Has anyone here added an addition on a garage?

[Troublemaker]

We planned to build this year, but plans have changed and we purchased a new house. Unfortunately the garage isn't quite what I was after. The price was right on the house so it left enough surpless money for a garage addition and inground pool (for the kids). As I would like to have the yard torn up just once, I have decided to do them together.

What I have is a three car garage with 10 ft ceilings and nothing above it. I plan to make it four car in the front with the fourth being 2.5 cars deep. I know I need to sit down with a contractor and discuss what I want done, but I was just looking for advice from anyone that has done it here on what they wish they would have done and what they would never do again. I plan to have the ceilings in the fourth stall 12 ft for lift purposes. I haven't decided on a lift yet, but since the slab needs to be poured a 2 post is possible.

[Stretch]

If you're looking for garage ideas, visit garagejournal.com. Fantastic site but be warned you may mysteriously lose 3 hours surfing through build threads.

We built a house last year and I added quite a bit to the garage. Extra outlets (+220V), extra lights, sink, high rise doors & openers, and a drain are all good ideas. Thicker concrete for the lift is a good idea. One of the cooler ideas I saw was to pour the concrete with a square boxed out so that you can add an in ground scissor lift flush on the floor. I would recommend 11' ceilings everywhere in case you add 4 posts lifts for storage later. 12' is better, but 11' will do if one of the cars is Viper sized.

Good luck! Post pictures :-)

[BlknBlu]

Go as big as you can in every direction and get plenty of electrical outlets.

see below

220 outlets
Heater gas or electric
Floor drains
Wire for sound
lighting
floor coatings
side mount garage door openings
Water source with sink
built in cabinets

Good luck

Bruce

[Thawk97]

Plumbing definitely. I did my garage 2 years ago now and I wish I could have afforded to have plumbing put in - both a sink as well as a floor drain for when things need to get washed inside.

[GBS]

I added an additional 2 car garage. My original had a sink and is 30' deep which it nice. I had more room and my only regret is not making it larger. My neighbor had a 4 car garage with the garage doors facing the side of the house. He added on and made it over twice as deep and very high ceiling and multiple lifts. He currently has 10 cars in it. Make it as large as you can and you won't regret it.

[Policy Limits]

I used quality lifts for my four post and I'm satisfied. For four hundred extra bucks it's worth getting extended loading ramps. When the time is right. Good luck with the mods.

[daveg]

Put a big addition on my garage. Allot of things mentioned above I did.

220 Volt 100 amp sub panel for garage and Generator.
2 Four post lifts
6” floor instead of 4”
Jackshaft style door openers. (doors open and follow rafters at an angle as they go up)
I also pushed a portion of my garage back 4’ by 12’ and put my workbench. Compressor etc in that section so it doesn’t take up garage space.
4 Big windows for lots of light.
10’ doors
I have 5 cars in it but wish I made it bigger. That’s my only complaint..
Not sure if putting a drain in is to code because of gas tank leaks etc will go in the drain.. I would check if I were you.

[SlateEd]

if you like detailing the cars yourself consider an extra-large bay with half-height walls to mount some lights all down the sides of the car (like a stall inside the garage)


Sound Deadening - both reflections inside the garage and/or insulated walls to isolate noise (and fire) from the rest of the house. Something like Roxul Safe n' Sound in the wall cavity, extra deep cavity if you have the room (double 2x6 if you can), Intumescent putty around your outlet/switch boxes, limp mass vinyl layer, multiple layers of 5/8 drywall, all good ways to isolate the sound from the rest of the house.

and the Roxul (or OC equivalent) in open roof rafters will go a long way to soak up echo/reflection noise in there.


Additional Ventilation. Could even go as far as exhaust tubes plumbed to the outside so you can run the cars inside with the doors closed.

[Dusty1]

Drive over lights under the lifts
Plumb in the air with some good hose reels
locate the air compressor in a closet away from the garage
light all you can

[Troublemaker]

Thanks for all the advice. Sound deadening was something that didn't even cross my mind, but a great idea. I will be running 220v to the garage for the heaters and elders, but still have to figure out AC. The back 8x12 is actually for a bathroom with access from the back yard. I haven't decided if I want a room above it, but that may come into play also. I will have to check codes, but a drain with an oil/water separator is a hope at this point. An enclosed air compressor is a good idea too, although mine is really quiet as far as that goes. I'm going as big as I can with the way the house is laid out, the single door will be converted to a dual, so most of my room is going to be gained in length. The footprint will hold 5 cars, that's all the room I have.

[SlateEd]

Thanks for all the advice. Sound deadening was something that didn't even cross my mind, but a great idea. ...

If you get started down that road feel free to drop me a line for any sound-related build Qs! I'm still trying to finish essentials like bathrooms in our new place, but recording studio basement is coming soon :-)

[theviper]

Troublemaker, did you end up getting the addition?