Thinking of building a garage have some questions

[blownnotcher]

I am thinking of building a garage at my home, i currently rent a garage and tbh it feels like wasting money, and with restrictions and limitations ie: can only use electric heat, no welders, no starting vehicles past 9pm, ect. i have been thinking of just building one on my property. I dont have a ton of equity in my home, as i bought it in 2008 but didnt know if any of you guys had experience in getting any sort of loan to build one. i would be able to do the digging of foundation (my dad does this for a living) the framing, electrical, and roofing/siding (all past jobs i have had) myself or at very low cost. pouring the concrete and materials would still be a cost but i feel that i could cut the cost significantly by doing the other work myself. Im looking at doing one 30x40 or right around there based on getting deals on certain things (common size roof trusses ect) any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated thanks guys

 

[Poppacapp]

I am thinking of building a garage at my home, i currently rent a garage and tbh it feels like wasting money, and with restrictions and limitations ie: can only use electric heat, no welders, no starting vehicles past 9pm, ect. i have been thinking of just building one on my property. I dont have a ton of equity in my home, as i bought it in 2008 but didnt know if any of you guys had experience in getting any sort of loan to build one. i would be able to do the digging of foundation (my dad does this for a living) the framing, electrical, and roofing/siding (all past jobs i have had) myself or at very low cost. pouring the concrete and materials would still be a cost but i feel that i could cut the cost significantly by doing the other work myself. Im looking at doing one 30x40 or right around there based on getting deals on certain things (common size roof trusses ect) any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated thanks guys

I have considered doing my own garage too. Still figuring out what I want to do. If cost is an issue, you could go the Pole Barn type route, and use gravel for the floor for now, and pour concrete later. If going this route, make sure to allow for the concrete addition(concrete block foundation etc to be sure the concrete can form a seal) If you plan on putting a lift in it, I would plan out to at least have the area the lift will be located poured to 6" thickness instead of the standard 4". 4" May be fine, But I would not want to worry about anything in the future. I have looked at complete garage kits too. They can just deliver all the materials to you, and you can frame it up yourself. Just make sure to involve the building inspectors throughout the process, which Im sure you already know you can get info from the permit office.

Also, try to plan on incorporating a drain system in the floor so if you choose, you can wash the car inside, or whatever else you want to do.

Either way.. good luck with it.

 

[blownnotcher]

Good idea on the drain, I was more looking for how you guys financed it? Pay cash out of savings? Construction loan? ect

 

[clbailey]

Garagejournal.com

 

[007snake]

I would go to the bank you use and ask about a home equity line of credit. Home values have been on the rise recently and it would be worth looking into. The nice thing about the line of credit is that you will qualify for a specified amount, but only will be charged interest on what you borrow. Other options might be to take out Home Depot or Lowes credit card and maybe get one year interest free of charge or even longer in some cases.

 

[ScottinSSMD]

I would go to the bank you use and ask about a home equity line of credit. Home values have been on the rise recently and it would be worth looking into. The nice thing about the line of credit is that you will qualify for a specified amount, but only will be charged interest on what you borrow. Other options might be to take out Home Depot or Lowes credit card and maybe get one year interest free of charge or even longer in some cases.

Spoken like a true contractor. I agree 100% in that order. The LOC interest is the cheapest you will ever get out there and you can roll it together with your mortgage if you want to clean it up as a refi. Usually without any closing costs.

 

[ford fanatic]

All good points so far, hopfully this year we are refinancing our home to build an addition and then a garage.

 

[FISHTAIL]

X2 on Line of Credit. Building it yourself isn't all that difficult, my wife and I did it a few years ago. I paid to have the concrete and foundation work done, but we did the rest, with some help from friends, neighbors, MACA and licensed electricians along the way.

It's a very rewarding project, but doing shingles kinda sucks. Just to give you an idea, I think mine cost me around 27-30k by the time I was done, for a 26x26x10, 6" floor (plus a patio and whole new driveway), 200 amp electrical service, skylights, 10'x9' doors, insulation, drywall, and GOBS of electric. I think I had 36 outlets in the garage itself, plus 3 220v outlets for a lift, heater and welder, plumbing roughin's, 9 4' 4 lamp fixtures flush mounted, 4 standard lights outside and 3 more motion spot lights. The garage also has a full attic, and that's lit/wired as well.

I also went well out of my way to make sure the garage looked exactly the same as the house. I got my brick from the same brick yard, I got my siding from the same siding place, same with the shingles, and I even went so far as to call down the same aluminum guy to wrap the doors and the gables. I make sure my overhangs were the same as the house, etc. To look at it now, you can't tell it was built later, and the only giveaway that it was done by an amateur is a very slight bow in the roof where we didn't get one of the trusses lined up exactly. I'd have fixed it, but we didn't notice until the roof was sheathed..and i wasn't about to go back and re-do that. Nobody ever notices it unless I point it out, but it bothers the hell outta me when I look up at it. lol.

 

[FISHTAIL]

All good points so far, hopfully this year we are refinancing our home to build an addition and then a garage.

LOL, funny you mention the addition..we did that right after the garage too. Mine was pretty easy though. The house had an attached garage, so I just raised the floor in there, insulated under the new raised floor, ran the HVAC under it, then put in a closet/mini fridge and completed the area as a room. Instead of putting a flush wall up front, we put in a large walk-in bay window, and I cut one more hole in the side of the house for a small slit type window to let some light in the side of the house.

Good luck with your projects, both of them are a ton of fun.

 

[FISHTAIL]

Good idea on the drain, I was more looking for how you guys financed it? Pay cash out of savings? Construction loan? ect

Careful with the drain. I don't know what the laws are like where you live, but here, a garage drain isn't legal. They want to make sure you don't get oil/antifreeze down that drain, so you aren't allowed to have one. You can have a trap though, which is something I considered, but didn't do.

I'd also strongly suggest that you put an epoxy coating down on the floor before you start using the garage..it keeps the dust down and makes the floor MUCH easier to clean.

 

[Bonefish]

+1 on garage journal forum. Huge wealth of information. Also....take whatever size you choose to do it and go bigger....you'll be happy you did. If I ever buy a house the garage will be as big as the house....this assumes I win the lottery. Fishtail is right....epoxy the floor and complete the walls to paint to keep the dust down. I still have some on the car but, not near what it was before I did racedeck and painted the walls....

I look forward to pics if you move forward. To do one from the ground ou would be awesome!

 

[Woody6799]

I wouldn't do it unless I could pay for it in cash, no loans. Do a little bit at a time and get it done as you can afford it. You already said that you can do 90% of it on your own on the cheap so it shouldn't be that hard to come up with the material cost to get it done right.

Another good idea is since you live in PA is throw a Regional Meet/Help me build my garage barn. I bet a bunch of guys on here know how to swing a hammer and would give you a hand for a couple of burgers, a few beers, and some bsing about cars...

I don't borrow money anymore, borrowing costs too much.

 

[blownnotcher]

have been thinking about it and tbh i think i am going to check what rules are on slant roofs, if i can get away with a slant roof, then i may do the concrete with my tax return and start hitting up the overtime till its done,

 

[ford fanatic]

LOL, funny you mention the addition..we did that right after the garage too. Mine was pretty easy though. The house had an attached garage, so I just raised the floor in there, insulated under the new raised floor, ran the HVAC under it, then put in a closet/mini fridge and completed the area as a room. Instead of putting a flush wall up front, we put in a large walk-in bay window, and I cut one more hole in the side of the house for a small slit type window to let some light in the side of the house.

Good luck with your projects, both of them are a ton of fun.

Your place sounds very nice! I used to build houses, so i'm looking forward to these projects. We're also doing the addition first, that way I can build a bigger garage :beer:.

Careful with the drain. I don't know what the laws are like where you live, but here, a garage drain isn't legal. They want to make sure you don't get oil/antifreeze down that drain, so you aren't allowed to have one. You can have a trap though, which is something I considered, but didn't do.

I'd also strongly suggest that you put an epoxy coating down on the floor before you start using the garage..it keeps the dust down and makes the floor MUCH easier to clean.

I was going to try and get away with a drain also, growing up we had a drain in the center of the floor of our garage and it made it real nice washing cars in the winter time....the garage was built in 1983 though...

 

[FISHTAIL]

Your place sounds very nice! I used to build houses, so i'm looking forward to these projects. We're also doing the addition first, that way I can build a bigger garage :beer:.


I was going to try and get away with a drain also, growing up we had a drain in the center of the floor of our garage and it made it real nice washing cars in the winter time....the garage was built in 1983 though...

Thanks! We actually moved out about a year and a half ago so we could get a new place with a basement (to let the kid play inside) and a bigger yard. The bummer is, now I have to do all my major projects (deck/shed/garage) all over again. Whenever I get the cash for the garage this time, I'm definitely going bigger. I'm going to shove as large of a garage as I can into the space available. I may also do a small alcove off to one side for a tire room or powder coating. Especially if I want the latter, because then I can keep the mess out of the main garage.

It's all YEARS off though..well, except for the shed, I'll be starting that as soon as it warms up.


If someone wants to just give me 50 grand or so though, I'll be glad to jump right on the other projects! lol.

 

[ford fanatic]

Thanks! We actually moved out about a year and a half ago so we could get a new place with a basement (to let the kid play inside) and a bigger yard. The bummer is, now I have to do all my major projects (deck/shed/garage) all over again. Whenever I get the cash for the garage this time, I'm definitely going bigger. I'm going to shove as large of a garage as I can into the space available. I may also do a small alcove off to one side for a tire room or powder coating. Especially if I want the latter, because then I can keep the mess out of the main garage.

It's all YEARS off though..well, except for the shed, I'll be starting that as soon as it warms up.


If someone wants to just give me 50 grand or so though, I'll be glad to jump right on the other projects! lol.

Sounds like you have a good plan. I plan on doing mine up right too, I have 38 acres, so the square footage of the house is the only thing that is limiting the size garage I want to build lol. Damn gov't restrictions.

 

[leatherbu41]

Where are you in Pa? I pour concrete for a living. A 30 by 40 concrete slab should run anywhere between 7k to 8.5k. Also radiant floor heating is awesome if it is in the budget. Also like another poster said I don't think you will be allowed to put a drain in your garage, Most commercial garages we work at are doing away with their drains filling them with concrete. This saves on cost of cleaning the oil separator system. Hope this helps with your planning:banana:

 

[leatherbu41]

Ford Fanatic if your land is zoned AG you can build a garage bigger than your house

 

[Monkeygrits]

Good info here guys I'm trying to get a garage put together this summer. I like the idea of running the radiant heat lines in the floor. Even if I don't use them right away they are there.

 

[ford fanatic]

Ford Fanatic if your land is zoned AG you can build a garage bigger than your house

I know but i'm in Forest Conservation, it saves A LOT on taxes....

The ony way I can go bigger is to file for a variance, which isn't cheap, and then i'm not guaranteed to get it.