[Shop-talk] Garage Expension

[Mike Rambour]

 Did not mean to hijaak the thread from the original poster but several 
people have said I can't do a 4-post with a 8'6" ceiling height and I 
thought I would clarify.

 Here it is in my existing garage with 8'6"

http://www.singercars.com/restoration/lift_images/finished.jpg

http://www.singercars.com/restoration/lift_images/finished2.jpg

Both those cars have fold down windshields so using the lift as storage 
works great, I can't work under it with a regular car but it keeps both 
cars up front and ready to drive.

 And here it is after I removed one rafter so I could actually work 
under it.

http://singer.rambour.com/stuff/DSC03254.JPG

http://singer.rambour.com/garage/garage_lift.jpg

 I have small cars :)

My issue is that my garage is what is locally called "legal 
non-conforming" as it was built before the current rules, its only 18" 
from the property line and if I do anything to it at all, I will have to 
move it to the 6ft. setback, I did not want to lose that much yard space 
and effectively give my neighbor 6ft. of yard since it would be useless 
to me.  I tried to get the city to let me raise the roof and they would 
not unless I tore down and moved 6ft. from the property.  The idea is 
that my 4post is primarily used for storage and not work so I can get by 
with the low ceiling and of course I am working with my engineer who 
designed the addition to give me some more room in the existing by 
moving rafters around, lets call it termite repair,  It won't change the 
outside so its ok, it won't give me the height that I would like but it 
will be fine.  Having the 4post in front of the garage give me driving 
access to my cars.

There are other issues too, I am not allowed to have larger than a 500 
sq. ft. garage on my property as its only 1/3 of acre but I am allowed 
to have a 500 sq. ft. garage and a 500 sq. ft. workshop, the definition 
of what is a workshop is that I cant get a car into it, so my garage 
extension is actually a workshop attached to the main garage and sharing 
a wall which my engineer put a very nice big heavy beam over the shared 
wall and mentioned to me that removing the studs will not be a problem 
because of the beam he put in the plans.  Gee I wonder where he got that 
idea :)   I will end up with some nice space.

I have drawings that I have to put up on a web page so I can properly brag.

 I hit a "snag" since I was so excited this morning in my first e-mail, 
I incorrectly assumed I was good to go and ready to call the concrete 
guy but the city wants to verify my lot lines and building location so I 
was told my permit wont be ready until Nov. 5, no big deal, I know my 
lines are good, I had a surveyor survey the site just 2 months ago, he 
is a city certified surveyor and I just spoke to him, he said he will go 
down this afternoon and show the city his work which should be 
sufficient and speed up my permit.

Ok, back to the original subject ...

   mike

-- 
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Mike Rambour
Bug Writer err...Programmer
      mikey at b2systems.com
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If you want to learn more about the ULTIMATE BRITISH sports car,
then take a look at   http://www.singercars.com/
or the ULTIMATE ALMOST a Ferrari http://www.dinospider.com	
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