# Forum Home Renovation The Garden Shed  Garage plans, where? Single or double brick?

## juliussee

Hello people, 
I'm planning on building a garage with 2 double doors across the front, so it would be just like 2 double garages connected together. Just want to keep it a simple rectangular shape, brick construction with metal deck roof. 
Can anybody advise me the best way to get some plans? Do I need to see an engineer or just copy some existing plans.
I am also wondering if I could just do it in single brick with piers rather than double brick.   
Any advice is greatly appreciated.  
Regards 
Adrian

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## leeton

Find a local draughtsman, they are  reasonably priced and know the local council requirements. I wouldn't think you need double brick, biit of an over kill.
Good luck.

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## aeg20boat

Adrain, how are you doing? 
Engaged pier masonry, the one with a single leaf of brickwork, that'll do fine.  
I used to be a draughtsman, they charge way to much for something simple like this. 
Why not do the drawings yourself and save a few bob? It's really quite basic. Just a bit of common sense and satisfying some criteria that can be found in local books. 
1) Draw a site plan, a few elevations, and one generic cross-section.  
2) Show a downpipe connected to an exiting stormwater pipe. 
3) Include the terms "Pre manufactured roof trusses" and "All work must comply with relevant building standards", to keep the liabilities on somebody else. 
4) Have a look at the footing/slab details on the engineering drawings that accompanied your house plans. You'll find a soil classification, write that on your drawing too then copy the relevant drawing from the "Residential slabs and footings code", You should find it at the library. 
5) Fill out all that council rubbish and make sure your new garage is all on your block.  
You should see the trash some people submit to council, quite an abomination. Without a doubt yours will be more than satisfactory.
You'll do just fine. 
Good luck to ya!

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## juliussee

Thanks leeton and especially aeg20boat for your thorough explaination, much appreciated. 
aeg20boat, I have a few more questions for you now if you don't mind. 
I feel confident doing the drawings as I have some experience there.
What I am unsure of are the structural details such as lintel sizes, location of engaged piers, slab detail etc. I don't have any original house plans or soil classification as the house is very old. 
Thanks again.  
Regards 
Adrian

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## Barry_White

Most brick garages have a double brick wall at the front to support the doors, the rest can be single brick with engaged piers usually at about 1800mm centres.

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## aeg20boat

The soil classification can be procured in a few ways. 
1)You can employ a Geo-technical engineer to conduct an investigation of the soil. He will take a few samples and then test them in a laboratory over a few weeks. He is analysing the structure of the earth and reporting on slumping and other unstable characteristics. You get a report at the end, BUT....I think this costs over 1000 quid. Way out of the question. 
2)If someone else close, maybe a neighbour, has had constructions recently it is sensible to assume that the soil type will be the same for your lot. Council accepts this assumption with no further investigation deemed necesseary. 
3)Many times in the past I have phoned council and had success finding out the soil class. Sometimes it is filed on their computers from recent, and not so recent, constructions on that particular lot, estate or at least close to it. 
4)Sand is a very stable medium to build upon. So if you live within a few hundred meters from the beach, and are on flat ground, on sandy soil, your soil class will be without doubt, an "S". 
Council are not allowed to give you this information, So be quite forthright yet sweet. If they have the detail, it usually takes little persuasion. They may however give you the name of the engineer who conducted the last soil investigation or completed structural design drawings and calculations. Contact them for the site class. 
Adrian finding the soil class is the hardest part. The rest is pie 
Assuming that you now know the site class, the slab details are very easily drawn up.  The soil class, obviously, has an impact on the design of the foundations, but only on the depth of the edge beam and the size of the 
reiforcement bars. 
The drawings can be found in the *"Residential Slabs and Footing Code".* The code is a concise manual written in very clear and basic terms, for example, it has to be interpreted by Greek concretors!!! 
The dimension variables are tabulated for each soil class, so it's really easy and expedient. The cross section drawing is very generic. One can only draw a truncated chunk of concrete with some bricks on top in so many ways!! 
The sizes of the lintels will depend on the span of the lintel and the mass of the roof structure the lintel has to support.  
Timber lintels and their selection can be determined using the tables and the "Roof Load Width" measurment outlined in the *"Residential Framing Manual".*  
If you intend on having brickwork above your door opening you will need a steel lintel. Steel lintels can be bought that have been intended and marketed for this purpose, or can be of a multitude of proprietry structural shapes or fabricated from a number of standard sections. 
Basically anything you can conjure, that will support a course of brickwork and simultaneously allow a bearing area for the trusses or framework, is all that is needed.
"Off the shelf" steel lintels will have tabulated data available so you can make the correct selection, or have a chat with the supplier and give him some measurments to be sure. It can never hurt to have the bigger size lintel!!
The *"Building Code of Australia"* or *BCA* should have tabulated data regarding the suitable selection of standard structural sections for various loadings and spans. 
The location of engaged piers will depend on the height of the wall, window openings, and bricking convenience. No job ends up being built exactly as it were drawn. 
There, ofcourse, must be an adequate amount of piers to provide the masonry leaf with adequate strength and convenient bearing area to support the lintels and top plates. Once again this is very simple and will be found in the BCA. 
The sizing of the top plate will ultimately be found from the "Residential Framing manual" after establishing the "Roof Load Width", and the top plate spans, ie pier spacings, have been determined. 
All the manuals and codes mentioned are available for reference/loan at public librarys, Tafes and Universities. They are also available for purchase at the Australian Standards Office, or their website I presume. You can also buy them at your local master Builders Association. 
I hope this clears a few things up.
Go forth and design my friend. 
Adam

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## ausdesign

Adrian my advice is to engage a building designer to prepare your plans.
There are many items that will need to be looked at which may or may not apply to your situation such as if you are building on the boundary or within the side setback how high & how long the building can be. If attached to the house fire ratings may come into play. Is there going to be shadowing of neighbouring windows or open spaces.
A geotechnical report (soil test) should cost around $200 - $250
A single skin and engaged pier construction would be normal.
The spans you are looking at should be more economical with a truss roof construction which can be computated by the truss firm but perimeter beam size & tie down details will need to be documented & the design wind gust speed for your location taken into account.
The cost of $1000 - $2000 dollars for a professional (& insured) set of plans will end up being a small amount.
You may have additional costs for engineers computations but these will be incurred which ever way you go.

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## juliussee

Thanks very much for the replies guys. 
I will have to consider things carefully before I proceed. 
aeg20boat(Adam) thanks for your input again but I think you have confused me even more this time. I like to keep things simple. 
Thanks again.  
Regards 
Adrian

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## aeg20boat

Simple.... Adrian, I know exactly what you mean. 
I used to be an Engineer and live in the city, AND I hated it. I hate people, problems, the government, traffic, the disruption of harmony and the disturbance to the equilibrium of nature, loud noises, pollution, people achieving things in groups. Christ I feel unhappy now.. 
Now I spend my time belting on an anvil, fishing, gardening, feeding the horses up the road, surfing, and dreaming about building a timber boat. I'm only young but life's too short for complications. 
I'm 21 and my wife and I have a 15 month old son, what more could I want. Don't confuse me with the baseball cap wearing, japanese car driving, lethargic and gutless sods my generation exclusively are. 
To hell with that garage of yours, I'm sure you'll miss the lawn when it's covered.   Lol!! 
Power to you.

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## eemgee

Adrian,
Before you do anything go and talk to the council.
You may have to use a registered designer, we do here in Tasmania, I've been designing houses & extensions for over 35 years but now that registration & certification I have to have indemtity insurance (costing over $3000 a year) to be be able to do plans otherwise the council will reject them.

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## kiwigeo

> 1)You can employ a Geo-technical engineer to conduct an investigation of the soil. He will take a few samples and then test them in a laboratory over a few weeks. He is analysing the structure of the earth and reporting on slumping and other unstable characteristics. You get a report at the end, BUT....I think this costs over 1000 quid. Way out of the question.  
> 4)Sand is a very stable medium to build upon. So if you live within a few hundred meters from the beach, and are on flat ground, on sandy soil, your soil class will be without doubt, an "S".

  My Council (Adelaide Hills) doesnt require a full lab test on soil samples. All the engineer does is identify soil type from a few test bores or and maybe do a few in-field penetration tests. Soil test for my last lot of extensions in Adelaide Hills cost $350.....and that was with one of the more expensive companies (higher price but I know they do a good job). 
Re sand being a stable medium to build on....have you ever noticed how half the fences in Perth have a lean on them? Theyre built on sand.

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