New Garage

[pilkinga]

I am thinking of building a new garage on my property next summer and am starting some plans and preparing for costs. I would like to build a two car garage (probably detached) with about six to eight feet of extra length for my shop/tools and storage. I would like to do most of the work myself. I anticipate having someone come to lay a cement footer and pad for the structure, but after this I believe I could finish.

Does anyone have any experience with new construction building? What are some good resources/books/websites to educate from before getting started? If anyone has done something similar recently, what was the approximate final cost for something like this?

[LazyPup]

Check with you local lumber suppliers. They often have a package deal on detached garages and outbuildings. You may not elect to use the package, but it would give you some good ballpark figures for what to expect for cost in your area.

[vdotmatrix]

Find a book on framing. Study it!. once you have the concrete floor poured you frame onto this. you can do it in sections and pull up sections-barnstorming.....Oh what fun.....A framing nailer will be really handy. If you can get plans I would buy them...if you really want to do it right....and don't care about the expense......hire an architect...they'll draw out the plans according to code- you'll probably have to pull all 3 permits- i would , building, electrical and plumbing (oh go ahead and run a line out there!!) Anyway....with "real" plans you can eliminate the some of the guesswork and will have a beacin in the darkness!!!!, oh, and trusses for the roof!!!!!

cheers

It's sometimes better to be lucky than smart.

[LazyPup]

Determining whether you can run a drain to a detached garage will require a bit of calculation.

By code, the drain line must be set 6 inches below frost line at the point where is passes through the footer wall.

An underground drain line must be a minimum of a 3" diameter line which requres 1/8 of an inch per foot of pitch dropping in the downstream direction.

You have to begin by measuring the length of the run from the point where you intend to tie it into the existing drain lines to the furthest desired fixture on the new line.

Multiply the run by .125 to determine the amount of pitch required.

By example, lets assume for the moment that the run from the existing drain to the desired location is 50 feet. Multiplying 50 x .125 = 6.25 inches.

If you have a 30inch average frost line, the new drain must be a minimum of 30inche (frost) + 6inches =36 inches at the footer wall of the outbuilding.

The point of connection to the existing drains must then be a minimum of 36" + 6.25 for the pitch, or 36 + 6.25 = 42.5" inches below the level average grade.

[HayZee518]

I built an addition onto my house 15 X 17 foot all by myself. It goes up a story and a half with a 5/12 pitched roof.
I dug the footing by hand and made my own concrete forms. I began by measuring out from the house with batten boards and string and made sure they were square - corner to corner. Basic floor is of 2X10 pressure treated with a midpoint beam built up. Joist hangers support the side formers off the main beam, the other end is nailed into the fascia boards. Presure treated 3/4X4X8 ply goes on top. Walls were built on the floor and hoisted up into position. Wall sheathing was applied witht he walls (down) Window cutouts and door framing was all asembled on the floor. Took three people to raise the wall up into position. I used a Porter-Cable pneumatic framing nailer - full head. Had three walls put up in one day.

[Snoonyb]

http://www.awc.org/pdf/WCD1-300.pdf

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