Going to build a new house
So, I have been thinking of a combo house garage setup. I will be building a new house from the ground up and was looking for ideas. Thought of a combo house garage. Does anyone have one and if so ...
Forum Discussion
We built a 2450 sq. ft. single level house with a 1400 sq ft garage in 1999 .
I have been in the lumber business since 1969 , an owner since 1977 .
We have built 4 custom houses in our lifetime and I am a student of building materials .
The list of unique things we did is long . Some highlights :
3 or 4 foot over roof over hang helps keep down the solar heat gain.
Casement windows ( crank out ) seal the best . We used Eagle Clad ( Andersen high line ) which have engineered wood inside and anodized aluminum outside .
If you install an upgrade air-condition / natural gas heating system , not every window has to be operable .
A non-movable sash is the most energy efficient and cheaper to buy .
Do not use sliding or double hung windows as they leak air .
A house that is more of a square has less exterior wall length than one that is a rectangle . Less heat issues .
South facing walls can have more windows as long as there is minimum 3'-4' overhang .
The west facing wall should have a minimum or no windows . Heat gain from wes facing windows is brutal .
Hardiplank cement/composite siding holds paint twice as long, does not warp , and does not shrink/swell with temp changes .
Raise your house an extra foot or so by building a taller stem wall . Insulate the stem walls and Use at least R-30 under the floor .
It is not greatly more expensive to use 2x8 for the exterior walls . 2x8x10 is a low demand size that costs less per board foot . This gives R 26 minimum with fiberglass insulation .
Consider using 9 foot interior ceilings in most rooms and not taller than 12-13' for the feature rooms . Higher vaults are expensive to heat .
Consider R 40 to R-50 as minimum in the ceiling .
Do not use sliding patio doors . Only use swinging patio doors with a 3 point or 5 point lock .
Garage doors should be steel insulated in a 1.5" or 2" thickness . No windows . I used 9'W x 8'H for the cars .
Tile floors at the entrances and down hallways are maintenance free and will eliminate "tracking " from outside .
I installed 3 drains in my garage that slope to the middle .
I wash my cars inside in winter .
I installed an operating casement window at each end of my garage .
In the summer I open them and the breeze goes through the garage .
Bend has 85 degree days and 50 degree nights in summer .
I wasted money on fluorescent lights in the garage .
Cheapie porcelain holders with a compact fluorescent and double the fixtures and switches is a better way to go . I need light in one part of the garage mostly and not all of the garage at the same time .
I have been in the lumber business since 1969 , an owner since 1977 .
We have built 4 custom houses in our lifetime and I am a student of building materials .
The list of unique things we did is long . Some highlights :
3 or 4 foot over roof over hang helps keep down the solar heat gain.
Casement windows ( crank out ) seal the best . We used Eagle Clad ( Andersen high line ) which have engineered wood inside and anodized aluminum outside .
If you install an upgrade air-condition / natural gas heating system , not every window has to be operable .
A non-movable sash is the most energy efficient and cheaper to buy .
Do not use sliding or double hung windows as they leak air .
A house that is more of a square has less exterior wall length than one that is a rectangle . Less heat issues .
South facing walls can have more windows as long as there is minimum 3'-4' overhang .
The west facing wall should have a minimum or no windows . Heat gain from wes facing windows is brutal .
Hardiplank cement/composite siding holds paint twice as long, does not warp , and does not shrink/swell with temp changes .
Raise your house an extra foot or so by building a taller stem wall . Insulate the stem walls and Use at least R-30 under the floor .
It is not greatly more expensive to use 2x8 for the exterior walls . 2x8x10 is a low demand size that costs less per board foot . This gives R 26 minimum with fiberglass insulation .
Consider using 9 foot interior ceilings in most rooms and not taller than 12-13' for the feature rooms . Higher vaults are expensive to heat .
Consider R 40 to R-50 as minimum in the ceiling .
Do not use sliding patio doors . Only use swinging patio doors with a 3 point or 5 point lock .
Garage doors should be steel insulated in a 1.5" or 2" thickness . No windows . I used 9'W x 8'H for the cars .
Tile floors at the entrances and down hallways are maintenance free and will eliminate "tracking " from outside .
I installed 3 drains in my garage that slope to the middle .
I wash my cars inside in winter .
I installed an operating casement window at each end of my garage .
In the summer I open them and the breeze goes through the garage .
Bend has 85 degree days and 50 degree nights in summer .
I wasted money on fluorescent lights in the garage .
Cheapie porcelain holders with a compact fluorescent and double the fixtures and switches is a better way to go . I need light in one part of the garage mostly and not all of the garage at the same time .
