Any contractors here? Garage Ceiling question.

[Black2010]

I'm in the process of having a house built with a builder (Castle Rock Homes). They aren't a custom home builder. My Garage ceiling is 9ft according to plan and will be a 3 car garage. The 3rd bay is tacked on to the side of the house and the roof basically goes into the side of the house (where it would be for a 2 car garage house). Picture below of the house elevation to give an idea of what I'm talking about.

My question is: I asked them to raise the ceiling to 10ft (or higher) and they wont do it as a builder so I'm looking to have it done after I move in. Is this something that is fairly easy to do and about what should I budget to do so? I was thinking to just have the ceiling match the roof line for about the first 3 feet from the outside wall and then go flat across from their. Doesn't seem structural to the rest of the house but I'm by far no expert.

Looking to do this so I can put my 4 post lift in the garage and stack my mustang and another car their.

 

[lOOKnGO]

It can be done after construction. If you have an option to make it wider, you should. Email that pic to me and I'll show you the roof line. At a minimum, I would have them do foundation now, and add later.


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[Four Door SVT]

I agree with lookngo, wider foundation for roof line to look right.

 

[IronSnake]

I agree. Pour the foundation, tell them leave the rest of it alone, and have it added on. But remember to have a door put there so you can get in without having to walk around/add it in later.

 

[sleek98]

Depends on how they are running the beam across the garage. If you want the third bay higher than you need to have a support poles for the beams running both from left to right with the garage door as well as back to front along where the 2nd story is.

We had a pole in our first house that we built. The second house I didnt want poles so we ended up putting HUGE red iron beams to support the second floor bathroom/closet over it.

 

[Black2010]

It can be done after construction. If you have an option to make it wider, you should. Email that pic to me and I'll show you the roof line. At a minimum, I would have them do foundation now, and add later.


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Unfortunatly I can't have it poured wider or not built in without just going with a two car garage option. They will only build to their plan and nothing outside of it for walls. I can do all kinds of things inside the house but no wall modifications are allowed.

Agreed that the roof line would look odd if made steeper thus the desires to parallel the existing roof of that section. I know they have a beam front to back between the 2nd and 3rd bay as the roof line inside the garage shows it. To make the 3rd bay they basically are just cutting out that lower portion of that outside wall (about 7 of the 9ft high) and adding the 3rd bay. I'm going to take a bunch of pictures during the framing stage to help whomever does the job just hoping to understand the feasibility and ballpark cost. Sounds feasible from what you all are saying. Am I crazy in thinking around $5K would cove something like this assuming the garage isn't part of the rest of the houses structure or am I way off?

 

[ford fanatic]

Sucks you'll have to build and then tear is out to get what you want. Have you started building yet? Are you tied into this builder because of the neighborhood?

 

[Black2010]

They haven't broke ground but all contracts are signed. We love the neighborhood, on a greenbelt lot with a nice (stocked) pond behind our fence line. Only real sticking point with the builder is their inability to help on this ask so I wouldn't bail for just this issue. I understand their concerns since they just build the same plans all the time and major changes can cause them potential issues, but was hopeful. I'd love to get it 10ft or higher but really, even 6 inches would help. The two cars I have for that spot measure at 8.5 feet when parked. I just need about 6 inches above that to allow for the lift to go high enough to get into the locks and about 6 inches for the door. I'm just hoping I'm not staring at $10K+ to get it done.

I also think HOA is part of the issue as they have to approve elevations so a roof line change would be up to them which is another reason I'm really hoping to just raise the ceiling as much as possible without having to do major surgery on the house.

I told my wife that I thought we could have someone come in and change the trusses their to line the roof more (like a vaulted ceiling). She politely told me that she loves me but I should check around as I'm not exactly an engineer.

 

[tistan]

When construction starts, talk to the framer. See if you can slip him and the project manager a few extra bucks to raise it. They probably have a framing package specified for the build. You might just have to pick up longer studs for that garage area, but that won't be more than a few hundred bucks.

Most architectural review boards don't have actual architects, they will probably never notice the change in elevation unless you ask for permission. On paper it is easy to see the elevation change. Once it is built, your eyes are not looking at the same level and with the garage set back from the front of the house, it will be even harder to see something changed.

The bad part is that they aren't cooperating. Right now it would cost almost nothing to raise it.

 

[Rct851]

i would need about I would need about $2,500 to roof the thing. few hundred more if i have to deck it.

 

[Smooth]

They haven't broke ground but all contracts are signed. We love the neighborhood, on a greenbelt lot with a nice (stocked) pond behind our fence line. Only real sticking point with the builder is their inability to help on this ask so I wouldn't bail for just this issue. I understand their concerns since they just build the same plans all the time and major changes can cause them potential issues, but was hopeful. I'd love to get it 10ft or higher but really, even 6 inches would help. The two cars I have for that spot measure at 8.5 feet when parked. I just need about 6 inches above that to allow for the lift to go high enough to get into the locks and about 6 inches for the door. I'm just hoping I'm not staring at $10K+ to get it done.

I also think HOA is part of the issue as they have to approve elevations so a roof line change would be up to them which is another reason I'm really hoping to just raise the ceiling as much as possible without having to do major surgery on the house.

I told my wife that I thought we could have someone come in and change the trusses their to line the roof more (like a vaulted ceiling). She politely told me that she loves me but I should check around as I'm not exactly an engineer.

Is it possible to drop the floor 6 inches?

 

[ashleyroachclip]

Your contractor is a dumb ass.
Trusses can be engineered to fit the roof line you have , with maybe a 6" difference .




Find a different place to build the house you want .
I hate hoa's .

 

[ford fanatic]

Your contractor is a dumb ass.
Trusses can be engineered to fit the roof line you have , with maybe a 6" difference .




Find a different place to build the house you want .
I hate hoa's .

I think it's more laziness than anything, but that's what you get when you build in a cookie cutter neighborhood.

 

[Great Asp]

Ideally you would have the design in place to provide the 10' ceiling and the third car stall up front. A builder in a community often wants to build off established drawings and design and really is not motivated to build a "modified" or "different" structure. If you have bedrooms over the garage (2-car section) they can be impacted by the higher ceiling in the garage, which if that is the case, then that affects the entire upstairs floor plan. The third car stall at 10' would be easier, but the way that the roof line ties into the home would need to be reviewed. It is a little tricky, but no where near impossible. Standard drawings needing to be modified my an engineer, then the plan approved (for permitting) and or "community standards" for design/appearance all need to gone through, the builder may not have the patience for that.

I would try to get as much project completed up front.

E

 

[ashleyroachclip]

I have looked at your attachment picture.
You can have trusses engineered to land on the exterior wall of the 2 car garage , are open like a scissor truss , to give you the desired head space , and land on the exterior wall of your 3 stall .
This won't interrupt the roofline in the picture .
My understanding , is you will be pouring a 6" exterior wall to support a 2 story building anyway , so there really should be no extra cost in materials , other than the trusses .
Labor will be the same as setting any truss system .
Good luck .

 

[7998]

The reason they don't want to do it is these houses come in a kit and they would have to pay for new drawings, amend the permit, change order with the Sider, Roofer, Framer, Suppliers, and have new roof trusses engineered.

To do it afterwards would involve removing the roof, Removing the trusses, Rebuilding the exterior walls or have an engineer design a way to incorporate the existing exterior walls.
It's not as easy as just adding a foot to the existing wall. You would create a possible shear point where the 1 foot addition meets the existing top plate. There is roof loads and all kinds of calculations involved.
So now that I pissed on your parade what can you do.

1. If they are not willing to pour the foundation, Have them leave the entire garage off and build it later. It is already approved through zoning so there is one less hurdle/expense.
2. Tell them you demand a set of scissor trusses or the roof be framed with traditional rafters which would allow you more ceiling height, though that still may be not enough.

 

[CV355]

This is bizarre... I was going to make a thread asking a nearly identical question. Mine is already built though, and I want to blow out the 3rd garage and make it a tall 2-bay for a lift.

 

[IronSnake]

After reading all of the other responses, this is exactly why I hammer everyone with due diligence before making any moves or signing anything..

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

They will only build to their plan and nothing outside of it for walls. I can do all kinds of things inside the house but no wall modifications are allowed.

Sorry to hear but this is why big box builders suck. Custom is the only way to go.

 

[Stanger00]

Sorry to hear but this is why big box builders suck. Custom is the only way to go.

True.

When we learned that our refrigerator opening was only 38.5" wide we asked to have that changed for a standard 42" built-in fridge. We knew it was in their drawings because the models had 42" sub-zeros installed.

We still had 4 months until our house would be done. They wouldn't budge on our kitchen cabinet order!


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