How important is garage space? UPDATE with PICS

[4402tuff4u]

My thought was that I have 3 acres and can buiild whatever kind of barn/garage I want but the reality is I can't afford to build anything and it will be years before it can be done.  I should have waited and found one with a two car garage AND A POLE BARN!!

That's my problem. I'm on 1/3 acre, with a big back yard (85' from the back of the house to my property line) and planned on building an additional garage behind my house. Only problem is that I can't afford to.
I've thought about getting one of these...



...but I'm not sure if I should put 3 grand into that, or put it toward an actual permanent building.
If I put it toward a permanent building, then the 3 G's probably won't go very far & it'll take me forever to finish it.
I hate money.


Oh, sorry for the hijack...ummm...go for the big garage!

CF, I did a quick and dirty estimate. I would think 3k should get you close to a spread footing with a slab for a 20' x 40' garage. You will need approx. 30 cyds of concrete, plus rebar and labor. I'm not sure what concrete goes for by you and labor.  

[Steve P.]

3K would just about cover the concrete...


Now you have the buried goods to worry about too.. You know, power, phone line, computer wiring, water line, alarm wiring, intercom wiring etc, etc. 

My shop is only 20 X 20. It's too small.. I have allot of driveway wrapping around to it and paid for most of the work to be done but also had a bunch of free-be help from family and friends. It took over a year to build. (Time, money and Pain). in the end we figured it cost us about $11,000.oo total. It has everything but water and heat. I don't need heat in Florida... I wish I could have built it bigger, but,,, code says (NOPE).... Oh well!!

[Charger_Fan]

Oh, sorry for the hijack...ummm...go for the big garage!

What, talking about what to do with a garage isn't a hijack as the more info on this subject the better.

Well, I said that after I realized I was babbling on about my own predicament.

Does the back of your gayrodge look out into your backyard?   could you go tandem off the back by adding on or is there living space behind it.?

Yep, the back of it faces the back yard. I have thought of blasting out the back wall & adding onto it like Troy (Hemi68) did. The only problem is that the ground is lower back there, so I wouldn't be able to have the floor at the same level as my existing one without making it look like it's on stilts.

CF, I did a quick and dirty estimate. I would think 3k should get you close to a spread footing with a slab for a 20' x 40' garage. You will need approx. 30 cyds of concrete, plus rebar and labor. I'm not sure what concrete goes for by you and labor. 

I haven't checked into the cost either, other than a rough guess from a contractor who was building a house a few doors down last year. He estimated about $2500 back then, but now concrete prices have gone up, so it's probably closer to your guess.

So then, I'd have this nice place to park & no roof or walls for a while.
I dunno, I just need to pick one thing (garage this year vs. start Charger resto this year) & go for it...that's my biggest problem, I don't stay focused on one direction long enough.

[is_it_EVER_done?]

How important is garage space???  You might as well be asking "How important is SEX"!  Even a 3 car will start to make you feel cramped after a very short while.

Somewhat off the subject, but even more important is that (in my opinion) now is not the best time to buy unless you are getting a steal on the property! Over 40% of the houses in this country are owned by "investors" (read speculators), and the market has flattened out (even in extreme areas like mine), and is way over due for a correction as the investors start to bail out.

Couple that with the fact that over 70% of the houses in this country are on interest only loans, and that our new Fed (I forget his name right now) has said that further interest rate increases are probably necessary, and the fact that business in general will be facing necessary layoffs due to the resulting downturn, is going to dictate a substantial reduction in house values in the near future. That doesn't mean that now is not a good time to buy, just that you need to find the "steal of the century" type deal. They are out there; you just have to find them.

As a footnote to all of that, it's quite possible (and in my opinion probable) that our next president will be female. All politics aside, -- Even the most optimistic of people will consolidate their nest eggs (meaning cash out of most investments), and take a wait and see approach to this (for the U.S.A.) extreme change in our political make-up. Again I must state that investors own over 40% of the houses in this country! Even if I'm completely wrong on who will get elected, the very possibility will create an even deeper buyers market.

The real point I'm trying to make is that you can probably find what you want, (garage space and all), at a price you're willing to pay, if you just don't get to anxious to purchase. My suggestion is to offer 10% less than asking on properties you feel are reasonable deals and fit your requirements. The reason I say this is due to two facts that are absolutes in real estate.

#1. You buy at a profit. - It's a rare situation that you can sell at a profit if you ignore this.

#2. You can always go up on your offer, never down. - Meaning that even if your offer is flat rejected, you can always offer more. If your first offer is accepted, you offered too much!

Sorry that this got so far off your topic, but I hate to see people take a hit on a real estate purchase if I can help it.

My suggestion is to get pre-qualified for the max loan that you can (even if your not willing to go that high), ask for the moon as far as seller concessions, and be very analytical in your decision.

I hope this has been of some help.

[nh_mopar_fan]

"Over 40% of the houses in this country are owned by "investors" (read speculators), "
"Couple that with the fact that over 70% of the houses in this country are on interest only loans, "

Do you have a link to support these claims? I'm not trying to be a wise-ass, I just find that very hard to believe.

[chrisII]

 in the future im hoping to buy my dads place. currently there is a small 1 car that is located behind the house , away from the main driveway that was put up for me to use as a shop before i bought my own house. that garadge is mostly used for lawn mower and such. if i bought the place (on 1 acre) i would build like a 30x40 pole building at the head of the driveway. the plann is to devide the back side off to be like 16 or 18 x 30 as a shop and use the rest for storing daily drivers and extra parts ect. this way i dont have to heat nearly as much in winter. heck i wouldnt even have to pour concrete in the front part if money didnt allow. if the current 1 car wasnt only 12 wide i would use that as the shop and add on to the back. when we had it moved in we poured the slab to 12 x 30 instead of 12 x 22 that the garadge is. if i was on a really tight budget i would kick out 1 side wall and insulate, but that would be a last resort.

[Old Moparz]

Yep, the back of it faces the back yard. I have thought of blasting out the back wall & adding onto it like Troy (Hemi68) did. The only problem is that the ground is lower back there, so I wouldn't be able to have the floor at the same level as my existing one without making it look like it's on stilts.

Hey CF, a somewhat easy approach would be a small pole building & some fill. That's basically what my garage is, & how I took care of the slope in my yard. The ground at the left side of the building was 4 feet lower than the right side. I didn't have to, but I built a retaining wall to hold the fill & not have a slope. I could have just let the fill material run downhill from the wall, but wanted to have a flat space adjacent to place garbage cans, a canoe & whatever.

I put the poles into the ground to a point below the frostline, put up the building & finished filling the gravel until I was at the level of the bottom side of where the concrete floor was going to be. The slab sits on the compacted gravel & the inside of the garage walls acted as the form with some additional stakes in the ground to keep it from bowing outward during the pour. I used a total of 16.5 cubic yards of concrete including the 18 inch apron.

It's 5 inches thick all the way around, & 4 at the apron. (but I ran out of gravel & time the day before the pour & have 7 inches in the front center area.) No sinking or cracks except for one hairline crack on the right side of the building where there's hardly any fill, just 6 to 12 inches of gravel base.

I just need to pick one thing (garage this year vs. start Charger resto this year) & go for it...that's my biggest problem, I don't stay focused on one direction long enough.

That's one of my biggest problems too. 

[Charger_Fan]

I put the poles into the ground to a point below the frostline, put up the building & finished filling the gravel until I was at the level of the bottom side of where the concrete floor was going to be. The slab sits on the compacted gravel & the inside of the garage walls acted as the form with some additional stakes in the ground to keep it from bowing outward during the pour. I used a total of 16.5 cubic yards of concrete including the 18 inch apron.

It's 5 inches thick all the way around, & 4 at the apron. (but I ran out of gravel & time the day before the pour & have 7 inches in the front center area.) No sinking or cracks except for one hairline crack on the right side of the building where there's hardly any fill, just 6 to 12 inches of gravel base.

Wow, 16.5 cubic yards on that size of garage? That's not bad at all! Hmmm.

I think I'll definitely get a for sure quote on what it's gonna cost & decide from there which direction to go. I've liked the pole building idea for quite a while & will more than likely go that direction. A guy can get the most 'bang for his buck' that way.
Thanks for your input.   

That's one of my biggest problems too. 

Glad I'm not alone.

[Old Moparz]

CF, Just take the area (square feet) & multiply by the thickness, then divide by 27 to come up with cubic yards. Mine is 810 sf, by 5" & the apron with the pad at the side door was 66 sf

Garage Floor Area - 810 sf x .42' (5") = 340 cf /27 = 12.6 cy    (Rounded up to 13 cy)
Apron & Pad Area - 69 sf x .33' (4") = 23 cf /27 = .84 cy           (Rounded up to 1 cy)

14 cy planned.

I needed extra concrete to make up for low area I had, & also to allow for any shortage made the last 2.5 cy. You definitely don't want to run out of concrete as you're finishing, & it's easier to order extra & find a spot near the bulding to lose it, like a pad in front of the service entrance door. I had made a form & the little extra we had filled it just right. I think there was only a few bucket fulls left & it went behind the retaining wall. The concrete was also done after mid November, so I had to pay extra for hot water. Keep that in mind if you're trying to save a few bucks here & there.

So I don't hijack this completely, here's some storage ideas. Add a second floor & make lots of shelving.

In Pic #1:  I got these oak library ladders with railings on them from the classified ads for $35 each. I think you'd be able to buy the oak to build one 3 foot ladder for that price. It was easier & cheaper than building stairs for now, & a lot sturdier & cheaper than a pull down, attic scuttle.

In Pic #2:  I have a large shelf on the 1st floor that I can walk under. I will put doors, hoods, deck lids, & other bulky items there when I finish the sheet rock.

[adauto]

I started w 2 car garage & a slab then a 3. 2 years ago added a steel building to the back of the shop.. out of room... it never ends!

[BigBlockSam]

hey
  i have a large 1 car garage with 8 motorcycles in it. so i have 5 mopars under covers outside and work on them laying on the floor. i am selling my houses to build our dream house. with my 50x60x16high pole shed . for my toys and my wifes dream kitchen. with some acreage.  Rene

[greenpigs]

  Well I just bought a place today and it has a two car attached garage with a nice size shed for all the yard junk. A regular size paved driveway and the side of the house has a section of large stone gravel to park on+ storage of wood as it has a wood burning stove. The stone section is behind a 6ft wood privacy fence that encloses the back yard as well. Plus the way the lot is I can add a two car garage later as it allready has access to the back yard. The garage has overhead storage and is wired for 220v with some shelving. Another plus is that its on a dead end street with little traffic, I'm pumped and can't wait to get it all taken care of and move in a few weeks.
 
  I'll post pics of the Charger when I get it to its new home.

[Steve P.]

That sounds great.. Congrats.. Now let's see how long it is till you are looking for more nooks and crannies.. I was out of room before I was finished with the shop..

[Khyron]

congrads, i'l still hunting contractors for my slab at my new place. I'm goign to start with a 24 x 30 foot garage by the looks of things. Then add on later.

[Troy]

That's great to hear!

Oh yeah, if you need help moving I sold all my trucks, trailers, and wheelbarrows. I also broke my arm, have a sprained ankle, and I suffer from random dizzy spells. I really doubt if I'll be fully healed until probably the week after you've settled in. Sorry, I really wanted to help you move...

Troy

[greenpigs]

Thanks guy

Toy man, I know better than to believe you sold something.

[Shakey]

  Well I just bought a place today and it has a two car attached garage with a nice size shed for all the yard junk. A regular size paved driveway and the side of the house has a section of large stone gravel to park on+ storage of wood as it has a wood burning stove. The stone section is behind a 6ft wood privacy fence that encloses the back yard as well. Plus the way the lot is I can add a two car garage later as it allready has access to the back yard. The garage has overhead storage and is wired for 220v with some shelving. Another plus is that its on a dead end street with little traffic, I'm pumped and can't wait to get it all taken care of and move in a few weeks.
 
  I'll post pics of the Charger when I get it to its new home.

Good stuff.

Post pics of the place.

[BigBlockSam]

congrats Greenpigs. good luck with your new home. Rene

[Steve P.]

That's great to hear!

Oh yeah, if you need help moving I sold all my trucks, trailers, and wheelbarrows. I also broke my arm, have a sprained ankle, and I suffer from random dizzy spells. I really doubt if I'll be fully healed until probably the week after you've settled in. Sorry, I really wanted to help you move...

Troy

That is classic....

[Charger_Fan]

Congrats, Piggy! That's gotta feel pretty good.
Let's see some pics!!

Thanks for the tips, Moparz. Now I'm more torn than ever regarding what I want to do.
Oh well, I've got a few months to make up my mind.

[Old Moparz]

  Well I just bought a place today and it has a two car attached garage with a nice size shed for all the yard junk. A regular size paved driveway and the side of the house has a section of large stone gravel to park on+ storage of wood as it has a wood burning stove. The stone section is behind a 6ft wood privacy fence that encloses the back yard as well. Plus the way the lot is I can add a two car garage later as it allready has access to the back yard. The garage has overhead storage and is wired for 220v with some shelving. Another plus is that its on a dead end street with little traffic, I'm pumped and can't wait to get it all taken care of and move in a few weeks.
 
  I'll post pics of the Charger when I get it to its new home.

  Sounds cool.

You gonna paint the place green, or just put green letters on your mailbox that says Green Pigs?

Thanks for the tips, Moparz. Now I'm more torn than ever regarding what I want to do.
Oh well, I've got a few months to make up my mind.

You're welcome, maybe.

I know building mine burned me out for a while, & I didn't want to do anything that required hammers, nails & wood for about a year. That includes finishing the trim work on the garage door openings that still isn't done.  

[nh_mopar_fan]

Congrats on the new place!

[NHCharger]

Hey Pigs, congrats on the new garage and house. you can never have a big enough yard or garage. I just counted today. Including my 2 trailers and backhoe I have 12 vehicles currently on the property

[4402tuff4u]

Congrats Green! Show us your mansion when you get a chance!

[greenpigs]

You gonna paint the place green, or just put green letters on your mailbox that says Green Pigs?

I like that idea, so now I need to find a cartoon pic of a pig to trace so I can paint it on my garage wall.

Congrats Green! Show us your mansion when you get a chance!

I wish, its a smaller house but plenty big enough for just me.