Garage apartment project

Garage / Apartment Project 2009-2012

Here is a project to build a two car garage and shop with a small accessory apartment built into the side hill below the garage.
It would have stunning views of the cliffs on Deer Mountain.
Here is the project story as it unfolds...

Kitchen Appliances going in. Floor concrete stained	View of greatroom, woodstove in corner ready for trim
Shot of the hot water radiant heat system. Propane fired tank provides domestic hot water and hot water to the pex tubes in the apartment floor

View from downhill Fall 2011	Drywall going in apartment

Another drywall shot apartment	Drywall in the workshop

Septic System link between two runs each 80 ft	Septic "Gravelless Chamber" type installation

Running pipe from tank	Tank to drain field run

Installing a Rockery with available rocks	Excavator taking a break Note the brown paint choice


Fall 2010 evening shot	Pretty much finished on the outside and to "Lockup"

Installing the wood stove in the shop/studio	View from the garage lookiing at the entry to the shop
Shot from the North through woods	Hardiboard siding going on. This will not be the final color!

Garage Front (last week of October) Tyvek home wrap on and driveway/walkway poured. Note stained soffet boards staged inside.


First week of October 2010: Windows and deck going on	View from below. Note how it is built into the sidehill.
Pen Sketch from woods	PUD Meter Installed. Electric Service milestone!


Roof going on nicely. Note the little roof over the side entry door	Interior framing complete

PEX tubing for the hot and cold. Here's the runs to the kitchen	Examining the bathroom plumbing rough-in End of September
Lower Front View	Framing of apartment coming together

Shot of the 2 Car Garage Front	Apartment framing from below grade Note the sonotube for the deck support in foreground

Workshop behind garage	Sideview of the building

Installing the PEX tubing for radiant heat over the 6x6 grid late August	We'll pour a 4" concrete slab and encase the tubing. The heat will consist of circulating 140 degree water through the tubes

Test Manifold pressurized and ready to pour the slab	Utility Ditch Note the 200 Amp conduit and telco, internet, gate control conduits

Shannon and Grampa setting R12 foam base for heated slab	In- Floor waste piping installed and inspected

Backfilling the upper wall	Backfilling the lower wall

Shot of the south side showing window well cutout. Note the downspout and perimeter drain piping going in.	Completed foundation
Shot of the new driveway spur on the left. Right side goes up to the cedar prowhouse. Note the cool rock that we dug up.	Clearing the lot The major tools shown. Stump fire, Trak-hoe and Transit
Footings laid out and ready to pour	Shot of the foundation walls just prior to the pour


This is the sketch from Architect Steve Peterson after we met and I explained what I wanted. We discussed my rough sketch A visit to the building site, a couple more meetings and Steve and I were able to hammer out the rest of the building layout. It included a shop space and bathroom in the garage and a generous 800 square foot 2 bedroom Accessory Apartment below. This experienced architect used his skills to fit the design into the surrounding terrain and make it a truly "eye-popping" design. Link to Steve's Website
September 2009 This is what Dave found on the Internet. Plain crackerbox List of dave's design criteria	Dave's rough Sketch This is sort of what was wanted. Two levels with an apartment dug into the hillside. Large garage-shop above with lots of natural light

Architect sketch : View from the East


The decision was made to move ahead!		Getting started: Final touches to county-mandated sign mounting. Note the departure from "required" 2x4 mounting
Proposed Site Plan as sent to the county.
County required a site review due to 250 ft proximity to Jordan Creek. Here's the hand-drawn site plan with exact distances from building site to the creek		Project Chronology 2009 Sept - looking on internet for stock plans Oct- talked to couple builders got ROM estimates for proj Nov- Contacted architect liked plan signed contract Dec- Prelim meeting with county with plans and permits. Their focus was on creek proximity. Architect accompanied. 2010 January - Plans to three local contractors for bids March - First formal meeting to obtain building permit March - 2nd meeting with building dept. Plans accepted! March - 30 day comment period for the conditional use permit needed for the accessory apartment. April- Worked on project sequencing planning April-Selected winning Contractor: On the Level Construction May-Began clearing the lot in a serious way June- Brought in a Trak-hoe and began excavation June-Foundations laid out and poured concrete July- Backfilling and lots of dirt work with the big trak-hoe August- Final grading of apartment floor and garage floor August. Final grading and set drainage away from building. August- Final prep for slab pours, one heated, one not August- Installation of 200Amp power conduit and telco September- Slab pours September- Building is begun - It's been a friggin year! October- Framing Complete, Windows installed October- Plumbing rough-in complete October- 200 Amp PUD service approved, began wiring November-Siding completion, final pour of entries November-Exterior and Interior entry doors installed December- Garage Doors installed, wiring at 30% December- To "Lockup" all doors and windows installed 2011 January- May -Wiring June- Landscaping, wiring, rockery July- Propane gas line, wiring, rockery August- Insulation, garage openers, wiring September- Wiring and Septic October- Drywall and painting November- Radiant Heat and hot water heat fab December- Finalize elect and mech instllations 2012 January- final inspections of elect and building January- Order kitchen cabinets, bath cabinets Feb- Appliances ready to install, trim selections
		View the Project Master Sequence Plan

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