Hey guys, I'm new to the board here. I've been contemplating building a garage for quite some time now, but the cost of doing so is more than my budget will allow. I was looking at my home on the way up the driveway this afternoon and it hit me. I have a full unfinished basement with a perfect spot for a garage door. My house/basement is 28' x 40'. The wall in which I want to put the garage door is a 40' wall with an access door opening 13 blocks (8" x 12") from the inside corner. I haven't had a chance to measure, but roughly 13.3 or so feet from the inside corner, 13.8 ft from the outside corner to the edge of the door opening. There is currently a small window in between the door and the corner. There's a 2nd level deck on the other side of the door, so putting it on the other side is out of the question. Anyway, I wanted to put in a 9' x 7' garage door in the space I described above. By the way, the wall is 11 full blocks tall with approx. 3" of block on sticking out of the floor on the first row. Once again, I haven't measured...I would estimate the height of the celing to be about 8.5-9 feet...the thought just struck me and I thought I'd see if this would work before I got too far into the project. I have one true concern and a couple questions..

First of all, with this being load bearing wall, will I be able to cut a door opening large enough to accomodate a 9' x 7' garage door? (8' x 7' will work but I'd prefer to go with 9 x 7). I mean, is there any way I can brace the upper row of blocks with metal or a piece of 2x8 or 2x10 lumber?

Now assuming this will work, will I be able to remove most of the blocks with a masonary blade on a circular saw? If not, what tools would be recommended?

Also, for a 9x7 door, how large would the opening need to be in order to build the frame?

I haven't much experience in this kinda thing, but I'm a quick learner and can do anything I set my mind to...paying somebody else to do it is not an option.

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ahead of time and I truly will appreciate any replies.

Paul

 

HI
First of all welcome to the forum.
1: Better check your local township inspection department for building code.
2. I'm quite sure you will need a steel beam somewhere to hold the house particition where the cement block are remove.
3. This is not an easy job. lot of factor do come in play.
Get your building inspector to look at what you to do and i'm sure he would inform you on the precedure involve.
Good Luck

pgtek

 

[QOUTE] I haven't much experience in this kinda thing, but I'm a quick learner and can do anything I set my mind to...paying somebody else to do it is not an option. [QOUTE]

If you are a civil or structural engineer, have or are presently working for a concrete sawing/coreing/breaking Co. and have knowledge about firewalling and preventing vapor intrusion, IE. petroleum and products of combustion migrating into living spaces, It should be a piece of cake.

 

ah thanks anyway...just wanted an explanation on the steps involved in doing it...my girlfriend's dad's friend owns a construction company so I'm just gonna ask him. I mean...I was thinking of sandwiching the top row of blocks between 3/8" - 1/2" steel...drill matching holes in both pieces of steel before trying to attach it to the house. Then drill holes through the blocks and run large bolts through. Then use a masonary saw and cut the door opening out large enough to build a 2x8 frame...then slip the garage door in...how hard could it be? I'm not worried about vapors...I live in West Virginia...I own 273 acres and can't see my nearest neighbor's house. anyway...thanks for the replies. I'll keep this updated in case anybody else wants to "do-it-yourself"