G

GSchuld

Well Known Member
The concept of having a home with a hanger beneath it seems to be popular in the Florida Keys. I am looking into possibly buying a one acre(200 deep/220 wide) lot in a small florida airpark and building new. Assuming I can get my hands on one of the lots directly on the grass runway, the view would be pretty nice. Having the main (and only) living space floor of the house roughly 12ft above ground level with a full length deck facing the strip sounds appealing.

I would really prefer to have a fully insulated and conditioned hanger/shop space. I have a professional wooden boatbuilding background and I own a FULL compliment of heavy duty machines that certainly don't appreciate the florida summer's high humidity (hmm...nor do I for that matter:rolleyes:). I could forsee myself making noise fairly regularly so some level of soundproofing afforded by an insulated space could be welcome as well.

Combining the hanger and house into one structure seems as though it could be a fairly cost effective and enjoyable situation, especially if the hanger/shop/garage space(2500-3000sqft) is to be fully insulated, heated, and perhaps air conditioned. My current home has a large second story deck and we are constantly out there, as the view is pleasant. Her current home office also has a nice view which she really enjoys. Looking out onto a grass strip may be nice for her as well.

There would have to be a significant amount of fireproofing and soundproofing between the hanger/shop/garage floor and the main house level. My wife works primarily from home with some work travel mixed in. Currently, my shop is detached and 30ft from the main house and doesn't bother her a bit noise wise while she is working and I am banging away(it's fully insulated with a good amount of soundproofing). Not sure I could soundproof well enough to keep the noise level reasonable for her in an over under situation though. She does a bit of video conferencing and phone meetings so I want to respect her needs there as I'd like to stay married:D.
I should be getting a copy of the covenants, conditions, and restrictions for the airpark shortly to get a look see. Insurance coverages would be looked into as well.

A seperate house and hanger will probably make more sense in the end. But I was wondering if anyone around here lives in a home over hanger situation and whether they like it or not.

Thanks,

George
 
I'm not from your area, but I do know several couples who have the house over the hangar and enjoy it. Just have seperate heat & A/C systems..:)

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
I am a General Contractor

in Destin, FL and I too would recommend an ICF, Insulating Concrete Form type home/hangar. The benefits of building with ICF's include energy savings, fire resistance, superior structural integrity, and an ecologically sound building process, which seem to coincide with some of your criteria. I am sure that there would be a GC in your area qualified. Welcome to Florida. :)
 
House over Hanger

Check local building codes for the size of the hanger footprint. If it is a certain size, you may be required to have a fire sprinkler system for the hanger (check fire code for this). Also there will be a separation requirement between the hanger and the home. I don't have the code book in front of me but a 2 hour separation comes to mind.
Would be glad to offer design services however...
 
If you have to follow....

Stogie 6 said:
Check local building codes for the size of the hanger footprint. If it is a certain size, you may be required to have a fire sprinkler system for the hanger (check fire code for this). Also there will be a separation requirement between the hanger and the home. I don't have the code book in front of me but a 2 hour separation comes to mind.
Would be glad to offer design services however...
Click to expand...

...the IBC (International Building Code) the maximum size for a "residential hangar" is 2000 sq. ft.

Over this and your building might be regarded as a commercial structure by the Fire Marshall, and that makes things trickier and more $$$. It's caused a lot of discussion with the Town Code dept.on our Airpark...:(

The troubles we have had have been with detached hangars on 7 acre lots - I think the Fire Marshall would flip his lid at an attached hangar over 2000 sq. ft.
 
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George,
I design hangars for a living, and having to do a 3 hour separation between the hangar and shop/living space is not unusual. The concrete construction for the hangar that others have suggested will work well for that kind of separation, but it's not your only option. Remember that you will need to protect the hangar ceiling/home floor as well as the walls.

Also, plan on having a sprinkler system. Most building codes will require hangars to have one because you are storing "hazardous material" (avgas). The peace of mind alone would be worth it though.

As others have also said, be sure to check your HOA covenants and local building codes. They do vary from state to state, and most states have amendments to the IBC which must be followed.
 
Thanks for the replies. Good stuff. I have looked into ICF construction and certainly see the potential benefits. It has not been long since I finished my current house and shop(new construction). I was acting GC for both. Actually, I designed them as well. My sister is an architectural engineer(which may well come in handy again;)) and she worked out the minute details and final drawings. Pilings, grade beam foundation, some steel reinforcement in the main house, etc. I'm not the type to shy away from a challenge. I went with stick built (2x6 walls) on my house and shop. Old school northeast shore style, white cedar shingles and all. My better half always had a soft spot for a bold colored metal roof on a stucco faced home. That would probably match the ICF method well.


Stogie 6 said:
Would be glad to offer design services however...
Click to expand...

Hmm, I see you are an architect? I did the majority of my current one myself, though I have no formal architectural training. A home over hanger design would be a bit farther from my comfort zone design wise. I'd love to see any existing floorplans with this type of layout. I haven't been able to locate much so far.

George
 
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For your AC system

I'd suggest that you look into the mini-split heat pumps. Either high wall or ceiling suspended units would do best for zoning. Excellent efficiency, inverter operation, simple install and real good comfort.

I represent Fujitsu General in my business, so bias noted:). Other manuf are Mitsubishi, Daikin, Sanyo as the top of the line manuf. Good luck on your project.
 
"Hangar" is a dirty word...

My county does not require sprinkler systems on "equipment sheds", but it does on "hangars"... Therefore, my airplanes are kept in the "equipment shed" next to the house.

I also designed plans for a hangar house and may still build it. It was a 15,000 sq ft. structure with a central 75x100 foot hangar and two 37.5x100"shed" type structures on either side, one for a shop, the other for the residence. I never got any pushback from the county... I also called the hangar a "garage" though...
 
George,

Florida homes have the AC turned on more than any other place in the world. It's so hot and humid that smart people migrate north. In addition, Florida building code is stringent, to say the least, and permitting can be a nightmare. I would investigate these issues before spending time or money designing the house of your dreams.

Best,

Paul
 
Paul,

Yes, it sure gets hot and humid down there in the summer. My wife loves it(she's a southern North Carolina native), but it will take some getting used to for me. I spent a few summers in Wilmington, NC. Taking it in stages I guess.

I know several people in the airpark in question that have built new over the last 5 years, one is getting ready to build within the year and is currently going through the planning/zoning process with the county. So I should have some quality first hand experience available. And for sure, I plan on getting a copy of the local building codes, and the zoning restrictions that would supercede any covenants, conditions, and restrictions that are attached to the airpark. Time is on my side, I'm in no particular rush. Nothing has been commited as of yet but I'd like to do my homework ahead of time so I can properly assess my interest and plan accordingly. Actually, I am trying to make plans to rent a house at the airpark for about 2-3 months sometime between this coming fall and early spring. Get to know the place a bit better, get to know the neighbors, and really try it on for size to see if the place really suits us. Both of us have the flexibility to be there for a bit, so why not!



And I'll take a closer look at the mini heat pumps. Thanks.



George
 
Haller, just east of St. Augustine Florida. Chapter 1379 is based there, as are Dave Dollarhide, Pat Lee, and a few other flying and in build RVs. I was there back in April for a short time and got a look around. The place seems to have some laid back fun loving airplane nut residents(that was a compliment by the way). And homebuilts seem to be the norm:) there.

George
 
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