Support Post Woes.... can it be removed???

[BryGuy]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum, and I'm currently considering buying a new home that has a 20x23' 2 car garage that has 2 single garage doors.

I love the garage and I'm excited to be able to put it to use, but I'm kinda bummed that it has a support post smack dab in the middle of the garage..... here's a few pics:

I will primarily be using the garage to work on my Jeep Wrangler and I'd love to be able to work on it in the middle of the garage to maximize the work area.

Has anyone else out there dealt with this type of support post?

Can it be removed and supported with a beam running the width of the garage or by some other means?

I realize that this kinda thing is best left to a structural engineer, but I would like to have some kind of idea what I'm getting myself into before I end up purchasing this home.

 

[rhastings80]

Is that metal? Almost looks like a plastic PVC drain pipe.

 

[JCQuick]

thats wierd maybe its a cheap stripper pole

 

[rodnok1]

That pipe has a joint in it...weird for a support piece. You need to check the attic area and see which way the joists run and exactly where the post lands, draw a diagram and post it here so someone can help maybe. It doesn't look like it has a bottom plate either.

 

[DaleK]

I'd be amazed if that's giving any real useful support to anything but you'll have to look above it and see. I'd think at worst it could easily be replaced with something spanning the garage, maybe even something above ceiling "supporting" from above and spreading the load.

 

[CraigFL]

I had one like that in my garage which was supposed to be clear when I had it built. The put it in because the second floor/roof needed to be supported when I put the french doors in the living roor. It looks like you may have a similar support problem with that second floor. But, in any case, you should be able to replace it with a beam supported on the ends to get it out of the way.

Of course would be if it's some kind of utility line-- electrical, water or vent...

 

[Jack Olsen]

My 20x22 garage has a support beam in that location. It was added at some point when the old (1925) structure was expanded to make room for modern-size cars.

Depending on how you end up laying out the garage, it can be more or less of a nuisance. I use it as an anchor for a bench, and to hold a light fixture and a clock. It gives me less flexibility in moving things around, but that helped in making the decision to only park one car in the garage, and use the rest as permanent work space.

 

[Falcon67]

In our first house, the detached garage had a support column in the middle. I built a set of supports from 2x6s and placed those in the walls that ran parallel to the ceiling joists. I then installed a beam of 2x8s between the supports at 90 degrees to the joists. That took the roof load off the support. Garage was about 20x24, support ran across the 20' dimension. With that 2nd story overhang, you may want an engineer to take a look at the attic structure and see why that pole is there in the first place. Might be just for dancin'

 

[tdkkart]

From the pics of the house, intentions were probably to help support the corner of the upstairs. A bit hard to tell though from that angle.

A fine reason that a house should have a set of blueprints with it from day 1.
The previous/first owners of our house left us a full set of structural and electrical prints for the house. Assuming you can read prints, they can be invaluable for those WTF moments. Mine clearly shows why my garage has posts in it.

 

[KEH]

If I may go OT briefly, what is the significance of the dark colored star on the eaves if the garage? We recent took a trip through part of the midwest and saw several houses with those.

On the post problem, I would get local professional advice, but I think CraigFl has it right about second story support. I think a steel beam would solve the problem.

KEH

 

[nehog]

If I may go OT briefly, what is the significance of the dark colored star on the eaves if the garage? We recent took a trip through part of the midwest and saw several houses with those.
...

The stars are common in New England, and are (so I'm told) for good luck.

As to that post, I'd really want to know what it is made of, and what's above it that it holds up. Something doesn't look right about it...

 

[KEH]

Thanks.

KEH

 

[bmrisko]

thats wierd maybe its a cheap stripper pole

That was my thought when I saw the chairs and table.

 

[1984GMC]

Don't forget the costume rack in the back, Its a underground strip joint for sure.

 

[DaleK]

thats wierd maybe its a cheap stripper pole

But is it the pole that's cheap or the strippers?

 

[Torque1st]

But is it the pole that's cheap or the strippers?

Strippers are NEVER cheap...

They will wiggle every dollar out of your wallet.

 

[Bib Overalls]

I agree with the others. The pole looks funny. I think it is undersized. Most engineered support posts are 4" in diameter.

You should be able to access the area above the post. I would be interested in seeing a picture from the top.

 

[ZRX61]

From the pics of the house, intentions were probably to help support the corner of the upstairs. A bit hard to tell though from that angle.

Thats my thought, WTF else is holding up that corner of the house?

 

[tdkkart]

Thats my thought, WTF else is holding up that corner of the house?

Yep, and if they half-assed this, what else did they do when they built it??

This is one of the reasons we have to have home inspectors.