Adding 3rd Stall Garage
- Thread starter ISUFan22
- Start date
:swoon:
When PapaLew was designing his "garagemahal" (thanks, double ought!) I had to walk him back from 10 bays. It's 2-1/2 bays, each bay is extra long, so one truck/RV or two cars on a bay. The upstairs is all of his woodworking stuff.
To the OP:
PapaLew did most of the actual construction himself, with a little help getting the wall frames upright and setting the trusses, but we had a guy named Vince Handeland pour the pilings and the pad. It's the third time he's done work for us, twice at this home and once at our previous home. I'd recommend his work to anyone. https://www.lead411.com/Vince_Handeland_12159430.html
You'll want to check with the City to make sure you have space on your lot. It might look like you do, but setbacks can be weird. We thought about doing and addition and we've got a lot of space one side of our house, but we have a corner lot so we couldn't be any closer to the street on that side.
Agreed, once you get into the suburbs that were built in the 70's or later, the more you see 3+ stalls.
This. And that is why we have an "oversized" 2 stall garage. Easily fits 2 cars with room for storage, etc. Hindsight, wish I would have forced into the budget the 3rd stall. It wasn't an issue for us, but clearly is an issue in the market.
I thought so too, but we have. I knew it would be a sticking point for some, but still felt it would sell. The fact we've had zero showings since 11.1 is telling tho. We met with Mark (from CF) this weekend and we have 3 options:
- don't sell
- drop price $30k or more as nothing has sold in our size/price point for 2 years
- add a 3rd stall
I think, until we see some bids and what the end result will look like, it will greatly benefit us financially to add that 3rd stall. The fact that no one other than Mark (we had met with 3 realtors previously) provided us with such a detailed/honest analysis is just ******* frustrating. The entire time we felt we were priced exactly where we need to be and in all aspects minus the garage, we are.
I'll know that once I get some bids back. I have 2 I am waiting on and I thought by posting this thread I'd get some contractor recommendations. But the garage debate is much more compelling apparently. I appreciate all the ideas/thoughts and countering opinions. At this time I need some honest recommendations on good contractors other than the 2 I have. We can debate garages later.
I added one for a customer in Indianola for $24,000 about 5 years ago. Had a tricky(hip) roof. If that helps.
Yeah, but i don't want to be those americans with cars in my driveway or in the street. We have 3 cars today and when my daughter is old enough, i am sure we will end up with another.
It is a big drop, and typically that would sound crazy but not in this instance.
The data on this house is crystal clear. There is zero sales history of another house like this in the area. There are also currently no other active listings like it. It is rare to have such a large home with only a two car garage. Buyers spending in the mid 3's want a three car at least. They just expect it.
No matter the time of year, having no showings in 3 months is ALWAYS an indication of a price problem. Unfortunately, they were getting some bad advice from less experienced agents. They needed someone to tell them what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear. I was happy to do that for them.
This is a rare deal where spending the money gives them a legit chance of getting all the money back compared to what they would have to do to sell it without making the change. This is due to the size of the home/lot.
This is a good example of when it pays to consult someone who sells homes for a living and does it day in or day out.
People that do not do this often have perceptions of how things are that are not based on facts or experience.
Everyone should have a good real estate agent as part of their "Life Team". This team should also have a doctor, lawyer, lender, inspector, plumber, electrician, etc. on it. You never know when you will need one of these people to help you through an issue.
Drop $30k and every agent/buyer knows/thinks your desperate and will offer even less if you do get a showing. Yeah, if their original agent priced it wrong to begin with, you're correct, it's not going to sell at that price so you need to adjust.
As a life team member have you discussed rationale behind selling? Maybe the best option is to stay put. Is the garage truly the one sticking point with house? Is this house the most expensive in neighborhood?
As a life team member have you discussed rationale behind selling? Maybe the best option is to stay put. Is the garage truly the one sticking point with house? Is this house the most expensive in neighborhood?
Don't underestimate the value of a good agent.
The one I worked with 30 years ago was in it for the commission. She repeatedly took us to places that were at or just above our upper limit and totally unsuitable for what we wanted, and would try to talk us into offering on them. Unfortunately, if we wanted out of the lease in the duplex we rented when we first got to Ames, we had to go through that agency. We finally found "acceptable" sub-letters, transferred the lease and told the agency to kiss off. We found the perfect home at an open house the following weekend, and ended up living there for 20 years. We were lucky in the transaction as we ended up doing it without an agent on "our" side, but never regretted the purchase.
The one we worked with in 2003 was worth her weight in gold. Sixty years old, slogging through acreages with us (about 40 properties in four counties over the space of six months), listening to what we liked/disliked, offering sound advice even if it moved us away from a good sale for her. She knew us well enough to know that even though we thought we were being very non-committal when looking at the house we live in now, it would be "the one". When we called her the next morning to tell her we wanted to put together an offer, she told us she was expecting the call.
The one I worked with 30 years ago was in it for the commission. She repeatedly took us to places that were at or just above our upper limit and totally unsuitable for what we wanted, and would try to talk us into offering on them. Unfortunately, if we wanted out of the lease in the duplex we rented when we first got to Ames, we had to go through that agency. We finally found "acceptable" sub-letters, transferred the lease and told the agency to kiss off. We found the perfect home at an open house the following weekend, and ended up living there for 20 years. We were lucky in the transaction as we ended up doing it without an agent on "our" side, but never regretted the purchase.
The one we worked with in 2003 was worth her weight in gold. Sixty years old, slogging through acreages with us (about 40 properties in four counties over the space of six months), listening to what we liked/disliked, offering sound advice even if it moved us away from a good sale for her. She knew us well enough to know that even though we thought we were being very non-committal when looking at the house we live in now, it would be "the one". When we called her the next morning to tell her we wanted to put together an offer, she told us she was expecting the call.
Just me but I'd be inclined to drop it by $20k and see if there are any bites. What's the worst that could happen? If that doesn't work you could always build a garage later. I don't know the price but if I'm paying 220k for a house in the suburbs I don't expect a 3 car garage. If I'm paying $250k or more I do.
And even with that, you'll want more. I built 2 years ago and mine is 4-wide (52') ad over 30' deep. I believe no matter how big you build, your stuff expands to fill the space.
Fortunately we have not broke ground on the garage yet.
It would be foolish for us not to look into this, get bids and then review with real estate professionals on the cost/benefit. If we don't go thru the process of collecting info on the cost to add a 3rd stall, we're blindly eliminating an opportunity.
It very well may be true that it is cost prohibitive to add the 3rd stall, or it may be the absolute best option for us. Based on what we assume it to cost and the expectation of what we'd get for our home - on the surface - it makes sense. We will know once we get bids back. I was first and foremost looking for contractor recommendations here. :-/
I wish we had added up front, that much is for certain. Live and learn and I can't go back 8+ years to correct that one. Hopefully it is not a drastic costly mistake.
dmclone - we are well over $300k, hence the current issue and the investigation on adding the 3rd stall. It is quite possible we may do just that, drop it $15-20k and see what happens. Mark feels that won't be enough. We will have a better idea on if trying that makes sense once we get bids back.
It would be foolish for us not to look into this, get bids and then review with real estate professionals on the cost/benefit. If we don't go thru the process of collecting info on the cost to add a 3rd stall, we're blindly eliminating an opportunity.
It very well may be true that it is cost prohibitive to add the 3rd stall, or it may be the absolute best option for us. Based on what we assume it to cost and the expectation of what we'd get for our home - on the surface - it makes sense. We will know once we get bids back. I was first and foremost looking for contractor recommendations here. :-/
I wish we had added up front, that much is for certain. Live and learn and I can't go back 8+ years to correct that one. Hopefully it is not a drastic costly mistake.
dmclone - we are well over $300k, hence the current issue and the investigation on adding the 3rd stall. It is quite possible we may do just that, drop it $15-20k and see what happens. Mark feels that won't be enough. We will have a better idea on if trying that makes sense once we get bids back.
And even with that, you'll want more. I built 2 years ago and mine is 4-wide (52') ad over 30' deep. I believe no matter how big you build, your stuff expands to fill the space.
I can vouch for that. PapaLew moved all the stuff that filled all but MY parking space in our attached 2.5 over to his garagemahal. Which is now full to the brim (as is the space that he cleared in the attached garage).
Our deal has always been that I don't care what he does with his side of the garage, but if I have a garage, I'm damn well going to park in it, and I do. Most of the time, he doesn't.
