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: 🔌 Owner DIY rough-in — Panel energized March 2026, interior electrical/HVAC/plumbing rough-in in progress
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.
🔌 OWNER DIY ROUGH-IN PHASE — Panel Energized, Interior Buildout In Progress
Major Milestones:
- ✅ Oct 30, 2025 — Concrete slab poured with radiant heat, utility conduits, and lift pads
- ✅ Dec 2-12, 2025 — Framing, roof, metal panels, windows/door, Tyvek — exterior shell weathertight
- ✅ Jan 13, 2026 — Front siding complete, door openings corrected from 7’ to 8’
- ✅ Jan 21, 2026 — 🎉 GARAGE DOORS INSTALLED — All three 8’×9’ doors with Genie 6170H-B openers
- ✅ Mar 24, 2026 — Underground trench complete, 200A feeder wire buried (months-long frozen-ground delay resolved)
- ✅ Mar 31, 2026 — 200A panel energized, first interior circuit live (openers off the GFCI, no more extension cord)
- ✅ Apr 8-17, 2026 — SLS scope complete: 3 soffit wafer lights, 50A generator inlet, interior/exterior GFCI, entry switch — inspection passed, final invoice $5,050
- ✅ Apr 22, 2026 — Garage Wi-Fi live (Ubiquiti U6+); first owner-DIY Shelly relay installed behind a switch
- 🔧 In progress — DIY interior electrical: lighting circuits, ceiling outlets (openers/cord reels/bay lights/workbench/lift), switch topology rollout, Shelly relays
Current Status (May 2026):
- ✅ Construction contract fulfilled — Hershberger’s complete; dumpster cleanup done
- ✅ Electrical service energized — panel live, soffit lights on, generator inlet ready, inspection passed
- ✅ Network live — Wi-Fi up, Cat6 from house pulled through SLS conduit, first Shelly installed
- 🔧 Active DIY work — Interior electrical rough-in ahead of insulation/drywall — see To-Do
- 📋 Open coordination — Utility trench sequencing (sewer/gas/water) gates driveway pour; awaiting plumber callback (see May 11 Timeline)
🔧 DIY Interior Buildout — Where Work Is Headed
With the panel hot, the project is in its longest DIY block: months of rough-in (electrical, HVAC pre-rough, plumbing rough-in for the loft bath, ERV chases), then insulation, then drywall, then finish. Ceiling outlets for openers/cord reels/bay lights/workbench/lift all need to be installed pre-insulation. See Scope of Work for the DIY/contractor split, and Interior Lighting Plan for the plan to hang shop lights early as construction lighting.
Next Milestones:
- May-Jun 2026 — Resolve utility trench sequencing with plumber (Brian McJames pending callback); driveway pour gated on this
- Summer 2026 — Interior electrical rough-in completed; insulation contractor selection and install; HVAC + plumbing pre-rough
- Summer 2026 — Mini-split installation (two separate systems decided 2026-05-14)
- Fall 2026 — Drywall, paint, finish; permanent lighting fixtures
- Late 2026 — Lift installation, DIY floor densifier (post-drywall; replaces the planned coating — decided 2026-06-06)
Key Decisions
Track all major project decisions in the Decisions Log.
Recent decisions:
- Electrical labeling convention (May 18): Adopted standardized wire & box labeling scheme for DIY rough-in
- Loft bedroom configuration deferred (May 17): Bedroom buildout pushed to Phase 3 apartment conversion
- Dual hard + soft water lines to garage (May 16): Both feeds planned for utility trench
- Loft door-closed comfort + ERV pre-rough (May 15): Transfer-fan hub approach; ERV chases roughed now, unit deferred
- Mini-split topology: two separate systems (May 14): Single-zone garage + 2-zone loft instead of one multi-zone
- Boiler fuel: natural gas combi (May 6): Sealed-combustion combi unit for radiant + DHW
- Front motion sensor architecture (May 2): Hardwired PIR via LV cabinet, HA-orchestrated
- Vehicle bay lighting on dedicated circuit (Apr 23): Split from ceiling/door run for lift-bay safety
- Interior lighting switch topology (Apr 20): 3-way hardwired walk-through paths + single-pole task zones with Shelly relays
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)
- ✅ Electrical Service & Panel (Mar 24 - Apr 17)
- 🔧 MEP Rough-In & DIY Interior Electrical — In progress (May 2026)
- 📋 Insulation, Drywall, Finish — Summer-Fall 2026
- 📋 Lift, Permanent Lighting, Floor Densifier (DIY) — Late 2026
Active Planning Documents
Priority Items
- Next Actions - Bird’s-eye ranked priority view (regenerated by
/prioritize) - Project To-Do List - Full task inventory by area (authoritative)
- 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:
- May 15, 2026 - 🏠 Loft door-closed comfort plan decided: Transfer-fan hub approach + ERV pre-rough now (install later) + interior door specs; Stage 3 pre-rough tasks added (Timeline)
- May 14, 2026 - ❄️ Mini-split topology revised: Two separate systems (single-zone garage + 2-zone loft) instead of one multi-zone (Decision)
- May 11, 2026 - 🚰 Driveway gated on trench sequencing: Plumber referral pending (Brian McJames); SLS $240 refund requested (Timeline)
- Apr 22, 2026 - 📡 Garage Wi-Fi live + first DIY Shelly: Ubiquiti U6+ mounted, Cat6 from house pulled, Shelly 1PM Mini Gen 4 installed behind a switch — first owner-DIY device (Timeline)
- Apr 20, 2026 - 💡 Interior lighting switch topology decided: 3-way hardwired walk-through paths + single-pole task zones; Shelly Plus 1PM at load on 3-way, Shelly Plus 1 behind switch on single-pole (Decision)
- Apr 17, 2026 - ⚡ SLS Electric scope complete: Final invoice $5,050, inspection passed; all remaining electrical work is now owner DIY (Timeline)
- Apr 8, 2026 - ⚡ Electrical work complete, awaiting inspection: Soffit lights operational, exterior GFCI energized, all SLS work terminated (Timeline)
- Mar 31, 2026 - 🔌 200A panel energized: Interior GFCI live, door openers off extension cord; 50A generator inlet installed (Timeline)
- Mar 24, 2026 - 🌱 Electrical trench complete: SLS resolved months-long frozen-ground delay; wire buried, backfilled same day (Timeline)
- Feb 11, 2026 - ❄️ Cement blankets removed — spring thaw required: 28 days of passive thawing with zero progress; trench deferred to natural spring thaw (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; Hershberger’s contract complete (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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