attached garage?

bobtheengineer · April 13, 2008, 09:59:42 AM

Just wondering if anybody had built, with an attached garage? I know it seems rather non-traditional in a cabin, but I'm trying to squeeze everything on a narrow lot and the attached garage looks like a viable option. Not sure what it'll do to the look, or to the floorplan.

thanks

glenn kangiser · April 13, 2008, 11:11:24 AM

No reason you couldn't. I think you have a firewall to put in but no big deal. I can't think of any right now who have done it though.

You might do it in Sketchup http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=1472.0

or other some other drawing program to experiment and have a look.

April 13, 2008, 11:20:09 AM

If you're following codes you'll have to have a self closing weather stripped door if there's direct entry between the garage and the house. No ventilation connections between the two spaces.

Redoverfarm · April 13, 2008, 11:51:19 AM

Don would the self closing apply if there was a mud room between the two?

glenn kangiser · April 13, 2008, 12:00:28 PM

I believe it would as it is still a change in the type of occupancy -- living area and garage -- not sure of the proper terms but they still need the firewall.

This article deals with similar info. http://www.doityourself.com/stry/faultyfirewall

April 13, 2008, 12:55:21 PM

The folks just below me on my building project are building on a narrow footprint. They have the garage/carport on the ground level and the house sits above it. They get a two-fer: covered parking and an improved view.

mt

MountainDon · April 13, 2008, 01:41:49 PM

The IRC states the garage shall be separated from residence areas. A mud room would be considered risidence space I'm pretty sure.

I believe even the attic space above a garage has to be separated from the attic space above the residence space.

bobtheengineer · April 13, 2008, 05:20:29 PM

well, yea, I realize the whole firewall issue. Just kinda wondering what it would do to the look of the house.

MountainDon · April 13, 2008, 05:29:38 PM

Ah!

I've had an attached garage (2 car, wish it were 3 or...) for so long it wouldn't seem right if it wasn't attached. Everything around here ('burbs) has attached garages. Back home in snowy Canada our garage was only an item on a wish list. I wish I had one and wish it could have been built attached.

Can you build out on top of it? Or plan things so you could add an upstairs at a later date?

I had a neighbor here who was able to add an upstairs over the garage. Actually two, no three of them did that.

Redoverfarm · April 13, 2008, 06:48:09 PM

Attached garages are great. I have a double car that is seperated by a 10' mud/laundry room. The garage is a litle oversized 26'W X 44'D. There is room for a 26' X 18' shop in the end. I used attic truss to create a upstairs. The plan was to have a garage appt 12' X 44' over the garage. Then I started the cabin and put it on the back burner to finish it off. Got to leave something for later.

My wife would probably get rid of me before she would the garage. No rain or snow to get out and unload the groceries and kids in .