Garage: Rebuild or replace

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Update: The old garage came down this morning like a house of cards. New building going up soon.

9am IMG_1243web.jpg 11am IMG_1245web.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: PapaDave
Yes, I was surprised at how quickly it was being hauled off. The site was cleared by 1pm, screened gravel should be arriving soon.
 
Here's a little sped up video of the excavator at work. The grace and power of this machine in the hands of a good operator is amazing.

 
You'll be happy with the new garage. I went back and checked on my cost for a 32' x 48' x14' shop bldg built in early Dec of 2009 before frost and completed in 2010. I had a local builder put up the bldg, a cement contractor put in the floor, a heating contractor lay the pex for the floor and do some minor connection set-up work for my Tarm boiler, and an electrician for the new electrical service and main panel install. I did the interior electrical (ceiling lights, 120V and 240V outlets, fully inspected), interior walls, and install of the Tarm boiler with storage. The interior walls have a 2' top trim in wood, then 4' of sheetrock painted white to reflect the ceiling lighting, and the bottom 8' is solid white pine paneling with widths from 6" to 12" from trees on our property. I cut and sawed the trees, dried, planed, and varnished the wall paneling.

The bldg is a pole bldg, fully insulated with 6" fiberglass, R-30+ in ceiling, vapor barrier, white steel ceiling panels, walls not finished, 12' x 12' insulated OH door, 3' entry door, 4' entry door, 2 - 3' x 4' windows: $23,176 (permit, site prep, bldg, misc).

Concrete floor (5"), 2" foam insulation under the entire floor plus perimeter foam, pex in floor: $11,582. The concrete was sawed in a 16' x 16' pattern for crack lines. After 2 years there are no cracks, not even hairline cracks, except in the saw cuts. The concrete was poured in May 2010 after the building was constructed.

Electrical contractor and parts installed myself: $1,317.

Total: $36,075.
 
Man oh man, that operator knew his stuff. Picked that garage down like he was using his own hands on a model on his kitchen table.

You will enjoy the new building. Everything works, nothing leaks, much more space. Whats not to like (cost aside).
 
I had never seen one in action until we built a house for some local folks back in 2010.
The guy (who, with my assistance, also did the foundation and block work) was taking whole sections of roof and walls down and stacking them.
He was digging footings by mid-afternoon. Very cool machine.
I want one.;)
 
I'm still surprised sometimes with the damage I can do with my little backhoe. :)
 
Man oh man, that operator knew his stuff. Picked that garage down like he was using his own hands on a model on his kitchen table.

You will enjoy the new building. Everything works, nothing leaks, much more space. Whats not to like (cost aside).

Yes, it was fun to watch. The main benefit I hope will be a rodent free space. The old garage was a rat hotel. The bill for this is jumping up quickly. In order to provide a level base one corner had to be built up 30"! I came home from work and found this huge plinth built for the garage. Now it looks like we are going to have to add a retaining wall on two sides of this base, sigh.That's going to be costly.

IMG_1246web.jpg
 
Good tip, but we are in a much milder climate here and the ground rarely freezes so most folks do not insulate under the slab. I'd do that if I planned on spending a lot of time in the building or shop. But at this stage I don't expect to be in there for hours on end. We'll rely on thick rubber floor mats in the shop for warmer feet if in there during the winter.
 
I'm more thinking along the lines of moisture intrusion up through the slab. I forget the proper term.
If your soil drains extremely well, may not be as much of an issue.
 
Our soil drains very well. Straight down where the garage is. And there will be a vapor barrier under the slab.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PapaDave
Now it looks like we are going to have to add a retaining wall on two sides of this base, sigh.That's going to be costly.
Why not backfill and grade to a taper. Might be cheaper than a wall?
 
Looking good be-g.
When I built mine, I did a 4" monolithic slab & 2' high block (8") wall all the way around. Then I backfilled with a slope away from the wall for the water to drain out & away from the foundation.
Rain gutters help too. Under ground 4" pipe for the gutter down spout to carry the water well away from the foundation.

With the 2' concrete block wall , no worries about hurting them on the inside, Works great for a shop/garage, I seem to bang into them now & then with stuff & it just bounces off, no damage to the wall. Was some added expense, but should last forever & not require any repairs.
I did 10' walls on the main shop, the extra height is nice for shelves & ceiling clearance.

Just some ideas. Wish I would have run an air line from one side to the other & the plastic electrical conduit under the floor to each wall from the breaker box, cheaper than wire, would've saved wire & plumbing & out of the way, Don't forget a few AC outlets in the ceiling. ;)


b4 36 X 52 shop foundation.JPG b3 grout walls3.JPG BLUE BOARD-CARS.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: PapaDave
Status
Not open for further replies.