# Building a garage



## swimmer_spe (Nov 30, 2016)

I got the permit to build a garage. Due to the oncoming winter, and snow, I will start once the frost is gone.

I do have a few questions though

1) How do I attach the walls to each other at the corner? Do I shim them to get them plumb?

2) I plan to heat by wood. My insurance company gave me the ok. Should rough in the hole for the pipe, or wait till it gets constructed?

3) the attic will not be closed in. and I know that it will not be insulated, at least not for the first year. Do I need roof vents?

4) I will run my electrical and have a qualified electrician make the final connections. I will have several 30amp plugs and many 20/15 amp plugs. How do I know how many can be on each run?

5) I have 2 friends who will be able to help me build it. How do we safely get the trusses in place?

Any other tips or tricks to pass on?


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## kok328 (Nov 30, 2016)

1. top plate will hold it together
2. wait
3. yes
4. consult your qualified electriican
5. going to need more friends or a crane.  set the tails on the top plate and then swing them up into place.

Consider purchasing a package that comes with instructions.


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## nealtw (Nov 30, 2016)

Concrete slab, foundation, posts or?


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## beachguy005 (Nov 30, 2016)

Make sure you have an air compressor and nail guns.  
The top plates are doubled as upper top plate overlaps the lower top plate at the corners to lock the walls together.
If you do vent the uninsulated space, that's where you heat will go.
This is a pretty good basic overview of building a garage.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-garage-from-the-ground-up/


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## swimmer_spe (Nov 30, 2016)

nealtw said:


> Concrete slab, foundation, posts or?



Poured slab with 1 row of blocks.


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## nealtw (Nov 30, 2016)

Blocks filled with concrete with 1/2" anchor bolts ever 4 ft.
With a slope for drainage to big door?  If yes, will the walls be level? Both can be yes with a plan for it.

Size of garage, size of door?

Type of roof? gable, cottage


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## swimmer_spe (Nov 30, 2016)

nealtw said:


> Blocks filled with concrete with 1/2" anchor bolts ever 4 ft.
> With a slope for drainage to big door?  If yes, will the walls be level? Both can be yes with a plan for it.
> 
> Size of garage, size of door?
> ...



I am having someone build the foundation.

The garage will be 16'x24' 16' high. The blocks will be level. The rest, I will let building codes and the company that does the slab figure that out.


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## nealtw (Nov 30, 2016)

swimmer_spe said:


> I am having someone build the foundation.
> 
> The garage will be 16'x24' 16' high. .


16 ft high, built in space or including roof.


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## swimmer_spe (Nov 30, 2016)

nealtw said:


> 16 ft high, built in space or including roof.


 
 16 feet high from the top of the slab to thee top of the peak.


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## nealtw (Nov 30, 2016)

swimmer_spe said:


> 16 feet high from the top of the slab to thee top of the peak.



so 12 ft high with  6/12 roof
or 8 ft high with a 12/12 roof

How high are the walls  and are they measured from the floor or top of block?


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## swimmer_spe (Nov 30, 2016)

nealtw said:


> so 12 ft high with  6/12 roof
> or 8 ft high with a 12/12 roof
> 
> How high are the walls  and are they measured from the floor or top of block?



One course of regular blocks. 
8 foot high framed walls/
Rest is roof.


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## nealtw (Nov 30, 2016)

You asked about trusses, depending on how they are handles can be a pretty easy job.
Is this 16 ft what you are allowed as in max height or required for snow load or just what you want.

If it feels like I am a little pushy with the questions, I am. I want to figure out just how much you understand about construction so we can fill in all the blanks.


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## swimmer_spe (Nov 30, 2016)

nealtw said:


> You asked about trusses, depending on how they are handles can be a pretty easy job.
> Is this 16 ft what you are allowed as in max height or required for snow load or just what you want.
> 
> If it feels like I am a little pushy with the questions, I am. I want to figure out just how much you understand about construction so we can fill in all the blanks.



The max height a residential garage can be locally is 16 feet to the top of the peak to the top of the slab.

The trusses will be built so I have usable attic space to store canoes/kayaks above.

I appreciate your questions as they make me think too. Besides, I don't want you to just assume things then give me wrong information.


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

swimmer_spe said:


> The max height a residential garage can be locally is 16 feet to the top of the peak to the top of the slab.
> 
> The trusses will be built so I have usable attic space to store canoes/kayaks above.
> 
> I appreciate your questions as they make me think too. Besides, I don't want you to just assume things then give me wrong information.



So a 12/12 roof with bonus room inside. 
Allowance for stairs or hatch? or door in front to load boats in?

These trusses will be awkward to handle and have a lot to add to them when you get them in. I can help you understand what has to be done but it might be where you might want a crew to come in and stand them for you.

For starters ask about having them delivered with a crane and setting them on the walls, one lift.  If they have a two hour min charge, 11 lifts.:trophy:


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## swimmer_spe (Dec 1, 2016)

nealtw said:


> So a 12/12 roof with bonus room inside.
> Allowance for stairs or hatch? or door in front to load boats in?
> 
> These trusses will be awkward to handle and have a lot to add to them when you get them in. I can help you understand what has to be done but it might be where you might want a crew to come in and stand them for you.
> ...



Door in front to get the boats in.

I m trying to save costs where I can. From what it sounds like, the trusses are something that I may need to leave to professionals.
Having said that, if you and 2 friends were to tackle putting them up, how would you do it without a crane?

I may see if they can lift them up when hey get delivered.


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

There are lots of ways to do it. You have to be fast and on the ball to do individual lifts so it goes quick.
Our normal would have been 2 lifts half at each end.
We would build a temp wall about 6 ft from each end so the trusses could be dropped about 2 ft from the end and laid down so the peaks were sitting on the temp wall with the gables sitting on top of each pile.
But with bonus room trusses they may not have designated gables.
Then we would sheet the gable and add the ladders for over hang and stand it up and brace the crap out of it so we could stand and lean the rest there 
The two guys would do the crab walk with each one to get them in place, that's no fun with one new guy, never mind nobody with that experience, they are very top heavy.

So for you I would build a temp wall in the middle drop half so the peaks land on the temp wall and the half the other way so peaks land on peaks  then you could sheet it and slide close to the end and stand it up.
Once you had 2 up it would be much more stable  to lean the rest up and you will have much more of a feel for it when you do have to crab walk a few.


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

There are lots of videos on line, they never show the fun stuff because it just looks to dangerous to show, nobody is quit clear on whether they are breaking safety rules and not.
WCB isn't any smarter because they never show up during this stage to tell you how it should be done, they just come later and catch people sheeting with out the proper gear.


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## swimmer_spe (Dec 1, 2016)

nealtw said:


> There are lots of videos on line, they never show the fun stuff because it just looks to dangerous to show, nobody is quit clear on whether they are breaking safety rules and not.
> WCB isn't any smarter because they never show up during this stage to tell you how it should be done, they just come later and catch people sheeting with out the proper gear.



So, uhm, how do you tie the trusses to each other and prevent them from falling over


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

Some people drop them all in one bunch and just brace them back to the walls with 2x4s and crab walk them into place but before you cut the bands holding them together you nail a 2x4 block across them with 3" nail into each one, with nails left out about 1/2" so they can be pulled.

If I am standing gable first, I first start by nailing some stoppers ( 2x4s) on the outside of the wall so they stick up a foot or two to stop the truss from sliding over the edge. 

Back behind the pile stand a 2x4 straight up to about a foot higher that the wall. One guy on each side one guy pushing from the floor with a 2x4. Then when the truss is stood add a 2x4 brace from the side 2x4s to the top of the truss, as far up as you can comfortable reach, close to plumb, will be adjusted plumb later. 2  3" nails in each end of the brace and set the truss where you want it and 2 nails into the top of the wall.
Your truss will stand by itself now. 
Most trusses are set at 24" on center so the cheat is to set a 22 1/2 block on each wall next to the gable so when you slide the next truss over it stops in the right place.
Slide the next one over and stand it up. One guy on each end one guy pushing with a 2x4 from the ground.

The guy on the ground passes up a 12 ft 1x4 that you will nail to the two trusses as far up as you can comfortably reach as level as possible and on the same lay out as on the wall. 1 3" nail into each truss left out 1/2 inch so they can be pulled later. If for balance while you nail it up some ends up sticking out the front, that's fine.

In a perfect world both wall are braced stiff and straight as an arrow and the trusses fit exactly, good luck with that. The trusses should be made to fit from outside of sheeting on both sides.
So before you even drop the trusses you climb up and eye the wall and pick which one is closest to perfect so when you stand trusses you line up with that wall and ignore the other side.
And carry on. Once they are all up there is still plenty of work to do.
The 1x4s stay on until the bottom row of plywood is on.
Hopefully the side braces are not in the way for standing the rest of the trusses, carefully remove one at a time to move trusses past and replace.
They would like to stay in place until you are ready to plumb the two gables.


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

Any door will needs a break in the blocks add 2" to the width of the door


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## beachguy005 (Dec 1, 2016)

While trusses are great for strength and construction speed you lose a lot in storage space because of the webbing of the truss.  I think if I was interested in getting the most storage space, I'd go stick built with ceiling joists and rafters.
You won't need a crane and crew as with trusses.


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

beachguy005 said:


> While trusses are great for strength and construction speed you lose a lot in storage space because of the webbing of the truss.  I think if I was interested in getting the most storage space, I'd go stick built with ceiling joists and rafters.
> You won't need a crane and crew as with trusses.



16 ft wide, he won't get close to strength even with 2x10 floor joists and these trusses have a room built in.


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## beachguy005 (Dec 1, 2016)

Got it, I didn't catch that he was using room trusses.  You could still get the span with manufactured lumber.


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

beachguy005 said:


> Got it, I didn't catch that he was using room trusses.  You could still get the span with manufactured lumber.



I beams would have to be 12" with the problem of the angle cut on the end or set rafters on a finished floor. The city won't like the angle cut and they ask for an engineer report. and if he is using 12/12 pitch he will be fighting the height restrictions.
That's a problem even with the bonus trusses.


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

There are bonus room trusses and bonus room trusses.
How big do you expect the room to be?
I am used to doing them so they have living space inside  so they are 12/12 pitch and often have hi heel cuts or wall extensions. So all that raises the height and with a height restriction takes away from the height of the garage.
The do make simpler trusses that are not made for insulation and lower pitch to provide a space for storage.
So you need to talk to the supplier and have them email you the spec sheet so you can better plan the build and post that spec sheet.
It will look something like this.


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## swimmer_spe (Dec 1, 2016)

nealtw said:


> There are bonus room trusses and bonus room trusses.
> How big do you expect the room to be?
> I am used to doing them so they have living space inside  so they are 12/12 pitch and often have hi heel cuts or wall extensions. So all that raises the height and with a height restriction takes away from the height of the garage.
> The do make simpler trusses that are not made for insulation and lower pitch to provide a space for storage.
> ...



From what I have seen, I will have about 4 feet of usable height. I will easily fit my canoe and kayak in.

Thee purpose of the upper storage is simply for those long, bulky things to find a home. There will not be any ceiling sheathing or any insulation.

While I plan on working in it in the winter, the primary goal is for a safe secure storage space for my toys (motorcycle, atv, snow machine, outboard motor, etc.)

Eventually, I might put in a ceiling and insulate it, but that is not going to be done for at least a year after construction, if ever.

This is my "5 year" house. I plan to move within the next 5 years to something better.


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## nealtw (Dec 1, 2016)

The plan I posted is a 6/12 pitch so every 12 inches of ceiling it goes up 6" but that only goes to the center of the garage, so 8 x 6 would be  48" high in the center less the flat spot they put in the middle
11/12 would be 88" outside less the flat spot.
12/12 will not likely work because the heel cut, the straight up measurement just above the wall adds to the total height so that would lower your garage.

You can ask the city how they measure the height, out here we see a cheat all the time. They raise the foundation and fill some fill in on both side, help with the slope away from the building. But the city measure from the average height of the fill on both sides. so an extra 12 on each side allows you to add 12" in height and still gets past code.


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