Garage Project Overview
AI-generated rendering showing the completed three-car garage with loft space (approximate colors and materials)
Project: 24’×40’×10’ three-car garage with 2-post lift, workshop/office, and comprehensive utility systems Location: Clare, Michigan Current Phase: 🎉 INITIAL BUILD COMPLETE — Garage doors installed January 21, 2026
Quick Links: To-Do · Decisions · Timeline · Build Status · HVAC · Electrical
Project Philosophy: Learn by Building
This project is intentionally DIY wherever safely possible, for two reasons:
- Cost management — Contractor labor for every system would far exceed the budget. DIY installation of electrical, insulation, drywall, HVAC, networking, and finish work keeps the project affordable while still achieving an ambitious scope.
- Learning — Every system installed by hand is a skill learned. Automotive repair, residential electrical, insulation, plumbing, HVAC, network infrastructure — this garage is as much a learning platform as it is a building.
This vault is the permanent knowledge base. Every design decision, product selection, installation detail, wiring route, and lesson learned is documented here so that nothing is lost to memory. In 20 years, a failed outlet, a weird heating problem, or a leaking roof can be diagnosed by looking back at exactly what was installed, where, how, and why.
Licensed contractors handle work requiring certification, utility coordination, or specialized equipment — electrical service entrance, gas lines, concrete work. Everything else is owner-installed with thorough documentation.
📸 Visual Documentation
🎥 Construction Videos — Watch time-lapse videos and drone footage of the build process!
📷 Photo Gallery — Browse chronological photo documentation organized by date.
Current Build Status
See Initial Build for latest construction progress and photo documentation.
🎉 INITIAL BUILD COMPLETE — Garage Doors Installed (Jan 21, 2026)
Major Milestones:
- ✅ Oct 30 — Concrete slab poured with radiant heat, utility conduits, and lift pads
- ✅ Dec 2-4 — Framing began, roof trusses set, dormer framing complete
- ✅ Dec 8 — Roof sheathing and weatherproofing complete
- ✅ Dec 11 — Metal roof installed, materials delivered, SLS Electric selected ($4,610)
- ✅ Dec 12 — EXTERIOR SHELL COMPLETE — Metal roof, all 8 windows, entry door, soffits, Tyvek — weathertight!
- ✅ Jan 13 — Front siding complete, door openings modified from 7’ to 8’
- ✅ Jan 21 — 🎉 GARAGE DOORS INSTALLED — All three 8’x9’ doors with Genie 6170H-B openers (battery backup)
- 📋 Pending — Electrical service completion (ground thawing stalled — March 2026 target), dumpster cleanup
Current Status (Feb 6, 2026):
- 🎉 Initial Build COMPLETE — Hershberger’s construction contract fulfilled
- ❄️ Electrical trenching delayed — Coldest week yet; frost likely deepening further (revised target: March 2026)
- 🗑️ Cleanup pending — Hershberger’s returning with dumpster for scrap pile removal
- 📋 Owner work begins — Electrical completion, insulation, interior finish
⚡ Electrical Service — Ground Thawing Stalled by Record Cold
Contractor: SLS Electric LLC (Steve) — $4,610 for 200A service Status: Curing blankets deployed Jan 15 — 22 days with zero thawing progress. Jan 30 - Feb 6 was the coldest stretch yet (lows to -9°F, highs 12-27°F, never reaching freezing). Frost depth likely increased beyond the original 10”. Brief warmup Feb 10-11 (35-37°F) is first above-freezing temps but insufficient for meaningful thaw. Revised timeline: March 2026 — mid-to-late March if temps normalize.
Scope: 200A panel, GFI outlets, 3 soffit wafer lights, 50A generator plug, 2x low-voltage conduits Details: Electrical Contractors · Quote
Next Milestones:
- Feb 10-11 — Clear snow from blankets during brief warmup (35-37°F) to restore solar absorption
- March 2026 — Complete electrical trenching once ground thawed (mid-to-late March target)
- Spring 2026 — Schedule insulation contractor site visits, energize garage
- Spring 2026 — HVAC installation
- Apr-May 2026 — Floor coating installation (90+ day concrete cure complete)
Key Decisions
Track all major project decisions in the Decisions Log.
Recent decisions:
- Loft flooring selection (Dec 20): LVP flooring with acoustic underlayment recommended for home theater use ($2,300-3,300)
- Electrical trenching delayed (Dec 18): Frozen ground (10” frost) delays underground power to spring 2026
- SLS Electric selected (Dec 11): 200A service installation for $4,610 including generator plug
- WRB/Housewrap confirmed (Dec 1-12): Tyvek HomeWrap installed on all wall surfaces
- Vented roof confirmed (Dec 1-12): Vented soffits + continuous ridge vent installed
- Pre-insulation work scope (Dec 1): Hershberger’s completed air sealing, Tyvek, window flashing
Financial details redacted for privacy
- Hershberger contract (Oct 13): Locked in concrete specs, exterior finishes, and initial build scope
Build Sequence
See Sequence to build garage for the complete construction sequence.
Key Phases:
- ✅ Site Prep & Excavation (Oct 2025)
- ✅ Concrete Slab & Foundation (Oct 30-31)
- ✅ Frame Structure (Dec 2-4)
- ✅ Roof Installation (Dec 8-12)
- ✅ Siding, Windows & Doors (Dec 12 - Jan 21) — COMPLETE
- 📋 MEP & Interior Finish — Spring 2026
Active Planning Documents
Priority Items
- Project To-Do List - Current action items
- Decisions Log - Major project decisions
- Timeline - Project milestones
Design & Specifications
Build Documentation
Project Organization
📋 Planning (10-Planning/)
Planning documents, permits, budget, timeline, and decisions.
🏗️ Design (20-Design/)
Interior and exterior design specifications, HVAC, electrical, and insulation plans.
👥 Vendors & Contacts (30-Vendors & Contacts/)
Vendor information, service providers, and order tracking.
📅 Meetings (40-Meetings/)
Meeting notes and documentation from contractor meetings and walkthroughs.
🔨 Build (50-Build/)
Construction phase documentation, including utilities, framing, roof, and siding.
✅ After Build (60-After Build/)
Post-construction items and future enhancements, including network infrastructure, HVAC installation, and interior finishing.
📚 Reference (90-Reference/)
Reference materials and research.
Recent Activity
Latest Documentation Updates:
- Feb 6, 2026 - ❄️ Thawing stalled — coldest week yet: Jan 30-Feb 6 saw lows to -9°F, highs never reaching freezing. 22 days of blankets with zero progress; frost likely deepening. Brief warmup Feb 10-11 (35-37°F) insufficient for thaw. Timeline pushed to March 2026. (Timeline)
- Jan 29, 2026 - ❄️ Thawing delayed: Weather analysis shows no progress since Jan 15 — temps 10-31°F with lows to -10°F, snow-covered blankets, persistent cloud cover. Revised timeline: late Feb - March 2026. (Timeline)
- Jan 21, 2026 - 🎉 INITIAL BUILD COMPLETE: All three garage doors (8’x9’ insulated white with windows) and Genie 6170H-B openers installed with battery backup; doors tested and operational; Hershberger’s contract complete pending dumpster cleanup (Jan 21 Photos)
- Jan 15, 2026 - ⚡ Ground thawing begins: SLS Electric deployed curing blankets to thaw frozen ground for electrical trench completion (Jan 15 Photos)
- Jan 13, 2026 - 🏗️ Front siding complete: Versetta Ledgestone installed; door openings modified from 7’ to 8’ to match correctly-ordered doors (Jan 13 Photos)
- Dec 20, 2025 - 📸 Loft interior documentation: Site visit during Christmas break to document loft condition; 8 photos capturing floor, dormers, knee walls, stair opening; Loft Flooring Plan created with LVP research for home theater (Dec 20 Photos, Loft Flooring Plan)
- Dec 18, 2025 - ⚡ Electrical trenching attempted: SLS Electric arrived to begin underground power line; wire buried along house foundation but open area has 10” frozen ground — postponed to spring 2026 (Dec 18 Photos)
- Dec 16, 2025 - ⏸️ Christmas break: Called Marcus; crew taking break until Dec 29 to finish exterior siding work; building is weathertight so no urgency
- Dec 12, 2025 - 🎉 EXTERIOR SHELL COMPLETE! Metal roof fully installed, all 8 windows and entry door installed, vented soffits, Tyvek wrapped — building is now weathertight (Dec 12 Photos)
- Dec 11, 2025 - 🏠 Metal roof & materials: Standing-seam charcoal metal roof installation; major delivery from ABC Supply (8 windows, door, stone panels, Tyvek, flashing tape); SLS Electric selected ($4,610) (Dec 11 Photos)
- Dec 9, 2025 - 🏗️ Loft & stair progress: Stair rough-in complete, loft floor decked with OSB, knee walls and dormer sidewalls framed (Dec 9 Photos)
- Dec 8, 2025 - 🏗️ Roof sheathing complete: Main roof planes sheathed, synthetic underlayment installed, Tyvek on dormers (Dec 8 Photos)
- Dec 4, 2025 - 🏗️ Major framing progress: Roof trusses set with loader assist, dormer walls framed, loft floor joists installed with hangers and blocking (Dec 4 Photos)
- Dec 3, 2025 - 🔨 Framing kickoff: First-floor walls stood with LVL headers, OSB sheathing staged, joist hangers and sill gaskets installed (Dec 3 Photos)
- Dec 1, 2025 - 🏗️ Confirmed pre-insulation work scope with Marcus: air sealing, Tyvek, window flashing; vented roof with soffits + ridge vent (Critical Pre-Insulation Requirements)
- Nov 20, 2025 - 📦 RapidAir Maxline compressed air kit received and inventory verified (Compressed Air System - Order Tracking)
- Oct 30-31, 2025 - 🎉 Foundation complete: Concrete poured, all utility conduits installed, finishing work complete (Construction Videos)
For more: Timeline · Build Progress · Decisions
Key Contacts & Materials
See 30-Vendors & Contacts for complete vendor and contractor information.
See Products Used for detailed product specifications and manufacturer links.
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