# How is this probably constructed?



## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Customer has a 9 year old home with attached garage. There are two separate but identical garage doors with maybe 14"-18" between them.

Would this probably have been built with a single header extending over both doors or independent headers for each door? 

It's *not *something I would attempt to tackle but they have been thinking about changing things to one large garage door and asked me what I thought it would cost.


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

I'd expect to see two headers more often than not. Easier to build and no special-order beam.


----------



## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

I would think two headers. Cheaper and easier right? Isn't that how most houses are built...


----------



## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

I see it being either way. Roof bearing or gable above?


----------



## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

This doesn't do any good but I found a pic from a few years ago.


----------



## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

I would have done it with one header.


----------



## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Now for the dumb question.

How do I tell? Any way without removing drywall?


----------



## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

Hammer and 8 penny nail.


----------



## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

kiteman said:


> Hammer and 8 penny nail.


I was hoping that was an answer.....:laughing:


----------



## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

kiteman said:


> Hammer and 8 penny nail.





Better yet,hammer and 2 " hardened / splitless finish nail. It makes smaller holes.:thumbsup:


----------



## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

kiteman said:


> Hammer and 8 penny nail.


I'm no carpenter, but wouldn't it be pretty much solid either way?


----------



## mako1 (Sep 1, 2013)

I just built one and use two headers .Have always done it that way.With a jack and king stud supporting each header and solid studs in the center if there isn't much space.
If you used a solid header you would have to have a post in the middle which would not give as much support in my opinion since it would have to be toenailed or bracketed into the header one ways or another.Just weird to me.


----------



## Briandh (Sep 18, 2014)

From my experience there's a girder truss running from to back that carries that upper front corner, bearing on the centre of the one garage door. Your going to be needing a large beam to bear that girder.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Even if it is one header, that header is not gonna be engineered to clear span that. We are required now on garages like that to use one header. 9 years ago, we would have done it with two.


----------



## knucklehead (Mar 2, 2009)

That is 2 separate headers.


----------



## pappagor (Jan 29, 2008)

you will need a new header no matter what so cut out the rock


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

kiteman said:


> Hammer and 8 penny nail.


Or, if they don't want the holes in the drywall, you could pop off a piece of siding.


----------



## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Sometimes demo is the right first step...


----------



## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Customer..."Whay'ya think Rob...$2000-$3000?

Me..."Try $20,000

I might not have been far off, eh?


----------



## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Robie said:


> Customer..."Whay'ya think Rob...$2000-$3000?
> 
> Me..."Try $20,000
> 
> I might not have been far off, eh?


I have done a few of these. The demo and framing is actually not bad. It is all the other crap that eats up the time.

Remove any electrical
Remove GDO
Remove drywall
Remove tow doors
Remove siding and door trim
Build temp wall
Remove existing headers and install new headers
Install rafter ties
Electrical for GDO
Remove bit of block wall.
Fill in concrete
Replace trim and siding
Replace drywall and finish
Install new door
Install new GDO


Certainly not 2k, but probably no where near 20k


----------

