Building a garage divider wall

[LDK]

I was wondering if I would need a building permit to put up a divider wall in my garage. I'm planning on doing it myself and there is not going to be any electrical outlets on the wall. The garage interior measurements are 38 1/2' deep and 15 1/5 ' wide. The garage was added to the house several years ago and the roof rafters run from front to rear. I just think there should be more ceiling support plus having an extra room would be nice too. Any comments?

This is an old pic. please excuse the mess.

[ParTaxer]

I wouldn't get a permit especially when plumbing and electrical are not part of the wall. I rebuilt a garage with just three walls standing and never got a permit and I ran electrical.

[eamarquardt]

There are lots of requirements in the building code that you are probably not aware of. Also, the requirements depend upon what the room is going to be used for. Here a bedroom cannot have a door that leads directly to a garage. If your wall isn't to code there could be problems should you sell the house. If you ever have an "incident" and file an insurance claim and the insurance company can claim (rightly or wrongly) that the unpermitted work isn't up to code and played a part in the "incident" they might be able to deny your claim.

Building permits are cheap. Go for one.

Gus

[48Rob]

I'm with Gus,

You can probably do so without a permit, but better to be safe.
From the picture showing what looks like the home furnace in the rear, you should also have a heating and air expert make sure you won't have a problem with return air to the unit if you wall the area off (may have an issue now, being in the garage where fumes may be drawn in?

Probably other issues that should be considered.
Doing the work yourself is a good way to save money, but getting professional advice before you start is very inexpensive compared to potential consequences.

Rob

[LDK]

The room is just going to be a storage room. I mainly want the wall to help support the ceiling. My wife had the garage built before I met her and I think she got the cheapest contractor to do it. It would just make me feel better to have alittle extra support. I was planning on making it a weight bearing wall with a double top plate and a 2x6 door header. Overkill, probably but it would make me feel better.

[LDK]

I'm with Gus,

You can probably do so without a permit, but better to be safe.
From the picture showing what looks like the home furnace in the rear, you should also have a heating and air expert make sure you won't have a problem with return air to the unit if you wall the area off (may have an issue now, being in the garage where fumes may be drawn in?

Probably other issues that should be considered.
Doing the work yourself is a good way to save money, but getting professional advice before you start is very inexpensive compared to potential consequences.

Rob

We hardly ever use that furnace. I've been here 5 years and only used it a few times when I was building my camper. I may take it out later on.

[glenpinpat]

If I got a permit every time I did something to one of my properties I would be broke. The wall will never be a load bearing wall as the rafters are built to code and will support themselves.

[eamarquardt]

I was planning on making it a weight bearing wall with a double top plate and a 2x6 door header. Overkill, probably but it would make me feel better.

Without a proper footing under the wall it won't be a true "load bearing wall". You will gain some extra support but it won't be to code. Check the city files and see if the garage was built to code. If so, you've nothing to worry about.

Gus

[LDK]

If I got a permit every time I did something to one of my properties I would be broke. The wall will never be a load bearing wall as the rafters are built to code and will support themselves.

I wonder how big the header is over the garage door? My wife said everything was done right according to the inspector. I guess I'm just alittle worried because we had to fix several things about the garage. I believe the builder had several different contractors to do different things. We had a garage roof leak where the side wall meets the house in the back and when me and my brother in law re-roofed it, we found out it didn't have any roof flashing. We had to replace a stud and some drywall. They also didn't use any house rap before they put the vinyl siding on. My next project is to re-side it. Do I need a permit to do that??

[eamarquardt]

If I got a permit every time I did something to one of my properties I would be broke. The wall will never be a load bearing wall as the rafters are built to code and will support themselves.

I wonder how big the header is over the garage door? My wife said everything was done right according to the inspector. I guess I'm just alittle worried because we had to fix several things about the garage. I believe the builder had several different contractors to do different things. We had a garage roof leak where the side wall meets the house in the back and when me and my brother in law re-roofed it, we found out it didn't have any roof flashing. We had to replace a stud and some drywall. They also didn't use any house rap before they put the vinyl siding on. My next project is to re-side it. Do I need a permit to do that??

Ask your department of Building and Safely.

Gus

[glenpinpat]

you will have to check your regs but in most cases garages do not require any wrapping as they have no thermo requirements. As yours is basically a free standing structure I would guess no thermo requirements. I would not bother replacing the siding as it shoulkd not leak through. Was the house roof replaced when the garage was built? If not that would explain why there was no flashing even though it should have been installed.
I am not telling you what to do but my rool of thumb is if I need to hire a contarctor, or the work is visible from the road I get a permit. Patrick

[Treeview]

Pffft! Inspections and permits for something as basic as this? Not me!

Be sure to use treated lumber for the lower plate and attach it with the right material. Glue...stainless screws...lag shields...whatever.

You're adding a knee wall, at least that's the term I was taught in Minnesota. Has the upper floor sagged already? If so, you can jack up the floor before adding the wall. If you do this carefully you'll probably not even crack the plaster up above. Carefully!

[LDK]

The house is 26 years old and the garage was built about 16 years ago. They didn't do any roofing except to only the garage part. we re-roofed the house/garage in 2008. You think they would at least slid some flashing under the roofing tabs before they put the vinyl siding on the sidewall.
The roof is good and straight and no sagging but I hear cracking from time to time. I can even push alittle on the brick wall and hear cracking sounds. Thats why I want a wall, for the extra support.

Oh yeah, they didn't put any kind of ventilation on the garage roof and even the soffet doesn't have any vents. When we re-roofed it we had to cut a slot in the ridge and install a ridge cap. They half assed that garage and I really don't trust it.

[eamarquardt]

The house is 26 years old and the garage was built about 16 years ago. They didn't do any roofing except to only the garage part. we re-roofed the house/garage in 2008. You think they would at least slid some flashing under the roofing tabs before they put the vinyl siding on the sidewall.
The roof is good and straight and no sagging but I hear cracking from time to time. I can even push alittle on the brick wall and hear cracking sounds. Thats why I want a wall, for the extra support.

Oh yeah, they didn't put any kind of ventilation on the garage roof and even the soffet doesn't have any vents. When we re-roofed it we had to cut a slot in the ridge and install a ridge cap. They half assed that garage and I really don't trust it.

Let me see if I understand you: The garage was constructed in a "half assed manner", it makes "cracking sounds" on its own, it wasn't sheathed properly, you can push lightly on a brick wall and hear cracking sounds, no flashing was installed where it should have been, the roof has leaked in the past and you've had to replace a stud and some drywall, AND you don't think you want to get a professional/city inspector to help you ensure that it is done correctly and to code.

Is that right?

Gus

[Woodbutcher]

Permits.....I believe it's better to ask for forgiveness then permission.

Now with that said. Most of what you are asking about seems to fall more into repairs then new work. That garage was also inspected by the same dept. that you will now have to work with. Do you really want someone that passed all those faults you found, telling you what to do. No thanks if it was me.