be a benefit to you. There must be a way of incorporating a building that size into your existing landscape, that will look like the structure belongs there.

 

[bluesman2a]

The out building would be built on part of a lot with no house. Basically buying a house and extra lot (not from same people), build garage on extra lot. Lot may be worth more as a lot than a garage.

AH!!! That puts a little different spin on the issue!

There are two things that come to mind here, sorry, but neither is "movable":

1) MANY people, if they are building homes either build the shop first or WISH they had a shop there to lock things up and store materials and the like out of the weather. There are probably 10+ folks here who have done exactly that. I personally know a couple who just built their retirement home, and he RAVES about having the shop in place 1st as a god-send. I would NOT consider a garage in this situation a detriment, if it's properly built, aesthetically pleasing, and generic enough that people could integrate it into their new home.

2) If you DO go this route, see if you can place the shop such that it can be part of your home AND is also appropriately placed for other potential home sites on the separate lot. Think about adding a new driveway so it could be a stand-alone property, then the only thing you're out is any driveway between your house and the shop.

Personally, I'm not a real-estate mogul, but I would find more value in a TWO acre house with a shop, or a one acre lot with a shop on it for my build than I would with just a lot...

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I have thought about just disposing of it when I need to remove it but was hoping to put it back up somewhere else.

The out building would be built on part of a lot with no house. Basically buying a house and extra lot (not from same people), build garage on extra lot. Lot may be worth more as a lot than a garage. Each lot is about 1 acre.

Michael

Depending on city/county/covenant restrictions, you may not be able to, or want to, build a garage on a lot by itself. Many places don't allow the accessory structure before a residence. Our county doesn't prohibit it, but will never, ever, grant you a permit for a residence after an accessory structure is built, effectively making the property worthless if you built a garage.

If you can build without restrictions, you would be best to build a useful, quality structure and sell it when you leave. Many people will pay top dollar for a quality structure rather than go thru the hassle of building themselves.

Charles