FINISHED IN 2020! Sharward's Partial Garage Conversion

Sorry to hear about the accident. :evil: I hope your wife has a speedy recovery :) :) :) :) p.s. ... nice sticker on your car. that is fan dedication :shock: :)

Dan, I'm a big fan of yours too, so if you send me an 18" x 18" weather resistant sticker of your best pose (G rated please), I'll put that on my rear window for a while! :lol: Jen's doing well today. It looks like her proactive pill popping and sloth-like existence is paying off. The body shop estimate is $6,658.19 and possibly (but not probably) more. The wholesale blue book value is $5,360 and the retail blue book value is $9,395. Comparable vehicles for sale in Northern California are listed for $9,000 to $11,000. The risk of this being a total loss is high. We won't know until next week at the earliest. I'm purchasing How to Win your Personal Injury Claim tonight.

Hey Sharward, I've been reading through this awesome thread. I haven't read the entire content (I plan to - lots of info) so I have a few quick questions: 1) What are you using to create your illustrations? 2) Why are you escavating (increase ceiling height)? I am in the planning stages of converting my detached garage into a recording studio. Much behind you but my goals are the same: Freedom to create noise at any time of day without bothering anyone. Thank you for your attention, Saki

Welcome, Saki!

saki wrote:

1) What are you using to create your illustrations?

I use Microsoft Visio. I don't recommend it though. It just happens to be what is installed on my company-issued laptop.

2) Why are you escavating (increase ceiling height)?

Nope. I have 10' ceilings as it is, so height was not an issue. The excavation is in preparation for an isolated slab. See this thread for a fairly brief background into that decision. In other news... The body shop estimate is $6,658.19 and possibly (but not probably) more. The wholesale blue book value is $5,360 and the retail blue book value is $9,395. Comparable vehicles for sale in Northern California are listed for $9,000 to $11,000. The risk of this being a total loss is high. We won't know until next week at the earliest. Jen's doing well today. It looks like her proactive pill popping and sloth-like existence is paying off. I got her out of the house today for some fresh air and she did really well. :-) I even managed to talk her into taking a look at a Scion TC, just in case. She liked it. We haven't driven it yet though... It's too soon for that. I purchased How to Win your Personal Injury Claim tonight... Looks good. Hopefully I'll be able to work on the forms next weekend.

Thanks for the prompt reply Keith! So you don't recomment Visio? Whatever you're doing with it is producing great results. Do you have any other programs in mind that would be better? Man, you are going full board with the isolated slab. What made you decide to do that? If you're garage was detached and say at least 20 feet away from any other building would you still need to isolate the slab?

saki wrote:

So you don't recomment Visio? Whatever you're doing with it is producing great results. Do you have any other programs in mind that would be better?

Thanks for the compliment. :-) Actually Visio is OK, but I think it's rather expensive for what you get. Others here have had good luck with Smartdraw and/or Sketchup.

Man, you are going full board with the isolated slab. What made you decide to do that? If you're garage was detached and say at least 20 feet away from any other building would you still need to isolate the slab?

Back on June 12, 2005, I posted my isolated slab plan. I believe that post will answer your "why" question. As for your situation, I really don't know if you need to go to that extent. In many cases, neither isolated nor or floated slab is necessary. I see you've started your own thread -- which is good. I'm sure you'll get some good advice there for your project. :)

A revised estimate for the repair of my wife's car is about $1,000 less and calls for a couple of "quality recycled parts" (trunk lid and tail lens). That should help make a stronger case for its repair, if it becomes necessary. Jen had her first day back at work and she did OK. She's a bit uncomfortable but is OK overall.

Man, have I been 'way too busy for too long - completely missed your accident post :cry: - I'm glad Jen's on the mend, know what that's like. When Ann got "T-Boned" last year, she had 3" wide blood blisters everywhere her seat belt contacted. Took several months before they weren't visible any more :cry: Not my recommended way of getting out of a car payment... :? Good luck on the settlement outcome... Steve BTW, Dream Theater ROCKS... (but never in the same time signature for more than a few bars :D )

Been out of the loop myself... sorry to hear about Jen. Lookin' good Keith.

Jen will be quite pleased to know that she has so many of hubby's studio buddies rooting for her. :-) Thanks to all who have taken a moment to share their well wishes. And yes, Dream Theater DOES rock! :mrgreen: I just bought tickets for the San Francisco show on their 20th anniversary tour! http://sharward.com/eveningwithdreamtheater.jpg Man, I love hijacking my own thread! :lol: :P

I learned a short while ago that the insurance company has authorized a tear-down of Jennifer's car, so there's still a chance it will be deemed repairable. We probably won't know until Monday though. Yeah... Monday... Twelve days after the accident. :evil: She's doing pretty well, by the way, physically speaking. She's still very, very upset about the car -- anxiously waiting for "the answer" whether or not the car is fixable.

I don't understand why salvaging the car is so important. Perhaps I missed something earlier that explained it. Does it have some sentimental value or does fixing rather than replacing involve different amounts of money from the insurance company? I'm sorry to ask this here but the only dealings I've ever had with the insurance company in 30 years of driving is paying the premium. len

First of all, let's use the word "saving" the car, rather than "salvaging." "Salvage" has a specific legal connotation that I'd like to steer away from. Jennifer is quite attached to the car -- it's the first new car she's ever owned. We bought it five years ago after her previous car was totaled in a virtually identical rear-end collision at a traffic light. She picked it. We even did a dealer trade to get her favorite color. At the time she was still in pain from the accident, so it was all about making her happy. She deserved it. Today, it's a low-mileage "creampuff" of a car. It's paid for, free and clear now. It has (hopefully) lots of life left. If the car ends up being a total loss, we will probably purchase a new car (or a very gently used near-new car), using the property damage settlement (based on its "fair market value" prior to being wrecked) as a hefty down payment... But in that case, we'd be making payments for the remainder. She knows the studio project is costing a lot of money and would rather we not take on another payment... Especially just six months after our purchasing a new car for me six months ago. I spoke with the body shop manager today -- he's pretty confident they're not going to find any latent damage. If he's right, then our insurance company will probably approve the repairs. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the news on Monday will be good. Len, you're lucky you've never had this happen to you. Even when everything works out perfectly, it's still a burden. Ask anyone who's had it happen to them, and they'll tell you it's no picnic... Especially when injuries are involved.

Yeah, it's a pain in the neck. Pun intended! I was in a multi-car chain reaction wreck on PCH near Malibu and ended up totalling a great '91 Acura Integra. I still miss that car. Rental cars, insurance agents, blah blah blah blah, etc etc. No fun all around.

Sentimental reasons is a very good reason to try and save it. I can also understand not wanting to take on another payment while the studio is in progress. I'm fast approaching the $30K mark (I haven't looked at or added up the invoices in a month or two - too afraid!) :shock: At least I'm doing it on a debit card and not a credit card so when I'm done, I won't owe anybody anything! len

Good for you, Len... So far I'm also paying cash along the way. By the time I get around to the mini split air conditioner though, I may have to break out the home equity line! :roll: Hey Stick -- I once owned an '90 Integra. I bought it new and owned it for 4 years and put 94K miles on it during that time. Great car! :)

For those following the wife's car saga... I learned today that our insurance company has studied the numbers and has agreed to fix the car! :-D This makes Mrs. Sharward very happy... And having a very happy Mrs. Sharward makes Mr. Sharward very happy! :mrgreen: The body shop representative said she's seen an insurance company authorize a repair after it was "quick-spec'd" as a total loss only once before in her nine years with the company. This was very rare. We're very lucky! (Aside from her not being seriously injured, of course!) I can't take credit for making this happen -- the numbers actually spoke for themselves. All I might have done is nudge the process along and maybe shaved a day or two off the time line. Unfortunately, it will take at least three weeks for the repairs to be completed. They won't have the pieces-parts until the end of the week. This will put us over the 30 day car rental limit, so we'll have to go after the insurance company of the dolt that hit us for the remainder. But that shouldn't be a problem -- just another line item in the demand letter we're preparing. --Keith :mrgreen: P.S.: :mrgreen:

Well I had hoped to get some work done on the studio this weekend, but something came up. My wife's dad was rushed to the hospital on Friday evening with an extremely rapid heart rate and chest pain. It was (thankfully) not a heart attack, but rather, something called Atrial fibrillation. Medication appears to have calmed things down. He's being discharged today, with I'm sure a solid treatment plan. In other news, the used body parts for my wife's car came in and look good, so repairs are officially underway. 2006 hasn't exactly started off very well for us... Has it? :roll:

Sorry to hear that Keith... hang in there bud.. these things are sent to test us. My prayers are with your father in law (and Mrs Sharwards car also) :D

Wow that is very scary Keith ... glad it wasn't a heart attack.

Hi Keith, Wondering if there is any update on your termite solution. I am following with interest since I have an existing termite problem in my basement project that needs treating. Interestingly enough the guy that came out to me yesterday and quoted $6600 for to solve my "moisture" problem was (as I suspected) trying to scare me out of my hard earned money it seems. He told me that my 2x4's were rotten when in actual fact it is all termite damage and I have very little moisture at all. I had a termite guy in today and he recommended drilling into the slab and injecting this same stuff in to control them and then also suggested he come back once the new walls are framed, and before I add the rock and he will install some kind of foam in the base of the wall for extra protection. All this for about $630 rather than $6600. One thing I did realize from reading your info that he didn't mention was that they would need to get back in there every 5 years to top it up. I was left with the impression it would be a one time deal. I don't much like the idea of laying the new pergo floor, moving in and then having to move out and lift the floor again every 5 years! I have another guy coming in Saturday for a 2nd opinion, and I'll be sure to ask about that. I like your idea of using the PVC pipe. I wonder if I should incorporate something similar. Anyways, hope all is well with your Father-in-law and your Wife and car are making a steady recovery too. Keep us posted on your termite news and I will also. All the best... Andy

andy_eade wrote:

Wondering if there is any update on your termite solution. I am following with interest since I have an existing termite problem in my basement project that needs treating.

Well we've definitely been following each other then... Your damage discovery should sober everyone up on how serious of a potential problem termites can be.

Interestingly enough the guy that came out to me yesterday and quoted $6600 for to solve my "moisture" problem was (as I suspected) trying to scare me out of my hard earned money it seems. He told me that my 2x4's were rotten when in actual fact it is all termite damage and I have very little moisture at all.

Very interesting... You might want to follow up on that contractor. See if there are any complaints with whatever agency licenses him. You're no dummy, yet you were pretty persuaded (albeit with healthy skepticism)... Imagine how less savvy and/or the elderly might respond... :roll:

I had a termite guy in today and he recommended drilling into the slab and injecting this same stuff in to control them and then also suggested he come back once the new walls are framed, and before I add the rock and he will install some kind of foam in the base of the wall for extra protection. All this for about $630 rather than $6600.

What foam? :?: Details, please! (Manufacturer, product name, etc.)

One thing I did realize from reading your info that he didn't mention was that they would need to get back in there every 5 years to top it up. I was left with the impression it would be a one time deal. I don't much like the idea of laying the new pergo floor, moving in and then having to move out and lift the floor again every 5 years! I have another guy coming in Saturday for a 2nd opinion, and I'll be sure to ask about that. I like your idea of using the PVC pipe. I wonder if I should incorporate something similar.

You are wise to be thinking of this now! Yes, retreating the soil every 5 years is typically a requirement when you've had an infestation. In my case, I want to have the perimeter of my new inner slab retreated every 5 years as a precaution against getting infested -- or, if by longshot I should become infested and not know it, retreating would kill the buggers. Definitely consult with your local termite experts on ideas of 5-year retreatments without damage to your structure. There may be a way to do some kind of plumbing solution as my pest control company and I came up with. In researching termites in your area, I discovered that there is an alternative to Termidor (by BASF), which is the product my pest control company was going to use. The alternative is called Premise (by Bayer Environmental Science). It's cheaper but supposedly very effective. I have had great experience using a professionally-applied Bayer product to eliminate aphids from some crape myrtle trees at our previous house.

Anyways, hope all is well with your Father-in-law and your Wife and car are making a steady recovery too.

Thanks! Father-in-law is either retiring, or taking a six month sabbatical of sorts, after which he will retire. In other words, he's leaving his options open. Good for him! And the car repairs are underway after a mixup with an inner body panel part... The body shop ordered the wrong one, which burned a week waiting for it. However, they're 100% confident they can effectively repair the existing panel, which is fine with us.

Keep us posted on your termite news and I will also.

Will do. I'll definitely keep close tabs on your thread. Hopefully I'll be setting forms not this weekend but weekend after. (We need to help Dad take inventory at his store on Saturday.) --Keith :mrgreen:

Dad's doing well, although picked up a cold from one of the 300-400 customers who hugged him on Friday, his last day in the store. The inventory taking went very smoothly -- five counters all reported everything back to me and my laptop, where I plugged everything into a fancy spreadsheet I created. 8) My wife's car is now in the body shop's paint department. The expect it to be ready sometime next week. This news made Mrs. Sharward very happy... Who's also doing very well, by the way. :) I spoke to the city today about extending my permit... Although if I get forms done this weekend (maybe?), perhaps I won't have to. My permit expires on Saturday, February 25 and gets an automatic 6 month extension as of each inspection. If it expires, I must resubmit my plans to the city and the process starts over again (including all the fees), so I really need to make sure that doesn't happen. One way or another, an inspector has to come out to my place before the end of next week. Sorry I've been pretty quiet on the board lately... Things have gotten quite busy at work and there have been other distractions, such that I have had to scale back my involvement here. I am making a point of following a select number of threads that I have been following since their inception though. If anyone would like to ask me a question about their project or care for me to comment on their situation, please PM me and I'll try to make the time for it. :-) --Keith :mrgreen:

Sharward, 1st I want to thank you on your own thread, as I have been thanking you for your comments on many other threads. I'm sorry to hear about the family stuff and hope you and family make it through. And most of all thanks for this thread which is packed with info, after re-reading it several times I feel real bad for you now being kinda stuck (only for a while), as far as progress goes. I hope you get your builing permit extended without having to start all over with the code office. Can't wait to compare my finished 9x15 room to your finished 9x15 room. Marc

That's very nice of you Marc... Thanks very much! 8)