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Ezra or Lenny or anyone with house plan experience...
- Thread starter slimcake
- Start date
polarisrider1
New member
Just moved in my 1600 sq.ft. main level house with full basement. Check zoning for maximum garage size to house size. We have such rules in parts of Michigan. I filled my 24x30 fast. Heat the bath floors at minimum. As far as sidewalls and insulation. ..we have what is called an energy code. It dictates what you must do to make Energy star rating.
We built 6 yrs ago and did put stairs from the garage into the basement because I didn't want to always have to access the basement from the house. Has turned out to be a great addition. The wife fought it at first but now that we are in she is very happy. We have a second set that do come into the living area. Also do a big mud room off the garage. Ours is about 10 x 10 with a large closet and hooks to hang jackets/coats. Very handy. We did an open plan too but it is a bit different than what you have. Don't know if I can post the layout but will try. We are on a flat lot so it is a single story with a full basement. I also had a lift in the garage (moved it into a new shop with taller ceiling) and with the 11'7" garage ceiling it was okay for a car but you couldn't raise a full size truck all the way up. I would make sure you have at least 13' high ceiling where the lift will be. I don't know the cost for a precast floor but 80 grand seems high for the garage. I have about 100 in a 66 x 80 Morton with heated floor, Mezzanine, spray foam walls, steel ceiling, lighting, electrical and all. The lift was only 1500 new.
I can say I Love my garage access from my basement. I also have a walkout patio door in the "cave". one thing I did was build a removable stair set from the garage to the basement. pop out a couple of bolts and wala the stairwell comes out for cleaning underneath it....didn't think of that till the guy who put the entrance in said I either need to build a "good" stair set so nothing can get under it, or build a set that comes out quick that you can clean.....
fun thoughts......after dumping big bucks for my basement with higher than normal ceilings, knotty pine tongue and groove, plumbing, elec, carpeting, storage, etc.... I love it........I have access to the cave from 3 points...
the upstairs of my house
the garage to cave
the walkout patio
m8man
I just don't know if I want to give up the room it takes to drop a staircase in my garage. It is only 26' deep in the main part and I am surely not giving up any room in my 3rd stall. I have access to the basement from below in the tuck under garage and also from the walk out basement living area. Hoping to duct in the hvac to my tuck under so I have a nice place to work in the summer time as well as the winter.
One thing I'd try to do is put the crapper in it's own room. Maybe you could do a pocket door in the wall between it and the vanity. Always nice not to block off the entire master bath when you're in there reading.
I used a pocket door to separate the rest of the bathroom and as Gary says "the crapper" (lol). Best thing I have done.
my 2 cents, storage trusses for garage area, for future storage or possible man/woman cave.
Lori, I have attic trusses in my current 28x32 garage. Only thing that really collects up there for me is junk that I should have hauled away. I like the idea of a useable living space though. Might have to look into that. My wife has been asking me for a secret room with a secret door batcave style....
sweeperguy
Active member
Lori, I have attic trusses in my current 28x32 garage. Only thing that really collects up there for me is junk that I should have hauled away. I like the idea of a useable living space though. Might have to look into that. My wife has been asking me for a secret room with a secret door batcave style....
That sounds really cool, back in the day (25+ years ago) I had thought it would have been cool to have a hidden smoking room complete with exhaust fans.