Building a Garage

[hawkenhunter50]

Started clearing land to build a garage. Looking for advice and tips from anyone who has built a garage. What would you do differently etc if you were to do it again. My plan is to get the land cleared and have the excavation done and get a foundation poured before winter and then build the garage in spring next year. I live in the northeast so looking for input on that idea. Is it ok to do the foundation now and build in the spring or should it all be done at the same time? Thanks in advance for hints tips and suggestions.

[Winger Ed.]

When I built my garage several years ago, I dug the foundation beams about twice as deep as the minimum code required.
and put a extra row of the 3/4" rebar in the ditches.
I used 1/2" rebar instead of 3/8ths on 12" centers for the top grid part. Then a 6" pour instead of the legal 4" for the floor.

Leave a couple feet of the gray plastic conduit coming into the slab so the power cable
can come up from below ground and be inside the wall, if it isn't run overhead.
Its overbuilt, but I didn't worry much about the slab cracking and moving either.

For the walls, I bolted down the sole plates with Hilti anchors instead of ram set nails.
Our tornados will have a hard time taking off with it like the Alice in Wonderland house did.

We have termite problems here, so I used the green pressure treated 2 x 4 for the sole and top plates.
They won't eat it, and can't eat & travel along a section of a wall like regular boards..

For the wiring; I'd run a bigger service than you think you'll need; nothing less than 100 amps.
If you'll ever think you might air condition it, make it 200 amps.,

Use the heavier 12 ga. wire on 20 amp 120v circuts instead of the 'normal' 15 amp breakers with 14 ga wire.
Even a small 120v welder or air compressor will easily trip a 15 amp, and the 14ga. wire will be real hot.

[samari46]

Had to do a new footing for a chimney once. Old one was just poured concrete. As Winger Ed suggested I used 1/2" rebar in two levels tied together with the steel wire. And while I was at it extended the footing down at least 6" and when done I actually had a 4'x6' slab for the footing. That was a very long day as I broke it up into a two day project. One day was the rebar and the next was mixing and pouring all that concrete. Rented a cement mixer and that was why I managed to get the concrete work done in a day. Also used a vibrator to help settle out the concrete and eliminate any air pockets. Also rented that one as well. And borrowed a Hilti gun which is like an electric jack hammer to break up all the old concrete as well. Working rotating shifts is why I had to get it done in two days. And as mentioned try to over size things like electric feeds to your garage. May not need it now but when you decide to use it you'll be glad you did. Only 4 duplex outlets in the garage. And had to run 240 single phase 30 amp for the motor on my lathe. Frank

[Moleman-]

Don't get a short 7' rollup door meant for cars only 8' or 10' if you can swing it. It will mean a taller ceiling but will be worth it. Last house about 20 years ago was in a subdivision. Made sure they put a 8' garage door on it so I could part the truck inside. Neighbors on either side were ticked because their full sized suv's wouldn't fit and mine would. Went with a 10' door and 12' ceiling in the current place, along with 6" thick floor, and 220v. Agree with the above posts about electrical and concrete and wood choices. Also it's a lot easier to insulate and cover the walls before you start loading it up with stuff.

[Joe504]

Well, you will ofcourse be limited to budget, but, if this is a detached garage, have plumbing setup for a toilet/shower when you pour the foundation.

Everything costs money, but for a detached building, this is a great upgrade.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[elk hunter]

I concur with the extra height ceiling and garage door so you can get a truck inside plus add enough extra room in front of the vehicle so that when you are parked you can easily walk around it. I originally wanted to go 32' deep but the wife didn't want to cover a window in the house so I went with 24', that's OK until I put my full size Chevy pickup in and can't walk around it without opening the overhead door because i have a couple of grinders on pedestals along the wall in front of the pickup and no room to move them. It makes it hard to work on the truck when you can't walk around it. I now wish I had gone to a 14' ceiling so I could have a hoist for working on vehicles.

[Hossfly]

I did the electrical on my home and the a/c so I determined the number of outlets. The garage got 2 circuit breakers and outlet every 6’. Have 10 outlets in garage at 48’ high. Some of these haven’t been used in 20 years but they don’t cost much when you buy a contractor pack, just a little more drilling studs and eliminate the use of a lot of extension cords.

Also if you want to put freezer out there, don’t put on a GFCI, it can trip and if you don’t have alarm it’ll thaw and you wont know it.

+1 on the 10-12’ door opening. That I didn’t see coming, you pull up with ladder on top of truck and slam into top of door opening several times and will wish you had a taller door.

[MrWolf]

Don't know your situation but have you thought about getting a pole barn then doing the framing, electric, etc? I have a 30x32 that was put up in half a day. Will allow you to work on it this winter if you want to. Good luck.

[rancher1913]

if it were me, I would put a full basement under it and have a killer man cave. cant do that around here do to the high water table but I can dream.

the pole barn idea is good, you can still pour a cement floor later and it gets you a winter project going.

[blackthorn]

My shop is 30x40, with 12' ceiling. 2x6 framing on 24" centers. Divide at 18x30 feet to include a heavy beam sufficient to raise a motor across the 30' length, over the sliding door in the middle. Fully insulated and sheet-rocked. Lots of electrical. Heated (daytime) with a small wood stove. I may upgrade to a larger stove one of these days. I use a small, free-standing electric radiant heater in winter that keeps the whole shop from freezing overnight. What I did not do (but should have) was to put in water and plumbing. Another thing I did wrong was to put the overhead doors in the side of the building instead of the end. This results in snow sliding off the roof, landing in front of the big doors. I hate when that happens! Also I should have built a guest accommodation on one end. Oh yes---it aint big enough!!

[country gent]

I had a small low garage when I bought my place. trucks suvs tractors wouldnt fit and the low ceiling would allow handling long lumber easily. The original garage was 24 X 32 x 8 to the ceiling. The new building is 40 x 50 x 10'2" to bottom of trusses gas 1 8' wide and 2 10' wide doors 10' tall no issues getting things in and out.. The entry door is a 6' double door and the back door is a 4' wide single. Again no issues getting in and out even with my wheel chairs. The added size allowed for a 17 x 30 shop room inside. On the big doors I went with the chainfall openers High ratio industrial s. This allows me to open them from wheel chair with out the added cost of electric openers.

My new building is Pole construction went up is a few weeks including the concrete floor 12" under shop area and 6 in garage.

My advice is build bigger than you think you will need it fills up fast. Use the best you can.

One issue with metal pole construction is they sweat in temp changes but with proper venting and new techniques it is managed and not a problem.

Its a big learning experience putting up anew building enjoy it. I was able to watch interact with contractors on mine every day. I really enjoyed that.

[farmbif]

might look into moisture barrier before pouring concrete.

[CastingFool]

My suggestion is to build it bigger than whay you think you will need. All yhe othet suggestions are good, too!

[Winger Ed.]

might look into moisture barrier before pouring concrete.

That's a must have.


Something I did on my garage/shop:

I ran 120v outlets 6' apart along the 3 walls at the normal height, and on the side where the work bench
was going to be, another row above them at 5' over the floor.

These wall runs were on different circuits so they were on a 'odd & even' deal where each plug
was on a different circuit than the one next to it
to spread out the load for different power tools working close together.

I didn't want all the 120 wall boxes for one wall to be on one circuit.
Same thing with the lights, so if a breaker tripped, it wouldn't leave me in the dark.

Also, I planned ahead for where the lights over the work bench would be, and the wall switches for them.

Don't forget to put a ceiling box in if you ever want to have a garage door opener.

And I wished I'd put in more outside plug boxes too.
One on each end was never enough, or in the right place for outside stuff running off a extension cord,
and I forgot to put one up high outside on a end for a bug zapper.



Something else I did that worked out well: The slab wasn't level.

I made it with a tilt and a slightly concave floor.
It was one inch higher at the back than it was at the front.
Any storm rain water that blew in, wanted to go to the center, and drain out the door,
and I could wash down the floor with a water hose before painting a car, and the water ran out by itself.

[MaryB]

Insulate the slab! I have yet to put a heater in the garage I built a few years ago. I live in SW MN where it gets to -20f (record is -31F) and the coldest it has gotten in there is 28 degrees. The walls do have 8" of insulation and the attic area is R50... pole barn style construction... had them do liner panels on the inside and ceiling. 10' ceiling so the ham antennas on the car don't scrape to badly.

https://i.imgur.com/1UwfrFQ.jpg

[hawkenhunter50]

Great this is exactly the stuff I wanted to get me some ideas, thanks and keep em coming. 1 thing no one has gave opinions on is whether I can do the foundation now and have it sit thru the winter and build next year. I have done some reading and it sounds like it may not be the greatest idea. I'd like to hear from anyone with experience in foundations or who may have knowledge whether this is a bad thing to do.

[Winger Ed.]

foundation now and have it sit thru the winter and build next year. .

In the old days, they wanted concrete to cure at least a month before you built on it.

If it was me, I'd do the slab when ever it was handy, and since that concrete stuff is about as hard of work as there is--
I'd encourage doing it when the weather wasn't at the extreme end for that time of year.

As far as the age of it:
Who has ever had any great concern for that when they're doing a remodel, mounting some machine to the floor,
adding onto a patio, punching a hole in it for water pipes, conduit, fixing a pot hole in the street, etc.?

That bare slab will survive the winter about as well as your driveway or the street will.

As far as anchoring stuff-- it'll be harder than when its fresh, but for that-
get the good concrete bits for your hammer drill instead of the cheap ones.

[gwpercle]

In Louisiana a house is required to have a visqueen vapor barrier under the house slab ... but garages are not required to have them .... Be smart and install a vapor barrier under the garage slab just like it were a house .
It holds down moisture in the finished garage , helps keep the floor from sweating .
If you ever wish to heat and/or cool the garage you will not have a moisture problem .
Concrete will pass ground moisture ... this may not be a problem in the North .

We always specified our drives and garage floor slabs to be 6" thick , 3000 psi @ 28 day mix concrete , reinforced with 6 x 6 x 10/10 ga. Welded Wire Mesh . This helps to keep them from cracking . The slab may still show some small cracks but the wire mesh holds everything together.

Letting the concrete cure for 28 days isn't a bad thing to do if possible .
Gary

[David2011]

Is this a garage for parking cars or for a workshop? I'm currently building a shop that's about the same as a garage on this thread: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?406831-New-Workshop-Finally!. Since I'm in the Gulf Coast heat, it is framed with 2x6s for R-19 insulation to minimize cooling costs. Build it as big as you can. I was limited by easement constraints or it would have been bigger. Make sure you have more electrical service than you think you will ever need, preferably 220 and 110 if possible. I have 3 20A 220 outlets and a 50A one for the welding machine. Lots of 110 outlets, most of them at 48" off the floor. Some are at residential height, where I know my welder, dust collector and table saw will plug in. Lots of electrical service over the reloading area for the furnace, hot plate, smoke extraction, clock, electronic powder dispenser, etc.

[dverna]

If money is tight, do not overlook the possibility of a steel carport. My buddy is doing that. I think he said a 20x24 was $1700 installed. He put down the pad and he will be siding it once it is up. The crew will have it erected in a day or less.

[Plate plinker]

in floor heat!

[Winger Ed.]

OK, the last thing I can think of:

We have a minor problem of flash floods & their run off waters here.
So in this neighborhood-- you need to consider the top deck height of your floor/pad.

Our city code calls for the top of a slab to be a minimum of 10 inches above the 'grade' or ground level.
Garages can be less, but I did mine at right at 10".

Rather than buying pad sand to put on it to get the height up without having a 8-9 inch or more pour-
The dirt from the overly deep and wide ditches went onto the pad and compacted.

With 2 x 10 form boards, it came out perfect for the height, and a 6" slab.
The form boards got reused in the top roof peak, some ceiling joists, and the frame beams over the garage door.

[10x]

Here winter and frost kill concrete pads.
Figure out where your frost line is in the ground.
Pour your footings below that.
Make sure that you have drainage around the footings- weeping tile - get rid of any groundwater.
use styro basement blocks to pour walls to get above surface.
Rough in any plumbing you want, some folks want a sump so they can sweep with a hose, put a cleanout catch reservoir in the drain if you do put in a sump. Make sure it is lower than the sump and the sump is always dry.
Some guys will rough in slab heating with plastic pipe for a boiler, or run galvanized ductwork under the slab for forced air.
Choose whether you want A 5" 6" or thicker slab. What weight are you going to put on it? A car? A D4 cat?
Wire in the slab is not enough, talk to any guy who pours pads and they can tell you if you need rebar or not.
I recommend rebar anchors from the walls into the slab.

Framing the garage is quick and easy. My friend Gary and I could frame, shingle, and side a 24' x 30' garage in under 16 hours - no mistakes, windows and doors installed, and the correct opening left for an overhead door.
Put a good vapor barrier under the siding, choose enough insulation,
Set up your electrical outlets for a workbench, and shop tools
15 amp breakers work for a work bench.
Shop tool like 20 amp breakers
Use a breaker box big enough to put 2 220 40 amp circuits in and at least 8 15 and 20 amp circuits.
wire each outlet top and bottom to its own breaker.
Yes it will cost more, But you will appreciate it later

[redhawk0]

I live in the northeast as well. So it's not uncommon to see 100* in summer and -20* in winter. For the summer months do yourself a favor and when you have the roof put on make sure it has a ridge vent. It will keep you from roasting your car. In the winter months heated would be nice to keep your battery from freezing. It's not an easy place to live sometimes....this past summer was brutal up here....we were close to 100* for quite a few days...makes me wonder what the other swing will be this winter....the average annual temp usually tries to balance itself out.

Anyway...if you have it poured now (I would)...sprinkle it with water after about 8-12 hours...then put plastic over it. It will cure slower and be more stable and hard. Once you enclose the garage...put a urethane floor sealant on it. It will be easier to clean up oil drops later than if it was on porous concrete.

redhawk

[lightman]

A lot depends on what you plan to use it for. Just to park a car or boat in or to also use as a work shop.

I like the idea suggesting putting an electrical 90 in the slab for future electrical service. I also like the suggestion of a taller and wider door. And by all means, put a vapor barrier in the slab.

I'm not a concrete man so I'm not really answering your questions about the slab. I would pour it now and not worry too much about it but thats just me.

[popper]

Depending on your soil, solo tube piers first, then the footings. Rebar in the corners where the wind load is. Powder coated steel framing seems to be more popular here, reduced sweating and no termite problems. For stick built still pre-made truss roof. Don't forget to figure snow load. Stub up for inside breaker box and 200A service. May never need it but long run with 100A will have a lot of voltage drop.

[MaryB]

I had them spec my rafters for worst case snow load here plus an extra 2,000 pounds to carry solar panels/solar hot water I want to put in for heat.

[Winger Ed.]

Something I've always done with contractors when the subjects of expense, and possible cost cutting came along.

I'd always ask them how they'd do it if they were building it for themselves, or their best friend.
Then I'd usually let the price fall accordingly where it did.

I always got straight up, honest answers, and never regretted asking the question.

[MaryB]

I didn't cost cut, I went the opposite way in fact... figured I am only going to do this once so do it right!

[shaune509]

Why has no one said to use L-bolt in the foundation wall over drilled in bolts? L-bolts hooker to rebar are not pulling out.
Shaune509

[Plate plinker]

Probably because they are not code. At least not here.

Why has no one said to use L-bolt in the foundation wall over drilled in bolts? L-bolts hooker to rebar are not pulling out.
Shaune509

[jonp]

Started clearing land to build a garage. Looking for advice and tips from anyone who has built a garage. What would you do differently etc if you were to do it again. My plan is to get the land cleared and have the excavation done and get a foundation poured before winter and then build the garage in spring next year. I live in the northeast so looking for input on that idea. Is it ok to do the foundation now and build in the spring or should it all be done at the same time? Thanks in advance for hints tips and suggestions.

In northern VT I've known many foundations poured and let sit to do in the spring. Just do it now and let it dry before freezing weather and I'd cover the foundation or footings over the winter but I've seen them just sit out in the weather. I'd not do that. Make sure you put it under the frost line. In my area that's over 4ft down.

If your doing a slab I highly recommend along with the others a moisture barrier and insulation under it.

[Winger Ed.]

Why has no one said to use L-bolt in the foundation wall over drilled in bolts? L-bolts hooker to rebar are not pulling out.
Shaune509

They've sort of been obsoleted out.

I've heard its not always easy to keep them standing up straight if you put them into the concrete too soon.
And If they're pushed in too late, they move all the rocks out of the way and are weak, they're hard to align right,
and can be hard to stand up straight.

Then you have to wrestle with the sole board to get it over them correctly.
Also, you can get lumps & bumps trying to smooth the pour around and in between them.

As quick as it is to drill holes & put in a wedge anchor-- that's cheaper,
or ram set nail over a smooth surface--- nobody uses them any more.

[hawkenhunter50]

Lots of good info and suggestions. I appreciate all the ideas. Definitely a lot of help, thanks.

[country gent]

I used chemical anchors drill hole drop tube in add stud and spin for 56 secs to minute come back in an hour or so and set tight.

Something interesting Ive read several places is they are still monitoring the concrete in Hoover dam as its still curing yet.

[Winger Ed.]

Ive read several places is they are still monitoring the concrete in Hoover dam as its still curing yet.

I'd heard years ago it kept curing for 40 years. I guess its even longer than that.

Hoover dam had some unique issues. The concrete was so thick that as it cured, the heat it generated was a problem.
As it was being poured, they had radiator like tubes in it with cold water circulating to pull off some of the heat.

[Geezer in NH]

When you have two vehicles build a 3 bay, if you have 3 vehicles build a 4 bay. 3 bay have 2 doors one wide one normal, in a 4 bay have 2 doors both wide.

Use steel support beams for the doors and the floor to the attic no columns in the way that way. That way you may get to use 1 bay for your vehicle during the winter. Heated garages in NE Really rot the vehicle out fast IMHO

[john.k]

I'm (hoping) to get a 30x50 shed in my yard....Ive already paid a fortune for prelims ,but still havent got council approval........the council are ultra suspicious of commercial activities /noise in residential areas.......I all ready had to make a legal notarised deposition about usage and access,and the shed company seem to have lost it.There is a private certifier system here ,acts for the council ,once its certified ,its ok to go ahead.....There will be little or no change from $50k by the time its finished.( Oz pesos)

[Lloyd Smale]

My advice. Figure out the size you need then double it. That will do for about 5 years until you run out of space and need to build another.

[10-x]

Check you Local NEC regulations on building/ garages detached from house. Here every 120VAC receptacle in detached garage/ building has to be GFI. New construction homes with attached garages have to have them in all garage receptacles. There used to be a 8’ rule it receptacle was 8’ from floor, no GFI, no more. Adding a bath ect may change rules??? Agree 100% to build at least 2 times the size you Know think you will need. Big plus on the Hilti chemical anchors, King Kong cant pull them out.

[white eagle]

Started clearing land to build a garage. Looking for advice and tips from anyone who has built a garage. What would you do differently etc if you were to do it again. My plan is to get the land cleared and have the excavation done and get a foundation poured before winter and then build the garage in spring next year. I live in the northeast so looking for input on that idea. Is it ok to do the foundation now and build in the spring or should it all be done at the same time? Thanks in advance for hints tips and suggestions.

No you can have the foundation put in and finish it at a later date
I am building a garage and that is how I am doing mine
mine is going to have 12" walls going from 12" split face block to
8" concrete's and face brick, after I get that done I will put on rafters and roofing

[GONRA]

GONRA's 2001 era. 32x40 concrete block shop, thick block glass "windows",
8 inch fiber cast concrete floors, gas heated, 2 AC's, 120 / 240VAC, etc.
built by a commercial outfit - has suited me Just Fine over the years.

(Property lot - 2.3 acres, common 1970's 3 bedroom / 2 car garage "Ranch House".)

As Tyme Wears On, Mr. & Mrs. GONRA are outgefiggerin' how to
"give it all away to the grandkids" - house, property,
guns, ammo, reloading/machine tools, etc.
104+ acres Bradford County acreage /gas royalties,

[john.k]

My shed is finally finished...took nine months due to worker shortages......had the slab ,all the precut steel etc ready to go by Nov last year.......took until July this year to get the builders......and they turned up on a Sunday afternoon,and hit me up for $500 cash...if I wanted them to start my job and not one of the dozen others they had waiting......then I couldnt get anyone to do the required drainage to the street.....had to pay double to a company with 100 shiny vans who normally do tap washers ,leaking pipes etc .

[Duckiller]

Just moved to a ne to me house that has a large shop out back. Previous owner installed a 10,000 lb lift. At 78 I don't work on car or trucks any more so lift went down the road. Gives me a lot more room for wood working and reloading. Builders did not score the concrete floor so I have cracks in the floor. Pour a heavier floor (6' or more) with rebar and score 4-6 feet in both directions. Most of my heavier tools have been converted to 220. Works a lot nicer. Have a large compressor in the shop. It's noisy so previous enclosed it, still noisy. I would enclose it outside of shop. What you realy should have 6that I don't have is at least a 1/2 bath. Sink and toilet. Running to the house to go to the bathroom is inconvenient especially as you get older. Need a fan for air movement especially when it gets hot. Some form of heat when it gets cold is also nice. A large shop is a joy, just keep it organized and clean. Have fun and enjoy.

[snowwolfe]

OP,
How did the garage turn out?

[Lloyd Smale]

My suggestion is to build it bigger than whay you think you will need. All yhe othet suggestions are good, too!

yup. figure out what you figure you need then double it.

[David2011]

Best advice I can offer for any project is to make sure the contractor has plenty of larger projects under the belt.

[MaryB]

yup. figure out what you figure you need then double it.

Problem I ran into was the property line setback... and my picnic table tree that I have manicured into a deep shade canopy over 30 years and did not want to cut down. When I have a BBQ everyone plants chairs under it to sit and talk and have a beer...

So I was stuck with 24 feet wide and 30 feet deep... and it is to small!

[Lloyd Smale]

Mary. I have a 24x24 garage and a 40x40 pole barn and if i bought anything else with wheels or floats id have to build another one. What i need is a second 24x24 garage. But like you would have to shoe horn it in the yard or start clearing.

[john.k]

Its never big enough.....although a couple of years ago ,I was planning to move to a rural area.....and one place I looked at the sheds were so big ,it was scary.....you d never fill them ,but any kind of repairs would be on an industrial scale...........and on these rural places the sheds are often very lightly framed.....any rebuild would run into a fortune in new engineering to code.

[shooterg]

If you actually work on your own vehicles , having enough height to use a lift iin one bay is great . Those things are under 2 grand now and if you're not already - you WILL get tired of getting up and down from under a vehicle . You can leave a car on the lift and park your Harley and ATV under it !

[Lloyd Smale]

If you actually work on your own vehicles , having enough height to use a lift iin one bay is great . Those things are under 2 grand now and if you're not already - you WILL get tired of getting up and down from under a vehicle . You can leave a car on the lift and park your Harley and ATV under it !

yup ive been procrastinating buying one for years. My son in law is a diesel mechanic and does most of my mechanical work at the shop he works at for free. But id like one just for like you said, storage. Id probably go with a 4 post lift vs a 2 because i dont work much on cars. If i did alot of work a 2 post would be better.

[gwpercle]

All my construction experience is in Louisiana ... so this may not be appropriate ... but :
1.) Place a Visqueen Vapor barrier under the slab ... it stops water from migrating into the building .
2.) Use 3,000 psi concrete @ 28 day mix .
3.) Use a 5 inch (or 6") thick concrete slab reinforced with 6 x 6 x 6 gauge wire mesh ... make sure the mesh ends up in the middle of the slab not pushed down on top the Visqueen Vapor Barrier .

The idea is to have a thick slab with steel mesh to hold it together if any cracks occour .
Visqueen , in Louisiana , keeps humidity down inside the building ... concrete will pass moisture .

Use a contractor who has done this a time or two ... a good concrete finisher is valuable around here ... it's both art and science .
Gary

Gary

[GONRA]

GONRA feels sorry for john.k Something really backfired here! WOW!
My contractor had built lottsa previous "concrete block commercial bldgs" .
Had Amish verk crews, etc.

[hawkenhunter50]

OP,
How did the garage turn out?

It didn't. Due to the price increases on building materials I put it on hold for now. Have waited 20 years already so a few more won't hurt. Had saved up enough money to do one finally then everything went crazy. So still saving and planning and reading all the good ideas and helpful comments here. Thanks and keep them coming.

[ascast]

in floor radiant heating system, and typical wood stove also - well insulated will tend toward cool in summer with condensation on stuff. If planning a lift, get floor correct now: footers etc.

[Hossfly]

My dad was an old time body man and said never pour a slab without burying a chain wrapped around a pipe in the concrete. You never know when you will need to pull something in the shop or straighten a frame. So every shop I’ve built chain pieces go in.

[murf205]

#1, use concrete with fiberglass in it. It will greatly reduce the possibility of cracking. Make sure the recepticles are 48" to center from the floor if you have a car in there (gasoline fumes). I just helped a friend with a garage and he bought a kit with metal framework and colored sheet tin siding (think carport). It was a LOT cheaper than lumber and the company he bought it from put it up in a few hrs and it looks very classy. It is anchored to the slab and it's there to stay. Definitely get the taller door and walls and the suggestion about the plumbing rough in is a good idea, believe me! If you are going to feed your panel underground, now is the time to put a conduit stub up where the wall will be. Use a heavy grade of plastic under the slab and do pour a 6" slab instead of a 4". The extremes of temp where you live are a concrete slabs worst enemy.

[Wag]

Biggest failure I ever saw on a garage my neighbor built was the foundation. It wasn't square. That caused all kinds of problems for him for the remainder of the project.

Make double dang sure it's square!

--Wag--

[blackthorn]

I retired in 2004 and we sold out on the coast and moved to Kamloops, into a double-wide trailer that, but for the steel frame, is essentially a 2x6 framed, modular 1620 square foot home. I then went back to work for my former employer on a contract basis for the next two years. Our property here is one point eight acres and we realized enough from our coastal home to be free and clear of any mortgage here. I contracted to have a workshop built. My shop is 30x40 feet, built on a 2x6 frame, steel sides and roof, fully insulated, gyp-rocked, with 12 foot ceiling and a wood heater. Eighteen feet from the back end I had a 2x6 framed, insulated wall with double sliding doors in the middle installed. The wall has a laminated 6x6 beam running right across the width of the shop and it is supported on each side of the double doors by laminated 6x6 uprights. In future, if one wishes to pull a motor, a chain can be passed through above the cross beam to facilitate that. I have one of those small radiant electric, free-standing oil heaters that gets plugged in in late October and it keeps that whole shop from freezing anything inside. If I were to rebuild it would be 30x60, have a mother-in-law suite, or at least a toilet, sink and shower. I would put plumbing in and the overhead doors would be in the end instead of the side because now the dang snow slides off the roof and “compact-piles” up in front of the doors, so that if I do not get it shoveled clear right away it freezes into a solid mini iceberg the width of two garage doors+.

[Lloyd Smale]

I retired in 2004 and we sold out on the coast and moved to Kamloops, into a double-wide trailer that, but for the steel frame, is essentially a 2x6 framed, modular 1620 square foot home. I then went back to work for my former employer on a contract basis for the next two years. Our property here is one point eight acres and we realized enough from our coastal home to be free and clear of any mortgage here. I contracted to have a workshop built. My shop is 30x40 feet, built on a 2x6 frame, steel sides and roof, fully insulated, gyp-rocked, with 12 foot ceiling and a wood heater. Eighteen feet from the back end I had a 2x6 framed, insulated wall with double sliding doors in the middle installed. The wall has a laminated 6x6 beam running right across the width of the shop and it is supported on each side of the double doors by laminated 6x6 uprights. In future, if one wishes to pull a motor, a chain can be passed through above the cross beam to facilitate that. I have one of those small radiant electric, free-standing oil heaters that gets plugged in in late October and it keeps that whole shop from freezing anything inside. If I were to rebuild it would be 30x60, have a mother-in-law suite, or at least a toilet, sink and shower. I would put plumbing in and the overhead doors would be in the end instead of the side because now the dang snow slides off the roof and “compact-piles” up in front of the doors, so that if I do not get it shoveled clear right away it freezes into a solid mini iceberg the width of two garage doors+.

i did that with mine. A small one bed appartment thats a bedroom bathroom and a combo living room kitchen. comes in real handy for when the wifes family comes to stay[smilie=1: