1.03.2009

The Garage

Happy New Year!
We are back from vacation and things are getting rolling now. We expect permits by the end of next week, so we spent a good part of our weekend getting our garage cleaned out. The first step in the construction process it to tear down our garage which will give the workers room to dig out our foundation. Also, by code, we had to tear down our garage or get a waiver because it would be too close to our new addition. The current garage is a detached structure about 6 feet from our existing back porch. It's too narrow to put a car into (it was built in 1940 - so more for a Model T than an SUV), so it was really just a brick shed. Plus, we don't want to look out of our new kitchen onto a garage. So, down it comes... Hopefully the same day as we get the permits.

Here is a picture of the garage relatively cleaned out. Jim spent a good part of the day taking stuff from our garage and putting it into the second bay of our VERY generous neighbor's garage. He only has one vehicle and a very large garage so it was really nice of him to let us use the other half. We'll have to get a storage unit probably at some point in the process but at least we don't have to pay to store our garage junk!
The current plan (subject to change of course) is for our contractor to build the new garage sooner rather than later because it will provide some much needed storage space to him as well as us (for new appliances, building materials, yard items, etc.). Hopefully we won't have to impose on our neighbor for the entire building process. The garage is now almost entirely cleaned out so the only things left are a few things we'll have to take to our rental house which I think we have found (fingers crossed). We plan to move out in February.