Welcome to the Garage Project!

source: Houzz

Life has just been to easy - so I decided to finally start the last phase of my renovation... the garage.

Sounds so simple, but of course my vision is a bit more complicated than that.

The original garage was perfectly charming. I loved the stucco walls, lofted storage area, and bath house feature. What wasn't great? It was slightly crumbling and too small for modern day cars. It was a wonderful home for probably some mice and chipmunks... and my stash of antique bricks.

What was my vision?

  • attached 2 car garage
  • bonus first floor living area with kitchenette
  • outdoor shower
  • fully conforming to local zoning
So why spend the money on something like this? Living near the ocean, the salt water can be murder on cars. Never mind running errands in the cold New England winters. I'd like to grow my family and life is hard enough without an attached garage. I'm joking of course. Life is quite great.

I'm feeling pretty great about the design. It was a very iterative process to squeeze everything into a tiny area. I wanted to do everything possible to avoid filing an application with the zoning board since that would add extra cost and time to the project. 

When is it going to be done? Last Fall. I'm joking, but also not. I've been ready to get started on this project for about 6 months. Before garage construction could start, I needed to: 
(1) design, repair and move the septic system
(2) get a building and demo permit
(3) demo the existing garage

There is still a lot to be determined from a style perspective but it is much more approachable than a whole house. I've already hired a fence guy and patio guy. I work from home now so I'll be around all the time to see the progress... and adjust to the inevitable pivots coming my way.

Stay tuned!




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