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Thread: Building that Carriage House with basement shop: How to estimate construction cost

  1. #1
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    Building that Carriage House with basement shop: How to estimate construction cost

    Things are moving right along with our daughters house. They have a contract on a house in Falls Church, Va with a 1 acre lot. The house has kind of an ordinary 2 car detached garage. We broached the subject of replacing that with a carriage house for us upstairs (and a 1200 sq ft shop in the basement) and they jumped at the idea. Of course there are a hundred potential obstacles.

    Aside from zoning issues, the first thing that comes to my mind is how much it would cost us to build what I have in mind.

    I am looking for advice as to who to approach and what sorts of questions I can ask to get a rough construction estimate.

    In case someone here has the smarts to help me directly, here are some basics:

    1. URL to some online plans that are very close. http://www.thehouseplanshop.com/053g-0002.php The big modification is that I want to use spancrete and create a basement.
    2. We would be willing to do some painting and finish work.
    3. The cost of the land is $0. We would demolish the existing 2 car garage and replace it with the carriage house.

    ideas?

  2. #2
    I looked mainly at the front elevation and see a couple of things that I think would improve it. The circle top windows in the dormers don't accomplish anything and neither do the circle segments in the fascia in front of the square garage doors.
    Dont think a carriage house needs any post modern oddball isms. Think it would look more like carriage house and less like garage house with at least another foot in lower level height. If I remember right the shop would be in a basement and I was wondering if you were simply referring to the lower level or if you want a real dug out basement. Since this is sounds
    like your home for the duration you will need a good low pitch stair or elevator. Or maybe some device to get groceries in.

  3. #3
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    Considering that you are moving into a very nice township, I like the facade just like it is...sorry Mel.

    Glenn

  4. #4
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    Hard to give you a cost estimate when I do not know the costs in the area and more importantly code/permit costs. For example a friend of mine just did an job in Manhattan and the permit fees were over 100K. Material costs vary by region as well. The house I just finished for myself, well, close to finished was built on an existing basement, is also 1200 ft., and I have a 120K in it with no labor except for electrical.

    I am not a fan of that design either, sorry, but it looks like a Mr. Potatohead house. A box with features stuck on, and just on the one side. Can you post a few pictures of the lot and describe how it sets, views, etc. What does your daughters house look like.

    Need more info.........

    Larry

  5. #5
    Well, Glenn ,that ok! But they are modern things that that will add to cost and decrease the long term value . Even though
    carriage house designs vary greatly that one is obviously modern.

  6. #6
    Same as Larry here, too many variables to think anything would bebclose , but in my experience for extreme gut shot averages (which can be very dangerous) , and as said location has a major effect, 100/sq' around here is spec home over crawl, 150-180 gets you into a basement and a bit of detail, 200-250 and up gets you in the range of what that plan and your specs would be pointing towards especially given its a garage and the spancrete.

    I'm at the moment finishing up the foundation/site work for large two car which will have game room above, stone exterior on lower level, pergola across entire front, three dormers, balcony off rear, arched doors, conplete interior plumbing, etc., not a slam bam so to speak and it will be in the 120k range by the time its all said and done, driveways and so on. No basement of course.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mel Fulks View Post
    Well, Glenn ,that ok! But they are modern things that that will add to cost and decrease the long term value . Even though
    carriage house designs vary greatly that one is obviously modern.
    Ultimately, shouldn't the design come down to something that unifies the building with the house already on the lot? I'd think--unless the plan is to subdivide--that you would want two buildings that look they they belong together. Whether that is midcentury modern or Victorian, I would aim to achieve a consistency of look over what I'd think is tasteful for a building on its own.

  8. #8
    They were sometimes made to match the house style and with same materials. If you google pictures you will lots of ornate,plain , and fanciful designs. Regardless of the style house already there ,my understanding of the ops situation is that the idea is to provide a shop and living space without giving the impression of two entirely different houses in too close proximity. That concept would work even if the existing house is modern glass and steel. The carriage house can not
    be perceived as an old and still useful structure if trimmed in modern style with little or no precedent or too low slung to have been a carriage house.

  9. #9
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    I think you may be getting hung up on a formal definition of a "carriage house" or some notion of historical accuracy that isn't what I've perceived in the OP. While there may be people out there who might fault a carriage house built in a particular way because it doesn't check the historical boxes for what a carriage house used to be, in this area I would think future buyers are more likely to say "hey, cool, an in-law suite over the garage." On that basis, I'd think it is more important to have buildings that provide a consistent style and color and therefore look like they belong together. That's what I'd do for resale value, and I live in NoVA...

  10. #10
    Not hung up at all. Just think that for the zoning and permit issues and for ops needs, remember the op?, that the concept
    I stated (not invented) would be accepted easier and seem more evolved. By the criteria you stated the best solution would be a duplicate house painted the same colors. Kind of an upscale Post WW2 bungalow community.

  11. #11
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    I'm not sure why you think the style of the outbuilding is going to make it easier or harder to get zoning approval. Either the zoning board is going to permit a separate living space attached to the garage or they won't. I don't care if you call it a carriage house or second house. So this concept you stated--staying away from modern "oddball" features--seems irrelevant for zoning approval. And to the extent that there is some aesthetic review that he needs to get through, unless it is a historic commission, you'll find it easier to get HOA approval for an outbuilding that matches the style of the main building (and I am talking about style--as in "exterior appearance"--so I'm not sure where you are coming up with this duplicate house red herring). I actually live in northern Virginia, and outbuildings I see in higher end neighborhoods have a common style with the house. And when I say "outbuildings," I'm talking about garden sheds, detached garages, carriage houses and everything in between. Heck, I drive by a house every day that has a kids' playhouse with the same Hardie Board siding, trim and shutters as the main house.

  12. #12
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    27 and 45 feet are odd sizes to use designing a building. I always stuck to multiples of 2 feet, or you will be throwing away a lot of materials with the left over foot. Other than the dormer faces being too tall, it doesn't look bad overall. There's too much space above the circle top windows. If circle top windows are used on those dormers, they need to have cathedral ceilings in them, so the gable doesn't have to be so tall. First impulse says they need to be a little wider, but if the height is lowered, they might be okay A little work stepping off design elements with dividers, so that parts are whole number portions of the whole thing, makes a big difference in overall balance for buildings as well as furniture.

  13. #13
    The dormers are narrow compared to PRESENT STYLE but are WIDER than most dormers for 18th century and at least first
    quarter of 19th century. We live in a time of tool sheds being cut in half as used as dormers. Agree circle is ill placed. New
    placement of traditional details is the hallmark of post modernism.

  14. #14
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    Thanks to all that responded. At this point there is no reason to even talk about style or details. I'm just interested in the cost to construct something about that size. There are zillions of issues with zoning, etc and I will get to those in time.

  15. #15
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    Mark, yours was the response that came closest to addressing my question. I want to get a bit of clarification. You talk about 200-250 and I wonder what that means.

    The second floor living space is 1100 sq ft and change. Are you saying that I can build what's pictured for somewhere in the neighborhood of $250 x 1100 or about $275,000? Given the extreme price of land in that area, the $275K number isn't that bad.

    We are looking at the same sort of house (1100sq feet + 2 car garage + basement) a half hour away at over $500K. If we are going to spend that kind of money, my bride asks, why not build on the kids lot and get the convenience (she really wants to babysit).

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