*
I am designing/building a new garage for a friend of mine. To break up the visual impact of a two car garage on his small city lot, we have been toying with the idea of a detached one car garage with an attached carport that could double as a covered patio.
The trouble is, here in St. Paul,MN, we typically build garages on a “floating” slab with a thickened perimeter. This thickened edge does not extend down the 42″ to frost line. If the garage half of this structure was sitting on this type of foundation, should the posts supporting the carport roof bear on frost depth pier footings or should they also “float”? Or perhaps this entire structure should be excavated down to the frost line? In which case we would be better off with the mammoth two stall garage. Surely some of you cold climate builders have encountered similar situations and can spare me the ridicule of the plan review department.
Replies
*
I am designing/building a new garage for a friend of mine. To break up the visual impact of a two car garage on his small city lot, we have been toying with the idea of a detached one car garage with an attached carport that could double as a covered patio.
The trouble is, here in St. Paul,MN, we typically build garages on a "floating" slab with a thickened perimeter. This thickened edge does not extend down the 42" to frost line. If the garage half of this structure was sitting on this type of foundation, should the posts supporting the carport roof bear on frost depth pier footings or should they also "float"? Or perhaps this entire structure should be excavated down to the frost line? In which case we would be better off with the mammoth two stall garage. Surely some of you cold climate builders have encountered similar situations and can spare me the ridicule of the plan review department.