4 Mexicans X 12 Hours = One Garage

From nothing to something in 12 hours.

"This is the strongest building in the neighborhood," proclaimed the building inspector as he signed our occupation permit. Just 48 hours earlier - nothing was there but a flat spot of dirt. Now a 24 x 26 x 15 foot tall steel garage proudly stands on the high ground surveying Seminole Drive.

Google "Carolina Carports" to review the engineering. You choose your size - select the colors - decide which doors and windows you want. You place a 10% deposit down - two weeks later they are at your site building. When it is done - you pay the final 90%. There is a dealer west of Capital Circle on Tennessee Street called Southeast Portable Buildings. They have about 10 different sizes and colors there. Lulu picked our garnet and gold color scheme.

Although the 4 workers spoke mostly Spanish - it was fun working with them and watching their professionalism. It took them a total of 12 hours. They arrived in crew cab pickup truck pulling a trailer of steel girders - sheet metal - and tools. They put it together like an erector set - no erectile dysfunction. :-)

First they laid out the frame - made completely of 3 x 3 galvanized steel rectangular tube. They bolted it to the ground using 3 foot long anchors that looked like giant corkscrews. After the frame was all square and plumb - they put on the roof sheet metal. Yes - they walked on it staying mostly on the beams - but sometimes they walked right on the steel skin. Then they did the sides - then hung the service door and windows. Finally - they hung the two 10 x 10 steel garage doors and put on the trim. The trim covers hundreds of self-tapping galvanized screws and bolts. Each screw used a metal washer that was laminated to a plastic washer to seal any leaks. All the sheet metal joints overlap and lock together.

The barn sides are burgundy color. The trim and roof are clay color. The doors are white. Today - I washed the garage. I used a hose - bucket - turtle wax - long brush - just like doing your car. It is all enamel on steel.

The building is certified to pass all the Florida Hurricane Laws. It can withstand 150 MPH winds and 10 feet of snow.

We plan to put a standup loft in it for storage. That is the reason the windows are so high. The building will mainly be used to store our truck and tractor. The doors are high enough in case we ever want to buy a motor home - camper - bus - or boat. The garage is less than a mile from the Capitol - as the crow files.

Some people think it is gross to discuss price - but other people would like to know that it cost $8100 including tax. If you use your credit card you also get 9100 frequent flyer miles :-)

They worked non-stop - I did not see them eat........... I did not see them go to the bathroom - and at my age I watch for things like that.

From Seminole Drive - brick house and new garage.

The garage sits on a hill just behind the brick house.

The windows are high on the south side to allow light into the loft.

This is a view of the back of the brick house from the new garage.

10 x 10 doors - big enough for a motor home or bus. Each door has four lockable latches.

The inside is a light gray color. The steel girders/tubes are 5 feet apart.

The garage sits in the northwest corner of the lot. Code requires it to be 10 feet from the side and back boundaries. The man service door is 3 feet wide.