Just a thought...lol

[lolife99]

I like your idea,... but resale value will kill it in the future.

Why not put a basement in with 4 garage doors along the back, and a single level normal ranch house above it?

But,... if both areas share the same heating/cooling system,... you will be able to smell everything going on in the basement garage.
Ask me how I know,...

[drummin89]

Or if you don't want to add another floor, build it a bit longer and wider. Maybe add another 15-20' to the length and bring it out to 30-35' width. This would give you more living space upstairs and either make the work area larger or add a special room downstairs. A more formal entry with like a family area/living room/game tv room that would have the stairs upto the living area and possibly a laundry room.

Make sure you have good ventilation installed in the shop. Also I would check what insurance would be for this. Typically insurance is more for houses with attached garages, you will be living on top of one.

[mwilliams5891]

Originally Posted by drummin89

Or if you don't want to add another floor, build it a bit longer and wider. Maybe add another 15-20' to the length and bring it out to 30-35' width. This would give you more living space upstairs and either make the work area larger or add a special room downstairs. A more formal entry with like a family area/living room/game tv room that would have the stairs upto the living area and possibly a laundry room.

Make sure you have good ventilation installed in the shop. Also I would check what insurance would be for this. Typically insurance is more for houses with attached garages, you will be living on top of one.

GREAT advice thank you!

[mwilliams5891]

Originally Posted by lolife99

I like your idea,... but resale value will kill it in the future.

Why not put a basement in with 4 garage doors along the back, and a single level normal ranch house above it?

But,... if both areas share the same heating/cooling system,... you will be able to smell everything going on in the basement garage.
Ask me how I know,...

I absolutely agree with you and that is most likely what I will go for so in the future it will become another income property or be our main residence but it will be way easier to add on to if it was a ranch!

[VetteVet]

I'm with CDowns all the way. I've had both and there is nothing like having your own shop away from the house. Shop noise, paint fumes, running engines etc. do not go well with living quarters. But you go ahead and do what you want cause it's your decision. Besides women never change as they get older. LOL

[longhorn396]

I should try this with my fiance lol. She'll be like "well buy me a new shelby mustang and u can." lol

[RuralRoute C-30]

I've watched a couple of very nice "machine sheds" get built around here the past few years. From the road they look like regular machine sheds with nice landscaping and drive. The living quarters, patio, decks etc. face the side no one can see from the road.

In the summer when the doors are open on one of these you can tell there is the comparable of a 2 story house inside with a very large area for the shop/garage. One even has a semi-tractor with trailer often inside. Both sheds would qualify for being on the cover of "Better Sheds & Gardens" if there was such a magazine.

Was told once that for real estate tax purposes at least one of these is taxed just as a "machine shed" on a rural lot.

Makes perfect sense to me!

One drawback as mentioned: Don't heat the space with the same HVAC as the residence. Saw this done once and yes, the return air ducts in the garage did carry exhaust back into the living quarters. They do need to be very separated.

Mark

[Indian113]

wait untill you get some age on ya,up and down stairs lots of FUN!!

[swamp rat]

I'd be looking at at least 1 double car door unless the doors are allready pretty wide..

[Stocker]

Check your building codes.... some will require any attached garage space to be totally sealed from the living space, which would automatically rule out any shared HVAC.

[dammitmitchell]

personally, you can live inthe shop apt no problem BUT i would totally invest and plan ahead for a future expansion MAKE SURE the designs support that.. it's a mans dream to live in a garage apt. BUT... NOT A WOMANS>

[screwballl]

For safety reasons, I prefer a separated garage. All it takes is one spark from a grinder, welder to start a fire, or exhaust fumes to start stinking up the entire house. Also being that close to my old lady so often would cause problem.

[Palf70Step]

I have lived in a shop/house before and just from my experience, I'll not do it again. Way to much dirt and noise gets into the living portion. I prefer to have the shop detached. Maybe have like a cover patio/screen porch to connect the house and with the shop/garage.

[krazy_texan]

me personally would build a heated shop away from the house that way i could escape and if she wanted something she would have to come out there and get me. Thats alot more work than yelling down the stairs lol

[cableguy0]

You would be a lot better off building a ranch style house. Or even having a pre fab delivered. The pre fabbed houses are pretty cheap and put together extremely well. I would then build a 40x60 shop away from the house. Steel buildings can be had for a decent price.

[dammitmitchell]

the manufactured homes today are the same quality NOW (not then) as a normal house being built.
the only negative part about a prefab is the new higher standards reflects how building standards have dropped on the foundation built homes.
BUT! a manufactured house doeshave real 3/4in dry wall, full insulation and twin steel ibeam construction. also are easily placed over a full length basement..

80 grand gets you MORE then 2thousand sq ft...
that's what our plan is for our future home... effing awesome.. if you ask me.