Got My Variance to build My garage !!! Check it out.

[Motown 454]

Hi Everyone I was stressing for quite a while about going for this variance. We went last night and we got approved to build.... Let me tell you the plan. It will be attached to the front of my house which doesn't sound too good but nowhere else to fit it on my property. The dimentions are going to be 22' wide and 26' deep attached to the house with access on the front porch and to the back yard man doors The garage door will be either 16'x8' or 14'x8' not sure yet. Because my land slopes to the right to get it even with my gutter line the inside walls will be near 11.5 to 12'. Then I'm putting scissor trusses to get more height . I already have a Mr Heater in the cellar waiting to go in and I'm going to put a box for the A/C through the wall for future use. Not sure if Ill put in the side windows or not, but the builder said I could use the two from the bay window we're removing Their Anderson windows and in good shape. Inside will have a knee wall of about 2' and I'll make the floor thick in a spot incase I get a lift. Let me know what you guys think.
Here's the front of the house now. It will be redone with the garage build.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/06/Picture0232-1.jpg
Heres the plan front view.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Here's the plan showing the left side
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Here's the right side.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Let me know what you guys think.
Wayne

[Ishmael]

I think you are improving the value of your house and your life. Happy early father's day, birthday and Christmas. I don't think I'll be getting one of those but I can dream.

[Motown 454]

Thanks
My girls are 33 and 31 and my other best girl will kill me if I give her age lol. So its daddy's turn.

Mama said so!

[ArtosDracon]

Congrats!

[go-fish]

Looks good. Congrats!

[John Wright]

I think you are improving the value of your house and your life. Happy early father's day, birthday and Christmas. I don't think I'll be getting one of those but I can dream.
Ditto......elevations look great.

[LeighP]

Yeah, looks good. At this stage, add some planning to make use of that big roof/loft area....too much storage space not to use it.

[Flash68]

Right on, Wayne!

[shmoov69]

Awsome! Are you building it yourself or having it done?

Dang, your neighbors are close! Lol

[Motown 454]

Thanks Guys
The neighbor on the left will be 10' from the garage. He is great for signing the petition in my favor to build.
I'm going to use scissor trusses to get extra height. Hoping to get a lift someday. I won't be able to build myself I'm a physical wreck, so it will be subbed out. I'm hoping to try to do some things.

[dadto2jays]

Looks terrific!!!!

[mc84_zz4]

That looks great, congrats.
It looks to me like that neighbor is going to get a free tune-up...lol

[Motown 454]

If he needs one he's getting it.

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

CONGRATS !!! I remember when I got approval to build my garage almost 3 years ago. You'll love it once it's done. But cuss every other day during construction ... LOL

[Motown 454]

Already started the cussin. Her's how my day went.

I just got off the phone with the architect with some fun news. It seems that Ma. just started new building code for my area. Sense I'm within 20 miles of the coast I need an engineer to stamp the plans. Were in a 110 mph zone. Not bad $250 I can live with that. But when he checked it out they decided with my wall height of 11'3" that I need shear walls. specifically for my wall height. More money , not sure how much. Their going to see if I make the foundation taller if it will let me scrape by on the wall type. The ones their talking about have metal in them plus different bolts to hold it down on the foundation. I figured it must be like Cali. standards. Plus sense my door isgoing to be 16x8 its a specific door because of the hieght over 6'8" It just gets better and better.
Then this.
My neighbor across the street from me didn't want me to build the garage, but we are friends and we watch each other's house when that person is on vacation. So she told me she wouldn't sign in favor of it , but wouldn.t go fight it. She belongs to the neighborhood association. She said "they will never let you build it". I think thats what she was counting on. There were two people at the meeting contesting my build they had 32 signatures against me. It passed anyway. A coouple of days ago I saw one of the guys from the meeting in her yard with an envelope in his hands talking to her. I think they are going to try to get her to protest it.Thay have thirty four days . I don't know how they came up with the number. The building inspector told me he can give me the permit but if they protest it in court I will get a cease and decest order and I will have to stop. Then if they would win I would have to return the property to its former state. So I'm waiting with bated breath!!!

[ArtosDracon]

That's terrible. I hope your neighbor just keeps her mouth shut.

As for the sheer walls, metal straps are the easiest way to go, but just sheeting the wall with plywood counts out here. As for the door, if you need a 100mph rated garage door I suggest Martin, worked with them a lot a couple years ago and they are a great product and their testing is second to none.

[scogin918]

We use shear walls here on the coast to comply with local building codes.

http://www.strongtie.com/products/strongwall/index.asp

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/industry-news.asp?sectionID=1125&articleID=501475

[Motown 454]

They just adopted them this year. The building inspector said if I had even put a shovel in the ground before Jan 1st I wouldn't be dealing with these rules.

[southernfriedcj]

I HATE NIMBYS.

I'm a builder/devloper, here is my favorite quote:

"The difference between an environmentalist and a developer is that a developer wants to build a house in the woods, an environmentalist already has one." -unknown

[Motown 454]

We'll boys it looks like I'm free and clear to build my garage!!!!! Its past the date for any pain in the a$$ complainers. I already have three contractors giving me bids and one seperate foundation guy already gave me a bid. So the ball is rolling now .

[ArtosDracon]

Whoohoo! Good Luck. And I don't know how busy the contractors out there are, but I know they're dying for work out here, so don't just take their quotes as fact. Make them explain what they want to do and what materials their using anywhere it might be of concern. When you're satisfied with what you're getting, get it all in writing, including scheduled completion dates. You and the contractor can work out the dates together, so long as you're reasonable about it, they shouldn't mind, just make sure you give them a variance for unforeseen issues like weather, and they'll give you a reasonable date. If you just stonewall them on the dates, they're going to build in a bunch of padding, and it won't get done as quickly as it can. These guys reputation is practically all they've got, they want to do a good job in a timely manner, so long as you make it possible and worthwhile. The more you're involved without being pushy, the less likely you are to get ripped off too, cause the scammers just want the easy money, they don't want someone who's going to be in their business along the way.

I forgot to ask earlier, did you plan for load in the joists so you can have a hoist? Normal scissor joists out here are only rated for 10lbs per square foot, which is half eaten up by the drywall, mud and paint. If you want a hoist you're probably going to want at least a couple joists with 2x8 bottom stringers.

[Motown 454]

These guy come recomended by the architect who drew the plans. He's a family friend and My friends wife baby sat his kids for 6 years so he told me when I get the bids he'll look at them with me and help me decide. His company does building but mostly commercial. He recomended and I did ask for everything seperately speced out. If my price on foundation is cheaper he can meet my price and get it all but if not I go with the guy I have the best price from for equal material. I have an engine hoist so I probably won't put in the hoist but I will ask anyway. out here the trusses are rated for snow load anyway.
I already bought 3 Velux sun tunnels for the garage and am looking at three more. I figure I will run two over my work bench the next two will go about between 1/4 and1/3 of the way down and the last two will go 3/4 of the way down towards the door. The each give the light of 6 one hundred watt light bulbs each if I remeber correctly. Only problem is I have chapagne taste and cheep beer pockets.lol

[454bug]

Hey Wayne,

Congrats on the success with the process!

I'm sure glad your lady neighbor didn't buckle to the pressure from the other subdivision trouble makers and turn in a complaint!

I'm SO happy for you! I know you'll be able to really enjoy your hobby so much more by having it right outside your door instead of at some offsite warehouse... I've experienced both scenarios and it's like night and day to be able to walk out in the garage to work on the car or even to just chill out and do some bench racing than to have to drive halfway across town to do a little wrenchin'.

WAY TO GO!!! :twothumbs

[BuzzKillian]

I don't know how much you'll work in your garage with the door open.... but learn from my mistake and make sure the overhead door opens as close to the ceiling as possible. I have 10' ceilings and a 7' high door.... (it's been 12 years and still kicking myself because of it.)

[Motown 454]

THanks Ray
Mike the walls on the garaage are 10'4" and I'm putting scissor trusses in to gain as much hieght as possible. When they come to measure the door I'm going to have them run it as high as possoible. The door is 16'x8' so that will help.
Thanks

[John Wright]

We'll boys it looks like I'm free and clear to build my garage!!!!! Its past the date for any pain in the a$$ complainers.Woohoo for you!....hope things continue to move forward at a positive rate for you.

[mc84_zz4]

Man, I am sure glad your neighbor didn't join the witch hunt...
Just for that I'd close my garage when hitting the projects hard with the grinder...lol
OK, ok, maybe just once or twice....lol
Congrats! Can't wait to see real pics when the project is in full swing. :cheers:

[TonyHuntimer]

Congrats Wayne! That's awesome news.
How far is your house from the street?

Tony Huntimer
RaceHome.com
Camaro Performers Magazine
Tony's Speed Shop -podcast at RaceHome.com

[ArtosDracon]

For the garage door they can run it within 12" of the ceiling with a standard radius, but if you don't mind shelling out a little extra, they have a low profile kit, originally designed for carport conversions, that will get you withing 3-4" of the ceiling. Standard MO on them though is to start the radius essentially right at the top of the door, which is stupid, but is the cheapest.

[Bryce]

great news!

[Motown 454]

Thanks guys I'll keep that in mind AstosDracon.
Tony my house is set 56' from the street when this is up it will still be 30' back.

[Motown 454]

I'm going to have about 12'11" ceiling hieght. I was going to use scissor trusses, but was wondering if I should just go with storage trusses for the extra room. The ceiling hieght should be good for just about any lift I would use I think. lol

[fordsbyjay]

I'm going to have about 12'11" ceiling hieght. I was going to use scissor trusses, but was wondering if I should just go with storage trusses for the extra room. The ceiling hieght should be good for just about any lift I would use I think. lol

Storing stuff in an attic that high would really suck plus I find it just becomes a junk spot for stuff you never use. Scissor trusses would look way nicer.

[ArtosDracon]

Living in AZ, the only things we can store in the attic are things we either really don't want, or things made purely of metal, lol. I've literally logged 160+ degrees F in my attic.

While it's a bit cooler there, I still think attic storage, unless really well ventilated is generally useless. Besides, you're going to have to upgrade the bottom stringer of your trusses to store much of anything up there due to weight restrictions on 2x4's being at 10lbs/sq.ft.

[Tony_SS]

~13ft ceilings!! Awesome.

[Motown 454]

On garage journal someone suggested putting my compressor up there, to keep the noise to a minimum.