can someone give some info on what structural elements i should look for when inspecting this set up.
i.e. reinforcement
thanks
Chris, that is an odd one, you’ll have to post pictures once you’ve done the inspection.
As garage floors are required to be of non-combustible materials I am guessing that you will be looking at a poured in place ceiling/floor, as this is a very heavy structure I would expect to see a suitabily heavy support structure featuring wall butressing and extra support columns either of steel or poured concrete. This is very common in comercial constructionbut rare in residential structures.
If the floor is anything other than concrete be afraid.
Regards
Gerry
home’s 40 years old.
2-car garage.
a detached 2 car garage was built 5 years ago.
i wonder how much they still park in the old garage?..who knows.
still looking to see if others have dealt with this in residential, and how.
also curious to see the 4" step up from the garage, or lack there of in this case.
is having a properly sealed entry door enough?
Chris
The tittle of your thread is “Garage over Living space” did you mean “Living Space Over Garage”???
I have seen a garage over a home theatre and one over a basement. Both were new construction. Flex core pre-cast panels were utilized.
This would take awhile. ha. ha.
Size
Span
Beam or no Beam Requirements
Waterproofing
Foundation Design
Fireproofing
Gas and vapor proofing
Acoustics
Seismic and vibration control
Are you sure you want a living room under the garage.???
Marcel 
I’ve seen two theatre rooms under 3 car garages in the last month.
And another with a 2 car garage under a 3 car garage.
I am responding to a Residential question, as to wether or not they wish a living room under a garage. If that is the request, I have seen and built many that would suit their needs.
It involves cast in place concrete reinforced with to matts of Re-bar either using concrete pans or pre-stress concrete planks.
I have seen methods using rail road rails as beams and make shift supports.
But having a living room under a residential garage, come on, give me a break. You know something will be drastically wrong with that. That is not a common method for Residential Building and Design for residential life.
Let us just hope that if it is designed that way, a Prominent Architectural and Structural Engineer was part of the loop. Now we are talking to a horse of a different color. No longer Residential.
Marcel
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Marcel, you are a wealth of information thanks.
These were all pre-stress wth a cap poured over the top.
What methods are used prevent water penetration?
this home is a ranch w/2 car attached garage.
full basement underneath it all.
i was concerned with whether there would be a step up in the garage at the entry door to the home.
looking at pics, i see:
the roof to the garage is slightly lower than the roof to the rest of the home.
i’m assuming that my step up will be there…we’ll see tomorrow.