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Garage elevation higher than house?

8 years ago

I am considering building a single story home (http://blog.deltechomes.com/a-double-sweep) and I would like to have a detached garage with an apartment. I have not been able to find any pictures that show where the garage elevation is higher than the main home. I live in FL and will be building on a slab so I would not be able to "elevate the house". I would like a covered walkway to connect to the house.

Please share your thoughts and if you have any picture examples to share I would appreciate it.

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Comments (5)

mushcreek
8 years ago
Do you mean the garage slab is higher than the house, or the overall height? Our barn is considerably taller than the house, but since it looks like a nice, old-fashioned barn, and we are in a rural area, it looks appropriate. It is also 120' from the house. A building that looks like a garage and is close to the main house won't be so attractive. Think carefully about the design of the garage so it doesn't look like an ordinary garage. Our barn design came from barnplans.com, and has a lot of usable loft space that could easily be a nice apartment.

Also, make sure what you want to do is legal and meets code in your area. Only the local building authority can answer that.
mellyc123
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes i meant the overall height. This will be on 5 acres. I do not think it will be a code issue. I will check. thanks
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omelet
8 years ago
We know several people who have Deltec homes, and we looked into them briefly. Since they are very unusual I am not certain that a height difference is the first thing anyone will notice in contrasting your deltec home to a nearby garage apartment! Deltec does offer connecting garage elements, have you decided not to go with one of their options?
mellyc123 thanked omelet
mushcreek
8 years ago
With 5 acres, why not just increase the garage footprint, and put the apartment on ground level? In FL, an upstairs apartment is going to be HOT, and would be at greater risk from wind damage in the event of a hurricane.
mellyc123 thanked mushcreek
mellyc123
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
We are not going with the round model for the deltec home and I am not interested in a round garage model and want block for 1st (garage) floor. I may call them back and see how it would work using just one of the "wings" that they also offer. I think the heat and hurricane issues can be addressed with a proper design, insulation. Definitely if we went with Deltec for the garage I would have no concerns.

To answer why not just put in on the ground level. I am hoping to put the garage in a small open area where there are many large and state protected trees so we want a smaller footprint. This area has a has a great view also from the side where the car entry would be so I thought that would be a nice view from a garage apartment. The house will be a little to the left and in front of this area.

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