Building a Garage

[redoubt]

So, Kirsten and I are looking very seriously at building a garage (or having one built for us) next Spring. Any tips/advice? How easy (or not) is it to build one yourself with the kits or whatever from Kent/Home Hardware, etc. Any better suggestions? Cheapest way to do it without it ending up being shitty? I'm looking for any tips you guys have. And hey, if anyone wants to volunteer to build this....please do!

Thanks!
Keely.

[GuingesRock]

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/clear ... Bg_m8J0xGM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GAM]

Start with what do you want to put in it. Car, cycle, brew gear, garden stuff etc.

Get a square foot (and add to it). Then think doors, windows, vents etc.

Get quoted from Kent, Depot and some builders. The frame and roof is the most work.

You can do as much or as little as you want and it mey save money or not.

Then have a Brewnosers party to christen it.

Sandy

[GuingesRock]

I think you might need a building permit as well.

[GAM]

Maybe but lots of people don't.

Just thought, if you need power check to make sure there is room in your panel.

Sandy

[LeafMan66_67]

I think you might need a building permit as well.

I know you're not in HRM, but, in HRM, anything greater than 215 sq.ft. needs a building permit.

[GuingesRock]

Just thought, if you need power check to make sure there is room in your panel.

Sandy

Then there's the electrical permit

[redoubt]

Maybe but lots of people don't.

Just thought, if you need power check to make sure there is room in your panel.

Sandy

I know there isn't room in my panel. Plans are to put a new panel in the garage, as per suggestion of the electrician who installed my heat pump. It's a small panel in the house and in a stupid place, so expanding the existing one isn't really a good option.

Thanks for the input, guys!

Keely.

[Barker]

I just built a 32'X24' garage on an engineered slab with in-floor heat. I hope to one day operate a small side business (something mechanical) out of it that would benefit from the hydronic heat.

The cost of laying the pipes is very low ( and VERY easy to do yourself)and you only get one chance to install them.

And oh yeah... insulate INSULATE INSULATE.

What will you be using the garage for? That's the first and biggest question.

[redoubt]

What will you be using the garage for? That's the first and biggest question.

Just about anything and everything. Our house is 1100 sq. feet on slab. No basement, and 3 sheds out back. Two sheds are decent, one is shitty and we don't really put anything useful in it because it's so damn sketchy. Because we don't have a basement, we don't have much by way of storage for anything, nor a useable workspace for random projects (anything from refinishing furniture to working on the mopeds to building wooden shelves and things, etc.) And we have lots of hobby gear and such (bikes, kayaks, motorcycle, mopeds, brew gear, tools, etc.) Garage would be storage, plus work space for whatever projects. Plus, would be awesome to finally have room for a big freezer to keep more food from the garden. May brew in it with the door open using propane, but I'm just as happy to brew outside even in winter (at least for now). Car could go in occasionally, but I'm not 100% married to having it in there.

I don't think I'll do in-floor heat. Shouldn't have anything in there that'd need to be warm all the time. 'Cus with in-floor, it has to be on all the time to not freeze, correct? We were thinking a wood stove, or use a small heater as needed. Would be wired to electricity, but no plumbing or anything.

-Keely.

[Jimmy]

What kind of pricing did you find with the kits and what size garage?

[Barker]

'Cus with in-floor, it has to be on all the time to not freeze, correct?

-Keely.

Not exactly. You fill the system with a glycol mix that will not freeze. The main reason that the system has to be on all the time has more to do with the amount of time (and energy) that it takes to heat the slab, and then the amount of energy required to maintain the desired heat. In-floor should be a set it and forget it setup for the most part.

If you're only out there once in a while a wood stove is perfect. I'm starting to see lots of heat pumps strapped to the sides of garages too...

[redoubt]

What kind of pricing did you find with the kits and what size garage?

Haven't gotten far with pricing yet. I'll keep you posted though. Are you in the market for a garage too? We are looking at a single but with the big door (1.5 size?) and maybe making it a bit longer. However, if kits are cheaper and size is set for me, I'll roll with what's closest to my plan.

-Keely.

[redoubt]

Not exactly. You fill the system with a glycol mix that will not freeze. The main reason that the system has to be on all the time has more to do with the amount of time (and energy) that it takes to heat the slab, and then the amount of energy required to maintain the desired heat. In-floor should be a set it and forget it setup for the most part.

If you're only out there once in a while a wood stove is perfect. I'm starting to see lots of heat pumps strapped to the sides of garages too...

Heat pump is a good idea too. We have one that does the whole house. It's inexpensive to run and we have it on quite a bit. What's your floor system like cost-wise to run?

-Keely.

[Jimmy]

What kind of pricing did you find with the kits and what size garage?

Haven't gotten far with pricing yet. I'll keep you posted though. Are you in the market for a garage too? We are looking at a single but with the big door (1.5 size?) and maybe making it a bit longer. However, if kits are cheaper and size is set for me, I'll roll with what's closest to my plan.

-Keely.

We've been thinking about it, but it won't be this year..and probably not next year. We just finished siding the house, and next year is probably a new kitchen. Maybe after that is done we can build a garage. There seems to be a couple of companies in Halifax with good pricing for building a garage. Not sure if we'd end up doing it ourselves or hire someone to do it.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[redoubt]

What kind of pricing did you find with the kits and what size garage?

Haven't gotten far with pricing yet. I'll keep you posted though. Are you in the market for a garage too? We are looking at a single but with the big door (1.5 size?) and maybe making it a bit longer. However, if kits are cheaper and size is set for me, I'll roll with what's closest to my plan.

-Keely.

We've been thinking about it, but it won't be this year..and probably not next year. We just finished siding the house, and next year is probably a new kitchen. Maybe after that is done we can build a garage. There seems to be a couple of companies in Halifax with good pricing for building a garage. Not sure if we'd end up doing it ourselves or hire someone to do it.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Do you know if the companies with good pricing will come to the Valley? Or if you could give me their names I could check into it. We've got the kitchen replacement on our to-do list too...but without much storage space, the garage seems to have leapt ahead on the priority list. Kitchen functions, it just ain't real sexy. I'll keep you posted on pricing I find too.

-Keely.

[Becky]

We were looking at Mercer's Best Built Structures, they are out of Dartmouth. Prices seem reasonable, however, the prices on some of their pictures on facebook are assuming the work is already done, like the area is cleared, slab is poured.

[Barker]

Not exactly. You fill the system with a glycol mix that will not freeze. The main reason that the system has to be on all the time has more to do with the amount of time (and energy) that it takes to heat the slab, and then the amount of energy required to maintain the desired heat. In-floor should be a set it and forget it setup for the most part.

If you're only out there once in a while a wood stove is perfect. I'm starting to see lots of heat pumps strapped to the sides of garages too...

What's your floor system like cost-wise to run?

-Keely.

No idea... it's only plumped for in-floor heat. The building doesn't even have wiring yet

I've heard around $1200 a year for a building roughly my size, setting the thermostat for 14C in late Oct and turning it off in April (with 2" rigid foam insulation under and around the slab). I will only be hooking up the in-floor if I do the part time business gig.

[bluenose]

we're looking at getting a fabric storage building (Canadian Tire) to store our stuff that needs to be kept dry but doesn't need to be heated, like lawn furniture and kayaks. It will free up space for us to lock up more valuable things in our shed

We've been told to look for the 2" frames and 9oz fabric, (clocking in around $700-$1000 regular price) the lighter stuff isn't as durable

[redoubt]

we're looking at getting a fabric storage building (Canadian Tire) to store our stuff that needs to be kept dry but doesn't need to be heated, like lawn furniture and kayaks. It will free up space for us to lock up more valuable things in our shed

We've been told to look for the 2" frames and 9oz fabric, (clocking in around $700-$1000 regular price) the lighter stuff isn't as durable

Let me know how that goes! It might be a good fix for us until the garage goes in (won't happen until the spring at the earliest). We may also pick up another used baby barn shed for the short term.

-Keely.

[GuingesRock]

Make sure it is a tunnel design with no angles in the frame separating the roof from the side walls, and no horizontal framework at that point, because snow builds up on the roof and brings the whole thing down. I've had a few, and luckily CT took them back when they collapsed. Finally got one similar to the one I posted above and it's good. The snow just slides off the roof.

[bluenose]

Make sure it is a tunnel design with no angles in the frame separating the roof from the side walls, and no horizontal framework at that point, because snow builds up on the roof and brings the whole thing down. I've had a few, and luckily CT took them back when they collapsed. Finally got one similar to the one I posted above and it's good. The snow just slides off the roof.

so more of a curved dome shape than the barn roof look?

[GuingesRock]

Make sure it is a tunnel design with no angles in the frame separating the roof from the side walls, and no horizontal framework at that point, because snow builds up on the roof and brings the whole thing down. I've had a few, and luckily CT took them back when they collapsed. Finally got one similar to the one I posted above and it's good. The snow just slides off the roof.

so more of a curved dome shape than the barn roof look?

Yes, round top like this one: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/clear ... BrjT8J0xGN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Notice also there is no frame at the eves for the snow to get caught behind and build up.

[Jimmy]

How secure are these things during wind storms ie: hurricanes/tropical storms?

[GuingesRock]

I pounded some lengths of rebar into the ground at a slight angle and roped the feet to them. Lasted through a few hurricanes. We have it at our old house on the south mountain which is being rented out. Used as a woodshed/bike shed/tool shed.