Building a house around my Airstream

[TropiCal7]

I'm in the process of building a garage for my 2017 Int'l Serenity 30' and have had to face exactly the same issue, though my slope is steeper (max is 12% grade). A 10' or 10.5' door both would work but the issue is when backing up the rear AC which is at 9'9" pitches up to almost 10'6". My architect did a dynamic elevation showing the highest point as the trailer comes up the sloping driveway and in to the garage and the issue is that the high point will get very close to the garage door when it's raised (6-10 feet inside the garage so the garage height wasn't really the problem). I'm also going with a side-mount opener for that reason. The solution (I hope) will be to make the driveway level out with less slope near the garage entrance which will change the hitch angle and drop the rear of the trailer a couple of inches (enough to clear the garage door.) The drive isn't poured and garage doors aren't installed so I not 100% sure this will work but the architect is. I can send you pics of the plans including the elevation with the trailer backing in if it would help.

[Ray Graves]

We just recently built a new home and designed the garage to hold our 28’ Airstream and a 20’ boat along with our truck and a car......the best decision ever. 10 foot works perfect and our builder suggested a side mounted garage door opener so nothing hanging from the ceiling. We also insulated. It’s was a little nervous the first time in so I climbed and observed as it was backed in and their was plenty of clearance. We also have the slight incline but it doesn’t effect it.

[rncordy]

For our 30ft SOB, I opted for a 12' wide, 14' high door. (I made room for a future, but unlikely, taller rig.) The width inside our RV bay is 15.5' and it is 40 ft long. With our rig and those bay dimensions I have just enough room for opening doors, opening the slide all the way, deploying steps and doing misc tasks around the trailer. By the way, that 12' wide door opening looks like it is 8'3" when I am backing in.

I also have hot and cold water connections, front and back sewer drains, 50 amps (we only need 30), cable/sat TV connection, and lots and lots of overhead lighting.

If I was to rebuild, I probably would not change anything.

Bob

[BagODoughnut]

We built a separate garage to hold our 25 FCFB. Garage door is 16w x 12h. Garage is large enough to put out all awnings with 3 foot clearance to garage sides and 3 foot clearance front and back. Lots of room to work. Have a 30 amp outlet and water. No sewer for various reasons. Luckily our homeowners association had no problem with it. It’s worked well.

Good luck!

[Overstreet]

Some thoughts,
1. My RV port is 14 ft wide, 14 ft tall and 30 ft long. My 30 ft classic is 34 feet long hitch to bumper. I need all the width sometimes. Just think about opening the door, plugging in the electric, and accessing hatches.

2. I'd go with a 12ft tall door.

3. If you use the sewer connection in the closed garage you will smell stink and release sewer gas into the garage as the trailer vents. The trailer vents when you drain something into a tank or flush out the black tank, big time.

4. Using the heater, ac units, kitchen vent, etc would not be advised in a closed garage.

5. Take a trip to The Great OUtdoors resort in Titusville Florida and look at those models of executive sites with ports and houses with garages.

[wtrclrptr]

Check out some of the very creative and varied storage solutions with living quarters as well in the Airstream community in Hillsboro, Texas. Some are merely shed roofs but they escalate up to complete homes with indoor Airstream bays. BTW, you can overnight there or stay a bit longer and that gives you time to walk around the approximately three blocks of homes.

I have a 12 high 12 wide door at my storage garage and 32' of depth. For my 28' those are none to large, but not too tough to get it backed in there. Inside I have an extra two beyond the 12" width, so I can work on the trailer when needed and still have some room on one side for all my gear. I'd strongly advise you go as high and wide as you can on both door and interior.

[gypsydad]

Just visited a friend in San Jose who built one for his 38' motorhome. Very nice inside, and lots of storage and room all in a kit....said it took the guys 4 days to complete the install once it arrived. Prices are pretty good and they have wood and metal offerings. Sand Creek post and beam.
https://www.sandcreekpostandbeam.com...gned-barn-kits

Here is a picture below of his "barn"...many on the website can be home also...we are looking at this for our 1/3 acre, which we have in TX...

[Hittenstiehl]

Whoa Gypsy those are nice, and some of them are currently on sale. One of these days Lottery one of these days

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Hittenstiehl

Whoa Gypsy those are nice, and some of them are currently on sale. One of these days Lottery one of these days

I did not get into pricing, but he said he got the labor recommendation from the company. A guy with his family showed up with a travel trailer, camped there for the project, and was gone in a week! It had a full bathroom inside, reinforcement to meet California earthquake codes, and a great storage area above his RV, plus lots of room inside. In Texas, we have to consider termites, so looking at metal building on piers with our sloping ground, and living area above the garage, but the ideas on this website are eye-opening for sure.

[streamon]

........I did that on new home RV garage/14' X 14' rollers front and back for pull through options........very happy with decision.

[geekvswild]

Sure thing! I'll save some humidity for you! Tell me buddy in Morristown PA hello for me on the way out.

GeekVsWild

[Scott59]

I would design a taller door, Doubt another foot would look odd. I would also recommend at least 4 feet of space along the garage wall to give you more room to walk and work around the AS. A little extra space here or there now will cost you little, but may cause lots of regret later if you don’t add it.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I've been thinking about the "why" of skinny garages.

Obviously part of it is to put a 2,3,4 car garage on a lot that really isn't big enough to fit one. If you get the garage doors in, it counts as a win ....

Another part of it is keeping the spacing so it looks even. If you boost out a side wall or center, you boost out both walls and all the centers. Sort of, adding a foot at the side gets you three feet total in a 2 car ...

No idea at all if it really works that way, but I'd bet it does.

Bob

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

I've been thinking about the "why" of skinny garages.

Obviously part of it is to put a 2,3,4 car garage on a lot that really isn't big enough to fit one. If you get the garage doors in, it counts as a win ....

Another part of it is keeping the spacing so it looks even. If you boost out a side wall or center, you boost out both walls and all the centers. Sort of, adding a foot at the side gets you three feet total in a 2 car ...

No idea at all if it really works that way, but I'd bet it does.

Bob

Well UB, that question starts out with most of us thinking about the primary use of a garage...I know for me, I have done it a few times...this last time 12 years ago at my place in MT, I had a shed for my tools and work, so only needed a "single" car garage with some space in back for ATV and some side space to move around and store some seasonal stuff. Well, by the time it was completed, I had purchased a second ATV, then a 3rd side x side ATV, and more "stuff"...then it became a storage for my new tractor, so truck sits outside...I just sold the tractor this past fall, so now I can get my truck in, but it's a F250 now...barely room to do anything in there, and the ATV's, kayaks, and extra generator "stuff" are bulging the storage area...moral- always build your garage 3x over what you think you will need...if you can afford it...pay me know or pay me later... When/if I go for the AS garage...and I am leaning hard toward the barn dominium idea, I hope I can build it for 2 AS's....to avoid the regret!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

As I drive around a typical subdivision, the garages all seem to fit into the same general set of specs. Obviously when you go to architect's school there's a chapter in the book about "the garage". Who ever wrote that chapter never owned the kind of stuff I accumulate ...

Bob

[rmkrum]

Yup. Have a three car garage—and only two vehicles fit in it. The third bay, with a single door is full of power tools, workbenches, etc.