The Build ... Of the garage for the bikes that is!!

[BanditsHigh]

Don't come out of the Scottish section much, would spend my entire life on here if I did there is so much to read ... but after 20+ years of riding I'll finally have somewhere to keep my bikes ... the thought of working inside in the dry is sooooooo goood, so thought I'd share... enjoy

<start of Scottish post>
Some of you may remember I decided to build myself a garage for the bikes, so last August (2007) I got the finger out and started ... I was going to wait until it was completely finished but sod it ... this is a (partial) record of me designing and building my own garage for my bikes

So this is the garden before I started ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage004.jpg

After checking that I didn't need planning permission which was fun because of all the conflicting information from Hamilton council, the first stage was to roughly mark out where the foundation slab was going to be ... bugger need to move the shed!!
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage007.jpg

So got the shed out of the way using plastic bottles filled with water as rollers, then started to dig the foundations by hand ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage010.jpg

That lasted a few hours and I thought sod this and hired this ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage011.jpg

Woohoo what fun ... nearly took out the neighbours garage at one point when I spun around too quick with the arm extended but eventually I ended up with this ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage014.jpg

Then laid down bricks and broken slabs as the main hardcore, followed by loads and loads of type1 MOT hardcore, you can see this just at the forefront of the hole ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage016.jpg

Then put in the formwork for pouring the concrete ... at which point I decided to make the outer ring of concrete a bit thicker ... now 12" wide by 10" deep, with the rest of the slab about 5" deep ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage018.jpg

Eddie had popped over the next day to give me a hand mixing and pouring concrete, but ended up shifting tons of gravel and sand while I finished off preparing for the pour ... what a worker!!

We eventually managed about an hour and a half of mixing/pouring before we had to stop ... we only managed the very top foot of the slab ... photo shows the plastic down on top of compacted hardcore and sharp sand ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage019.jpg

I started again the next day mixing/pouring concrete and spent ten solid hours with one five minute ciggie break in total ... I was nearly dead by the time I ran out of materials ... a few days later I did another five hours ... I saved quite a few hundred quid doing it myself but for this volume of concrete I'd advise getting it brought in.

Anyhoo, this is a few weeks later when the concrete had set properly and I did my first two layers of blockwork ... I had to move six pallets of blocks from the front of the house to the back (72 blocks per pallet) and 54 bags of cement ... got there eventually ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage021.jpg

It took me a couple of hours for each layer, god knows why ... it was gratifying to see the walls go up ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage025.jpg

And eventually I had the walls up ... I had a few problems keeping them vertical and at one point I had to redo the front left corner because it was leaning out by about an inch ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage033.jpg

Next job was to paint the outside of the walls ... white coat first and then a cream coat next ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage035.jpg

I was paranoid about keeping the concrete dry and spend many joyous hours rigging up tarpaulins to keep everything dry ... I was not always successful and only wish I had someone filming the night of high winds and torrential rain when I was out trying to tie the tarps down for about two hours ... it was freezing and I was soaked right to the bone ... the tarps are about five by four metres and are no fun when it's windy ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage027.jpg

Next thing to do was make the rafters ... this is in the 'living room' and I use that term very loosely (still to finish house) ... this is the first rafter dry assembled to check fit (4 metres wide by just over 1 metre high) ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage022.jpg

And this is the front rafter complete with sheet of OSB to cover it in and a layer of tongue and groove pine to finish it off ... the hole in the front will eventually have a door in it to allow me to put long stuff directly into the rafters from the front of the garage ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage036.jpg

So seven rafters later I was ready to start on the roof ... this pic shows the wall plates up and fixed ... the bit along the front was originally going to have perspex windows to provide light into the garage but I've since ditched that idea ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage037.jpg

Getting the rafters up onto the walls was quite easy, apart from the front and back which weighed a ton due to the extra wood to fill them in and finish them off ... nearly ripped my arms out of their sockets with the back one when it was half way up and over balanced and came down on top of me ... oops ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage042.jpg

Next was to fit all the horizontal bracing and then the first sheet of the roof itself ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage044.jpg

The roof nearly sheeted in ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage048.jpg

That was it until this year due to the crap weather we were having over the winter and I didn't do anything else until a month or two back.

Next job I tackled was the floor ... didn't fancy working on a bare concrete floor so decided to sheet it in ... laid down strips of creosote (substitute) treated wood, then plastic sheet, then three layers of chipboard ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage049.jpg

Then to protect the chipboard from water on the surface I coated it twice using a liquid damp proof membrane, with the second coat being covered with kiln dried sand to give a non-stick surface (ooer) ... final stage will be to put down a layer of hardboard and paint this with floor paint ... means I can replace any part of the top surface if it gets damaged through use ... this shows the sand being swept off after the stuff had dried ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage050.jpg

Next was to build decent workbench ... that's four beams of 4" by 2" timber, covered with two layers of chipboard, a 3/4" layer of plywood and a final sacrificial layer of hardboard as the working surface ... this bench could take the weight of the 12 and the 14 on it!!!
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage053.jpg

Next up were the doors ... I had originally intended having four doors with two per side of the garage, but they weighed five stone each and I didn't fancy having ten stone hanging off the hinges attaching them to the walls ... so I gave myself a shed load of work and decided to do sliding doors.

I won't go into all the technicalities of how I did it but this is the result ... all doors and running gear again done by yours truly ... and the door now weighs about thirty stone!!!!
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage063.jpg
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage064.jpg

Next the power cable ... this took seven hours to dig out, lay power cable and conduit for telephone/network cables, and then fill in again ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage059.jpg

God it's never ending ... next do the slabs at the front of the garage, which involved making a cement ramp on top of the concrete at the front of the garage to make sure the slabs met up with the doors in the right way ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage054.jpg

Then it was on to the actual slabs ... I again dug all the earth out, put hardcore down and sand ... nearly ready to pave ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage060.jpg

And the final result ... also added concrete round edges to take a band of paving blocks to finish off the edges a bit better (sides are about 3/4" above level of slabs to give raised edge) ...
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage061.jpg
https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/Garage/Garage062.jpg

I've also mostly sheeted the rafters on each side to give me eight 'bays' for storing stuff and the long run down the centre is also sheeted for receiving long ladders, timber etc fed in from the front of the garage.

So still to do ...

1) Finish doors
2) Put power and lighting circuits in and connect to main house power.
3) Finish putting felt on roof
4) Make small door for front rafter.
5) Put soffits and guttering up.
6) Face front blockwork and at doors with wood and paint.
7) Move all the bikes into it

It's been a long slog and I've still got lots to do, but when you get positive comments from people like Mr Thistle and Mr Hogg (who dropped by last night at the end of the run) then it's all been worthwhile

I'll organise a garage run/BBQ at some point to celebrate finishing it ... just hope I get to keep using it, need a job in the next four months or I'll lose the house ... such is life
<end of Scottish post>

External dimensions of walls are 3.6m wide by 6.3m long by about 2.25m high (excluding the roof).

Hope you enjoyed this ... Barry

[Barry_M2]

[D O G]

That is one sweet garage. It's good to see a builder (sorry if my assumption is wrong) who clearly does things properly.

Nice.

[BanditsHigh]

Thanks for the comments guys ... and no I'm a software engineer ... just like making things, usually small bits of furniture etc

Will finally have somewhere to do my first real bit of customising ... I've a 1200 Bandit MK-I off the road waiting to be rebuilt ... want to create a new tail end along the lines of the B-King ... eventually

[Devans]

Top job there, considering it's only a garage it's an interesting read, good luck with the rest of the work you need to do.

[D O G]

[Fnatic]

I see projects like this online and wish I could do it

Would like a garage of my own to put my bike in. Get's scratched were it currently is

Good Project and keep us updated

[Shaane]

Noice. Can i have 1
____________________
EMRA Roadstock #92 - Paperwork Permitted.
Previous: 1992 DT125R
Current: ~ 2005 ZX6R C1H

[Clone]

Very nice! Your a right handyman eh? The work you put into that is pretty amazing

[reu]

Great job mate so when you coming to build mine then?
____________________
125cc Pitbike <sold> Aprilla Mx50 <current>

[Keir]

looks nice. why is it built in the middle of the garden instead of the bottom corner or something though?
____________________
Current : '08 Yamaha FZ1s
Previous: '99 Honda CBR 600FX, 03 ZX636 B1H, 99 Fazer 600 (red), 02 GSX-R 600 K2, 00 SV650s (red), 2008 ZX10R, 97 Bandit 1200N, 04 ZX6RR K1H, 04 GSX-R 1000, 98 Fazer 600 (gold), 05 Madness 110 Pit bike, 04 CR125R, 00 SV650s (black), 06 KTM 625 SMC, 99 SRAD 600 track bike, 03 SV650, 98 Bandit 1200N, Bandit 600SY, 03 GSX-R 600 K3, 01 GSX-R 600, 01 Fazer 600 (black), VFR 400 NC30 x3, 78 Honda Dream, 00 Speedfight 50

[Jockey]

As has been said previously, excellent job, a great deal of time, effort and thought has gone into it, well done.-Jockey.
____________________
Current bike VFR 400 R NC30, others now gone.

[BanditsHigh]

I had to build it at least 5m from the house in order to put it close to the boundry (rules and regs), that and with the long driveway it was the only place I could situate it so that a cage would fit in it!!

The reason for cage being able to access it was just in case I ever get one (shudder) or decide to sell the house (good selling point) ... it still leaves half the width of the garden to the side of the garage and the full width towards the rear.

If I get another job and keep the house then the intention is is put some decking extending out from the house with a multi-curved edge which overhangs a pond, again with multi-curved edges ... that will then lead on to the garden itself which will be formed from a series of interlocking curved terraces grassed over and flowers (a bit too much I know) and finally a stream running down the middle.

At the back of the garage I also intend doing a concealed area which could be used for entertaining mates ... once I get some ... could even use the back wall of the garage as a projection area for showing movies or playing vid games ... once I could afford a projector of course.

Thanks for all the positive feedback ... it's very gratifying when other people think what you've done is good ... mucho appreciated

All the best ... Barry

[MarJay]

First off, that looks excellent. I have been thinking of similar things lately what with house prices what they are. I don't have room for it where I live at the moment but if I moved house I thought I might look for a house with some small rear access and build a bike garage in the back garden. Also is better security against theft if you don't obviously have a garage.

Can I ask why you didn't extend it right to the end of your garden? Personally I'd want as much room as humanly possible! Can I also ask how much it cost to hire the digger? G keeps on about it for one of his projects, but I'm thinking of possibly building a driveway on the front of my house, and I'd need a digger to remove the tree stumps from my front garden.

Great write-up BTW!
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[ms51ves3]

Looking good.

I don't think I could live without my garage and I'm constantly complaining to my dad about getting the electrics sorted out as he blew the lights up

Once you fill that garage though you'll want to build another one. Trust me, I need more space.

[BanditsHigh]

Reason I didn't extend to end of garden is that I wanted some of it left I've got about 6m left to the side of the garage and about 3-4m behind, so I could add another section onto the back if required ... and believe me it's already to small ... 7 bikes in various states and loads of bits and pieces

The hire for the digger was about £125 + £20 (I think) for delivery which was from one of the HSS hire places ... turned out to be a brand new JCB I got ... first person to use it and first person to get the track to come off

[Graham88]

Nice!

[jack_zxr400]

wow, thats really impressive
____________________
Previous Bike: ZXR 400
Current Bike: R6
Test Date: 8/8/2008-PASSED

[hornetmike]

thats a cool garage
____________________
87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[APRUKI-BEAST]

nice on m8 ! i realy need a garage like, to protect me from the rain

[Noxious89123]

Can me and my CBR live in your garage please?
____________________
'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[BanditsHigh]

Would love to give you all a space in the garage ... but it'll be full of my own bikes

Once again, thanks for all the comments ... appreciated

[Dom_]

Some hard graft in that, whats total cost and man hours?

[Barry_M2]