How does Ceci Bates handle unique structural design requests?

Ceci Bates Custom Homes leverages the expertise of their structural engineer, Bogdan Taut, to design solutions like steel beam systems that manage complex loads effectively.

Can a garage be built above a living space?

Yes, Ceci Bates Custom Homes has successfully engineered a garage above a living space by employing steel beams and columns to manage the structural loads.

What makes Ceci Bates different in dealing with custom home challenges?

Ceci Bates Custom Homes excels by finding engineering solutions where others see limitations, ensuring clients receive homes tailored to their unique visions.

Notes From Our Journey

From twenty-six years of building custom homes on Lake Texoma, here we share about our process and what we've learned about design, materials, engineering, and the decisions that shape a home built to last for generations — the questions clients ask us most often, and the answers we give around the table in our design center.

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Innovative Engineering: Unique Garage Solutions in Custom Homes

Innovative Engineering: Unique Garage Solutions in Custom Homes

Ceci Bates

October 8, 2026

Some custom home requests would simply not be possible without engineering expertise. These are not challenges of materials but challenges of making structural loads behave in unfamiliar configurations. At Ceci Bates Custom Homes, we embrace architectural feats that others might consider unattainable.

On a recent project, our team was tasked with creating a unique living experience: a car garage positioned directly above a living space. This decision was unconventional, primarily due to the complex structural demands such a design imposes. When a car enters a garage, it generates significant dynamic forces, and these must be managed to maintain the integrity of the space below.

The challenge was clear—traditional wood framing would not suffice. Instead, we turned to the expertise of our structural engineer, Bogdan Taut. His design utilized steel beams and columns to manage the forces at play. This included accommodating the static weight of parked vehicles and the dynamic forces as vehicles moved and stopped. The foundation was carefully engineered to absorb and support these intensities without impacting the living area below.

Thanks to this comprehensive approach, both the garage and the living space below were constructed successfully, offering the client exactly what they envisioned. At Ceci Bates Custom Homes, the ability to transform an unusual idea into reality is rooted deeply in our team’s commitment to rigorous engineering and design.

The distinction between a true custom home and a near-custom home lies not only in the aesthetics but in the builder’s ability to find solutions where others see constraints. We invite you to explore more about how Ceci Bates approaches engineering challenges at cecibates.com, and discover what makes our custom homes uniquely tailored to our clients’ visions.