Should I buy a garage or work in garage under house

-
As you notice most of the people that say don;t work in basement are from warm climates. It costs me about $150 a month just to keep my shop 45. When you have highs in the 20's and 20-30 mi hr winds it is not very economical to keep a shop heated.
A lot of people can't afford the $10-$50k it takes to build one. $1000 would go a long way to make your basement usable Heating a basement in your house would cost almost nothing. Heat it seperate from upstairs so you do not send fumes upstairs.
The only time in 30 years of wrenching we have had fires is when we were working on the fuel system. Or torching out rubber bushings.
Drain all the fuel out and store outside and do not put fuel back in until car is outside. Would not hurt to remove gas tank and store outside.
If you do not have a fume extractor, do your welding outside. Do your tear down outside and then clean as best you can then put it in your basement. No reason not to store and assemble a motor trans or dif inside. Can do a lot of work on a cement slab just outside, push out push in. Keep things on wheels .
And I do have over $60k in my shop and if I had a walk out basement I would do some work inside.
 
Whatever you decide, it might be a good idea to review your insurance policy. What it does and does not cover you need to know.
 
From personal experiences: DO NOT do this if you have a gas water heater.
Fumes will creep along floors and ceilings to a pilot light. One fuel leak or paint/primer session can get REALLY dangerous.

I install tank- less electric water heaters in my house for this reason. (Plus it frees up garage space).

I have worked in three different motorcycle shops that had fires in their pasts due to this.
 
I've got a basement garage myself, as well as a shop, but it's about 250 feet from my house. It's certainly a lot handier to walk down the stairs to my garage than walking out to the shop. The only time I ever had a close call as far as a fire hazard has made me extremely more cautious. I had recently removed a fuel line to replace the fuel pump and filter. Next weekend I decided to fire up the car but it didn't start after about a solid minute of cranking.. Put about a gallon of gas on the floor. The fumes wafted up into the house, but dissipated after a day. I shudder to think of what might have happened.
 
What would your insurance say about you doing that type of work? Is there anything in your policy that restricts a resto like your planing in your basement.
 
Just build a garage and be sure to remodel the master bathroom and kitchen for the wife and you get a lift! LOL! 28 years in construction an out building man cave garage is what you want and need! This addition was just the extra room we need for our toys and daily drivers. The out building is great for all other projects, storage and toys and also has a lift that allows more height to lift, so take some time to plan what you need and build it exactly how you want.
 

Attachments

  • garage.jpg
    29.2 KB · Views: 163
  • newest 096.jpg
    31.7 KB · Views: 145
BillGrissom said:
I wouldn't think much smell from a welder, but I usually use outside. Paint fumes linger longer. A grinder is fairly high frequencies, which dissipate fast over distance. They might be loud next to you, but barely noticeable far away. That is why you can tell how far away a rifle shot is, close is a sharp crack, changing to a distant boom. Safest to have sheetrock on the ceilings and walls as a fire barrier. You would spend a lot more money heating a shed for human comfort and/or find reasons to spend less time there. I have a 2 car garage, but prefer doing big jobs like pulling an engine or tranny outside (backyard driveway) because more room to work and better light, but then we have 6 months of guaranteed no rain here. But then I don't officially touch an engine or tranny since Sacramento County forbids any major automotive work on your own residential property, even inside a garage. You can legally only change brake pads or such. I should report myself to sleep better at night.
Click to expand...
You can't even work in a garage on your property there? That's just downright idiotic.
As to the fumes...damn near everything has some sort of aroma. Depends how sensitive folks are. My wife loves the aroma of damn near every solvent around so the smells would not bother her. But she is a bit strange so...
 
My neighbor has a garage under bedrooms. He spray foamed and sealed the whole thing and installed a steel fire mandoor to the house. He vented exhaust and intake for a heater to an outside wall. He does fabrication during his off time as a fireman.
 
if I was better at postin pics I would sho ya my "pole barn shed' i'm adding onto now. LOL if have no basement, my house is "rustic". was a barn! LOL
I have a friend in Kansas City that has been a Mopar guy forever, ( he built hemi and max wedges since the 60's.) anywayyyyy, 10 years a go, he was working on his 70 440-6 cuda clone in garage (not basement), had a carb fire and burned down his $300,000 home!!!!! it can happen to ANYONE, in basement or in backyard!!!
so I like the idea of being able to work in a heated basement in cold climates, just keep fire extinguisher handy!!??? one thing for sure, even Jay Leno never has enough room!!!???? LOL
 
I didn't tell that episode to deter anyone. i'm sure we all have to try to be careful anytime working around any solvients, gas, etc.... around here, most people heat their farm shops with wood. I heat my house with it. will put on in car shop if and when I get a part of it with 4 walls!! LOL
I blame most carb fires on Holley!!
 
Some how I missed that this is a under house garage and not his basement.
I hope the furnace and water heater are not in there. Should already have 5/8 dry wall and a fire door.
I don't dare work in my garage any more. Don't want to get any where near my wifes CTS
 
barbee6043 said:
if I was better at postin pics I would sho ya my "pole barn shed' i'm adding onto now. LOL if have no basement, my house is "rustic". was a barn! LOL
I have a friend in Kansas City that has been a Mopar guy forever, ( he built hemi and max wedges since the 60's.) anywayyyyy, 10 years a go, he was working on his 70 440-6 cuda clone in garage (not basement), had a carb fire and burned down his $300,000 home!!!!! it can happen to ANYONE, in basement or in backyard!!!
so I like the idea of being able to work in a heated basement in cold climates, just keep fire extinguisher handy!!??? one thing for sure, even Jay Leno never has enough room!!!???? LOL
Click to expand...

Cool!!!! Future 'barn finds" here in the far future huh? LOL!!!
 
Look at a steel building (called a pole barn here). I put a 40 x 40 x 16 up for 18k, with a slab. sure a smaller one would be around 5k.
 
During my 28 years here, I've found so many faults with a dug/underground under home basement that I don't know where to start.
I went to great lengths to put a basement under this build. Worst mistake I've mad in this life.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top