best size/shape for mid-size garage

RatLabGuy said:
Confirmed w/ the county, size can be 1/2 of "habitable space" which my full size basement counts. Hieght is capped at the aeverage height of the home as masured from several points around it to the apex of the roof (I couldn't sweet talk her into saying the chimney) so I have a cap about 18'. Grrr not ideal but workable.

What I'm thinking about at the moment is a 30x40 with the trusses running the shorter distance, 14' walls and a 12/3 pitch, which would be just at the max height at apex.
3 garage doors along the 40' span offset to the right so there is some un-doored space on left. Man door on left wall perpendicular to garage doors.
Inside, I'd like to frame it so there is a loft over the left most garage space, going full depth and maybe 16-20' (depending how that works out with the doors). So basically 2 bays are open high bay other is not. The back 8-10' of teh first bay (w/ teh ceiling) will be bathroom, 2nd bay will be shop bench space, and 3rd will remain open w/ just shelves at in the end so it is a nice deep space for a long vehicle. Lift in that one.

The magic to keeping that upstairs bit usable will be the trusses. If it's wood frame, that seems like a challenge - what kind of options to I have? How much space do vaulted scissors use? This is where metal framing seems ideal. But again, I don't understand how you connect interior framing to the exterior w/ that.


Looked into that. Specced out the price is in the same ballpark as a pole barn kit from IDYPoleBarns.com.
How do you attach it to the slab? Just concrete anchors? You feel like the construction is sturdy? Did you frame the inside?

EDIT - just noticed the Versatube has a horizontal cross-ties on the struss supports. That would be a problem for my upstairs section.
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concrete anchors. I ordered mine with the rib spacing 4’ on center. I put 3/4” T&G subfloor on the walls. Predrilled and ran metal screws every 12” direct to the ribs. Zero regrets.
 
BrianGreen said:
concrete anchors. I ordered mine with the rib spacing 4’ on center. I put 3/4” T&G subfloor on the walls. Predrilled and ran metal screws every 12” direct to the ribs. Zero regrets.
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disregard the projects, you can see the shop/construction in the background.

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BrianGreen said:
concrete anchors. I ordered mine with the rib spacing 4’ on center. I put 3/4” T&G subfloor on the walls. Predrilled and ran metal screws every 12” direct to the ribs. Zero regrets.
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Thanks. Watched sveral videos of people building them. Seem to be mixed reports of people having parts that are poorly fit or unclear how to do it. Others perfectly happy.
That seems great for a small garage. At the size I'm looking at, DIY would not be a simple task. I think I'd rather save my good will and beer/pizza paid friends for the inside work. And in the end the cost does not seem to be much less than an installed kit once you add in all the other stuff (doors, windows, trim etc).
The biggest problem with these is the brace for that truss, it would kill my ability to use the space overhead for a finished loft.

And that (the truss) seems to be where I'm stuck. i'd prefer wood framing for the simplicity of working later and lower cost. But with my height cap I don't know that it's feasible. I'm waiting on a quote from a local guy who does wood framing (Amish builders FTW) and was going to see what he could do with a scissor on a 12/3 pitch but he was skeptical it would buy much.

Would it be crazy to ask about having say 2-3 red iron or engineered trusses on one end to get the extra cleanarce?
 
Square or as close as possible. I have a small building that is 14x16. It's weird how after transferring a bunch of stuff there last week it still feels roomier than my former 12 x 40 repurposed mobile home. Obviously once you start adding workbenches/ shelves...the walls close in.
 
RatLabGuy said:
And that (the truss) seems to be where I'm stuck. i'd prefer wood framing for the simplicity of working later and lower cost. But with my height cap I don't know that it's feasible. I'm waiting on a quote from a local guy who does wood framing (Amish builders FTW) and was going to see what he could do with a scissor on a 12/3 pitch but he was skeptical it would buy much.
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If you're fighting for inches, you can always run a ridge between the last truss and the gable frame and stick frame the bit in between. It's going to cost more, especially if you have to go with I joists, LVL, etc, for the rafters, but it's a marginal increase.
 
shawn said:
If you're fighting for inches, you can always run a ridge between the last truss and the gable frame and stick frame the bit in between. It's going to cost more, especially if you have to go with I joists, LVL, etc, for the rafters, but it's a marginal increase.
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Yikes, I'm hoping it dosn't come down to that kind of shenanigans.
I'm wondering if something like a parallel cord truss might work. Its hard for me to guage how tall those are.

The thing is if I have 8' spans I only need 1 like that. Maybe 2.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Yikes, I'm hoping it dosn't come down to that kind of shenanigans.
I'm wondering if something like a parallel cord truss might work. Its hard for me to guage how tall those are.

The thing is if I have 8' spans I only need 1 like that. Maybe 2.
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Did you call Charlie yet?
 
With all of the other garage shop talk I figured I should update with with what very little I've learned.

Basically the best solution I've been proposed from a contractor is to do conventional trusses except for the last 16', which would be over the last bay. That part would be a ridge beam and rafters. With it being only 16' he didn't think it would have to be anything too rediculous in size, but the overall labor is more.
Unfortunately his total cost for the 30x40, w 3 doors etc was $30.5k before concrete and another $10.5k for that. An aweful lot for a barn shell before adding any framing inside.

What I'm finding is most guys that to pole barns don't want to mess w/ an unusual truss / ridge beam situation that isn't part of their normal kits, or the full costom contractors want to stick buid it and it's way more $$$. I keep looking to see if there is some steel shell option that has the needed headroom. It's frustrating b/c it's only on one end I even need it. The double-truss thing mentioned here capitolbuildings looks interesting, but I'm out of their network range... after the holidays when they reopen gonna see what they can tell me.

the OTHER option is to re-landscape and expose 4+' of my basement to increase the height of the house :D
 
Talked to a guy at capitolbuildings.
He was... less than helpful.
I'm out of their network range. Asked if they would sell the parts and ship and let me arrange installers. Nope, it's a custom job, thats why they only do a full package deal. Frustratingly he was determined there are other people around that make them too... but couldn't give me a name... or any more info on how to find some using that low profile double truss besides "Just google it".... even though "oh yeah that's unique to us." yeah, thanks.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Talked to a guy at capitolbuildings.
He was... less than helpful.
I'm out of their network range. Asked if they would sell the parts and ship and let me arrange installers. Nope, it's a custom job, thats why they only do a full package deal. Frustratingly he was determined there are other people around that make them too... but couldn't give me a name... or any more info on how to find some using that low profile double truss besides "Just google it".... even though "oh yeah that's unique to us." yeah, thanks.
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So what did Charlie say? :flipoff2:
 
RatLabGuy said:
Unfortunately his total cost for the 30x40, w 3 doors etc was $30.5k before concrete and another $10.5k for that.
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That sounds like a pretty good price.
 
shawn said:
Oh, sorry. Forgot that you knew so much about construction costs in Baltimore.
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Material cost has already been determined.

And since I do have 3 MD branches I manage can tell you construction labor rate is within 6% of Charlotte (depending on zip some higher some slightly lower) - it doesnt even qualify for a fed COL adjustments for us.

And since Ive got 3 quotes less than 120 days old for a 30x40 in the greater Charlotte metro.
I think I'm qualified to have an opinion.

Or not. We could all just defer to your supreme omniscient authoritah...
Though I should add...if the forum is devolved to people asking question and you having the single reply that is going to be bad for page views and ad traffic

(FWIW we are a licnesed GC operating in 42 states currently. Ive got some pretty valuable labor and material tables if needed)

How many residential garages does your firm work on again?
 
Oh, that's great. Post your quotes, I'm sure they'd be helpful.
 
So, @RatLabGuy, clearly the answer to "best size/shape for mid-size garage" is round.
 
We're all just over here w/ our popcorn waiting on dick pics with rulers 🤷‍♂️
 
shawn said:
Oh, sorry. Forgot that you knew so much about construction costs in Baltimore.
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shawn said:
Oh, that's great. Post your quotes, I'm sure they'd be helpful.
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I mean, maybe they would be... if I lived in Baltimore.
But I don't.
All the contractors here come down from York or Lancaster.
 
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shawn said:
That sounds like a pretty good price.
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but just to continue.... same building, diferent contractor (a popular one here) but normal pole construction and trusses, w/ painted wanscoting, VB insulated roof, AND including the cement pad and cleaanup... $28k.
That includes doors and windows too
 
RatLabGuy said:
but just to continue.... same building, diferent contractor (a popular one here) but normal pole construction and trusses, w/ painted wanscoting, VB insulated roof, AND including the cement pad and cleaanup... $28k.
That includes doors and windows too
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Get that guy to price stick framing one bay or doing scissor trusses.
 
shawn said:
Get that guy to price stick framing one bay or doing scissor trusses.
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We talked about that.
He'll only do scissor trusses, but they don't really buy much on a 4/12 pitch and sespecially a 3/12. Still have 2.5 or so of height lost in the peak.
He wouldn't do anything unusual like a partial ridge beam.
 
RatLabGuy said:
but just to continue.... same building, diferent contractor (a popular one here) but normal pole construction and trusses, w/ painted wanscoting, VB insulated roof, AND including the cement pad and cleaanup... $28k.
That includes doors and windows too
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I would jump on that. That would have a been a pretty decent price around here when I built mine 6-7 years ago.
 
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