Not another steel building....it's a stick build

[nweiv_78fj40]

Had the idea to one day build a garage/workshop on my property for some time, ever since I built the house a few years ago. I even kept a pallet of bricks to make it match the existing brickwork.

I had thought about doing it steel, but I really didn't like the look and feel, so I went with a stick build. I was originally thinking a 30x30 build, but after working in Rob's (matzell) garage for the past couple of months, I decided to bump it out to 36' so you don't lose the wall space if you install a lift. (allowing 6' in between the wall and the lift) I had a set Rob's plans for about a year now, so I finally worked out all the details with the wife and got me a permit to get the work started.

Garage will be 30' deep by 36' wide, and over 14' to the top of the vaulted ceiling. It will have one 18'x8' garage door and a single 3' entry door. No windows. I live out in the country, but I don't want to advertise what's in the garage....

I had the trees cleared almost two years ago, but after finding out that my setbacks were 25' I needed to remove some more trees and turn the garage 90 degrees to make the door opening on level ground. So first thing was to clear out some more trees:

http://static.flickr.com/50/151145920_04f6fa215e.jpg?v=0

Then to have the site surveyed and marked:

http://static.flickr.com/56/151145936_df58f0c226.jpg?v=0

Looking towards the house from the back:

http://static.flickr.com/56/147547535_a1fbb8d772.jpg?v=0

Here is the driveway I had cut to service the garage/parking area:

http://static.flickr.com/53/151145948_b95f3174a5.jpg?v=0

[nweiv_78fj40]

So now I had to wait for the footing contractor to show up and dig the footings.....this took a few weeks:

http://static.flickr.com/44/151145974_3ad7e33f2d.jpg?v=0

Thank god the whole area didn't wash out from some of the storms we had roll through:

http://static.flickr.com/49/151145986_2dba6c9768.jpg?v=0


Then the cement (concrete) truck showed up:

http://static.flickr.com/54/151146031_cefcd41069.jpg?v=0


Lucky I showed up just as the truck starting dispensing, they almost forgot my conduit.....

http://static.flickr.com/54/151146041_0f517dc435.jpg?v=0

It steps to three levels on one side, two on the other and two in the back:

http://static.flickr.com/51/151146059_a99fd4e2e2.jpg?v=0


http://static.flickr.com/50/151146088_de7a8f641b.jpg?v=0


http://static.flickr.com/53/151146152_549e9f9819.jpg?v=0

[nweiv_78fj40]

The mortar, block, and sand showed up sometime the following week and then 6am Sunday morning I was woken up by the dogs to this:

http://static.flickr.com/53/151340933_acae3c6c8b.jpg?v=0

These guys worked fast. I threw on some boots and grabbed a pair of gloves to help move the block & brick around before long they got their rhythm going, and it was going up quick:

http://static.flickr.com/49/151146165_6a06588479.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/44/151146177_5c592a3545.jpg?v=0


The front wall had four courses of block and the back had 7. This will require a lot of backfill:

http://static.flickr.com/45/151146190_b1fda39a13.jpg?v=0

To save a little $$ and the fact that I only have one pallet of brick, I only have the front and the side facing the house bricked:

http://static.flickr.com/47/151146200_4a104540d4.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/52/151146254_dad3781725.jpg?v=0


They finished by noon. I had some beer and we cleaned up and had a few....here is the finished result:

http://static.flickr.com/56/151146265_2893ebf6a8.jpg?v=0


I don't know if I will pour the floor or get it under roof first. I need to check how much gravel I can fill in vs. how much concrete will be needed. More updates to follow:

[calfj60]

Great looking property you got there...my only concern is the garage door height....8 feet is kinda low...

[nweiv_78fj40]

I couldn't see the need to spend the extra $300+ for the extra foot. The garage up at the house is a 18'x7' door. My 4Runner (on 37's) fits in there fine, so an extra foot making it a 8' door should be fine for whatever I have planned....here is a photo of Rob's 16x8' door:

http://static.flickr.com/20/71464254_26d217fc02.jpg?v=0

[DRM]

You should be ok with an 8' door... but I wouldn't give up my 10x10 front door for anything (other than making it 12' wide so I could park something half in and have room to still walk around :p )

[4x4not]

My parents have a 10x10' door in the center of their garage (and a 7x7 on either side) and I couldn't see having anything smaller. The larger door just makes it soooo nice. The garage is looking nice though! Oh how I can't wait until I can move out of this suburban hell-hole and buy my own place!

[heavytlc]

You will enjoy the space. Is that the same house I was at? Is the shop behind the house? Building cost have went up so much in the last 2years it is crazy. The sooner it is done the quicker the equity starts building. Around here you used to be able to get in the dry for a small amout of the total budget, but with plywood,studs,block,and concrete prices going up so much that is not the case.

Are you feeding the power from the house, or adding a meter for the shop? What kind of heat are you using? Sink, toilet, or dry shop?

[nweiv_78fj40]

You will enjoy the space. Is that the same house I was at? Is the shop behind the house? Building cost have went up so much in the last 2years it is crazy. The sooner it is done the quicker the equity starts building. Around here you used to be able to get in the dry for a small amout of the total budget, but with plywood,studs,block,and concrete prices going up so much that is not the case.

Are you feeding the power from the house, or adding a meter for the shop? What kind of heat are you using? Sink, toilet, or dry shop?

Yes it's the same house you saw. I cleared about 1/4 acre behind the house. The rising building costs is the reason why I'm building now. I can't get over how much the costs have risen in such little time.

I'm pricing out getting a meter installed vs. running from the house. I have 400A service to the house, so 100A to the garage is no big deal. If I get a meter, it will be 200A service. It's around $96 a year for the meter. Hopefully I can convince VA Power to I have a torpedo heater that runs on diesel that I'm going to use until I go another route. (propane/electric/gas) No AC is planned. Rob's garage usually is pretty cool in the summer with the door open, and I'm taking the time to also install an exhaust fan that also can be used to pull the warm air out of the ceiling.

I have installed conduit for the purpose of installing water for a sink at a later time. Maybe a hot water heater in the future, but no bathroom. I'm going to make a grey water septic system for the waste water. This way I don't have to pump up to the septic system.

Hopefully it will be under roof the next time I see you in OBX. On your insulation, home depot is giving a $75 gift card for a $250 purchase of insulation. So I already stocked up on some R-13 for the garage.....getting back $150. Will help offset the costs of the electrical work.

If you are going to insulate the finished section of your garage, you should stock up as well.

[fj40forlife]

I couldn't see the need to spend the extra $300+ for the extra foot. The garage up at the house is a 18'x7' door. My 4Runner (on 37's) fits in there fine, so an extra foot making it a 8' door should be fine for whatever I have planned....here is a photo of Rob's 16x8' door:

http://static.flickr.com/20/71464254_26d217fc02.jpg?v=0


Man that would be nice a 16x8 door

[nweiv_78fj40]

Woke up this morning and looked outside to see this:

http://static.flickr.com/70/152999789_1a4a463651.jpg?v=0

Don't you just love trusses. They make your life so much easier......

http://static.flickr.com/67/152999758_cf2987a077.jpg?v=0

I got a combination of scissor and storage trusses. The scissor trusses for where the lift will be one day, and the storage trusses over the work bench area. I think I have enough crap and spare parts to fill it up already....

Some nice engineered LVL headers for the garage door.....

http://static.flickr.com/76/152999766_d76d6ca78f.jpg?v=0


Hopefully have some more building in progress photos for you next week. It's really starting to come together now.....

[matzell]

Norm, do not forget to backfill outside of the garage so it does not blow out the walls when they backfill with gravel to pour the floor. I have seen a couple do this. The outside dirt needs to be close to the inside floor level.
Looking good!

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Be careful how you handle those trusses. They are very delicate, moreso than they seem. If the plates come loose due to improper handling, you shouldn't just hammer them back on, the truss's strength has already been compromised. Just a fair warning.

[TLCObsession]

Why weren't the trusses delivered to the top of the wall? It makes rolling them out so much easier!

[nweiv_78fj40]

You all sound worse than my mother.

[nweiv_78fj40]

Why weren't the trusses delivered to the top of the wall? It makes rolling them out so much easier!

Did you miss the pictures? The walls aren't even up yet.

Building is going to be over the holiday weekend. Who's going to deliver it on a Sunday the day before a holiday?

Had to settle for some man power insted.

[nweiv_78fj40]

Well the building has started:

http://static.flickr.com/75/156400493_b51c7e3c94.jpg?v=0

Garage door header:

http://static.flickr.com/55/156400726_4ac510c549.jpg?v=0

Roofers:

http://static.flickr.com/54/156401621_bfb40a7e85.jpg?v=0


I have a ton more pics. but I get complaints from not being too dial up friendly.

Here is a link to my flickr account:

Garage Photos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55753730@N00/sets/72057594142002999/)

[TLCObsession]

Did you miss the pictures? The walls aren't even up yet.

Building is going to be over the holiday weekend. Who's going to deliver it on a Sunday the day before a holiday?

Had to settle for some man power insted.

I realized the walls weren't up yet. Did not know you were going to hit it hard over a holiday....

Looking good.

[nweiv_78fj40]

Went on a little vacation over the weekend to come home last night and discover that the floor has been poured......

http://static.flickr.com/71/162388316_c2110324c0.jpg?v=0

Looks pretty good. Can't wait to install the siding and the doors....then comes the electrical...

The view from inside:

http://static.flickr.com/63/162388389_07c4dcb8da.jpg?v=0



I don't know what's better, having the floor done, or eating some of this we caught over the weekend.......

http://static.flickr.com/54/162389970_343a0b288d.jpg?v=0


MMMMMMMM...good

[nweiv_78fj40]

After a few weeks to catch up at work, and let my checking account accrue some 0's, I was able to get the siding completed and the door installed. Now all I need is some $$ to get the electrical wired, and some grading and fill dirt dropped off.

Looking Good:

http://static.flickr.com/65/177791451_083c0253a9.jpg?v=0

Took a cue from Rob and had the garage door tucked up into the ceiling, just look at all of that room:

http://static.flickr.com/51/177791470_af8b2da79d.jpg?v=0

Went ahead and planned for a vent fan to be installed at a later date. Just installed the lovers for now on the back of the garage:

http://static.flickr.com/51/177791486_60278027db.jpg?v=0

Hopefully I can save some $$ sometime soon. I can't get over the price of Epoxy to coat 1080sf of space....grrrr..

[sawzallsammy]

nice build, and i'm jealous over the tuna, they are just starting bite up off of jersey now. hopefully the weater will hold out for the weekend so i can get out and catch a few

[D60]

Insulate it. I can't believe how much my stick-built uninsulated garage holds the heat in the evenings when my insulated steel shop is nice and cool.

[nweiv_78fj40]

Yeah,

I have already bought the insulation, and it's sitting on the floor of my house garage waiting for me to finish the electrical rough in. Home Depot had a sale recently on R13 and also gave a $75 gift card with a $250 purchase. When the house was built I made sure to get the garage done with the rest of the house. I too can feel the difference in the summer. It sometimes feels better than the air conditioning.

Later.

[tanzuki]

Just out of couriouosity why did they not pour a stem wall foundation?

[nweiv_78fj40]

Just out of couriouosity why did they not pour a stem wall foundation?


If I'n not mistaken, I have a stem wall foundation. There are two types of stem wall foundations. Poured concrete foundation wall and a masonary foundation wall (what I have).

Do you mean why didn't I pour the foundation walls as opposed to using brick and block? To answer that, I did look into doing poured foundation walls, but around here the common practice is to do brick and block. As of a result of a bulding boom here in Richmond as of late, not too many contractors were willing to make the drive out to my house to even give me a quote. I did have a guy give me a quote over the phone, and then when I tried to accept it, backed out of the deal because he was too busy.

It's funny, now that housing is down a bit, I'm now getting call backs from contractors looking for work.

My house is brick and block, all of my neighbors are brick and block, maybe it has to do with the climate, or the sandy soil.

[X-Rated]

I am moving to norfolk in march, and am trying to buy a house there over christmas. I am hoping with the housing slow down I can get a decent house for a discount, and then get a shop built for a fair price b/c people need work

[X-Rated]

another question, cost? i am in the general area so it should be a close price to what i should need to pay

[Mechanos]

If I'n not mistaken, I have a stem wall foundation. There are two types of stem wall foundations. Poured concrete foundation wall and a masonary foundation wall (what I have).

Do you mean why didn't I pour the foundation walls as opposed to using brick and block? To answer that, I did look into doing poured foundation walls, but around here the common practice is to do brick and block. As of a result of a bulding boom here in Richmond as of late, not too many contractors were willing to make the drive out to my house to even give me a quote. I did have a guy give me a quote over the phone, and then when I tried to accept it, backed out of the deal because he was too busy.

It's funny, now that housing is down a bit, I'm now getting call backs from contractors looking for work.

My house is brick and block, all of my neighbors are brick and block, maybe it has to do with the climate, or the sandy soil.

I didn't see any wall steel protruding from your footings. Is there any rebar in the block walls? Did they grout the cells in the blocks or leave them hollow? Just wondering what code is for that in your area.

[nweiv_78fj40]

I didn't see any wall steel protruding from your footings. Is there any rebar in the block walls? Did they grout the cells in the blocks or leave them hollow? Just wondering what code is for that in your area.

Backfilled with cement. No rebar, just the metal clips that hold the brick to the block. I don't believe rebar is required by code.

[nweiv_78fj40]

another question, cost? i am in the general area so it should be a close price to what i should need to pay

There was a small clearing there, but I had to enlarge the area needed because of set backs.

I think I spent around 23K

Pricing so far included the follwing:
Trees removed, footers dug and poured
Brick and block
Concrete floor 4" with 8" where the lift will go
All wood and roof trusses
Roof shingles
Vinil siding and aluminum facia
Entry door
Overhead door
Epoxy floor covering

Not included in the price.
Electrical
Insulation
Sheetrock
Cabinetry and workbenches
HVAC

It's still a work in process, but I hopefully will have somewhere around 30K with lights, compressor, a lift, and rough in for HVAC. One of these days I'll update with some photos with the electrical work. I'm doing most of the work myself, so it's going kind of slow.

Good luck with your pruchase.


Later

[Mechanos]

Backfilled with cement. No rebar, just the metal clips that hold the brick to the block. I don't believe rebar is required by code.
So, what "keys" the block wall to the footer?

[nweiv_78fj40]

So, what "keys" the block wall to the footer?

There is no rebar inbetween the footer and the block, just motar. My house was the same way.

[Mechanos]

There is no rebar inbetween the footer and the block, just motar. My house was the same way.
Interesting.... definately wouldn't pass code around here. But then again, we are in a seismic zone.

[PONY_DRIVER]

I am moving to norfolk in march, and am trying to buy a house there over christmas. I am hoping with the housing slow down I can get a decent house for a discount, and then get a shop built for a fair price b/c people need work


Check zoning codes first. They've restricted the SHIT out of what you can build here anymore. The market has slowed down though, it was going stupid for a while.