| |
| |
|
Home Improvement Information |
|
|
|
Building a Garage Addition to Your Home
One of the most rewarding home improvements I made to my house was to build a garage addition. For years I contemplated building a garage addition while I scraped the ice and snow from my cars and waited for them to warm up during the winter months. About 5 years ago I finally made the decision to build a garage onto my home. The first big decision I had to make after deciding to build the garage addition was to determine how large to make it. I wanted a large enough garage to fit two cars comfortably and that would be of proper proportion with the rest of the house. I also wanted space to include a work bench and to allow room for the lawnmowers or snow blowers. I decided on a 26 foot wide, by 24 foot deep garage. Since my house was 36 feet in width, this gave me a garage that was about 2/5ths of the entire home frontage. I also needed to make sure that the roof pitch and the elevation of the garage would be consistent with the rest of the home. After taking these issues into account, I created some drawings of the garage including: the foundation size, the location of the garage doors, the maintenance door and windows, and the height profile of the roof. From these drawings I was able to discuss with a number of general contractors my garage and home plans. After selecting my general contractor, I generated some additional drawings that provided all of the framing details necessary to pull a building permit. Because of the specific contour of my property, my garage plans also included a bonus room that would reside above the garage. Thus, I needed to include additional drawings of the bonus room, e.g. interior walls, doors, windows, closet, and entrance way and stairwell to/from the main house. After excavation and installation of the foundation, the framing crew had the garage frame up in about a week. Three weeks later I had a completely enclosed garage, with all the outside doors and windows installed and the shingles installed on the roof. From this point forward, I took over the electrical and insulation work, after filing for these specific permits. Once the insulation was installed and approved, I called in the drywall contractor to install the drywall, and to tape and mud. I also had them apply a coat of primer and one coat of builders grade paint. It is well worth the money to have them do this. I then finished the electric, installed the stair railing, interior doors and baseboard trim and the garage was nearly ready to move in. The finishing touch was the installation of two garage door openers and a final application of paint in the bonus room. The total cost of my garage addition was about $30,000. I had been quoted as high as $50,000, however with a little negotiation and sweat equity I was able to get a lot of garage for a reasonable price. A few years have gone by since I completed my garage addition and every winter when I see people standing by their cars in the driveways scraping, I am reminded of one of the best decisions I ever made. Me_Donovan@comcast.net Over the past 20+ years Mr. Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. Mr. Donovan's formal education and profession have been as an Electrical Engineer and Marketing Manager.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Making the Most of a Small Bathroom In bathroom terms at least, bigger doesn't have to be better - It's all just a case of making the most of the modest proportions you're presented with! And what's more, designing a bathroom that's small on space usage but big on style and functionality should be a lot more fun.The Click Bathrooms guide to maximising a modest bathroom follows three simple principles?1 - Make it seem biggerA great way of tackling a bathroom with limited dimensions is by creating the illusion of space. Is It Time For Solar Energy to Get Hot? Solar energy has been around for quite a while and most people don't think about it much except for the ones who are already into renewable sources of energy. Environmentalists have always loved the idea of solar energy but what has kept it from going more mainstream, being more widely used and looked upon as something someone wants to spend money to install on their property? There have been improvements in the technology of solar energy, but has there been enough? Isn't the war on terror and the desire to be independent of foreign energy sources enough to persuade people to use solar energy? At what point will solar energy become the great and never ending source of energy many of envisioned many years ago?Well, I, for one, think that the time has just about come for solar energy to really take off because of one reason: it will be economically the right and smart thing to do. Ideas For Interior Design Ideas for interior design are a dime a dozen these days. In fact, you can likely watch one hour of television dedicated to the subject and come away with enough information to design an entire home. Wholesale Vinyl Flooring Is Perfect For Wherever You Need It Wholesale vinyl flooring is the perfect solution for people who are looking for flooring that is inexpensive, good looking, and made with high quality. Wholesale vinyl flooring is designed specifically for use in commercial, general and civil aviation applications and facilities, and it contains a hidden Tuff-SealŪ interlock system and is backed by a five-year warranty. Breaking Away from White Wall Paint Paint is one of the most affordable and easiest ways to change a room. But choosing the right paint colors for your home can seem like an overwhelming task. The Motors Best Friend The starting current of motor can become 3 to 6 times the normal running current! That's normal for motors. The motor can experience this high current for a period ranging from 20 to 50 seconds. Make your Sauna a Focal Point A sauna has been used throughout history in every part of the world to promote health. The wealthy did not consider their mansions complete without the warmth of a steam bath or spa. Employ Passive Solar Energy and Start Saving Electricity Today 1. Orientation, layout and positioning of your house on the landOrientate your living areas to the south side of the house, which receives most of the sun throughout the day (north if you live in the southern hemisphere). Log Homes - Is a Log Home In Your Future? Many people dream about a log home in their future but never get around to making their dream come true. Here's how to get past the hurdles and start living your dream. Get Your Home Ready To Sell Have you been considering selling your home in the near future? If you have, then it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a good long look at your home, using an unbiased eye.After all, a clean, appealing, well maintained home has much better odds of selling, selling for more, and selling faster. Metal Carports: Steel Carport Guide Buying a carport to protect your investment can be a very frustrating task. With hundreds of manufacturers claiming to have the best product, how do you know who to trust? First you must ask yourself, are they out to make a buck, or to protect my truck? The first line of defense is to know what makes a good carport and the second is to trust your first instinct and know that you are protecting your mobile investments. A Beginner's Guide to Buying House Plans Learn How to Select a House Plan That Will Result in The Home of Your DreamsBuilding a home for most people is one of the most adventurous and time consuming projects a family can invest in during a lifetime. Because of that, it is important that care be taken when buying, selecting and implementing a house plan. What does it take to be an Interior Designer? When trying to decide if Interior Design is right for you, it helps to know what that really means. Interior Design is not simply the profession that "makes rooms and places pretty"; it takes a little bit more than that. Designing With Hardwood Floors Hardwood floors are suited to both casual and formal environments; they feel at home with modern or traditional and will compliment the decor of both minimalist and eclectic designs. Hardwood can be classic, rock, jazz, country, or hip hop. Replacement or Retrofit Style Frame? Which is Right for You? Last week I told you how to measure for your vinyl replacement windows when replacing aluminum windows. Now that you're ready to order your new vinyl replacement windows, we need to talk about the different frame style options available. Vintage Labels on Marble Tiles It's refreshing to note that gone are the days that countertops and backsplashes have to match. There are no decorating rules. Three Great Concepts for Remodeling a Master Bedroom Since it's one of the places people spend the most time, one of the most satisfying home makeovers is the main bedroom. Here are three ideas for creating a dynamic new main bedroom space:The Passion BoudoirThe French have always led the world in designing sexy bedrooms, and now homemakers all over the world have followed their lead and begun decorating their bedrooms for sex and sensuality. Swim Spas Make a Big Splash with Baby Boomers If you are an aging baby boomer like I am, you may be looking for a fun form of water recreation where you can get some relief from aching muscles and joints, be able to exercise or just relax, have a place for the grand kids to play and better yet, all of this occurs in one place from the comfort and convenience of your own home.Many of the potential swimming pool buyers are looking into swim spas as an alternative to installing a fiberglass swimming pool or above ground pool. Guide to Bathroom Design The first step is to plan the design - as with kitchens, your local supplier will run off a computer-generated plan based on the room's dimensions and your particular requirements.If you're sticking with the same layout, measure your bathroom suite carefully before you go shopping for a replacement so that you know the new items will fit. Beat the Summer Heat - What Size A/C Do I Need? A larger air conditioner will not always provide more cooling. It should be sized for the room area.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
