Multiple garage repair questions – #1
After pricing out how much it will cost to replace our delapidated 16′ x 18′ detached garage, I’ve decided we can’t afford it and we’re going to have to do the best we can to repair it.
I’ll post separately for each of the major categories of repairs needed. Here I’ll start with general background and the racking question:
Garage is 16’5″ wide and 18’4″ deep front-to-back, simple gable style (gables at front and back) with 2:12 pitch, roll roofing. The garage door is I think 15′ wide, and there’s basically no lateral shear support for it. It is attached to the trim on the corner posts and to nearby studs. There is an unserviceable service door on the right side near the front. Small window on the right side near the back. 2×4 construction, mostly 24″ OC studs, 30″ OC joists/rafters. 1×7 board siding, mostly board roof decking with some plywood (presumably from previous repairs). Structure butts up against next-door neighbor’s property on the left (their clothes drying line pole is tethered to our garage for support), and is about 1′ from the wooden fence along the back of the property.
Summary of what’s wrong with the garage:
1. Rotted mud sills all around. One side of the garage is below grade (previous owner poured concrete about a foot above grade on the outside, and the whole back yard is now at that level.
2. Rotted bases of corner posts, including in the front where the garage door needs to be supported.
3. Missing bottom 1/3 of several studs on the back wall, as well as corresponding siding. All that’s covering that section is black paper (roofing paper?). One of these studs provides (well, was supposed to provide) support for the roof peak in the back.
4. Entire structure is racked.
5. Center of roof is sagging.
6. Roof is leaking. Last year it was only one spot, this year it is at least two.
Question #1: What is the best way to go about plumbing (and squaring if needed) the structure and making it stay that way?
Should plumbing the structure be done before or after replacing the sills and the rotted bottoms of the corner posts at the front and the missing bottom 1/3s of the defective studs at the back?
Thanks for any help.
Rebeccah
Replies
Structure butts up against next-door neighbor's property on the left (their clothes drying line pole is tethered to our garage for support),
Is the clothes line propping up your garage, or other way round?
Sounds pretty sad, but if you're patient it's probably fixable. Any chance of some pictures? It doesn't sound difficult, but pics will help to give direction to where to start and which way to push.
Joe H
I need to erase some photos off the digital camera to make some room...I should be able to get pics of the outsie, and a couple of the inside, but most of the inside I can't get because the garage is full of stuff!I'll post pics in a bit...Thanks,Rebeccah
from what you've descrbed, it will be cheaper to remove this and build a new one.
It's main value mioght be in maintaining a grandfathered seteback variiance
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Hi, Piffin.To do it right, you are probably correct.The bottom line is, I can't afford what it will cost to do it right, so we are going to have to take shortcuts, do work ourselves (which costs hours of labor for myself in my spare time, and for my live-in fiance who is sadly underemployed and needs to pull his weight, and really wants to do this anyway), and simply not do everything that we would like to. But the out-of-pocket dollar cost needs to be significantly less than we would spend to tear out and rebuild.I priced out a TuffShed in our size just for a ballpark idea, and it's nearly $14,000 painted, with no windows.If I could get a whole new garage, with permits, for under $10,000, with enough natural light to be able to work with the door closed, I would probably go for it. We don't use it as a garage; my fiance uses it as a shop and art studio.For repairs that may be half-azzed but better than we have now, $5000 is my limit. But I'd like the repairs to be a full-azzed as possible, which is why I'm asking for ideas. My main concerns are that the thing not fall down and that we fix the leaky roof.RebeccahBTW, setback should not be an issue; my property is actually zoned commercial, and i don't think there is a setback requirement.
Photos -
I don't know if one or two will show up -- I'm having trouble uploading.
Trying the next one...
Argh. It's only letting me upload one image at a time.This is another view of the front of the garage, showing the racking and how the concrete is poured up against the side of the garage. The previous photo showed the post supporting the neighbor's clothesline. If either structure is supporting the other, my garage is supporting their clothesline, and is being pulled over to the left by it.You can also see the garage door itself is sagging.Rebeccah
Without the rot I would be tempted to try and save it depending on the level of sweat equity involved.
With the scenario that you stated I would agree with Piffin.
Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City
intuition says to start all over... gotta be cheaper in the long run..
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Wow....
Some issues you'll run into, in no particular order.
The proximity of fences and things that will make it nearly impossible to get in there and do proper work.
The rot. It's caused by the issues with drainage (and it looks like you're in Cali, so it could be FAR worse, LOL). If you don't resolve the drainage issues, guess what...just buying time. Water is enemy #1 of any building...well maybe earthquakes too, LOL.
So, even getting it fixed is only half the issue.
The roof, at 30" OC?? Wow..they couldn't spring for the extra 6" OC to line up with the wall studs? It sounds and looks like it was underbuilt...AND it's been abused.
Basically, what you've got is a timebomb....low pitch roof with roll roofing, water draining into the structure, what there is of it...
If you have a guy with a few tools, I have to think you would be so far ahead if you just started over. Heck, just trying to de-rack the thing will cause issues. If it were of historical value, then it's another story, but in this case, it sounds like you have a built in builder...and if you are in Cali, there is plenty of cheap day labor to help with the demo and stuff.
I hate them, but consider some 4/12 trusses for the roof. Might get you closed in faster and cheaper. Looks like two sides are invisible, you can use inexpensive materials for them. Also, starting new allows you to build and trim those walls on the flat, then stand them up, saving dozens of extra hours dorking around in tiny spaces between the fence and the building.
I'm sorry, but it really seems like a fresh start is the better way.
(I do renovations, and it's amazing the amount of time...and materials, fixing old stuff can take)
Jake Gulick
[email protected]
CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT
Trying again with the photos...Note: The roof-related photos are posted in the other thread.I know tearing down and starting over is the best thing to do, but I can't afford to have people who know what they are doing do it, and I'm not sure if I trust my fiance and his buddies to build something structurally sound without damaging something else.Can anyone please ignore the "this really isn't the best use of your time/money" factor and give me some pointers on the actual questions in this thread?- How does one correct the racking?
- How does one brace the walls/corners to maintain alignment?
- Which comes first: sill replacement, or correcting the racking (or does one do them both at the same time)?Thanks,RebeccahP.S. The major part of the drainage issue has been addressed by our installing a trench drain in front of the garage door last year. There's still a small amount of water that gets around the ends of the drain, but not much. In another year or so, we'll look at the rest of the yard and what we can do with it, including more global drainage issues.
Well, Rebeccah, what did you decide to do?
half of good living is staying out of bad situations
Hi,Well, as it turns out other circumstances have come up that mean we're going to be moving to Orange County as soon as I can find a job there. So, I won't be investing anything in the garage at all. I'll probably spend less than another $10,000 (hopefully less than $5000) on minor fix-ups and touch-ups to make the house more saleable.And it's through raining for the year, finally, so Kalim is happily out there working on his animal head masks day and night without fear of stuff getting ruined.This move has been waiting in the wings for a long time, and was part of the reason I didn't want to spend a ton o' money on the garage.Rebeccah
Well good for you.
Cheers
be Upwards and onward!
half of good living is staying out of bad situations
>>"Well, as it turns out other circumstances have come up that mean we're going to be moving to Orange County
Before you go, let us know the buyer's name so when they come here looking for advice about a great house but the garage obviously needs some work, we don't have to ask a lot of questions about the garage condition. ;-)
Good luck with the job/move.
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Inquiring minds wanna' know!
Forrest
To correct the racking you first need to straighten the building. This can be done with a come-along attached to something secure to pull it into alignment, either from the building to maybe a tree or inside the building from one corner to another. I've straightened up one by "leaning" on it with my small front end loader. Once the building is squared up, attach new 2x4 diagonals inside across the studs, usually in the corners. If the studs are rotten, obviously they need to be replaced first.To replace the sills you are going to have to jack up the building, this might be where some professional help would be best, otherwise you can probably rent multiple jacks.I would fix the racking first to strengthen the building first.Steve.