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mary_lu_gw

yard changing....new garage and have second thoughts

mary_lu_gw
14 years ago

After several months of agonizing over whether we should spend the money or not (with the current economy), we have decided to go ahead with building our garage. It is something we have been planning since we bought our home in 2001.

For the past several weeks we have been organizing the electric/telephone/cable companies as we will have to bury the lines as they now come into the house overhead directly over where the garage will be built. Have met with the builder twice to go over the plans. Also he will be rebuilding the bay window exterior in the formal living room. (PO redid it but almost all the wood that we replaced has rotted. Ironically much of the original wood that is there is still good, go figure)This will entail replacing all of the detail work as well. He took off some pieces on Friday to use as patterns and will be working on that in his shop this week.

The plan is that the week of April 20th the cement slab will be poured (weather permitting) and then the build will start.

The new garage will have a carriage house look to it. It will sit at the back of the house, where we currently have a drive-off to park the cars. The balcony/porch will overlook the patio and garden room. We probably will bot build the balcony until next year due to $$$, but when we do the columns will not be so heavy looking. We will match the porches on the house.

We are going with the 1 1/2 story - 12 foot side walls as we need storage. As those of you who have old homes know, there is little storage, especially as we only have 2 small basements that are accessible only by trap door in the floor.

What I am having second thoughts about is: the roof line of the garage will be a little taller, maybe 2-3 feet, than the house. The builder thinks that with the various roof lines and roof levels of the house, the garage would not look over powering. Also the roof line of the garage will run opposite of the roof line of the house. I post on another forum and several individuals there have said they think the garage will overpower the house. I don't see that, but it has gotten me second guessing myself now.

Would appreciate input from all of you here. Now that we have the wheels turning, self doubts have set in.....sorry this got so long winded!

I am in the process of drawing up a site plan for the building permit, and will post that here if anyone would like to see it for perspective.

Some pictures to show the area.

proposed garage

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looking from the sidewalk on the side toward that area. The garage would go where the cars are parked, with the end with garage door facing toward the camera.

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standing in same place previous picture was taken, only looking left at the house.

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picture below taken standing about where the garage will be built, looking toward the patio. (this is the only picture I could find of this view. Taken last summer when the tree limb came done on the shed.)

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