Thread: Raise a garage
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DT DT is offline
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Default Raise a garage

In article .com,
says...

The 2 stall, unattached garage on a house I recently purchased is to
close to the ground. The foundation is cement blocks and I was
wondering how difficult and how I would go about raising it up an
additional block.


I have raised 2 garages for customers, although only enough to get a pressure
treated 4x4 in there, 3 1/2". It's pretty easy to show you how, but kind of
difficult to describe. The link someone else provided should work.

I bolted a 2x4 diagonally across the first studs down each wall at each corner,
so that this 2x4 cuts across the corner and goes 16" down each wall (to the
first stud in each wall). This diagonal 2x4 is just above the sill, enough to
get a bottle jack under it. Then bolt in a vertical 2x4 that rested on the
middle of the one angled across each corner. This 2x4 jammed into the upper
corner where the two walls meet. Everything is bolted and nailed together. This
method picks up the top plate and bottom plate at the same time (more or less).

X-brace the door opening with long 2x4's, bolt 2 together if necessary, and add
another horizontal 2x4 across the very bottom of the door opening to keep it
from spreading

Now, place a bottle jack under two of the diagonal 2x4's at the corner and jack
one wall up. I used a 4 ton jack, bigger would be fine, just allow room when
you are placing the 2x4's. I bought a bunch of them at Harbor Freight for only
a few bucks, they work fine. Prop up that first wall, and move to another. If
things feel unsteady, just jack each wall up until you can slide a 2x4 in
there, 1 1/2" at a time. If the garage is old and the walls are not real rigid,
you may need to help the middle of a wall along with a 6' pry bar.

I did the back wall first, then each side.

--
Dennis