Technical > Home Improvement > Garage addition

reply to Draiman

Re: Garage addition

reply to Draiman
I'm thinking about building some built-in knee wall shelves and possibly a dresser as well. Has anyone done that before? I was thinking I'd just have to cut a stud then frame out a box then install plywood on the room side. Next I'd insulate the unconditioned side with vapor barrier facing in towards the room and screw 1" foam board on top of that to the entire back. Is that all there is too it?
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

reply to Draiman

Does the handrail have to return back to the wall? In my area, that is code. I do not know if your code requires it.

reply to Draiman
Good document on stairs:

»www.stairways.org/Resources/Docu···load.pdf

reply to Draiman
The building permit has been closed! The inspector said next year when I want to do drywall I need to get a "finish permit" which is $30. He said at that time I need to have the handrail returned to the wall on both ends. He said I'll need a hard wired smoke upstairs. I'll need to remove the temporary stairs and get the treads and risers to code as well. Last it's just insulation, drywall, and heating. Nothing to difficult to do.
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

reply to Draiman
With the permit closed now I can start doing some more work. I'm going to cut and frame out the knee wall doors this week-end. I'll nail up the electrical boxes as well. I might even drill the studs out for the electrical. I don't have enough 12/2 to actually wire the upstairs right now but insulation is more important anyways. I have Friday off this week so I'll be working on the garage Fri, Sat, and Sun this week.
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

reply to Draiman

reply to Draiman
It has been a wild ride for sure. I'll keep documenting the work in this thread. With any luck I'll have the garage 100% finished by Fall 2013. I'd like to get the electrical, strapping, knee wall doors, and insulation done before Spring 2013 so over the Winter here. That will leave just the stair treads/risers, handrail returns, heat, and drywall for Spring/Summer/Fall 2013. We're going to have the garage painted and asphalt sealed next year as well so it all looks good.
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

Thanks...I enjoyed the story.

reply to Draiman
As a side note, while the stair wall is open install blocking where you will mount the handrail brackets. It's much easier to place instead of hunting for studs.

reply to Draiman
Here's a quick question. Who's responsibility is it to follow code when building if you have a licensed general contractor? The GC pulled the permit under their license as well. If you build stairs for example who should be responsible to make sure the risers, treads, handrail, and guard all conform to code? The GC says it's the homeowner's responsibility since that's considered 'Finish work' but the building inspector says it's the GC's responsibility since he's required to build to code, make the place safe to get an occupancy permit, and close out the permit they opened. I'd side with the building inspector. The GC wanted to charge me $450 to build a guard at the top of the stairs. I know it took me about 3 hours and $70 to build it myself. Even if I billed myself at $100/hour I couldn't get to his price. It seems like the GC was trying to screw me at the end. First asking me to pay to fix his problems then overcharging for the proposed work. Any thoughts? Was I right to take it into my own hands to do the work?
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IF YOU FIND ANY MISTAKES IN MY WORK...Please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and there is always someone looking for mistakes!

quote:

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he building inspector says it's the GC's responsibility since he's required to build to code, make the place safe to get an occupancy permit,

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Let's see. The BI says the risers, treads, handrail, and guard don't meet code. Yet the BI issued the Occupancy Permit. What am I missing here?

If this is the case then why did the BI issue the Occupancy Permit?

The room above the garage is unfinished for now. The building inspector would not have approved the staircase with those issues if the room was finished as living space.
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