NSR - Rotten old shed to garage?

[Boissal]

[Let me know if this needs to be migrated to the Padded Room]

I've been reading about this for a while and can't find enough info to make a decision. Real estate and construction peeps, what's your take on the following:

House in the Sugarhood of SLC. It has a long shared driveway in which I can park 3 cars in a row. This leads to an amusing morning dance with the roommie / girlfiend since the 1st person who needs to leave is always parked at the end of the driveway and needs the other car moved. I can park a car next to the others in front of the shed but it requires 4 wheeling down 2 concrete steps (multiple layers of concrete driveway were poured at some point) or driving across the lawn, not a good option.

The shed is older than dirt and falling apart. Most of the ashpalt shingles have rotted away, exposing the boards underneath which aren't doing much better. The only thing keeping water out is the plywood but I noticed a few drips this winter. The walls are also rotting away and there are holes large enough for a very large rodent to come in and out. The concrete slab stops right at the front of the shed and restarts maybe 2' from the back, extending past the back wall. The majority of the structure is on a dirt floor. It is about 12' x 19' and 13' from the property line in the back (room to expand a bit).
Width wide expansion isn't so easy because I don't want to eat too much of my lawn (on the left) and I'm butting against the multi layer driveway (on the right).

Thoughts on gutting the shed and putting up a 12x20 single car garage vs putting lipstick on the pig and redoing the roof, hoping the shed is structurally sound enough to last until I sell the house?
No budget at this point, from what I've read 15k is to be expected for the garage. I have reasonable DYI skills but have never tackled something of this size and definitely lack the time (and realistically the actual skills) to do this on my own. The plan is to keep the house as investment property for now and rent it. Most houses in the neighborhood have garages.

[Core Shot]

Why not pour more cement to eliminate the steps? cheapest option, and it looks like you would need that anyway if you make the shed into a garage?

The shed being rebuilt depends more on the studs, sill plates and rafters - how rotten are they after years of neglect. Redoing the roof is easy if the rafters are solid. Demo, redeck with plywood, shingle.

[XXX-er]

It looks pretty straight from here so maybe the structure isnt completely fucked but once a roof goes the rest of it will get rotten pretty quick, a reshingling would be pretty easy to do

If you ain't gona live in the house I don't see the point in throwing money at a new garage?

[Sirshredalot]

It looks pretty straight from here so maybe the structure isnt completely fucked but once a roof goes the rest of it will get rotten pretty quick, a reshingling would be pretty easy to do

If you ain't gona live in the house I don't see the point in throwing money at a new garage?

That's what I thought. 1 car garage vs large shed won't make any meaningful difference for the rental income.

I'm thinking of getting an estimate for a detached oversized 1 car with a studio above it, but I live here and would want it for my own toys / workshop / office.

[Boissal]

Why not pour more cement to eliminate the steps? cheapest option, and it looks like you would need that anyway if you make the shed into a garage?

That's what I'm thinking if I do go the garage way, probably shave off the lip of the steps to go down and have a slight incline to go up in the garage with a slab level with the driveway,
Filling in the whole lower area would require a huge amount of concrete...

It looks pretty straight from here so maybe the structure isnt completely fucked but once a roof goes the rest of it will get rotten pretty quick, a reshingling would be pretty easy to do
If you ain't gona live in the house I don't see the point in throwing money at a new garage?

That's what I thought. 1 car garage vs large shed won't make any meaningful difference for the rental income.
I'm thinking of getting an estimate for a detached oversized 1 car with a studio above it, but I live here and would want it for my own toys / workshop / office.

More or less the decision I have to make. I know for a rental the garage won't mean much but if I sell it I wonder if the garage pays for itself. When I refinanced the comps showed a similar house with a 2 car garage which added 20k to the value when compared to mine. Haven't seen comps for a single garage.

If I salvage the shed I'd like to redo it properly and hopefully keep the structure but the rot seems to be pretty bad at the base where the wood is in contact with the dirt floor. Not sure what to do about that...

[Obstruction]

How about knock down the garage and cover the steps with stone dust/ gravel? I doubt you'll get the cost of a two car garage back when you sell.

[XXX-er]

maybe you can replace that rotten sill plate or brace it or jack up the garage and put it on those concrete blocks you buy or sft, just spending minimal $$$$ yto save the structure cuz it looks pretty straight ... lipstick on the pig

I question putting the time & money into building a garage costing 20K actualy adding 20k to the value of the house ?

I could use the mancave type garage right here but not sure how long I wana stay so right now the 2nd bedroom has been turned into the waxing room/gear storage altho its still possible for a visitor to sleep on the futon ...much cheaper than spending 20K

[Boissal]

How about knock down the garage and cover the steps with stone dust/ gravel? I doubt you'll get the cost of a two car garage back when you sell.

That would work and be the cheapest option but I like having the shed to store all the yard stuff during the winter. I guess the choice is really to salvage the shed or tear it down and replace it with a garage.

[Obstruction]

I hear. I've got a eighty year old 2 bay garage w/barn doors and I've fought back the rot DIY with a new roof including replacing some structure and sheaving. Also had to fix up some walls and siding. All doable for fairly short $$$ if your up for getting dirty.

[nickwm21]

The majority of the structure is on a dirt floor.

Is the sill plate on concrete? That last picture sure looks like there is a little curb that runs the perimeter...

If so then fix her up. New roof, replace the rotted wood, complete the concrete floor inside, paint...

If not... Tear it down and spread some rock for more parking.

[Flyoverland Captive]

If all you want is storage for tools, rip that thing down and get a Tuffshed or equivalent from Home Depot. Much cheaper than a garage,

[::: :::]

replacing the garage doesn't change your driveway arrangement

you're always going to have a valet parking arrangement

hire DD to valet the cars

[Boissal]

replacing the garage doesn't change your driveway arrangement
you're always going to have a valet parking arrangement
hire DD to valet the cars

BAH!! I think I can concrete a mini ramp so I can park at least one car in front of the garage without having to jump the curb. Good beta on DD though!

Is the sill plate on concrete? That last picture sure looks like there is a little curb that runs the perimeter...
If so then fix her up. New roof, replace the rotted wood, complete the concrete floor inside, paint...

I have to check on that. The front and back do have concrete below but I was digging around at the base of one of the walls yesterday and found nothing but dirt...
How do you pour concrete inside a structure?? Dig up the dirt 5" deep and use the existing "foundation" if any as a form.

[oftpiste]

Not sure how things are there, but in Seattle if you tore that down you'd have a very difficult - if not impossible - time permitting a new building on the same footprint due to proximity to lot lines (setback requirements). Now, you could certainly "remodel" it which is what people here do.

Just something that might play into the conversation.

[nickwm21]

How do you pour concrete inside a structure?? Dig up the dirt 5" deep and use the existing "foundation" if any as a form.

Dig 3" deep. Tamp the shit out of it. Throw some #3s in there. Hire a few guys from the home depot lot to pour and finish it.

[XXX-er]

for roofing at the bare minimum you can buy the continuous rolls of asphalt roofing so just roll it right over those old shingles and nail it down for a quick n dirty waterproof job

OR strip the roof completely and replace any rotten plywood or sheathing

kinda depends on if you are gona limp thru till you sell the place or what??

[Viva]

In Los Angeles you could rent that place to a family of Mexicans and pocket, maybe $500-600 a month.

[straightlineorbust]

Volunteer to be cheap labor to make this happen, accept payment in skis, bindings, and beer

[Core Shot]

That's what I'm thinking if I do go the garage way, probably shave off the lip of the steps to go down and have a slight incline to go up in the garage with a slab level with the driveway,
Filling in the whole lower area would require a huge amount of concrete...
.

fill it in with gravel, or put down gravel, and then pour a new slab on top.

Rough cost, figure $100 a yard for concrete delivered. They all have minimums (5 yards?), but if you fill that whole thing you will be over that.
Gravel is approx 1.5 tons per yard, $50 a ton is $75 per yard.

take some measurements. If that thing is 18 feet by 18 feet (6 yards by 6 yards) by 18" deep (half a yard) you are talking around 18 cubic yards of fill. Or 25+ tons of gravel

craigslist is showing 30 tons for $550 bucks, 1/4" or 3/4" size https://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/for/6052100658.html.
As long as that guy is legit and the material is good, that solves your problem right there!

Even cheaper if you cand find someone on craigslist that has clean fill they can dump there to fill the hole a bit and reduce the amount of gravel you need. Just checked, and not much free stuff, but its around $10 a ton delivered from craigslist.

Gravel is easiest if you have no friends with concrete skills.
Gravel is way cheaper if you get free clean fill from the interwebs.

I like the idea of just using roll roofing over the existing shed for a cheap fix - as long as its not too heavy for the rotting structure and as long as you dont fall through the rotten roof while doing it.

[skifishbum]

id consider upgrading the roll roofing and torch down granulated modified bithethane
it will adhere way better and not have to be face nailed

[zion zig zag]

I'd recommend a new garage. With rooftop deck including tiki bar and hot tub. You can't afford not to do that.

[Boissal]

id consider upgrading the roll roofing and torch down granulated modified bithethane
it will adhere way better and not have to be face nailed

All of these words are confusing and sound like a serious undertaking.

I'd recommend a new garage. With rooftop deck including tiki bar and hot tub. You can't afford not to do that.

Working on the plans right now. A three story garage is gonna boost the value of the house significantly, especially when I bring in hookers to staff the hot tub / bar and hand out free blow.

Coreshot, I see what you mean but the area which is lower than the driveway is much bigger than 18x18 and wraps around the house. It abuts the lawn in a number of spots, the stairs in front of the house, etc...
I guess back in the day everything was on the same plane but over time 2 layers of driveway were poured to create the 2 steps. I don't think it's a viable option at this point, might keep the concrete work to the inside of the shed.