Garage Foundation
 

Here's the deal. I just found out I won $4000 and a 870 express from the Minnesota Pheasents raffle. I'm going to use the money to build a new garage. I'm planning a 24' x 26' and am not quite sure what type of founation to go with. I don't plan on owning the house for more then five years. I have been advised not to do a slab on grade by many people. I was planing on doing a T foundation with the footings below the frost line then 8" block. I will be hiring someone to do the concrete work. I was checking local codes today and a friend told me I should do a monolithic slab which is poured thicker around the perimeter of the slab. This would be a considerable savings over the T style. Then I got to thinking why not do a poured foundation then the floor. I already know I will be spending more then just the $4000. I'm just looking for some input. I would like to heat the garage, but I'm not sure how soon that will happen.

Re: Garage Foundation
 

I always wonder about the concrete having a gap where the footing and the slab meet. Re: insects ? I see it where our outside sidewalk meets the garage footing and where the slab meets it. Ants love that space Argh.
You might check out The Garage Journal run by the same guy who does the
H A M B
good luck with your decision !

Re: Garage Foundation
 

I'm thinking if you are on a less than 5 year plan I would sit on the cash and wait for the next place to build a shop. maybe a CD of some sort so it can't be touched.

Re: Garage Foundation
 

Unless your building codes are alot more relaxed than ours, you will nneed to pour a footer below the frost line on undisturbed soil, usually 8-12 inches thick and twice the width of the walls, so 10-12 inches wide, then you can use cinder block, or concrete to grade which up there is probably 4 foot or more. the last gagarge I built, we extended the concrete 3 foot above the slab with 10 foot 2x6 walls to give a 13 foot ceiling, with a ledge and rebar bent at a 45% angle to to tie the slab floor and concrete walls together, and dug a 12 inch trench through the middle both ways to form a support under the slab. the slab should be at least 8 inches thick, and the thicker the better. Our foundation 10 years ago cost well over 4,000.00 and we did not pay any labor. a good garage will start at 10,000.00, and thats you doing most of the work.....you will get alot of that out when you sell the house, but not all..just be aware of that.