What's the best solution?

[caspian65]

First of all, cool website! Seeing all the pictures of garages going up has inspired me to move forward with a garage project at my house. The problem is that I have 2 options, which I hope to get some feedback on.

Background: We have a 3/4 acre lot, completely fenced. The lot is sloped from side to side and there is a retaining wall about 2 feet high at the end of the driveway. The power and phone lines are buried about 6ft straight back from the retaining wall. My current garage is an attached side entry, about 22x23. Single beam across the middle with a bonus room above, single door.

Option 1: Add about 16ft to the current garage, which also adds to the bonus room above, increasing our heated sq. ft. by about 350. Challenges include cutting back the driveway and relocating the breaker box for the house, which is on the wall that would come down for the addition. Cost should come in around $30-35k to do this. Benefits are that I am able to move my toolbox and shop equipment to the back wall and basically have an open floor. If we sell the house, it will be good bang for the buck since we would have an oversize 3 car garage and additional sq. ft. above. The biggest problem with Option #1 is that my wife is vehemently against it!

Option 2: Build a detached garage at the back of our lot, probably something around the 32x40 range. We do not have an HOA and there are other large garages in the neighborhood. 32x40 would be roughly half the square footage of our house, so I don't think there would be any restrictions at the county level. The detached will require removal of at least 6 large trees and require the driveway to be cut back and poured an additional 30+ ft. Not to mention additional grading and surface preparation to pour a concrete slab. We are estimating cost for this to be about $60k. My wife prefers this option, which I really do too, but I am looking at the most cost-effective solution which will do for now. If we decide to sell the house down the road, it will be hard to get back a $60k detached garage investment.

I'm kinda on the fence with this. From the wallet-perspective, adding to the house seems to be the most sensible and makes our bonus room larger. The extra space in the garage would do me fine, I would be able to fit 4 cars across if I had to or 3 across comfortably. On the other hand, a detached 32x40 would be a little piece of heaven and give me a large play area for cars. It will require a lot more work and a lot more money though.

So, help me out here, what would you do?!

 

[MXtras]

Do what feels right to you.

To me, the detached option makes the most sense, but $ is an issue of course. Don't do it if you can't do it right - you will regret it later and wish you had waited until you could do it right.

You could always do the detached in stages - clear the land one summer, pour the drive and maybe pad the next year, etc.

 

[Wardrum]

Option 1: The biggest problem with Option #1 is that my wife is vehemently against it!

Option 2: My wife prefers this option, which I really do too, but I am looking at the most cost-effective solution which will do for now. If we decide to sell the house down the road, it will be hard to get back a $60k detached garage investment.

I see option 1 as a deal breaker. An angry wife is difficult to overcome.

Since you both like option 2 better, that is where I would go. Spending an additional $25,000 now might be tough but, if you are in a good neighborhood and plan to be there more than 5 years or so, I would bet you will get all or most of it back if you sell.

 

[bmwpower]

Build detached. Sure, it may cost more, but if the garage burns down, your house won't. Fumes and such, won't enter the house. Then, there's noise. Many times I've been out in the garage @ 3am wailing on a stuck bolt with the air gun - no one is bothered.

Don't guess when it comes to ordinances. My township only allowed ~20% footprint for a garage. I had to get a variance to go ~30%.

Make arrangements for HVAC in the garage, and when you sell the place, see if you could convert it into living space, like an apartment.

 

[ChargedGN]

From a resale value I personally lost money on the garage when we sold our last house. It was a 5yr old detached 40x40 with cathedral ceilings, 2 post car lift, heated, ect. I easilly had about 40k(with me doing alot of the work) into it but it only seemed to add about 20-25k to the value of the house.
My realator actually had alot of people say to her at the open house that is was nice but they weren't looking\need something that big(trying to downplay the value of it)

60k seems a bit high
I'm currently building my new garage 24X42 (12' high walls,cathedral ceilings,ect) and with everything should be under 35K

Like bmwpower said go to your local zoning board, you may be supprised on what they might not let you do. I was limited to 1000sq feet even though its built on a seperate 3/4 acre lot with no other buildings on that lot

 

[jmauld]

Do option #2. Building a garage is going to be stressful enough without having a wife that is opposed to the project.

 

[The Hot Rod Grille]

I'll chime in with a vote for option #2. I had very similar circumstances facing me when I decided to build my garage (except my wife was supportive of whatever I decided to do!). I built 30 x 45 with 10 and 12 foot ceilings for the 4-post lift, 6 inch insulated walls, insulated steel garage and entry doors, 3-ton heat pump, bathroom (with urinal!), 200-amp service, wired for CATV, internet, full stereo, plumbed for my soda fountain, etc. The garage had to match the style and materials of my house due to the subdivision requirements, but they did not have a problem with the size of the structure. I had a contractor do the work and ended up with around $70K in it, with me doing the interior paint and finish details. I had to wait until this year to have the concrete driveway installed, but now the project is finished. Like another posted stated, spread the project out over time, but build what you really want! I did and have no regrets!

Jim Winter
The Hot Rod Grille Garage
www.wvpinball.com

 

[PanelDeland]

I think building option #2 done in stages is the best answer.Although it's usually "easier to beg forgiveness than recieve permission" I would not want my wife angry at that level.It's bad enough at the normal level and the "Change of life" level we live at now is barely bearable.
I would pour the slab and drive and build what I could but design to expand in a matching style.Maybe two cars wide and enough space to go 2 more later.That way you get space now and can get more later.I have yet to run across anyone who says "I wish my garage were smaller".Whatever you build you will fill then wish for more later.

 

[caspian65]

I appreciate the responses. I checked my county zoning and basically, so long as the garage sq. ft is not more than the main building(house), then it's ok. Only other stipulation is it needs to be more than 10ft from the property line to go over 15ft high (but no higher than the house.) I have a friend who's a commercial developer that can help with the excavation and driveway work and my father-in-law said he would put up the building. Guess I might as well start working on some plans!

Thanks!

 

[funnycar]

a detached 32x40 would be a little piece of heaven

dingdingding,,,, we have a winner!!

Nothing like going to the detached garage absentmindedly forgetting the cell phone...

 

[V-10 Killer]

I've got a situation very close to yours. Same lot size. Sloped back yard (right to left), 22x24 attached garage.
I wound up starting a 30x36 detached behind the house. I originally was only planning on doing the foundation, concrete and dirt work this year. But I get impatient easily. With everything but AC in the garage (including a lift and epoxy floors), highly optioned, I figure $30k start to finish.
If you're more patient than I am (or smarter with money, which isn't hard LOL), start the foundations, dirt and cement/driveway one year. Then put up the structure the next year or 2.

 

[Kevin54]

One thing about a detached garage is that when you are out there, the wife won't be bothering you every 15 minutes with a Honey-Do like they do with an attached garage. "Honey....I hate to bother you again but....." And that only happens after you crawl back under the car again. A detached garage keeps a marriage in check. And keeps aggravation down

Kevin