Many of our older homes here don't have a garage, so parking that Cadillac Escalade or Ford F350 can sometimes be a challenge, especially if one has toddlers or sacks full of groceries.

The following picture is of a home on Coronado Island that had been renovated and had a one-car garage added to the rear of the house. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the utility company to move their stupid utility pole which got in the way.

Garage

This garage, while big enough for a mid-size car like a Camry or Accord, would not accommodate anything other than a golf cart until the pole gets moved. Unfortunately the utility companies declined to move it.

The gas meter was moved to the left side of the new garage, but just a little planning and four more feet or so could have provided the clearance needed.

This also illustrates something that really irritates me about people working in or on real estate here in Southern California, and that's the lack of cross training. Quite often, the concrete guy is sent out to pour a driveway, and gosh darn it, that's exactly what he does. He's not paid, nor encouraged, to tell anyone, "You did know that if I pour the driveway there that the telephone pole is in the way."

The framers, drywallers, and stucco professionals get paid to frame, drywall, and stucco. They don't get paid, nor are then encouraged, to say, "You did know that the telephone pole is in the way."

When I was a contractor in Texas, we did just about everything. If the plumber didn't show up that day, guess who did plumbing? If the bricklayer didn't show up, guess who laid brick? Such cross-training doesn't exist anymore, which can be both good and bad, but I never had a project come in over budget or past deadline because we all knew how to cover for each other, and were quite happy to do so, to help.

 

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12 Comments on What the heck were they thinking? (garage)

This is a first for me! I believe this is certainly one garage that hardly adds to the value of the improved property!

08/05/2008 06:31 PM by Vickie Nagy, Realtor, Specializing in San Ramon, Danville & the Tri-Valley! (Empire Realty Associates)


Hey, Vickie. So you're considering it improved? LOL

08/05/2008 06:34 PM by Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector (Property Consultant)


That is ridicules. Was someone asleep at the wheel?  Good luck to the homeowner on their future sale.

08/05/2008 06:34 PM by Angelia Garcia (Francesca Realty.LLC)


How did they get a permit to build the garage with the utility pole there? This should have been caught before a shovel went into the ground.

08/05/2008 06:37 PM by Richard Mielke, REALTOR, CRS, ABR, e-Pro (Miller & Associates Real Estate, LLC)


That's a very expensive lesson to learn for the homeowner.

08/05/2008 06:39 PM by Lorrie Semler, Addison Real Estate Specialist (Keller Williams)


Hey, Angelia - Maybe they were listening to Asleep At The Wheel (dating myself here) which caused them to fall asleep at the wheel. LOL

Hey, Richard - Don't get me started on permits here in Southern California. Unfortunately, everyone knows that a homeowner can do anything he wants to his property. They forget to listen to, or understand, the rest of the sentence, "as long as they get the appropriate permits." I'm not sure there's anything that says a garage has to accommodate every vehicle ever manufactured though, but what's the purpose of adding a garage if one can't at least park a Volkswagen Beetle in it? If there had been a golf course close by, I could see a golf cart parking garage. LOL

08/05/2008 06:50 PM by Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector (Property Consultant)


Russel, you bring up a very simple and valid point.  I guess those contractors were more concerned about getting paid for a simple job instead of making a valid prediction of how it would affect property values.  Love the post!!!

08/06/2008 02:50 AM by Mark Organek - Tempe Gilbert Mesa Chandler REALTOR (RE/MAX Alliance)


Excellent post, Russel.  I was an exec with Centex Homes and we learned everyone's jobs. Really helps with the problem solving if you can see all sides of the issue.

We have all had encounters with people who just do what they are told and no more.  Just shows how disinterested they are in themselves and their companies.  Sad.

Thanks for the post.

08/06/2008 07:04 AM by Fisher & Company, P.A., Marketing & Creative Strategists


I showed a house last week that had a great 2 car garage, but no access from any road. Possibly good for a tractor!

08/06/2008 07:11 AM by Ellie McIntire Real Estate in Howard County Maryland (The McIntire Team of Long & Foster)


Hey, Ellie. Maybe the owners are from Southern California where we don't use our garages for parking:

Southern California garage

08/07/2008 02:56 AM by Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector (Property Consultant)


Russell:   What a fun post -- I'll have to go back and read your other ones!   I was showing a house last weekend where the entire garage was carparted and a very nice plush carpet.   It was a little odd .................

08/07/2008 05:50 AM by Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog - Kathy Torline - Nordstrom (Prudential Professional REALTORS)


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Inspector: Russel Ray,  San Diego home inspector (Property Consultant)
Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector
La Mesa, CA
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