New garage time!

[fatjay]

I'm about to get started on my new garage. It's going to be 24x44x35, interior finished and heated. I'm doing 24" wide by 36" deep footers, then 2 block up. On the 2 block will be 10' 2x8's making the first floor 12' high for a 2 post and 4 post lift. 2nd floor will have 14" manufacturered floor joists and 8' ceiling, 3rd floor will have 14" manufacturered floor joists and scissor trusses giving vaulted ceiling. I'll have a metal shop on the 2nd floor and an office for work, 3rd floor will be used half for storage and half for a man cave with bay window looking out over my property.

2 8x10' doors in the front, on the side will have 2 man doors. all 3 floors will have radiant floor heating, I haven't figured out how I'm going to heat the water yet though. Going between floors will have a 5x8' elevator. 2 windows per floor on the side and 2 windows on the front on 2nd and 3rd floor.

I have a friend who is a contractor and will be doing the bulk of the work but i'll be on site to help. I'm doing the excavation myself with my 1953 Oliver backhoe, old girl is still kicking and never misses a beat.

 

[shovelmike]

It looks like that will be a very nice shop, keep us posted...we love pictures.

 

[fatjay]

Shed needed to move as I needed to bust up the concrete that the shed was on. since it overlapped 4' where the garage is going to go. Then busted up concrete with my HF jack hammer. And hauled it away with the bobcat. Since I've started the project I bought a bobcat, built pallet forks for it, bought a ditch witch, and a 24" backhoe bucket. New garage means new toys to build it.

Had to take down the kids swingset that I build 12 years ago. Was kind of sad to see it go but they are in high school and haven't used it in years.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I would make it 28' wide so you can have two 12' wide doors with one foot clearance on each side with 2 feet in the middle. that extra 2 feet make a world of difference when getting things in and out without scraping the mirrows or dinging the walls.

 

[fatjay]

My contractor keeps saying that but when looking at the front I don't want the garage to overlap with the house, and it adds complications with the ceiling joists. I don't want a pole in the middle supporting and I don't want to deal with I beams, 24' wide is as wide as i can get with the 14" ceiling joists.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm about to get started on my new garage. It's going to be 24x44x35,

When I read your dimensions, I couldn't wrap my head around that last number. No way is it going to be 35 feet tall, but then when you said it's going to have 3 levels, I got excited to follow your progress!!!! That's going to be amazing. Are you afraid of heights at all? Will you be doing any of the work on those eaves that high up? I always rent a lift for stuff like that, there is a point when I just get too scared to go any higher on a ladder and I freeze up and can't function. With a lift, it's better and I can get things done, but only if I have room to get the lift where I need it.

 

[fatjay]

The plan is 35' high. The township put in restrictions for me to be 26' high while the zoning regulation is 35' high. I have a lawyer currently handling that, but he said there's no reason I can't start building while I wait for that to get fixed.

I'm not really bothered by heights, and my neighbor has a man lift he offered to let me use. he does high rise caulking on windows and stuff and it extends 60' and can safely do up to a 45 degree angle up and out, i didn't even know something like that existed, so that will make life a lot easier than scaffolding.

 

[fatjay]

Ok got a question. I need to remove the topsoil, 6" down BEFORE the footers are dug. I'm not sure the best way to do this.

The backhoe is not very maneuverable, using the front bucket to scrape would be a challenge because it would be many trips to the dumping site, it doesn't turn very well. I could use the backhoe, but it seems like it would be tough to get a consistent level area that's 1000 sq ft.

Kubota with back blade I'm not sure would do very well because I don't have the down force to get into the ground.

The bobcat might be able to do it, I still need to get the governor issue figured out though. When it bogs the governror isn't kicking in.

The ditch witch has the plow that goes strait down. I saw an interesting video where a guy just plows the grass. In creeper mode I think I would have the traction. The easy way to remove grass - YouTube

Maybe I'm over thinking this, I just don't want to screw it up and i have limited space/time to practice.

 

[4570Man]

Do you have a turning plow or tiller? I’d break up the ground and scoop it up with the bobcat. Unless the bobcat has a lot better traction then I’m giving it credit for scooping up unbroken ground will be tough.

 

[fatjay]

I don't have a turning plow, I do have a tiller but it's on a tractor that I haven't run in a really long time. And last time it was run it wasn't running very well. It's my other 1968 New Holland S14 with 48" tiller. Worst case though, I could canibalize the 71 new holland s14 which runs well, but lacks the rear PTO and hydraulic lifts in the rear.