Thinking about building a detached garage in the Spring...

Obviously I 'gotta start with an idea or floor plan...

I'd like to do something approx 24 x 30, 24 x 36, 30 x 30, etc...

Just something big enough to hold two cars with room to work.

I'm not interested in "Designer" garages, or plans to the Taj Mihal....   Just want a simple 2x4 studed wall, vinyl sided, 4" slab garage.

Anyone know where I can find plans or drawings on the web ?
I don't feel like paying a contractor to come out and do something I can do in a few weekends...

I can build it without plans, but in order to get a building permit, and an idea on costs, I'd like to have something on paper...

I'd probably have a concrete guy come out and do the slab for me, then I'd just build the walls and buy pre-made trusses for the roof...  Everything else is just plywood, siding and shingles.

Any advice is appreciated...

Thanks in advance !

ART

Do you have a menards anywhere nearby? They have plans and you can buy special 'kits' that are basically all the lumber and sheet goods you need to build your garage.

Quoted: Do you have a menards anywhere nearby? They have plans and you can buy special 'kits' that are basically all the lumber and sheet goods you need to build your garage.

Big 'ol +1. Hell, you can build and entire house this way. I've been looking into it. The prices almost seem too good to be true...

Never heard of Menards, but we do have Home Depot and Lowes nearby....

Also contact Mueller Steel.  They are big into this sort of stuff.

Quoted: Never heard of Menards, but we do have Home Depot and Lowes nearby....

Just saw they only go as far east as ohio.

Not sure if HD or lowes has the plans, but if you have a regional larger hardware store (which is what menards is) they may have the same time of thing available.

Quoted: Never heard of Menards, but we do have Home Depot and Lowes nearby....

It's worth driving somewhere that has one. Around here, their building materials are waaaay cheaper than HD or Lowe's. I love that place.

If you don't have Menards ....Try 84 lumber

Quoted: Quoted: Never heard of Menards, but we do have Home Depot and Lowes nearby.... It's worth driving somewhere that has one. Around here, their building materials are waaaay cheaper than HD or Lowe's. I love that place.

And they deliver!

(don't know if they'd deliver to PA though)

How about your local 84 lumber.  What part of PA are you in?

Quoted: Also contact Mueller Steel.  They are big into this sort of stuff.

Steel is the way to go.  I work in the construction industry.  If it's just a garage.  Steel.  

Hehe....

I just spoke to "Jeff" at 84 Lumber just 2 miles up the road from me...

Jeff is a commission driven guy, and will give me free plans for whatever size garage I'd like, as long as I promise to buy all the materials from him.

I'll be stopping by after work tonight...

PS....
Thanks for the suggestions...  I totally forgot 84 Lumber was nearby...    I only drive past it 2x a day....

just draw out your garage on some graph paper to scale. decide where you want to put garage doors, entry doors, and windows. Go get your building permit.  after you have that all figured out its pretty much just ordering up enough 2x4's for your walls and top plates, some green treated for sill plates, LVL's or 2x12's for headders over garage doors, sheating, siding, shingles, windows and entry doors. Truses can be ordered from most any lumber supply store, just give them your dimensions and roof pitch you want and they will deliver them to ya.

I built a 28x36 a few years ago.  Did 95% of it myself.  Turned a $25,000 project into an $11,000 one...

Size:  24 feet deep is not deep enough.  Go 28 feet.  The extra 4 feet provides amply room for working, storing lawnmowers, motorcycles, snoblowers, etc.  Trust me... 28 foot deep is a LOT more useful than 24...


Mine runs 28 foot deep, with one man door in the gable end.  36 foot wide, with three 7x9 doors in the front, three double hund windows in back.  each window is centered on teh garage door.  Interior is not finished.  I ran 100 amp service to the garage, and have basic incandescent lights, exterior lights, a a mulitude of GFCI protected 20 amp outlets.  Cost me about $11,000 five years ago...


I would NOT built on a 4" foundation.  Its personal preference. You can change windows, doors siding and shingles later.  You cannot change foundation. If it cracks, shifts, etc, you are screwed.  Do NOT cheap out here.  I build a monolithic slab over a hard packed crusher run gravel base.  Had contractor come in a do site and foundation work.   The work involved in a 6" slab is the same as a 4" slab (its not any harder to form up with 2x6's or 2x8's than to form up with 2x4"s....  The only difference is two yards of concrete.  We are talking a difference of less than $200.

Mine is min. 6" thick, with a perimeter that is 10"x16", tapered to the 6" in the center.  Control cuts were made down the center line and two more cuts widthwise (six "panels" measuring 12 foot by 14 foot).    My design had the garage doors in teh load bearing wall (36 FOOT).  Snow load for half a 28x36 foot roof would come down on the load bearing wall, to two columns on either side and two more between the three garage doors.   tehrefore half teh snowload comes down to the base of four columns with a foot print of about 24" by 6".  No shitty little 4" slab will hold up under that load.   Its technically a design fault, but thats the way i wanted it "for looks".  the front perimeter footing is more like 12"deep x 24"wide, with five courses of rebar.  The whole slab has fiberglass and 6x6 mesh reinforcement.  Five years later there are not even hairline cracks (except in the control cuts, where they are supposed to be)....  The extra couple yards of concrete (at $75 a yard) and another little bit of reinforcement are worth it....

Maybe you do not have teh frost heaving issues we do.  However, given frost heaving, snow loads, possible interior contents, etc, I'd spend teh extra couple hundred and over build the foundation..

Walls:  Mine is 2x6 on 24" centers.  Check your floor plan. I ensured I laid my anchor bolts into teh concrete (at pour) so they would not come up on studs.  Simple OSB, tyvek, and vinyl siding exterior.

Top Plates:  Double top plates, laid out of 16" 2x6s, with 8 foot overlaps.  Nice solid walls.  Foudnation grade pressure treateed sill plates.  Stud layout was designed so trusses come  down on top of each stud.  Not required, but a nice little touch....  All trusses tied in with sheetmetal 'clips" (hurricane clips).

Headers;  9 foot openings, in a load bearing wall and home build headers?  No thank you.  I used engineered headers (Microlam).  Design called for one, given anticipated snow load.  I installed two, giving me a huge margin of error.  I never have to worry about sagging openings.  At $30 each, teh extra $90 was well well worth it...

Truss roof:  I wanted a 8 foot exterior wall for looks, but increase interior hieght for working. Cathredral trusses.  On my 28 foot deep building I have 11.5 foot interior hieght.  I love it.  Make hanging garage doors a bit more work though.  Trusses for gable ends are dropped so the ends are cantelevered out from teh next to last truss, out over the gable and out.  Nice and strong.  No dinky little "ladders" nailed on the ends with a hope and a prayer...

Roofing: I would have loved metal.  I needed to match teh house.   Basic asphalt singles, with six nail pattern instead of four...

This garage is overbuilt, but I like it that way.  Building it "cheap" might have save me $600 to $800 total.  Building it right cost me a little more, but it shows.  Its a better building.

Please remember this:  Various contractors will spout off about "meeting code".  The building code is a minimum standard.  Do you want a minimum standard all the time????  Building 'right' does not take a whole lot more time or effort, and avoids a lot of problems.

Given your information, I would go 24 wide, with two 9 foot overhead doors, and 28 foot deep, all on a MIN 6" slab, with thicker perimeter footing in the monolithic slab.  Double up on the headers (unless they are in teh non-load bearing gable ends.

Just my two cents.

Frozenny
(former Training Coordinator, Ontario Building Officials Association)

As was pointed out, a steel building should be cheaper and easier to build.  An option to consider.

G

This is the best website to get plans for all sorts of building plans free.


www.public.iastate.edu/~mwps_dis/mwps_web/d_plans.html


Plans include:

Garage
Barns
Stalls
Roof trusses
Out buildings
ect.

HIRE SOMEONE to do it!!!!!

Building a garage... Where do I start ???

From the ground, up.




Sorry, couldn't resist.

sounds like a nice garage you built there, got any pics?

I am planning one out as well..    A foundation is the correct way, especially in this area, but due to some other issues, mine is going to start out as a slab (but there is going to be one of those "tubes" every 8' that will be 4ft deep.   This will just be part of my driveway.   Eventually I will add a roof over it and those tubes will be where I mount my 6x6 supports for the roof.     Then eventually I will add the walls and doors.  

I went with a 24x40.

Both vehicles fit comfortably on one end, with a woodshop on the other end.

Table saw, work bench, work table, joiner, chop saw, planer, compressor roll away tool chest all fit comfortable.

Go with the 9' wide garage doors, at least.

I didn't go with any plans. Its just a rectangle after all. Two garage doors on a 24' end. On one 40' side I put one window and an entry door, adn two windows on the other 40' side.

5/12 pitch roof. Put a ridge vent in. Exhaust fan in one gable end is a good idea also.

Pre made trusses definitely.

I used 3/4 particle board for the rood decking, and T-111 on the walls.

For teh building permit, just do a hand drawing, showing dimensions and locations of doors and windows.

Good luck!

Quoted: This is the best website to get plans for all sorts of building plans free. www.public.iastate.edu/~mwps_dis/mwps_web/d_plans.html Plans include: Garage Barns Stalls Roof trusses Out buildings ect.

You will have to choose and download your PDF of your plans.


From


to
40x104ft


More plans

The FREE download plans include:
Materials list
Foundation (download on site)
Trusses and optional truss plan
Anchoring system
Building notes(engineer)
Roof snow loads



www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/constructionplans.htm

More Free Plans
www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/planmenu.htm

Its really helpfull if you have a large plotter.

Mine is 32x40 and was built by the previous owner who is my next door neighbor and he put in the slab at 8 inches, he did not relief cut it and I have three cracks but they don't hurt a thing.
I give a big thumbs up on the 6 inch slab over the 4 inch. I work as a safety consultant for heavy construction, and I am involved with planning with engineers on many projects. I questioned the engineers before I purchased this place, I was looking at places without the garage and the 6inch slab was what the engineers advised.
The extra 4 feet talked about in earlier posts makes a hell of a lot of sense. Mine has 8 feet extra I can put a engine on a stand and roll it to where I need it and still have room for the work bench and the wood stove.  the extra on the sides allows me to park the riding lawn mower and tiller etc and not have to move a car to get them out. I will also say that a steel building can save you money and time, and if you can afford it steel frame is the shit. This option can save mega dollars on your homeowners insurance as the firload is much lower, but that you have to talk with your agent to see if you can save.

Just got home from a visit to 84 Lumber...

I walked out with a set of plans for a 24 x 32 garage (@ N/C), and a quote of $5000 delivered. That includes my choice of siding, one man door, one window, and two 9 x 7 garage doors...

Basically everything I need except a slab...

I think I will concentrate first on zoning approval, building permit, and a slab. Once the slab is in place, I'll have my "kit" delivered.

Quoted: Just got home from a visit to 84 Lumber... I walked out with a set of plans for a 24 x 32 garage (@ N/C), and a quote of $5000 delivered. That includes my choice of siding, one man door, one window, and two 9 x 7 garage doors... Basically everything I need except a slab... I think I will concentrate first on zoning approval, building permit, and a slab. Once the slab is in place, I'll have my "kit" delivered.

Rock on!


(and post pics)

What you gonna do about site work / grading?

I did all mine with a rented bobcat.

I'm a little late to this thread....

I was going to suggest  http://www.designamerica.com/ for plans, 84 may be a better way to go.

I'm building mine now. I went 30x54, two bays with a high ceiling (think lift), and two bays with a second floor. I also have steel beams on both sides, bottoms will be exposed to allow hoisting.

I used a full foundation, 2x6 walls on 24" centers and "balloon framed". I'm using rafters instead of trusses, but I have special needs.

I prefer 16' doors, so I'm using steel beams for headers.

All the walls are framed now but not yet sheathed. Door headers go in this weekend.

We had a bunch of wind here this weekend, but those 2x6's don't budge!

My in-laws claim I'm building the "garage-mahal".

Several of my friends have had garages built recently, all about the same size (34x40 or so). Footers were poured, then the framing and construction of the garage was begun. Once a roof was in place, the floor was poured. I have no idea if they waited to pour the slab for a reason, but I noticed that all of them, built by different contractors, were done in the same order.  I'm guessing to protect the wet floor to keep it perfect while curing...

Just thinking out loud....  It'll be quite a while before I get to build my shop/garage.

taggage.

Can you get the anchors spec'd into 'print?
If they say six bolts, think about 12. Cost is not much and add in the hurrricane straps. Your insurance company will love you for the effort.

Code on anchors is maximum 6' spacing and 12" from sill ends.

Doubling that on 2x4's might have some merit, but if you have enough uplift on a 2x6 to pull those through or break the sill, you'll have much bigger problems at the top of the wall first.

If you double the sill (pressure treated bolted to the foundation, second sill nailed and strapped), it makes tilting and squaring walls easier.

Quoted: What you gonna do about site work / grading? I did all mine with a rented bobcat.

Hehe...

I work at TOTAL RENTAL and have access to all kinds of fun toys... Even laser guided grader boxes, excavating lasers, transits, etc...
I'm not a concrete guy, but we do have concrete contractors in the store all the time...  I've got plenty to pick from.

I was looking over the blueprints and list of supplies last night....   What a peice of cake...
It looks like EVERYTHING is included, right down to the floor anchors and 20lb box of nails.

I'll get back on my "over built it" band wagon...

As has been mentioned, building codes are minimum spec.  I don't want a brain surgeon who just barely passed his boards, I don't want a car that just barely passes DOT safety standards, I don't want a big belted magnum rifle that is built to minimum standards, and I don't want a building built to just meet code....

Anchor bolts:  These are priced at what, maybe $1 each???   On my 28x36 garage, I could have gone for a six foot spacing.  That would have resulted in some 19 anchor bolts...  I went to 4 foot spacing, resulting in about 27 bolts.  Net cost increase was all of $12...    Big deal.  I also spent all of five minutes looking at my blue print.  If I start with a corner here, lay my studs out on 24" centers, I can space the anchor bolts here, here and here, and always be between studs with plenty of room for washers, nuts and wrenching....  A couple minutes "thinking" saves a lot of half assed work and frustration latter..

Roof sheathing...  Most systems rely on trusses on 24" centers.  UPGRADE your roof sheathing.  The typical min building code requirement is structurally acceptable.  However, on 24 centers it will usually start taking some sagging from truss to truss.  Upgrade another 1/8" and its will usually pay off.

Someone once said here that they have built houses for people that were too big, that they built house for people that were to small; but they have yet to build a garage big enough.

Suggestions:

Make sure that your doors do not have windows for security.
Add a skylight or to.
Double your electrical outlets by using the double wide boxes.  (Think four outlets)
Plan a battery charger wall with 2/3 double wide boxes.
Get the pull down power outlet for the center of the garage.
Don't forget the fire extinguishers.

#1. Size is everything

Generally speaking, you want to go with a two car garage, if nothing else, for resale. You will need the room anyway, and since you mentioned parking two vehicles inside anyway, it's a moot point. That settled, you need to figure out what dimensions will be best. Conventional wisdom is that standard two car garages are 24' wide. Trust me when I say that this is not enough. If you plan on doing anything other than parking the vehicles inside, you will want atleast a little more room to get around the vehicles and have a little more room to open doors without hitting the other vehicle or the exterior walls of the garage. 26' should be the minimum width with the understanding that "wider is better."

Now the question comes to length. Again, most two car garages are about 24' deep. This is only good for parking or storing vehicles, if you want space to work or put a workbench, you will need more depth. Since a regular cab, eight foot bed pickup is about 19' long, you will want atleast two clear feet behind the truck, four in front, and two additional feet in front for a workbench, this all adds up (19+2+4+2) to 27' of inside     space. If you want an actual workshop area, you will need more space than this, though. Add on roughly one foot for the exterior walls (front and back) and you wind up with 28' for your garage depth. Remember, "longer is better," too.

#2 Garage doors

Most standard overhead garage doors these days are 9x7's. A full-size pickup with large side mirrors will just barely fit through a nine foot door. If the pickup is jacked-up even a few inches, it might not clear the top of a seven foot door. If you don't ever plan on driving anything bigger than a regular full-size pickup into your garage, the 9x7' doors will do fine. Anything over that will bring a premium anyway. However, remember the adage "bigger is better."

In the end, you need to spec what you can afford. If you find that you can't afford to build to the minimum specs I laid out for you above, you should wait to build until you have the money for a properly-sized garage, because I guarantee that you will be sorry if you settle for less.

Go for the taller doors even if you hav only a car because if you have say a kayak on the roof it could get interesting.

Quoted: #1. Size is everything Generally speaking, you want to go with a two car garage, if nothing else, for resale. You will need the room anyway, and since you mentioned parking two vehicles inside anyway, it's a moot point. That settled, you need to figure out what dimensions will be best. Conventional wisdom is that standard two car garages are 24' wide. Trust me when I say that this is not enough. If you plan on doing anything other than parking the vehicles inside, you will want atleast a little more room to get around the vehicles and have a little more room to open doors without hitting the other vehicle or the exterior walls of the garage. 26' should be the minimum width with the understanding that "wider is better." Now the question comes to length. Again, most two car garages are about 24' deep. This is only good for parking or storing vehicles, if you want space to work or put a workbench, you will need more depth. Since a regular cab, eight foot bed pickup is about 19' long, you will want atleast two clear feet behind the truck, four in front, and two additional feet in front for a workbench, this all adds up (19+2+4+2) to 27' of inside     space. If you want an actual workshop area, you will need more space than this, though. Add on roughly one foot for the exterior walls (front and back) and you wind up with 28' for your garage depth. Remember, "longer is better," too. #2 Garage doors Most standard overhead garage doors these days are 9x7's. A full-size pickup with large side mirrors will just barely fit through a nine foot door. If the pickup is jacked-up even a few inches, it might not clear the top of a seven foot door. If you don't ever plan on driving anything bigger than a regular full-size pickup into your garage, the 9x7' doors will do fine. Anything over that will bring a premium anyway. However, remember the adage "bigger is better." In the end, you need to spec what you can afford. If you find that you can't afford to build to the minimum specs I laid out for you above, you should wait to build until you have the money for a properly-sized garage, because I guarantee that you will be sorry if you settle for less.

Big +1

I went 30 x 46, 4 feet between the 10x8" doors. Also 10 foot ceiling. Mine is attached though. The pic gives an idea of the amount of room. Disregard my beater truck

Have any of the previous posters added a drain to the garage floor?  In PA, there is every chance that you will be pulling in with a snow-covered vehicle.  If you have a slope, can you run a drain through the floor and outside.  Protecting the end with wire screen will keep varmints out.  Alternately, you can run it to a dry well.

Make sense? I always envisioned doing this with my next garage.  Also, when I ran the buried electrical service, I'd want to run a water line.  A point-of-use heater and small sink make washing up a lot easier.  Maybe a urinal while I'm at it! Sounds like "Garage Mahal", huh?

Quoted: Make sense? I always envisioned doing this with my next garage.  Also, when I ran the buried electrical service, I'd want to run a water line.  A point-of-use heater and small sink make washing up a lot easier.  Maybe a urinal while I'm at it! Sounds like "Garage Mahal", huh?

Why, it's your garage. Just piss in the sink!

taggage

I wasn't trying to suggest that overbuilding is a bad thing. Hell, my garage is a shrine to overbuilding.

Anchors on 4' centers is a smart and convenient way to go. It helps protect you if you have a weak spot in a sill. As you point out, it's easy from a layout perspective. My experience hasn't been great in getting contractors to precisely place anchors, but that will vary by contractor. In general though, unless you put a strap on every stud, the sill between anchors is going to be a lot stronger than the connection between the sill and the studs.

While Art probably doesn't need to worry about winds over 90 mph in PA, I'd still splurge on hurricane straps for the trusses and heavier sheathing. It just provides some peace of mind, and that garage package is sure to be designed right at code minimum.

The 84 lumber guys have been helpful to me as well.

I agree, size does matter...  

Here's my daily driver back and forth to work...



My Mom's got a 24 x 36 garage (with 9x7 doors) on her property, and the dually just barely squeaks inside.
I have however in the past, backed a loaded car trailer inside with about 2" on each side.

My biggest concern is the local zoning laws, and what they will allow.
I will build they biggest they allow on my property.

Art,

Since you're willing to consider going oversize you might want to look at some of the plans on the design america Site. They cost a couple hundred bucks, but they come with material lists and 84 will give you a deal if you buy the whole job from them.

If you want oversize doors and your Inspector needs a stamped print for the door headers, shoot me an e-mail. Hint - steel beams are much cheaper and lighter than parralams. I can help you with those.

Mike

Quoted: Have any of the previous posters added a drain to the garage floor?  In PA, there is every chance that you will be pulling in with a snow-covered vehicle.  If you have a slope, can you run a drain through the floor and outside.  Protecting the end with wire screen will keep varmints out.  Alternately, you can run it to a dry well. Make sense? I always envisioned doing this with my next garage.  Also, when I ran the buried electrical service, I'd want to run a water line.  A point-of-use heater and small sink make washing up a lot easier.  Maybe a urinal while I'm at it! Sounds like "Garage Mahal", huh?

I have a drain in each stall and a wash up hose. It does make a mess in the winter. The garage is heated.

Lowe's and Home Depot have racks of books on the topic. If you look at 3D home design programs they will often have precanned designs you can pull up and modify, and they will give you a stick-by-stick breakdown of costs.

Decide how big you want to build and then go BIGGER.
You wont regret it.

Drains:

I don;t have adequate natural slope on the lot to permit a daylight drain.  I did NOT want to fart around with a pit and pump, and didn;t want to have teh hassle of flushing out all th sand, sawdust, dirt, and crap that would accumulate in a floor drain system.

My slab is simply somewhat tapered, draining to the garage doors....  water runs out and/or can be pushed out with a broom/

I can't believe that none of you have mentioned the very first thing the poster needs to do before building his garage. Namely, giving his pound of flesh, ie, legal bribe, to the local govt, so he can build it. No payola, no garage.

Quoted: Quoted: What you gonna do about site work / grading? I did all mine with a rented bobcat. Hehe... I work at TOTAL RENTAL and have access to all kinds of fun toys... Even laser guided grader boxes, excavating lasers, transits, etc... I'm not a concrete guy, but we do have concrete contractors in the store all the time...  I've got plenty to pick from. I was looking over the blueprints and list of supplies last night....   What a peice of cake... It looks like EVERYTHING is included, right down to the floor anchors and 20lb box of nails.

You're gonna need more...of course, you could always rent a nail gun if you don't have one....that puppy would be un in no time.

tag

Whatever you do, plan your electrical lines intelligently!  Put LOTS of outlets.  Make SURE you put in at least two circuits (one for normal crap, one for heavier tools like compressors that WILL blow out small circuits).  Add a separate circuit if you plan on keeping a refrigerator or deep freeze out there.  If you plan on using a generator for power later, put in a manual transfer switch NOW - It'll cost $100 for a decent switch, but will save you lots of grief later.

If you are going to have a workshop, you might want to insulate for heat and for noise.

Remember that overhead storage is very useful thing, so if you have room and budget, a set of  drop down steps can make the attic into an incredibly useful place to keep seasonal stuff.  If you plan to keep a canoe or other craft stowed, think about where you want to hang it.