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Old 05-16-2017, 07:19 AM   #1
Fuzz
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Default Summer of the garage

It's finally time for me to build a garage, and I'm going to have loads of questions so figured it would be easier to have a thread for it.

First question: My alley is lower than the garage level and I'm stuck with having a decent slope. It will be a 3 foot drop from the back of the garage to the alley, over 15 feet. So a 3:1 slope. Is this too steep? Should I do an apron with maybe half that slope, then be stuck with a steeper pitch for the rest?

Can I get the city to regrade this? It is sloped towards my yard a bit from erosion over the years, if it was level I'd guess it should be about 6" higher. I already had them come in last year and dump a bunch of fill because it was much worse before.
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Old 05-16-2017, 07:40 AM   #2
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Have you gotten any tips from reading about the shed of doom?
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Old 05-16-2017, 07:46 AM   #3
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No, I have not seen the shed of doom. Sounds ominous.
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Old 05-16-2017, 09:38 AM   #4
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Sweet dude. Good luck with your project. I love garages more than any other room in a house. Love hanging out in them, love building stuff in them, love parking in them, love building them. They're just the best.

My tips are:
- Epoxy the floor. It's easy and cheap to do, and is the premier finishing touch.
- Run 220 as it future proofs the garage for plug-in vehicles, welders, etc.
- Run power outlets everywhere. I'm talking a ton around the walls, in the ceiling, everywhere. They're so cheap to do and so handy.
Spoiler!

- Pre-wire speakers.
- Consider moisture ahead of time (melting snow from your cars needs somewhere to go). I had a moisture problem inside my garage after I finished it that I should have considered earlier in the project. I ended up adding more venting to the attic and a bathroom fan on a dehumidistat (comes on and off automatically depending on the humidity) after I was finished. Would have been less of a PITA if I had done it earlier.
- Another really easy thing to do is add attic storage. You can do this just by laying a few sheets of 3/4" plywood in the rafters and adding a little access hatch. I made a crawlspace in the rafters that is 8' wide x 24' long and can put all the seasonal stuff up there so I only have to go in a couple of times per year. I also put lights in there with a switch just inside where I put the hatch. I thank myself every time I go in there for doing that.
Spoiler!


Here are a couple of finished shots:
Spoiler!


LED lights around the perimeter (I can pick any colour and it changes the whole colour of the garage):
Spoiler!


With my lasers on:
Spoiler!


I like fun stuff like this. When you open a bottle of beer on this bottle opener, the caps are caught by the circular magnetic tray below. There are usually a couple dozen caps stuck to this and it looks really cool.
Spoiler!


TV can swing around toward the work bench. This is awesome when you're following along doing something to a YouTube video, which is primarily what I use it for:
Spoiler!


Lights come on automatically when I walk in, which is another super cheap but cool thing to do:
Spoiler!
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Old 05-16-2017, 09:40 AM   #5
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Sweet dude. Good luck with your project. I love garages more than any other room in a house. Love hanging out in them, love building stuff in them, love parking in them, love building them. They're just the best.

My tips are:
- Epoxy the floor. It's easy and cheap to do, and is the premier finishing touch.
- Run 220 as it future proofs the garage for plug-in vehicles, welders, etc.
- Run power outlets everywhere. I'm talking a ton around the walls, in the ceiling, everywhere. They're so cheap to do and so handy.
Spoiler!

- Pre-wire speakers.
- Consider moisture ahead of time (melting snow from your cars needs somewhere to go). I had a moisture problem inside my garage after I finished it that I should have considered earlier in the project. I ended up adding more venting to the attic and a bathroom fan on a dehumidistat (comes on and off automatically depending on the humidity) after I was finished. Would have been less of a PITA if I had done it earlier.
- Another really easy thing to do is add attic storage. You can do this just by laying a few sheets of 3/4" plywood in the rafters and adding a little access hatch. I made a crawlspace in the rafters that is 8' wide x 24' long and can put all the seasonal stuff up there so I only have to go in a couple of times per year. I also put lights in there with a switch just inside where I put the hatch. I thank myself every time I go in there for doing that.
Spoiler!


Here are a couple of finished shots:
Spoiler!


LED lights around the perimeter (I can pick any colour and it changes the whole colour of the garage):
Spoiler!


With my lasers on:
Spoiler!


I like fun stuff like this. When you open a bottle of beer on this bottle opener, the caps are caught by the circular magnetic tray below. There are usually a couple dozen caps stuck to this and it looks really cool.
Spoiler!


TV can swing around toward the work bench. This is awesome when you're following along doing something to a YouTube video, which is primarily what I use it for:
Spoiler!


Lights come on automatically when I walk in, which is another super cheap but cool thing to do:
Spoiler!
Sweet set up, although I think you miss a chance to utilize the clapper instead of motion sensor.
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Just ignore me...I'm in a mood today.
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Old 05-16-2017, 09:47 AM   #6
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epicness

Sweet Jesus, Sliver. Well done.
/slow clap

I'd be emulating several of your idea if I was building. Those shelves alone are great. Love the LED lighting too.
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Old 05-16-2017, 09:48 AM   #7
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The YouTube TV is genius. I think the garage is one of my areas of heaviest YouTube usage.
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Old 05-16-2017, 09:54 AM   #8
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Nice work. How big is the garage?

I'm leaning towards 20' x 34' with 9 ft ceilings and scissor trusses. It is going to be a bit of an odd layout due to the site. I have a front driveway that will have a smaller door, and a larger one for an alley entrance. Storage will be up at the front, and a wood working shop area to the back. This is just a rough sketch I scaled on my property report to see how it would fit. So my biggest issue right now is the site elevation, as it is about 3 feet higher at the front left than the rear right. So I will be lowering everything which will put the front entrance maybe 12-18" below the current driveway and the rear still 30"-36" above the alley.




And the site elevation profile, all referenced from the top left. Alley is 58" below the 0 point:

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Old 05-16-2017, 09:57 AM   #9
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I agree with Sliver. Who ever built my garages only put in the mandatory 3 plugs and it is annoying. I have to rewire my back garage. Don't forget to hook it up for gas at the same time as the electrical. The trench is already dug so it doesn't hurt to run the gas line and some Ethernet cables.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:08 AM   #10
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Fuzz, mine is 24' x 24'. 20' x 34' will be awesome, as will 9' ceilings.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:10 AM   #11
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Well, the trench will only be dig if I dig it! Still trying to work out all the servicing. I'll probably move the meter to the garage becuase the overhead lines to the house are where the garage will be. So 220A service to the garage master panel, then run a new 100A to the house as that is what that panel is already and I don't want to replace that or need more than 100A at the house. Not sure if I will do that underground or through the garage and a short trench tot he house, or over head. Need to talk to a sparky for that part of it.

And ya, gas for sure. It's a short jump from the meter to the garage. I'll also run some conduit form the house for ethernet and whatever future needs.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:13 AM   #12
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I'll also run some conduit form the house for ethernet and whatever future needs.
Niiiiiiiiice! Was going to suggest that but thought the consensus would just be to use WiFi.

Wish garages could also have a drainage system built into the floor to deal with melting snow from cars.

Garages really have moved away form just being a place to park your car.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:14 AM   #13
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Highly recommend a bit of cement curb wall (or whatever it's called) instead of having the bottom of the wood wall at same level of the slab. This makes washing down the floor really easy and not having to worry about the wall getting soaked from washing/snow melt.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:14 AM   #14
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Well, the trench will only be dig if I dig it! Still trying to work out all the servicing. I'll probably move the meter to the garage becuase the overhead lines to the house are where the garage will be. So 220A service to the garage master panel, then run a new 100A to the house as that is what that panel is already and I don't want to replace that or need more than 100A at the house. Not sure if I will do that underground or through the garage and a short trench tot he house, or over head. Need to talk to a sparky for that part of it.

And ya, gas for sure. It's a short jump from the meter to the garage. I'll also run some conduit form the house for ethernet and whatever future needs.
Yeah, I moved my meter to the garage, then ran the main power for the house through to the end of the garage. I only had to dig a trench 10' long to my house, so it wasn't that big of a deal as my house and garage are very close. I did have to upgrade my house panel since my panel was from 1969 and tapped out for power. Nice not having power lines run over my yard anymore.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:18 AM   #15
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Well my current wood shop is in the basement shared with storage, bikes and laundry. I'm not the most popular guy when I fire up the table saw. Everlast can attest to the amount of sawdust in my furnace...

So, any comment on the alley driveway grade? I'm on hold right now with the planning dept. about raising the grade, if I could get 6" of rise out of them it would be a big help.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:18 AM   #16
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Just make sure to go tall in case you ever want to put in a lift.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:24 AM   #17
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Just make sure to go tall in case you ever want to put in a lift.
I have just over 10 feet and wish I had an extra foot or two for a kick Ass lift. Unfortunately I don't think my slab is adequate for a big lift anyways. Regarding the slab/floor, one thing that I would recommend would be to put a channel down the middle for drainage and have the slab slope slightly into that channel. In the winter on really snowy days it can become a huge mess in the garage if you bring in a couple vehicles that are snow covered. I've resorted to brushing off heavy snow from my vehicles before parking them which can suck when it is cold outside.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:25 AM   #18
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Highly recommend a bit of cement curb wall (or whatever it's called) instead of having the bottom of the wood wall at same level of the slab. This makes washing down the floor really easy and not having to worry about the wall getting soaked from washing/snow melt.
I will have to do that anyway due to the elevation issues on one side. I haven't decided if I will do the full perimeter or not.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:26 AM   #19
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Yeah, I moved my meter to the garage, then ran the main power for the house through to the end of the garage. I only had to dig a trench 10' long to my house, so it wasn't that big of a deal as my house and garage are very close. I did have to upgrade my house panel since my panel was from 1969 and tapped out for power. Nice not having power lines run over my yard anymore.
That's good to know. I wasn't sure if I could run the 100A line through the garage, or if I would need to go underground.
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Old 05-16-2017, 10:28 AM   #20
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That's good to know. I wasn't sure if I could run the 100A line through the garage, or if I would need to go underground.
Yep, didn't seem to be an issue for my electrician and the City inspected it without a problem, too.
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