DrPizza's project: turn garage into ... apartment

[DrPizza]

Update: Shortly after I last updated this thread, son #2 accepted a job in another town, so wouldn't be working at a nearby company, living in the garage, and saving a lot of money for his own house. (Not that he didn't have job offers from nearby companies - he took a job that paid much higher than those companies though.)

So, work halted. Then a discussion of my mom moving back home to NY. And, now, in the past month or so, I have restarted work in the garage to turn it into an apartment for my mother, so she can be independent, but have us right there if there should be any need. New pics in post 168 - ceiling done (except for the crown molding).

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No son of mine is going to live in the basement after he graduates from college. Mine is going to live in the garage. And, he's going to learn some skills in the process.

Step one: since the garage had recently been the domain of the dogs (plus storage), wash the floor with muriatic acid. What's this green crap they sell at HD? Fewer fumes? Let's see... 8 ounces per gallon. I'll just dump a few gallons on the floor and use it fully concentrated. None of that sissy "green" stuff for me. OMG, this is sooo cool! The floor is sizzling and smoking. Camera batteries are dead. Damn.

Step two: Fire up the pellet stove. Let's see... there won't be any more garage windows to look out (replaced with plywood; plastic on outside til spring, then painted with exterior paint.) Not hard to guess which window the dog preferred. The front door will need to be painted, else replaced, and the door into our sunroom will definitely need to be replaced (with a matching door to his bedroom door.) This is what I get to start with (after ripping the old insulation off one wall.) Floor is still damp.

Time to teach son some framing skills. (The window will have to be pulled back out in the spring. There's no house wrap on the garage?! I was planning on residing it anyway at some point down the road.

And teach the son how to run wire

And, for once in my life, I remembered to gang drill all the holes for water lines, electric lines, etc. So much easier when they're laying flat than when they're up.

 

[DrPizza]

Some of the framing up. These will be the kitchen walls. The extra wood makes it really easy for hanging cabinets - I don't have to worry about finding the studs. The foil covered foam insulation on the left covers the doorway to the bedroom. The dangling wires are the previous wiring. That's all getting ripped out (and turned into art.) My son stuck scrap insulation by the garage door; not necessary, but I wasn't bothering ripping it out.

Replacing more of the insulation. Plus, high voltage/low voltage split box on wall with conduit for xbox cables, etc. (wire run away from low voltage to decrease interference.)

Recessed lighting. Air tight, insulation contact rated, etc. Used some software to estimate how many lights and distance between lights for the room. Hmmmm, I don't want to work in the styrofoam & insulation in the ceiling. When my son is done tightening all the black pipe (for his stove), it's time to teach him another new skill.

Got everything in the wall, I think (hope) - power to bathroom, power to electric hot water tank, 3/4" Pex water supply (I'll put a manifold in the bathroom behind the hot water tank), all the counter outlets (2 circuits), outlet for stove, outlet for fridge, black pipe for gas to stove (pressure test, rather than test with gas.)

 

[DrPizza]

Figuring out the exact placement of these was a pita. I think all those styrofoam beads were as well, but I stayed out of the way. He volunteered to take the lead on this part of the job. 4 in the living room area, dimmable CFL's in the recessed housing. 2 in the kitchen (3 way switch for kitchen), plus a hanging light over the sink.

Put the drywall up in no time. I think that every stupid piece had an outlet or something to cut out for. Nice that the 2x4's and 2x6's were about as perfectly spaced as could be. Yeah, I know - horizontally. I *hate* butt joints & my vertical joints are generally invisible. He gets to practice in the kitchen area. 90% will be covered by cabinets.

The state of the project as of a day or so ago. I just started insulating the ceiling on the other side, but ran out of daylight & wasn't happy with just the one worklight. (Power has been disconnected to the pre-existing wiring)

I still have to take care of those two doors. Plus, I only tied in a 20Amp line for now; enough so I have light & can run a power tool. I've gotta run conduit from my service panel to that breaker panel for 100Amp.

Tons more work to do. But, starting to rapidly come together. Drain lines in the bathroom are going to be a pita (I have to tie them into the septic system) - bro-in-law (contractor) has my back on that part of the job & will double check the rest for me.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Nice. Looks like the kid is learning a few things

 

[DrPizza]

Patience is the toughest one to teach him. Sometimes, he'd rather use force to get a job done, rather than, say, take the minute to trim that tiny bit extra that's causing an electric box to have too tight of a fit.

 

[DrPizza]

Oh, almost forgot - I modeled most of it (Google Sketchup; it's all I had available) I've since done the kitchen layout, but I'm not wasting the time to render a new walkthrough.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJA36Cx3hEk&feature=youtu.be

 

[Drako]

Wow, nice.

I still don't get the whole 20 something living at home thing. My brother has a 26 and 22 year old still living at home with him. I keep telling him to tell the kids to get a job and GTFO :biggrin:

edit: and yeah, they live in the basement, but they helped to finish it.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Wow, nice.

I still don't get the whole 20 something living at home thing. My brother has a 26 and 22 year old still living at home with him. I keep telling him to tell the kids to get a job and GTFO :biggrin:

edit: and yeah, they live in the basement, but they helped to finish it.

its the economy stupid. one of my best friends in turning 30 tmrw and lives with his parents with his 25 yr old sister.

 

[Printer Bandit]

unless our physically or mentally disabled, you shouldn't be living with your parents after college.

 

[IAteYourMother]

unless our physically or mentally disabled, you shouldn't be living with your parents after college.

not true, it saves a ton of money.

 

[Sonikku]

Something like 85% of college graduates are going back home to live with parents to save money. Granted, if your dad can swing a 60" plasma screen for his kid for Christmas he could probably afford to put him up in his own place wherever he wanted.

 

[DrPizza]

I only got him a 50" plasma for Christmas. And, it'd have been a 40", but the only local stores that carry them were out of the models I was interested in. And, sorry, Walmart, I'll never buy an electronic device branded "Hi-Sense."

His plan is to stay here for 3 years, pay off his student loans, save a bundle of cash to get a good start out in the rest of the world, then move on with his experience. Ditto his girlfriend; she graduates this spring as an RN and is considering doing just about the same thing (may even wind up here in the garage.) I expect them to be engaged in a few years. Their ability to save up 100k or more between them over 3 years should really help get them off to a good start.


And, after he moves out, then there's the possibility that my mother (retired) may come back to NY for a while & stay there. Else, I'll rent it out as a "spare room." It's roughly 15x21 on one side, 12x21 on the other side, so 550+ square feet; electric, gas, water, internet, cable (satellite) provided. I doubt I'd have trouble finding a favorable person willing to pay the right price.

 

[NeoV]

nothing at all wrong with living at home after school for a bit to get some cash saved up

 

[MichaelD]

Not trying to be a party pooper at all, but reality beckons.

You obviously know what you're doing AFA construction goes. Framing, drywall, electrical, gas, etc. Looks good to me. But in most towns/cities/states you need not only a permit to do the work, but it must be inspected/certified as well. Also, if someone is living in the new space, zoning and fire safety laws etc come into play.

I didn't see you mention any of this in this very cool thread. Thanks for all the pics, BTW. You're in upstate NY. Out on Long Island (down in the big city) you can't run a new outlet in the bathroom without building permits and two inspections without ruining the value of your home and risking fines.

If I had my way I'd become a Minuteman or something and live in the middle of Montana on 500 square acres and do whatever I please. Uncle Sam & The Man have pissed on my parades more times than I care to count.

Just curious.

 

[vshah]

wish I could have lived at home after graduating. instead i landed my ass in NYC and have no real savings to speak of 2 years later.

 

[Goosemaster]

not true, it saves a ton of money.

indeed it does.

 

[JEDIYoda]

unless our physically or mentally disabled, you shouldn't be living with your parents after college.

Or high all the time like your avatar makes you appear to be...lolol

 

[Aikouka]

I had no idea that there was that much space in there until I saw the mock-up! That's actually pretty nifty, and I was originally curious about the possibility of using it after he moves out, but you've answered that.

 

[Newbian]

You forgot a place for the goats as every thread of yours need some goats in it.

 

[OverVolt]

In the 1950's if your child lived at home at age 26 you put them in the attic and told the neighbors they died of tuberculosis.

 

[edro]

He's gonna need some rugs. That is going to be a cold ass floor.
Nice job finishing out the garage though. When he leaves you will have a nice workshop.

 

[CPA]

Not trying to be a party pooper at all, but reality beckons.

You obviously know what you're doing AFA construction goes. Framing, drywall, electrical, gas, etc. Looks good to me. But in most towns/cities/states you need not only a permit to do the work, but it must be inspected/certified as well. Also, if someone is living in the new space, zoning and fire safety laws etc come into play.

I didn't see you mention any of this in this very cool thread. Thanks for all the pics, BTW. You're in upstate NY. Out on Long Island (down in the big city) you can't run a new outlet in the bathroom without building permits and two inspections without ruining the value of your home and risking fines.

If I had my way I'd become a Minuteman or something and live in the middle of Montana on 500 square acres and do whatever I please. Uncle Sam & The Man have pissed on my parades more times than I care to count.

Just curious.

I live just minutes outside of Houston, but in a different county, which doesn't require me to have a permit or have anything checked other than my septic system periodically. I think there are more places that don't require permitting than most people believe.

 

[CPA]

Okay, question, DrPizza: What's your plan for fixing the spacing you now have around the recessed lighting? Would it have been easier to either:

1) Rip down what was already there, install the recessed lighting, then rerock or

2) you said you put in new installation on the ceiling from the other side, so couldn't you have cut the holes out from the other side and install the lights from the other side?

 

[LookBehindYou]

Nicely done. That is the only regret about the house I live in, no garage or basement. Moving is always in the back of my mind because I don't/can't have a mancave in the current house. I got what I could afford 3 years ago but I do regret not having a garage or basement.

 

[DrPizza]

Okay, question, DrPizza: What's your plan for fixing the spacing you now have around the recessed lighting? Would it have been easier to either:

1) Rip down what was already there, install the recessed lighting, then rerock or

2) you said you put in new installation on the ceiling from the other side, so couldn't you have cut the holes out from the other side and install the lights from the other side?

That's not sheetrock on the ceiling. There's 1" of ordinary 4'x8' sheets of styrofoam covering most of the ceiling, with 6" of fiberglass on top of that. There are furring strips holding the insulation up. I've gotten some long construction screws that have more than enough holding power to beef up the furring strips - I don't have faith in their fasteners. Then, most likely, I'll use tongue and groove on the ceiling. It's fast & easy (and I hate doing drywall overhead.) On the other side - bathroom & bedroom, I'll use drywall (and green board in the bathroom.) By "other side" - I meant the other side of the garage - not the other side (above) of the ceiling. The other half of the garage was largely uninsulated. For the recessed lighting to work, the cans have to be extended as far as they go (else the metal won't extend to the edge of the ceiling. Otherwise, I would have attempted to take down the foam insulation. But, the insulation above it is just laying there; not stapled in place. It'd have been a pain in the neck.