Shop space under garage with new build

[akjose]

I am just starting a new home build with attached garage. I have the option to include the space under the garage as storage rather than back filling.

The space would be accessible from the walkout basement. The foundation of the house will be ICFs with 9'. The ceiling of the shop space has a corrugated like metal supported with 2 beams and 1 like each on center, an a drain system for the above garage and a 6" (IIRC) reinforced concrete pour. The entire room would be surrounded with the ICFs and approx 500sf. Also electrical will be run to this space. All this for $10k. About $21/sf unfinished.

I think it is a good idea for storage space or shop space. My better half disagrees.

What are your guys' thoughts on this pros and cons.


Very similar looking to this space. Only with icf instead of block.

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[rsanter]

Pro....more space

Con...will this limit the weight you can put on the garage floor? Means no lift in there. No heavy equipment and such...

I generally like the idea but have to ask if you take that money and spend it on extending the garage what do you get for that

Bob

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I'm thinking you might be better off with a seperate shed for storage, but that's up to you to decide....

 

[Garage Dog]

Pro - more storage and/or shop space
Pro - more secure than a big shed out in the yard
Pro - it is a separate space for projects, i.e. you don't clutter your parking spaces or have to move cars or worry about damaging cars to get at stuff
Pro - nice sound deadening with ICFs quality, you can make more noise w/o bothering others
Pro - everyone I know who has them thinks they are great
Pro - it could always be converted to living space if needed


Cons - Your wife doesn't think it is a good idea...

I don't know what to do for fun but if you use power tools, make sure the electrical to tuck under will support it, i.e. 220v service and breakers that will handle your equipment.

 

[akjose]

Here are limitations. We can extend the garage (23x23) out to front but not to side due to lot size and standoff requirements. Limited on size of outbuildings due to HOA. There is a man cave area on the unfinished basement but not nearly big enough for everything I have.

In this garage there will be no lift. And I shouldn't have anything other than a mid size crossover or SUV and a car. Maybe a truck if it will fit and if I go that route later on.

I have a drill press, planer, miter and table saw, tool chests, lateral file storage, and tall storage cabinets which won't fit in garage space with cars.

The sound deadening is a great feature for all of that. Should not need 220v for what I have now. I do not think I will want to weld inside the house space.

Also, the builder says the area would be damp due to concrete on all sides and will not run duct to due to decreased strength requirements and cost to do so.
I don't think it would be that damp with waterproofing and use of ICFs. Other than the unconditioned garage space above only separated by concrete and metal


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[Vegaman_Dan]

Issues:

Pro: More space! And below ground for more moderate temperatures. Great for storage.
Pro: Could be a nice spot for a machine shop if you can get the equipment into the space. Clean, confined, great for a lathe, mill, powder coating oven, etc.
Pro: Great place to put the air compressor along with air dryer.

Con: Getting stuff down there! If the doors to the basement are at ground level, make sure you get something with wide enough doors to get equipment through. A single man door is nice, but 36" wide isn't going to cut it for some stuff. Better if you could get a double door access from outside through to that space. Fire doors would be a bonus and great for security.
Pro: Easy access to under the floor if you need to bolt something down to the floor- drill all the way through, use long bolts and nuts. Easy!
Pro: Easy to run power/air under the floor to where you want them in the garage above. No need for power / air drops from the ceiling in the garage.

Con: Limited weight load above.
Con: Make it too nice, and your wife will want it.
Con: It's storage space- and that means it will get stuff put in it- not YOUR stuff, but the family's stuff. You might still have to have an outbuilding to put your car parts in.

As for the limitations of a lift, that can be handled too by installing columns from floor to ceiling in the space to support the two post columns above. I worked in a clutch and brake shop that was ancient and old. Wood floors in the service area with a full basement below. To install all the lifts, columns were put in below the space and tied across with steel beams resulting in a stronger installation than they would have had with concrete anchors alone. If you put in columns to the floor of that space, and they pass through that concrete floor of the garage, you'll end up with a super strong installation, though you will have columns taking up space below, so plan accordingly. Maybe steel columns so they can be removed if you move out and open up the space.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

A guy I work with built a storm/bomb/zombie shelter (including a bedroom, kitchen and bath) under his garage. I believe his MIL is living there now.
I'd rather deal with the zombies but your MIL may be different.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I think the main thing is finding out how much it will add to the cost of the garage floor. Since it won't simply be poured on grade the structure has to be designed to span the basement area, but it's done quite often - I've seen several similar garages posted here in the past. There will be some additional waterproofing requirements as well, so water doesn't run down through from the garage above.

I think that if the opportunity for space under the garage is there, and you can afford whatever it's going to cost, it's a good idea.

 

[Mike2958]

I have a room under my garage…
The floor of the garage is pre- stressed concrete slabs (flexicore)
The price of the slabs installed was about five dollars a square foot. (2009 just south of chicago)
All four walls of the extra room are concrete and I do not have a water/dampness problem.
If your contractor doesn’t know how to waterproof I think I would look at another contractor.
I did install a double broadcast Quartz epoxy floor in the garage to help keep the snow melt from dripping down, So far no problem.
The room is 28 x32 clear span. Would i do it over? In a hart beat at twice the cost!

 

[kbs2244]

Do it.
It is almost free space.
($10k divided by 30 years.)
She will come around.

Make sure you have well installed curtain drains, surface swales, and downspouts only on the downhill end of the gutters.

The more you think like water wanting to go downhill the smarter you will feel when it rains.

 

[HORDERofTOOLS]

I would always be leery of a basement under a garage, but that just my opinion. For 10K I would think you could add on another bay at ground level if space permits and be much happier with the space.

 

[Richard Cranium]

space is space, what are the costs differences..

 

[R6 Racer]

DO IT !

My father in law had that same set up & absolutely loved it. He put a set of double doors in with a bolted in center pillar between the 2 / 36" doors. The door was easily secured & when he wanted there was only 4 bolts to remove & he could pull in any of his equipment.
His garage was almost strictly parking for daily drivers. That & some basic storage. That shop was awsum, easy to heat in the winter & just as easy to cool in the summer. Two sides were underground the 3rd side had the house basement next to it & the roof had the garage over it.
His shop had a door into the house as well, but the room it went into was a storage room. The storage room had another door into the main home, kind of giving a buffer between the home & the shop.

I see you have a chance to go deeper with your garage. If that is the case I would go as deep as you can (money & astetics(sp?) considered).

Try to get us some pictures or drawings so we can see exactly what your dealing with.

Steve

 

[AZ Pete]

I would do it in a heart beat. RE: electric. Go for the 220 vAC. That's what I run my table saw on, and if you upgrade to a better say, yours will too.

 

[sz0k30]

Definitely give it serious consideration, But make sure in addition to the poured floor you look into all the garage floor options including "pre-stressed panels".

 

[Engineer61]

A Con no one has mentioned so far is those jack posts supporting the steel beams for the floor of the garage are going to be in the way anytime you have a long item to move around in that space. No biggie if it's just a storage space, but if it's shop space it will be a continuing problem that will just get worse as more equipment and tools are added to the shop.

 

[Victorymike18]

^ I would think that properly sized I-Beams would eliminate the need for the jack posts, right?

 

[rsanter]

Do it
Install a roll up door so you can get ledger stuff in there
Pay to go bigger on the bean nearest the door so you can use that to lift stuff if you need to

Tell the wife that she will get cabinets in the garage to store her extra stuff. You will use the downstairs area so she dosent have to see your stuff

Bob

 

[R6 Racer]

A Con no one has mentioned so far is those jack posts supporting the steel beams for the floor of the garage are going to be in the way anytime you have a long item to move around in that space. No biggie if it's just a storage space, but if it's shop space it will be a continuing problem that will just get worse as more equipment and tools are added to the shop.

If it's like my FIL's, those posts are only there temporarily. He had 4 in his shop The builder told him that they are only there for the garage floor pour. When the concrete is cured the posts came out. He asked the builder about it & was told that the beams could even come out!

Apparently after his concrete floor with all the rebar in it has cured it will have all the strength needed to support a "typical" 2 car garage! I guess it does kind of make sence.

I can't say weather the OP has the same situation or not.

Steve