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kristin_f1647

Help! Garage removal dilemma

6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

Our house was built in the 1930s and moved to it's current location after a major flood. Originally the house had a garage, but it was detached so it was left at the original building site. The owners poured a new foundation with a small attached basement garage at the new location. They had problems with snow drifts, so they covered the rock retaining wall and concrete steps with what we call the "curved garage." That was 35 years ago, and now it's rotting and infested with snakes and wasps, not to mention unsightly.I want to take it down but my husband likes the functionality (keeps things out of the weather and he may someday need a garage with electricity for a work motorcycle). This is our only "garage" although it's too narrow to park our cars. We do have other outbuildings to re-home things, just not vehicles. My husband's wood shop is now where the original attached garage is, and there's a man door where the garage door used to be.If we do take it down he also wants to dismantle the wall, regrade the yard, and add a garage door and short straight retaining wall off of the shop garage.Should we take it down? If so, what would you do after it's down? Any advice?








Comments (10)

  • 6 years ago

    If the local fire department could ensure they'd keep your home safe, you could offer it to them for a practice burn!!!

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    No.

  • 6 years ago

    That structure is attached to your home?


    It detracts from the curb appeal of your home?


    It is infested with snakes and wasps -- and, perhaps, termites or wood boring powder post beetles and/or other pests that could get into your home?


    You're being taxed for that structure you are not using, perhaps cannot use?


    It affects your home insurance costs?


    The roof looks bowed and if there is rotting wood in strategic places, you have a potential safety hazard.


    Consider the other storage building(s) you have that are not connected to your home and how they could be more useful if enlarged by even half the size of that building left of your home.


    Something else to consider: You and your husband could take apart the old building, piece by piece, and sort out the boards worth reusing, remove the old nails, bleach the boards, rack them and keep them covered beneath a tarp until you have all of that building left of your home, with its swagging roof, taken apart. Then reuse those boards to enlarge the existing storage building(s) that are not connected to your home.


    There would be materials you'd need in addition to the boards from the old structure. Probably some new treated boards for atop the foundation beneath the walls. roofing. etc.


    You'd likely need a permit when you begin to enlarge your other building(s).


    It will be a lot of work. Your husband may be unable or unwilling to take on that kind project.


    Only you can decide if that kind of project is something you want to take on.


    A compromise might be to tear down a portion of the building that is actually attached to your home and create a walk space between the two structures in order to protect your home.











  • 6 years ago

    The picture of the elevation where we just see the roof has me thinking tear it all down, back to the chimney on the house and start again. As for what to do...regrading will not be cheap. What are your needs? I couldn't survive w/o a garage for my cars and attached is greatly preferred. You say there are other outbuildings so husband could relocate his shop....Snakes and wasps OH MY!!!

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    No it is not worth keeping any part of it and if you want one there you need to regarde the site for a garage. A few othe rissues I can see too but that will be for another time.

  • 6 years ago

    I agree, it needs to come down. It is not an attractive building and the bowed roof, says, it probably isnt stable either and may come down on its own. It takes away from your home to keep it.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    A man should never allow his garage to be torn down, no matter how bad of shape it's in, unless he has the money in escrow to build a new one, with or without his wife's permission.

  • 6 years ago

    I didn’t get past the S word. That sucker would be down like yesterday if it were mine. Just from viewing the pictures, it appears that there has been some haphazard building onto your house.


    I’d certainly remove this structure and build another - not attached to the house.

  • 6 years ago

    If it's infested with snakes and wasps, it's probably not being used much. I suggest looking at some inspiration photos of new 3-bay garages that would hold two cars and a future motorcycle. A workshop area can be designed with good elbow room to spread out and lots of storage.


    It'd be worth getting a pest control company out to check the wood structure. In my area, some pest control companies also deal with snakes, skunks, wasps, and so on.