Rough basement (long road ahead)

[metalept]

Hi everyone.

I don't have a garage since I moved from my parents' house 5 years ago, and I grew tired of having the cars rotting outside. I now am allowed to use the building's basement as a garage. It's a 5 storey building, being the 0 and 1 floors an unused store, 2 and 3 duplex flat where I live, and -1 the basement.

It has lots of things needing attention, and just suffered a minor flood (sewer ). Paint is bad, no lights, and smell is unpleasant to say the least. So I have been torn between giving up of fight for making it happen on a very tight budget, and I'm going for it.

It has space for 3 cars.

What I want is to have a garage that also allows my to:

• Store my tools, wheel sets, parts, etc
• Work on brakes, suspensions, minor repais
• Do my own oils changes

My plans are:

1. Clean, clean, clean! And fix permanently the sewer thing (it is not blocked anymore, but one of the access "box" on the floor is wide open)
2. Sell the most rusted shelves, non-working freezer chests (how do I say this in English?), etc to scrap
3. Move the cars and my stuff in
4. Get some lights
5. Paint walls and ceiling (summer vacations probably)
6. Get tools and consumables

Between work and lack of money, this will not happen as fast as I would like, but I'll keep this topic updated. Today I tried to clean it some more and toke apart a bit of the worst shelves.


A few overprocessed crappy pics:

Gate, access by the back street

To the right, non-working cargo elevator, stairs to the store floor. I have running water.

Main space, still results from the water hose

The shelves on those "smaller spaces" and in acceptable condition and will be kept for storing tools and parts. The one to the right is the one I toke apart today

One of the smaller spaces with shelves, and my first two tools: floor jack and torque wrench (still need a socket for wheel bolts). Notice the labels on the shelves which are some 20 years old. The basement of the store used to be the hardware department.

Most far away corner, lots of old rusting displays from the store.

So, long road ahead

 

[DelayedZ]

This has so much potential, chip away at it and you can really make a great space for yourself, I'll be checking this out!

 

[bczygan]

Great potential. Good for you for taking this on and making it useful.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Looks like a good space, but get the sewer fixed first thing. I like your car, I have an M535i myself.

 

[metalept]

Looks like a good space, but get the sewer fixed first thing. I like your car, I have an M535i myself.

Sure will, the blockage is already solved and a new cap/cover is being made of granite. Should be installed this week.

Mine is a lower end 520i, M20 powered with lousy gas mileage, but fun to drive.

Thanks for the comments guys.

 

[155'Ringman]

This is a great space with loads of potential.
Good luck with your plans.

 

[Pitbull711]

Have to start somewhere.....good luck

 

[metalept]

Yesterday we had the day off (Carnaval), so I spent all of it at the garage. Not much to see... A couple of hours spent further hosing and cleaning the floor, and the rest of it taking apart the worst shelves (still some to go) and rounding up scrap for selling. Hopefully the little money it will give will be enough for at least some of the paint. I **** with weight estimates, but there are maybe some 1.200-1.500lbs of iron.

Also found an old bicycle, all rusted out. It has to be decades old (30+ years at least, maybe 40). One of my friends restores these so he is going to take a look today to see if he wants it.

Scrap goes away next Saturday.

 

[B964]

Cool space.

What's the humidity level in there? Are you close to sea/salt air? The shelving rusted and the bike rusted being down there.
You could run a dehumidifier to try and control it.

There is a nasty looking stain on the cieling. Is that an old water leak or an active one with mold growing.

Cleaned up, some air flow and humidity control and you will have a safe spot for your cars. (I have a 1980 528i)

 

[metalept]

Humidity level was high due to the flooding and being below street level, but has been brought to normal. You can see a small dehumidifier on the first set of pics, which has been operating all night, every night. An old infiltration caused the mould on the ceiling, has looked like this for a long time. I will deal with it the best I can affoard when I paint the space.

No, this is not near sea, even tho there was a salt water well under the building. It has been sealed decades ago. The most rusted things tho (like the bike) were on an nearby structure, and got rained on all this years. I don't belive the basement itself is that bad for rust, but I'll keep a close eye on it since my beloved cars will be in it...

Also, in case someone notices that I know the story of the space too well... My grandfather built the building. The store was his, and he lived upstairs (where I live now). I rented the duplex from my mother and aunt, because I feel attached to the whole place, I grew here. So I hope I can make this all turn nice.

I'll start adding the expenses on the first post, even tho the budget is limited, but I think it adds to the topic. Just haven't had any yet apart from the floor jack and torque wrench ($130).

 

[mepooooo]

Well, the garage with big potential, just keep ot clear and well orginized

 

[kyle@hcb]

Neat to see garage configurations from other countries. Looks like a nice project!

 

[metalept]

Short update. It is going slower than intended. Spend the last weeks disassembling some stuff, and today the scrap metal truck came and toke 1 ton of stuff, which yelded 100 euros ($120?) that will go into paint.

There is also alot more free space now. Should be able to move in the other 2 cars between today and tomorrow, and will take pics of the current situation.

 

[metalept]

So, I toke some pics today for the topic. There is alot more free space now. Sewer maintenance boxes are now sealed with granite caps (which would look great if I stained the rest of the floor like Track.One's).

Moved my main car in (the love of my live after my wife and daughter), still missing the DD Clio on the pics. Moved in some spare parts and the set of 15'' alloys for the E36.

So, not much progress, but I can now officialy start using it as my garage. On to the pics:

E28 still here. Since it is on the basement, it has started on first try everytime

Moved some stuff from my parents'. They were happy with that.

Brought in the E36

There is obvious more space without so many clutter. I would love an Honda CBR to park on that space...

There is still some old stuff there on the back which I'm yet to sort.

Stock alloy bottlecaps will go on the E36 next weekend.

The E36 also has some to-do things:
- Fix roof headliner;
- Fix driver seat cloth.

 

[Kevin54]

Welcome to Garage Journal

Looks like you have a great space to turn into a garage. I imagine it has a special feel to it since your grandfather built the building. It's great that you can fix some of it back up.

What is the stain on the ceiling in the above pic? Was it a leak from up above? As far as sewer backing up in the basement, I would scrub things down with some bleach water to kill some of the germs. Then let things dry out well before slapping paint on it.

Also do you get water coming in from under the garage door? It doesn't look like it seals very well. You can adjust the door, or a lot of places will sell what they call "balloon seals" which are larger in diameter and will seal up against certain imperfections.

Looking forward to more pics as you make progress.

 

[metalept]

Hi. On the ceiling, it was an old leak, maybe 10 years ago. It left that mold that will be taken care of prior to painting.

Everything was cleaned with special products (don't know their name in English tho, sorry) and washed before sealing the sewer maintenance boxes/holes. It is all dry now, I had an dehumidificator (spl?) working every night for 2 weeks.

The bottom of the door does not seal tight at all, but no water comes in fortunatly, since the road level is one inch below it. This was paid special atention when it rained heavily all this past week.

I am now using the basement, and paint will come as soon as time and money allow. Prior to painting, walls and ceiling will be dealt with (how do you say it in English? We kind of sand/peel off the old paint and mold, then apply an moisture resistant layer before the main paint layer).

Before that I'm getting eletrical power. The electricians will wire my power circuit from the living floors) to the basement one so it gets power to the lamps.

 

[MG30]

Hi João.

Thread suscribed

Nice place you have there.
With patience and dedication you can make it a very nice garage and workshop.
Love this kind of threads.

I'll follow the developments...

Jorge

 

[metalept]

Thank you for your kind words, Jorge!

Next step is paint when the weather improves, and I should get a battery charger. Unfortunatly, I may need to sell the E28 in a couple of months: it is not a very cost-effective car, and having a daughter and my wife being unemployed I can't justify having 3 cars (insurance, inspection and IUC tax).

May trade it for a motorcycle tho, would like to own one and everything is cheaper than on a 27 years old 6cyl car.

 

[metalept]

Not much of an update, but... it's got power!

The electric guys were here today, reviewed the electric system and connected the un-powered floors to my power supply.

I'm not limited anymore by hour of the day (or night) or by electric extensions

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'll agree with the other posters as that place hs some potential. Since it's been in the family, will it get handed down to you ?

 

[Scottishross]

thats a stunning garage there is hundreds of things u could do

 

[metalept]

I'll agree with the other posters as that place hs some potential. Since it's been in the family, will it get handed down to you ?

Could be someday, but right now I pay rent to my mother and aunt.

thats a stunning garage there is hundreds of things u could do

Thanks guys. Next step should be paint.

 

[Rui Duarte]

Hey just take a peek to your space! you could do a very nice man cave here! Did you paint it already?

 

[metalept]

Work messed up my vacations, so paint is still on the to-do list. Everything is still on the to-do list...

Using the garage as is for the time being, for the E36, cbr and respective (light) maintenances. Only modification is more motorcycle gear scattered around.

 

[E12-535iTurbo]

Why don't you give us an update on your garage. I'm interested how you are doing. It has lots of potential!

 

[metalept]

Unfortunatly it never got very far. I used it for a while to park my cars, store my tools and parts, put a stereo there and spent alot of time there. Then, in early 2015 divorce happened, everybody moved out, so I never got to do anything interesting with it.

Maybe someday. One of the last pics I toke:

 

[TomcoPDR]

sorry to hear about the divorce... great place with some bright white paint and lighting