garage under house

[WSSix]

Now that I'm looking for a home to buy, I'm finding a lot of homes with garages under the house. Considering our hobby and all that comes with it, will this be a problem? I figure I'll have to be careful with exhaust fumes but what about other smells like spray paint or cleaning chemicals? Any other issues or situations I should keep in mind when looking at a house with a garage under it?

Thanks

[Sieg]

From a temperature standpoint they can be beneficial. A simple wall mounted exhaust fan can resolve fume issues and double as a spray paint area. I would want a sound insulated and sheetrocked (fire control) ceiling in the space.

[grif54]

We moved to Pittsburgh PA a few years ago from board flat Ohio where there are almost no houses with garages below the house. We didn't look at one house where the garage wasn't below a part of the house, that concerned me a bit but didn't have much of a choice. I have 4 fire extinguishers in my deep 2 car garage just for a piece of mind. As Sieg said a fire resistant ceiling is a great idea, it is actually a code around here for garages. I usually don't do anything in the garage without having the doors open for ventilation. My plan for priming my car when the time comes is to use a couple of big fans to push air out of the garage. I also got an electric heater instead of my kerosene one for the winter time. Hope this helps and happy house hunting.:thumbsup:

[LS1-IROC]

We just moved into a house a couple years ago with a large 2 stall under the house. I absolutely love the house, hate the damn garage!! I used to have a big un-attached 3 stall garage where I didn't have to worry about sound, fumes and all the nasty stuff we emit in our garages. With the new house it is such a pain in the ass.
I just finished painting the engine bay of my car. Even with everything sealed, taped and exhaust fans, the smell still got into the house. I had to evacuate my 2 small kids and wife to the neighbors house until it all cleared out.
Every time I start up the lawn mower in the garage in the summer the fumes will creep into the house even with both doors open.
Lesson learned for me. We are now saving up money so i can build a small 2 car garage away from the house.:bang:

[DBasher]

I'd be looking for a detached or a house with enough property to build. A lot of homes have great ignition sources in the garage...water heater & furnace. A friend I used to work with lost his house a month ago, his garage was directly under the master.

Two lessons learned, 1) oily/chemical rags will gas off and flash 2) air cooled VW motors burn really well!

House hunting! Yaaa!
:cheers:

[HPIcustoms]

Personally I'd be worried about the risk of fire like mentioned, but that can be dealt with by having metal containers outside the garage for such things. But still, one can never be to safe when it comes to a risk of fire.
Good ventilation via a basic exhaust fan (of a specific size according to the room) in the wall should deal with the smells, in my old house I rigged up a larger bathroom fan in a window in a paint booth I made in the garage, sealed it and it kept the pressure nice. Never had fumes/ smell issues in the other section of the garage.

I'd be concerned about the clearance from the angle of the driveway if your vehicle is low enough to cause an issue if the driveway is to be sloped into the foundation. And a garage away from the house ALWAYS leaves room for expansion.

[HEEP]

This is why I built a detached. The wife could not stand any fumes in the house. Plus the fact that the kids were small, no noise when the kids were going to bed. I swear, I could take the lid off a spray can and she could smell it. However, if that is all you have, then you deal with it. Fortunately, I was able to build on the property. So much better all the way around.

[Che70velle]

A drive under, is the technical term for this style of home. I live in one myself, and is also why I elected to build a shop on my property, out from my house. I keep my four wheeler, my sons dirtbike, and the lawn mower down there, but before I start any of them, I have to push them outside. The fumes always make their way upstairs, which is no bueno. Of course my wife keeps her car down there, but we always open the garage door before starting the car.
I'd hesitate to try to do anything down there requiring a chemical. I don't even store my gas cans in the garage. The smell finds its way upstairs, so the gas cans go out in the shop. Keep looking Trey, you will find exactly what your looking for.

[WSSix]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I feel like I have so many things I have to find a balance between. This home buying stuff is maddening, lol.

[Sieg]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I feel like I have so many things I have to find a balance between. This home buying stuff is maddening, lol.

Location location location. Difficult access, traffic, bad neighbors, flooding potential, excessive yard maintenance, bad power supply, noise, etc all factor into your daily life.

Larger lot sizes give you options down the road......trailer parking, storage shed to free up garage space, etc.

[srh3trinity]

I like my basement garage for woodworking and what not. Any paint results in fumes upstairs as others have pointed out. Also, you probably won't find many basement garages that are high enough to do a lift if you ever want one of those. Mine isn't high enough or I would have at least one lift, and maybe a two post and four post.

[WSSix]

Bill's comment on noise I think has solidified my decision to an extent. See, anything I can afford that's closer in to town would most likely be a row house/condo. I think my neighbors would hate me. Lots of choices a little further out from town. Not sure about finding something with a lot that I can afford but we'll see.

Thanks guys

[Ummgawa]

My first house buying experience was similar to yours. Houses all had garages under the house. I didn't care for it much, but there was a nice flat concrete driveway for me to push my project outside to work on. I was lucky, the previous owner was a car dude. He had it all piped up for a compressor, fire extinguisher system, etc.

The deal was sealed when we went back to look one last time, and the guy next door fired up his big block Corvette. Four houses later, he and I are still great friends. I figured that a good neighbor or two was just as important.

Good luck. And as I told my son when picking a wife or a house: Choose Wisely.

[WSSix]

Thanks, Jim!