Garage architect

I have a 3 car garage but only 2 are used for cars, one is a workshop. Ceiling height too low to fit a lift by about 12- 16” but seems like it can be lifted or vaulted, no living space above the garage.

Any recommendations on an architect in the Bay Area that can solve my issue of needing to fit at least one more car?

My F430 and Lusso take up the garage, wife parks outside already. Want to add one more car, maybe a Dino, and obviously not going to park it outside.

TIA





Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

What is your current garage ceiling height?

 

I'd love to add to this thread but I'm extremely frustrated as well.

I've got cars scattered and want to build a bigger garage onto my house and then do the bendpack 3x3 lift system like many of have seen on Hoovies Youtube channel.....but I can't even get calls returned.

We are using a commercial GC for work on our business and they also said they couldnt help on resdential and I've reached out to 3 residential GC's and they don't even return calls/emails. Heck I can't even get the tree servcie in my area to call me back.

 

9’ 02”



Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

All trades from concrete through painting have been slammed for several years but it got much worst when everyone wanted to upgrade their homes/yards during the pandemic. Add to that an acute shortage of labor and we are in a difficult spot for getting construction done. If you don't have existing relationships with on going business you might have to wait a year or two. Oh, and it will cost double what it would have cost 3-4 yrs. ago. My wife works for a large wine producer and oversees maintenance/renovation for about 30 wineries and 50+ ranch houses and I manage a small portfolio of commercial properties we own. Getting projects done is the biggest challenge with managing property. Forget about getting 3 bids and make sure you pay your vendors on time. Sorry for the bad news.

 

If you have interest, you may check out the Challenger lifts and see if you can squeeze one in that 9' 2" garage. Their site states it needs 8.83' for two 48" vehicles. You would need to work some garage door magic like I did to accommodate, but it might be worth a try.

 

Yes, I’m finding this out. Easier to sell and buy something more suitable, but I’ll never get my wife to leave our neighborhood.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

Thank you, I’ll look into it.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

All jokes aside I had looked at a 5 car stand alone garage in Santa Cruz and was a wimp and it got away from me. The Fastenal industrial building is for sale in Santa Cruz and I actually told my wife maybe I should buy it for a garage and I thought she was going to lose her mind.

Lots of toys and not enough space so of course her idea is.....less toys. Argh! ;-)

 

Not a bad idea, though I do like having my toys close. Maybe I need to look into buying my neighbors house, using the garage and renting out the home... to my “uncle” to keep the HOA from imploding.

Things we do for toys


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

I just googled the height of a 308. About 3' 8" to 3' 10" For two, that's less than 8' and you have just over 9' Are your cars taller than a 308?

And yes on the garage door magic. Is that where the fit challenge is?

I feel for you. Garage space can never be large enough.

 

Ideally I wanted to put my 430 on top, Lusso under. But that combo is too tall. I also have a solid wood garage door which, with track, needs 5.5” The former could be solved by pairing the Dino and 430 on the lift and the latter can be solved with a bi-fold garage door.

Not ideal, but getting closer to something workable.




Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

To answer your original question, you might contact Steve Wynn (Barry & Wynn Architects | Danville, CA | Architectural design firm (barryandwynn.com)).

Although I didn't use them for my garage expansion (I "architected" the plain box myself) (a two car garage which I expanded to be two cars wide and two cars deep) Steve came over and spent a remarkable amount of time with me explaining what was involved in building additions. A nice guy.

Just punting, but pushing up a ceiling probably isn't that difficult. For the Building Permit, you'll have to get structural drawings stamped by a licensed structural engineer which Steve would arrange.

 

Thank you for the recommendation.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

Something you might consider is raising the roof and also making a garage attic instead of using plain trusses. An attic is great for storing crap.

.... mission creep.

 

Yeah have that in my plan.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

I kind of did what you want to do.

When we did my remodel we cut out the trusses and stick built a new roof over the top. It turns out that is a MUCH bigger job than you might anticipate. The entire exterior of the house has to be reinforced: the exterior is blocked, strapped, and it is all sheeted in ply, before the stucco or siding. Plus you have to bolt the entire thing. Next, is the posts to carry the load down in the middle (depending on the span). My ridge line is 40' and had to have 2 interior posts. So open those walls to install the posts and pour footings under them. The ridge beam is a very large multilam. From there it is pretty easy to stick build a roofline. call it 2x12 (span dependent) blocked insulated and drywall (garages are 5/8 and fire taped).

SO unless you were planning on a major remodel I would say there is a better option. And likely one you will like better. Go with a hidden parking lift. No need to change the roofline; they cut the slab and dig a hole. I think you would like this better AND it would be more convenient. In retrospect, I wish I had done this.

Oh yea, don't know when he could get to you but I would be glad to give you my contractor's name (pm me if interested). He did a great job.

 

Mine is 9’ and I fit Gallardo and Testarossa. Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Which lift did you go with?


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

Great info, thank you. I did have an architect stop by and more or less said the same about how simplistically I talked about raising the ceiling height, yet how involved it was in implementation.

I didn’t think about the below ground lift, I need to look into it.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

Below ground will sound expensive. Think 60K; but compared to a remodel of that magnitude it is a bargain. Of course, if you are considering a remodel, that is a different question. I will post pics of my garage later. It is small but efficient.