Thread: Our builder says a garage door will not pass inspection???

We are having a modular home built with a concrete garage underneath with 2 garage doors. I want a door put in on the back side of the garage so I can access the garage from the backyard. He said because of the slant of the yard he would have to put in a retainer wall and he doesnt want to do that due to cost or something. So I suggested that he put the door up higher with a step or two going up to it and down to garage floor. My builder said that he could not do that because it would weaken the concrete and not pass inspection??? Can't you frame in the door someway so that doesn't happen??? The garage has not been built yet. Really need this door but not alot of extra money.


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Judy

It would be nice to see some photos in order to get a more complete picture of your foundation issues.

Originally Posted by Judy Bartgis

he doesnt want to do that due to cost or something

That darn money.... it just gets in the way of everything

Without pictures it's tough to visualize but I can somewhat picture what's going on and your builder is right. In order to put a door at the back of the garage where the slab (garage floor) is below grade, the dirt leading up to the door will have to be retained. Otherwise, you'd just open the door and all the dirt would fall in.

I'm sure he can do what you want.... just expect to pay for it. Basically, you can't just dig out a bunch of dirt without holding back what is left.

Originally Posted by Judy Bartgis

We are having a modular home built with a concrete garage underneath with 2 garage doors. I want a door put in on the back side of the garage so I can access the garage from the backyard. He said because of the slant of the yard he would have to put in a retainer wall and he doesnt want to do that due to cost or something. So I suggested that he put the door up higher with a step or two going up to it and down to garage floor. My builder said that he could not do that because it would weaken the concrete and not pass inspection??? Can't you frame in the door someway so that doesn't happen??? The garage has not been built yet. Really need this door but not alot of extra money.

There is an issue of the entrance into the garage and the distance to the ceiling. Solution is to increase the wall height of garage walls. Of course that would be a higher cost than the retaining wall for the stair well.

Go with the stair well and retaining walls with drain at bottom. Its only money and you will be happy for spending it. The cost will disappear as the years go by and you use the rear door that makes you happy.

Sounds like the rear grade id high on the back wall of the garage.And the grade runs toward the house.I would want to grade out the yard rather than build over it. That water running down the hill into the rear wall will be a problem as long as you live there. Unless I missed something in you picture

Thanks so much for the replies! How do I upload a picture for you guys to see?

When you go to REPLY, just scroll down a little further and you will see where you can upload a photo.
You will see ADDITIONAL OPTIONS
Then the second box is where you CLICK to upload the photo.
When you click, it will open another box. Click on CHOOSE FILE. This is where you search your hard drive for the photo.
Find the photo you want, then UPLOAD, and it should be attached then.

The only thing is the photo can't be a really large file.

Then click SUBMIT below where you did all the photo import stuff.


Its pretty easy.

Here's what I'm picturing but I may be way off:
Grade.jpg
A retaining wall would be needed somewhere in the vicinity of the arrow.

Since you don't plan on driving out the back door, why not just have a service door or pedestrian door installed?

This is why one contracts for a geotechnical /site-soil survey/study (engineering & testing) engineers a proper foundation, footings, drainage systems, etc. and employs an engineer or architect to design the plan around those features which exist and must be accomodated, and the features you desire, which will accomodate the modular build on the site.

There is no free lunch.

Thanks again for the help. Here is the rendering of the house being built. I so want some type of door in the back side of house near the garage doors.

I see a lot of homes in my area that have a side door just around the corner from the garage car doors.
The way the rendering is, I see no reason why they cant install one there, unless the grade is too high at the rear of the house.
To put a door in a block wall they have to install a lintel above the opening. If the foundation walls are already up, its a lot more work. If not, its pretty easy. The cost of the lintel is probably offset by the blocks that will not be used in the doorway. Labor is not much difference either.

However, if the ground level or slope is too high or too close at the rear, then its more involved. A photo would really help showing the rear area where you want the door.

If the back side of the house is under the deck on the right side of the rendering he should be able to add a man door without too much of a problem. Yes, you'd most likely have to do a small retaining wall, but it shouldn't add too much of an expense.

If this is a poured concrete foundation then the door can easily be created with forms and no lintel needed. A retaining wall must be added to hold back the soil and for drainage.

I would recommend the door opening be at least 3 feet from the outside corner for strength in the concrete wall and as been stated already it costs money to do it right and there's a reason.