My new Garage | FerrariChat

My new Garage

Discussion in 'New England' started by Birdman, Aug 29, 2004.

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  1. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    Hi Gang,
    Well, after a year of planning, dealing with permitting for the town, designs, engineers, architects and saving up the money, at last my garage is underway. The foundation is done and backfilled and I started framing yesterday. (I'm framing it myself...gotta love nail guns). It will have a high ceiling for a lift and plenty of space for working on the 308. At long last I will be able to keep my Ferrari in my own garage. I hope to have the thing at least weather-tight by November. There is a new master bed/bath above it but that will be the better part of a year until it's done I'm afraid.

    Birdman
     
  2. 525iT_Feen

    525iT_Feen Rookie

    May 4, 2004
    40
    Boston, MA
    Full Name:
    Olek Migdalski
    can't wait to see the final outcome....

    Its going to be awesome with one or two additions(ferraris).
     
  3. BigHead

    BigHead Formula Junior

    Oct 31, 2003
    995
    Outside of Boston
    Full Name:
    Dennis
    Looks to be really great, congrats!!! I'm very, very envious - a custom built garage, to your own specs; who among us hasn't fantasized about that?!?

    I have to admit to being envious of your carpentry skills as well - framing the garage yourself? Doing all that stuff? Dang, I'm just proud of the fact that I can successfully change my wheels!

    Let us know when you're giving the inaugural tour.

    vty,

    --Dennis
     
  4. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    I'm looking forward to having a place to keep my 308. Right now it stays in an extra bay at my mom's house. (She has a 3 car temperature controlled garage). Driving over to her house to use the Ferrari means I never drive the car for a short errand but only for a major trip. Can't wait to have it here. I also can't wait to be able to work on my car in my own garage.

    Framing is really pretty easy. I picked it up here and there, watching when my house was framed, working for some framer friends as a helper when I was younger, etc.

    I wish I were building a 3 car, but the design was going to be too large for the house and we thought it looked funny. As it is, this 2 car is almost as large as the footprint of the house.

    I'll post a few more pics as it comes along. Throughout the next month I'll be building like crazy. I have been planning this for 7 years but the arrival of the 308 last year really got the schedule moving. Talk about a slippery slope this 308 has been!

    Birdman
     
  5. enjoythemusic

    enjoythemusic F1 World Champ

    Apr 20, 2002
    10,676
    Worldwide
    Full Name:
    Steven
    Birdman,

    WOW! Major congrats!
     
  6. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    I spent a hard day framing today with my cousin. Here's what we got done. Tomorrow is supposed to be lousy weather, so we'll finish the last wall on Wednesday and start putting up sheathing.

    Birdman
     
  7. mondial86

    mondial86 Formula Junior

    Nov 1, 2003
    298
    MA
    Full Name:
    David Holmes
    we should have a Fchat barn raising party for BIRDMAN
    I just spent 1.5 years building our dream house and i feel your pain
    David
     
  8. alfa-guy

    alfa-guy Rookie

    Jan 27, 2004
    42
    Birdman ... we met at Verell's BBQ and were sharing stories about our garage projects.

    We started last April, so far we have a foundation and a slab. We were handed a stop work order by the town today pending an environmental impact study (mind you that the conservation commision signed off on this over a year ago prior to obtaining the permits).

    All of this has been brought on by the feud with the neighbors from hell. I'm meeting with a very big Lawyer tomorrow morning.

    I have tons of photos of this project, just need to find a spot to put them where they can be easily viewed.

    I'm really happy for you :)

    Jeff
     
  9. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    Hi Jeff,
    I remember our conversation. Your neighbors suck even worse than mine. I would launch a revenge campaign and get everyone you know with an extra (registered) car to park it on your lawn as close to their property line as you can. Send the message that if they are so hell-bent on stopping your garage, then you will just park the cars outside EVERYWHERE.

    I can't believe the stop work order. Environmental impact study? What a crock. I consider myself an environmentalist, but the beaurocrats have taken the protection of seasonal muddy puddles in the woods to extreme levels. There are no endangered animals living in the acre or two of woods between the houses of suburban neighborhoods in MA. I feel your pain.

    We went through a solid YEAR of crap with engineers, conservation commission, building inspectors, architects, etc. until we were finally blessed by the town to build a stinkin' 2 car garage on our OWN land (for which we pay $6,000 a year in taxes) for the priviledge of owning. (Like my dad says, you never truly OWN your land, you just lease it from the government.)

    Birdman
     
  10. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    David,
    Remember you offered! When we get to the roof we might need a few hands!! (Hey, good excuse to drive the Ferrari anyway....)

    Birdman
     
  11. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    Hey Gang,
    Been working my butt off all weekend with a bunch of friends. Here's where we stand. Getting there!

    Birdman
     
  12. TCM

    TCM Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    552
    Tyngsborough, MA
    Looking good. Glad to see you are getting some help and enjoying the process. You will absolutely love the garage once it is completed. It makes everything 20 times easier with regards to winter storage, snow, etc.
     
  13. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    Tell me about it. Right now I have to lug all my tools to my mom's garage to work on the car, and then I forget something and it's such a hassle. Ever tried changing oil out in the gravel driveway? Now that's a fun experience.

    Better yet, I'm getting a 2 post lift for the garage in the spring so I can work on the car EASILY. Using Verell's lift has spoiled me. Hey, now there will be two Fchat NE lifts available!

    Birdman
     
  14. TCM

    TCM Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    552
    Tyngsborough, MA
    I know exactly what you are talking about. I have changed the oil on our gravel driveway before and it is no fun at all. Now that we have the full garage setup, I am spoiled. Add two more lifts here to the community as well, if anyone needs to check things out.
     
  15. mondial86

    mondial86 Formula Junior

    Nov 1, 2003
    298
    MA
    Full Name:
    David Holmes
    MAKE IT 3 F CHAT LIFTS
     
  16. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    Damn, look at all these people I can mooch off of!! ;-)

    Birdman
     
  17. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    Hey David,
    What kind of heater is that in your garage up in the corner?

    Birdman
     
  18. mondial86

    mondial86 Formula Junior

    Nov 1, 2003
    298
    MA
    Full Name:
    David Holmes
    It is a MODINE HOT DAWG, I think there are 3 in that style and mine is the middle one ,it works great and I have a 4 car garage to warm up ,,,,if I could do it over I would get the big one ,only because the heat uyp time would be quicker,
    I want shirts I will call you today
    DAVID
     
  19. ChrisfromRI

    ChrisfromRI Karting

    Jan 28, 2003
    230
    Foster, RI
    Full Name:
    Chris F
    Birdman,

    Here's how you turn a 2-car garage into a 3-car garage.

    Kind Regards, Chris
     
  20. dan360

    dan360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2003
    2,669
    Boston
    This is what Mr Doody needs so he can keep his 550 as well as that CS that's on the water :)
     
  21. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
    6,099
    MA USA
    Full Name:
    Mr. Doody
    lol. well that AND another 12" of ceiling height in my current garage!

    doody.
     
  22. zan

    zan Formula Junior

    Nov 15, 2002
    537
    Boston
    Full Name:
    Mark M
    same here :(
     
  23. ChrisfromRI

    ChrisfromRI Karting

    Jan 28, 2003
    230
    Foster, RI
    Full Name:
    Chris F
    That's what I thought too! My garage ceiling is only 105 inches tall (8 & 3/4 feet). My doors are the traditional carriage house style that swing out though, so there is no interference from an overhead door.

    Stacked, there is just over 3 inches of clearance above each sports car. My 308 is only 44 inches tall, but my S2000 is a whopping 51 inches tall.

    The added benefit has been being able to more easily do oil changes, and perform routine maintenance such making suspension adjustments (on a normally loaded suspension).

    Cost was $2850 shipped and installed, including the jacking trays and the drip pans.

    Kind Regards, Chris
     
  24. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    My ceiling is 12 feet. No messing around! The doors will be mounted to go all the way up and along the ceiling so I'll have at least 11 feet of working height.

    My long term plan is a 2 post lift in the left bay for working on cars, and eventually a 4 post in the right bay for extra storage. (For the Mondial that my wife doesn't know about yet....heh heh heh). I'll get the 2 post in the spring when the floor has cured for a few months.

    Hey, I haven't poured the floor yet, is there a way to put the bolts for the 2 post lift into the floor before I get it? Do the companies that install these things have a kit or something for setting the bases into the concrete? (I'm doing re-bar reinforced floor, 6" thick.)

    Birdman
     
  25. ChrisfromRI

    ChrisfromRI Karting

    Jan 28, 2003
    230
    Foster, RI
    Full Name:
    Chris F
    They'll just hammer-drill the bolt holes and use expansion sleeve anchors, as opposed to installing J-Bolts in the wet concrete. Not to worry now, as the position of the holes depends upon the lift model...

    Kind Regards, Chris
     

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