Would you buy house with 13 foot clearance garage for 12'-9" bus?

belfert · June 30, 2014, 08:12:28 AM

I am looking at a house to buy that has a 30x48 pole building. Interior clearance appears to be 13 feet. My bus is 12'-9" tall. The driveway to the building has a slight angle to it. Would you buy this house with this building? Do you think the bus would fit?

I cannot test the fit in the garage because the overhead door is only 12 feet and would need to be changed. There are also light fixtures sticking down that need to be moved. The RV stored in there now is a smaller Class C that fits fine. The only reason I would buy this house would be for the existing building.

dukegrad98 · June 30, 2014, 08:18:44 AM

I wouldn't, and it has nothing to do with the clearances. I'd buy a house that I actually want, then put up a cheap pole building or steel barn for the toys.

Cheers, John

belfert · June 30, 2014, 08:58:44 AM

Most cities don't allow pole type buildings unless I want to commute 35 to 40 miles or more every day. I wouldn't mind the drive quite so much if congestion wasn't so bad and getting worse. There will be no new capacity added to our highways unless they finally decide to raise road taxes. All of the highway money is basically going to repairs now.

The house with building is nice, but not exactly what I would want. I don't know that I will ever find a house that exactly meets my needs in my price range. I can't afford to build new because land prices are too high. There is a house that I really like, but it needs $50K+ in repairs and the bank wants too much for it. I could build a building there that meets my needs.

I don't have a bunch of money to build a building so a house with existing building is better because I can just take out a mortgage.

Seangie · June 30, 2014, 08:59:29 AM

I'm with John...I'd buy a house I like with the property to build if it didn't already have a barn. I think after all the houses I've owned, the next one I am building. I'm tired of all the crap you have to deal with in a pre-built house. It's almost cheaper to do it yourself than fix everything up! Especially the new houses.

-Sean

TomC · June 30, 2014, 09:05:05 AM

I am looking for a house in the L.A. area. I've found that horse properties will allow "barns". It seems I need at least .6 acre to accomplish this. I have found a couple of places, but still a bit expensive (in the 7 digit range).

A 60ft x 40ft steel building would cost around $50,000. Good luck, TomC

Jon · June 30, 2014, 10:46:19 AM

Not a single one of our opinions is worth the paper it is written on.

Only you can answer the question. Even though there are a gazillion factors that go into buying a house the bottom line is always if it works for you, and we cannot possibly begin to know what is right for you.

As to the 3" of clearance........Not a problem. I literally have 1/2" height clearance to get the tail of my bus into my garage if I raise the front air bags all the way up, and lower the rears all the way down. 3" would be no better or worse than 1/2" because if I do it wrong I am either going to have expensive repairs to the bus, the garage or both.

belfert · June 30, 2014, 11:02:15 AM

Quote from: Seangie on June 30, 2014, 08:59:29 AM
I'm with John...I'd buy a house I like with the property to build if it didn't already have a barn. I think after all the houses I've owned, the next one I am building. I'm tired of all the crap you have to deal with in a pre-built house. It's almost cheaper to do it yourself than fix everything up! Especially the new houses.

Building new is more expensive than existing in almost all cases where I live. $209,000 just to build a new house with well and septic not including land or garage. A lot costs $60,000 or more for 1 acre. There is a 7 acre lot for $60,000, but it is wet and very limited spot to build the house plus an architecture committee. It does allow horses though.

I am seriously looking at buying a 1980 house that requires some work if the bank will take a low enough offer. The price is about $40,000 too high for the condition. I would build a 2,000 square foot garage with this one. My realtor doesn't think they will go that low yet. I would take out a rehab loan to pay for most of the repairs so I can't DIY the repairs. DIY is great, but you do have to know what you are doing. I have seen plenty of DIY stuff that looks like crap.

belfert · June 30, 2014, 11:09:20 AM

I don't have airbags so I can't lower the bus. I'm thinking 3" is just not enough clearance to be safe. The driveway has a slight angle to it so that could reduce my clearance even more. I would have to replace the overhead door with a sliding door or something since there isn't enough clearance for an overhead door. I'm kinda thinking this one is out. I would prefer not to have a sliding door.

Alan Baker · June 30, 2014, 11:18:13 AM

My brother in law had a similar situation but a very cleaver door man. His door goes up into the trusses. They had to make some minor truss renovations. it works great

I though I created a profile??
Alan Baker
84 Eagle 10

Fredward · June 30, 2014, 11:57:38 AM

Brian,
My shop has 14' sidewalls with 13-6" ceiling height. The overhead door is 12.0. The MC-5 with roof raise and air conditioners is 11-10". No problem just go slow.
Fred

Utahclaimjumper · June 30, 2014, 04:43:37 PM

I would think the cheapest and least troubling way would be to lower the threshold a few inches.>>>Dan (Then add the difference to the bottom of the door) (A city slicker saw a barn that had two knotches cut in the top of the door header, he approached the farmer with the question of why??.Farmer said his mule had very long ears and they needed to clear the top of the door opening, slicker said why not just lower the threshold?. Farmer said, just like a slicker, it ain't his legs that are too long.>>>

wg4t50 · June 30, 2014, 04:49:02 PM

Seems there are lots of opinions, but the question is WHAT do you think ? its yours one way or the other. Can you live with and enjoy it ?

Speaking of garage doors, I am having an issue with the electric opener on the 14 X 14 door, Apple Door is to arrive Wednesday AM. Has worked flawlessly for 12 years, the door beside it works great, think might be a problem with the safety eye guard, ust a guess.
Dave M

oldmansax · June 30, 2014, 04:57:49 PM

Quote from: belfert on June 30, 2014, 11:09:20 AM
The driveway has a slight angle to it so that could reduce my clearance even more.

Can you fill the drive way 40' out to make it level with the door? Or, if you know exactly how much drop you have your can figure out on paper if the bus will fit.

TOM

bevans6 · June 30, 2014, 04:59:29 PM

My bus has about 4" clearance to the trusses but won't fit under the lights in one of my shops. So I don't drive it under the lights, big deal. Lifestyle is about more than a house, or a garage, or a bus. If what you have found makes you happy, or gets you in a place to deal with things for a few years, go for it. Things don't make you happy, you make you happy.

Brian

lvmci · June 30, 2014, 05:01:36 PM

Hi Brian, if it fits in ever other way, why not lower the floor in the area where the bus drives in and while your at it put a work pit in while lowering the floor, how great would that be? Lvmci...