Building New House - Garage Features???

So, met with the builder on Sat and spent about 2 hours talking to them. They are pricing everything out. There is a myriad of choices for every surface and configuration. There was like 40 granite samples for the counters. Then they tell me they recommend quartz. Out come 49 more samples.

I'm like what? Only quartz I know is C Quartz.

Then I'm like - we want hardwood floors prolly laminates - cuz we aren't rich. Builder is like - we only do real hardwood (proceeds to get like 40 types of wood samples). I'm like - that looks expensive??? They are like - they are worth it.

Dollars are adding up in my head. I'm gonna be broke.

Only thing I think I really need in the garage is additional lighting and extra outlets.. The basin tub is right off the garage and the garage comes with a hose tap and drain standard. I found out the garage doors are steel and insulated. There is a window in the garage - so I can put in a window air conditioner. If we decide to do this, I will talk to them about the electricity in the garage. I never felt like I needed heat in a garage. I get hot fast.

Im not doing this for a living, so I don't need everything.

One bonus of having a house opposed to a town house - no more pads in my bathroom :

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One thing I am hesitant about is heat pumps. This builder uses a Lennox heat pump for climate control. The builder is reputable and says they have been using them for 15 yrs without issue. I'm like - I think we need a furnace. There is no gas hook on the lot. So, they are pricing a propane tank (I think???) in the ground for gas cooking and a furnace.

Dunno about the heat pump. Don't want to freeze or have $800 electric bills. Anyone in the NE have a newer heat pump system???
 
Wife and I looked at building a house few years back but we both work a lot hours and I didnt want to baby sit them. Also everything is an additional cost, my favorite was lighting both builders had 8-10 recessed lights in the package anything more was extra WTF I have over 40 recessed lights in my current house. Just got rough estimate from first builder for a 26X32 garage, no sheet rock no interior trim work just minor electrical sub panel with few outlets and (4) 8 foot florescent lights. So just a concrete pad, framing, roofing, (4) windows, Cedar shingles and trim work no site work no driveway no landscaping for 85K. I nearly fell down thats over 100$ per square foot for just a garage shell, my house is 190$ a square foot and thats with 2.5 acres and a custom kitchen and 3 baths, theater room, 8 foot wide wrap around mahogany deck, heat and central air, ..... I had 40k-60K (45-75 per square foot) in my head depending on how much we did on the inside. what the hell am I looking at when I am done fully finished with small driveway and a little landscaping and site work 125K (150 per square foot) thats with not heat or air con. at that point I might as well buy a second house with a garage attached to it would be cheaper.
 
Swanicyouth- As I'm always saying, It's easy for me to spend your money. BUT, I agree 100% with your builder regarding laminates vs. real hardwood.

trashmanssd said:
I might as well buy a second house with a garage attached to it would be cheaper...
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A guy down the street actually did that! He bought his neighbor's house and he and his wife basically use it for storage and what not.
 
Accumulator said:
Swanicyouth- As I'm always saying, It's easy for me to spend your money. BUT, I agree 100% with your builder regarding laminates vs. real hardwood.



A guy down the street actually did that! He bought his neighbor's house and he and his wife basically use it for storage and what not.
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Best to watch for deal on hardwood. My wife just got this stuff for our master bedroom addition for only $1.79 a sq/ft (online auction from local outlet store). It's an engineered hardwood, not solid wood, but it's still normally $5-6 a sq/ft.

Laying a few boards out to see how it looks.
 
Swanicyouth said:
Dollars are adding up in my head. I'm gonna be broke.
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Yep... isn't buying a house GREAT!?!?!

Swanicyouth said:
One thing I am hesitant about is heat pumps. This builder uses a Lennox heat pump for climate control. The builder is reputable and says they have been using them for 15 yrs without issue. I'm like - I think we need a furnace. There is no gas hook on the lot. So, they are pricing a propane tank (I think???) in the ground for gas cooking and a furnace.

Dunno about the heat pump. Don't want to freeze or have $800 electric bills. Anyone in the NE have a newer heat pump system???
Click to expand...

A friend replaced his heat pump a few years ago, it's better then the old one they had but that's not saying much. It still runs all the time when the weather gets really cold and never really heats up their house. Electric heat isn't that bad as long as you have the ability to control the heat per room/ only heat the rooms you use the most. That's how I heat my house and our dead of winter bills are ~$350 per month with the thermostats set never higher then 70'F.
 
Angus said:
Yep... isn't buying a house GREAT!?!?!



A friend replaced his heat pump a few years ago, it's better then the old one they had but that's not saying much. It still runs all the time when the weather gets really cold and never really heats up their house. Electric heat isn't that bad as long as you have the ability to control the heat per room/ only heat the rooms you use the most. That's how I heat my house and our dead of winter bills are ~$350 per month with the thermostats set never higher then 70'F.
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I know that you can only do what you can do but if there were any way to get gas it would be a sound investment. I can't speak to propane. In my area it's quite literally the only thing people do. We of course are responsible to get the gas to the home but it's in most every street and the costs are minimal. My winter high bills run only about $180 heating 5200 sq. ft. at between 70 to 72 degrees. The few people I know that have opted for electric heat pay double that amouont.
 
Accumulator said:
Hey, that's a great point!

I didn't have any options in that regard, and my steel garage doors do get mighty warm.
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Perhaps look at the lots on the map and see what the compass orientations are and pick one that maybe splits north and south in the front, so there is less heat there, or something like that ?

The only other option for doors that get hot is to get Insulated Garage Doors.
They really work well and even make it quieter in the garage..
There is also a rubber insulator kit that comes with doors that goes up the sides where the track is located in back and the door edge in front and helps insulate heat and cold out better..

What is the size in sq feet of the entire garage area ?

I would want a sideways set back more than just the standard 16 foot opening on both sides of the garage so that you can install cabinets, etc., and they will be set back far enough from the opening so they dont interfere when you drive vehicles in and out, etc., open up the doors, etc..

Would install a 200amp panel for all the future use you may need, and all the garage in 20amp breakers, or larger if you are going to run a 220vac compressor, etc...

If you are going to put an extra refrigerator or freezer in the garage, you need to make electrical and room for that too...

Would next get all my 12awg wiring installed in the attic area above the garage and have the drywall for the ceiling cut out for the electrical outlets, or just the boxes if you are going to run all your lights in parallel, etc...

I would also Insulate the heck out of all the walls, to keep it quieter and make it close as possible to another room which means you want the ceiling drywalled, insulated between the joists, then cut one to install a nice pull down ladder..

Then, I would go up there and cover the insulated joists with plywood, and now I have just made a huge area for storage...
You could also wire this attic area for lights, etc., and see about insulating it further if its not already done, to keep cold and hot further away from your living areas...

Some garage attics can benefit from a thermostatically controlled fan that installs in one of the big eave vents and draws hot air out of there in the summer, etc..

I you are really interested in doing something really nice, how about getting Solar Panels installed and batteries, to get you off the Grid as much as possible and maybe you can even sell some electricity back to the Utility ???
They now sell panels with all kinds of deals where you just rent them and pay a small monthly fee or buy them, etc..

Wouldnt it be nice to run your A/C all summer long and not worry about how it is jacking up your bill ? :)

Out here in CA, a company called Solar City is killing it selling panels to homeowners... I might see about getting a job with them sometime... :)

Just read the posts about that dang Heatpump - biggest energy waster in world -
The Solar Panels would take care of that provided you have enough sun and a good orientation for them on the roof..

But still, cant believe you cannot have natural gas !!! Its still the best at heating next to a good insulated either gas fired Insert or Wood Stove burning some really good hard wood...

Another idea - if you have to deal with frequent power outages like I had to deal with in WA., you may want to get your electrical panel wired with a big breaker that cuts off the Grid Power and allows you to plug your big 66.6amp or larger generator into it and run your house during those outages, like nothing happened..
I did this all the time in the Pacific Northwest, and it was great.. We once had an outage because of all the dang trees falling down on power lines, that lasted 10 days and we never even noticed it..
SquareD makes a panel and breakers that do this.. I love their stuff...

Good luck with your awesome house project !
Dan F
 
Well got the estimate back from the builder. Not as bad as I expected.

Instead of a 3 car garage, I had them price out what they call a 2 car garage with a "bump out". Basically, it's a 3 car garage, with a single double garage door. The "bump out" is where the 3rd door would be and can be used as a storage area - so your 2 car area is completely clutter free. Should be plenty for me.

Garage would be aprox 50' x 17'. Garage doors are insulated & garage has center drain. I didn't mess with any electricals in the garage, except I will add extra outlets and some decent lighting.

Only thing I'm really torn about is the heat pump thing. Basically, adding a propane furnace (dual fuel heat pump system) + gas oven adds $5k. They would put the propane tank in the ground.

Can't really find anyone to say anything too positive about heat pumps in the cold winters up here. I don't want a $900 electric bill.

The builder is a local high quality and reputable custom builder - they been around for 50yrs+. They say they have been using heat pumps for 15 years with no issues.

Dunno.
 
Swanicyouth said:
Only thing I'm really torn about is the heat pump thing. Basically, adding a propane furnace (dual fuel heat pump system) + gas oven adds $5k. They would put the propane tank in the ground.
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Word of advice (from experience)- If you go propane, BUY THE TANK, and BUY THE LARGEST YOU CAN AFFORD! Do NOT lease the tank. Ask the builder if a bill of sale will be included for your propane tank. Here's why..

Propane pricing is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen. I built my house a few years ago and went with a 3-zone split system, A/C with propane heat. I bought my 500 gallon UG tank outright, and I have the bill of sale for it. I can buy propane from whichever dealer I choose with proof of tank ownership. BUT, if I had leased the tank (which every other resident in my neighborhood did), then you are at the mercy of that one propane company (whatever they are charging). You can't shop around- you are stuck with the prices of the company who owns the tank- it's illegal to fill another company's tank, so none will take that risk. AND they can and will file paperwork with your municipality putting a lean on your house for the tank and any potential monies owed to them, so if you go to sell, they can stop the sale if you owe them money, or if they don't approve of the person who is buying (since they lay claim to a part of your property in the form of the value of the underground tank).

And make sure you know propane pricing for your area- it's not like oil or electricity. It's priced on tank size and ownership. You'll get the best rate with a 500 gallon or 1000 gallon tank owned by you . Any smaller of a tank, or switch the lease to the propane company, and the price goes up. There are some people around me that pay over $1/gallon more than me for the same propane I burn. Just mind boggling. But having said that, I'm substantially under oil and electricity here- by a wide margin. And I dry my clothes and cook my food with it as well.

Bottom line: I would build again with propane. Think about what propane devices you may want in the future and rough in those device hookups now (stove, dryer, BBQ grill, fireplace, etc) cause it'll get much more expensive to do so after the walls are rocked and finished. Ask for a 3/4 poly hookup for the underground tank to the secondary regulator on the house. It'll provide much more BTU capacity, and you can cut the line underground and add a propane backup generator easily (you can't cut a copper line underground and piece it like that... at least it's not code around here). Call around and get propane prices, but make sure to ask for prices for a customer-owned 500 gallon tank used for heat. Otherwise, you'll get a higher price quote. Trust me. ;)

Good luck! It's an adventure, and worth it if done right. :)
 
Swanicyouth- Guess it's not an issue for you then...I'm guessing he means the way some types of staircases eat up room (I have a spiral staircase in my shop for that reason... and because it looks cool ;) ).
 
Oh. Got it.

The house is a rancher. There is some storage space above the garage (think small attic), but the builder seem to discourage putting anything up there. It's more of an access. There is a stairs to the full basement, but it doesn't open from the garage.

Would love to have a garage with some type of second story, but it's just not in my budget. I'm trying to be realistic and just not blow my load in the the garage $$$.

It's looking like this may be a go.
 
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