new garage

[mferraro76]

getting ready to expand, I am trying to get a plan, looking for garage suggestions from those who have them and have learned what to do and what not to do...

I have 3.6 acres, in a mostly wooded lot, I am trying to be conscious of my neighbors and maximize property value. I'm thinking 20x30 or 30x40 - is one layout more efficient than the other as far as anyone has experienced?

Also, probably going to go with a steel building to save some $$, any one have a recommendation?

I already have been collecting shop equip such as blast cabinet, hydraulic press, 80 gal 2 stg compressor, mig welder, ox/acy torch, waiting on lifts until I get further along. any other good things to have around?

 

[ws27]

My suggestion is that what ever you build won't be big enough. Space fills quickly. So do your math and maximize the size vs $$$$. Unless money is no option. Plan space for everything that you can. Lift(s) compressor, work area. What you are doing here is a great start, lot's of people have been there and done that.

 

[mopar505]

6" pour on the concrete areas you will be setting the lift . higher ceiling height, 11' minimum. air and electric outlets everywhere.

 

[kb67mopar]

no such thing as too small but to maximize space build up a bit and keep it tall. One really cool thing I saw in a guys garage a while back was a loft you could easily access with stairs. He kept a ton of parts up there and they never got in the way down below.

Also if I was doing it, I would put in a strong enough beam to handle a 2 ton hoist on a monorail. Then you dont need a shop crane and can lift an engine out without tripping over the crane.

Lastly plumb all of your air lines to hose reels to keep everything clean. I will also eventually build a shop and probably run wiring when i build it for speakers all over the place so I can have a kick *** stereo. I love listening when I work.

 

[RS23VOA]

I built mine 40X72X14. Soon after i started moving cars and tools into it i realized 48x80 would have been a little bit sweeter.

 

[Cranky]

I built a 28x52 and wish I had gone much bigger but I'm in a neighborhood that had size limits on building a garage even tho they were kinda vague. I got some push back from some neighbors but went with it anyways. What I should have done was move out into the country a long time ago and built a 5000 sq ft building to start with! Now I'm 62 and kinda stuck here.

 

[Hemirunner]

Mine is 28x44 with 6" concrete and in floor radiant heat with a 12' 6" ceiling for a lift. The best advise I can give is plan everything in advance well before you break ground. I mean EVERY last detail. It will pay dividends in the long run. I have air lines running through the floor for the lift and through the walls for the shop. Electrical outlets everywhere for convience. Bathroom as well as an office.

- - - Updated - - -

no such thing as too small but to maximize space build up a bit and keep it tall. One really cool thing I saw in a guys garage a while back was a loft you could easily access with stairs. He kept a ton of parts up there and they never got in the way down below.

Also if I was doing it, I would put in a strong enough beam to handle a 2 ton hoist on a monorail. Then you dont need a shop crane and can lift an engine out without tripping over the crane.

Lastly plumb all of your air lines to hose reels to keep everything clean. I will also eventually build a shop and probably run wiring when i build it for speakers all over the place so I can have a kick *** stereo. I love listening when I work.

My attic is 12'x44' with a 6' ceiling accessed by external stairs so as not to take up floor space. I'm also too old to be messing around with attic ladders.

 

[Budnicks]

6" pour on the concrete areas you will be setting the lift . higher ceiling height, 11' minimum. air and electric outlets everywhere.

X2

- - - Updated - - -

no such thing as too small but to maximize space build up a bit and keep it tall. One really cool thing I saw in a guys garage a while back was a loft you could easily access with stairs. He kept a ton of parts up there and they never got in the way down below.

Also if I was doing it, I would put in a strong enough beam to handle a 2 ton hoist on a monorail. Then you dont need a shop crane and can lift an engine out without tripping over the crane.

Lastly plumb all of your air lines to hose reels to keep everything clean. I will also eventually build a shop and probably run wiring when i build it for speakers all over the place so I can have a kick *** stereo. I love listening when I work.

X2

 

[roadrunnerman]

As you make your diagram, add in where you want to place your equipment so you know where you want your electrical outlets placed. If you are going to have air outlets, place connections far enough apart so you're not tripping over air hoses. An attic is a great idea for extra parts (you know you're going to collect them). Maybe put that in the back part of your building above the air compressor and blast cabinet. Put in plenty of windows for good natural lighting and they also help when you are stuck on a project to just look out and stare at the trees to clear your head. Maybe put in some sky light windows. Keep as many trees as you can and that will help with your neighbors so they're not looking at a building stuck out in the open. If you are going to do any work when the weather turns chilly, you will need a good source for heating the building. Propane/kerosene heater, whichever is more cost effective for you. Put your overhead door and walk-in door so they are visible from the house. I would go with the bigger demensions. A 20x30 is not going to be big enough once you start putting everything in place that you want.

 

[goose69]

Many good suggestions here. As far as the size, take serious consideration to it. I'd seriously consider building one that is 30' deep minimum. Think about this, when your car is in there it takes up usually 16-17' in length, then you have a workbench in the front or tool box that could take up 2 more feet, you then want AMPLE room to walk around the car and to work on it for sure!!! 20' is really tight. My neighbor has one that is 24' deep and even it can be a bit restricting. My truck is almost 22' long so had to go deeper. Also take into consideration when you want to do things like pull a motor you want to be able to do it without opening a door and rolling a car half way out so the hoist will have enough room in front of the car. The loft ideas are great ones, they will even work well between the trusses, if they are far enough apart like a pole barn that is usually 12' apart. Keeping things mobile is good too. Built a workbench that was 3'x12' and had casters that could drop down, lift the feet off the ground and be able to roll around out of way. Pluming lines for air is very helpful too.
It has helped me out a bunch, and I've built a few shops for my friends, when you draw them out and draw in everything you want in the shop with measurements (cars, tool boxes, benches, air compressors, blasting cabinets, wood stove, etc). Helps you organize it too.
Well, good luck!

 

[493 Mike]

493Mike

All these suggestions are good, especially about the size. You might consider planning on adding on later and build it with that in mind. My garage consists of three separate pole barns and it's still too small! (144' long). Place electrical receptacles every 4'(they're cheap but don't buy the cheapest available). I used all 20 amp circuits and receptacles and did a mix of low and higher positions. I also used GFI receptacles placed first in each circuit to protect all downstream receptacles. I ran a loop of 3/4 copper air line around the main shop (take offs on top with a drain on bottom at the low point)pitching it toward the furthest point from the supply. You can save money on concrete if you thicken the slab only where the hoist will sit. If you do heat the building definitely use a PEX in floor radiant system. Nothing is more efficient or comfortable. I used gloss, refrigerator white steel for the ceiling with 12" of cellulose on top. This let me use reflector less florescent lamps. I also used 5/8" sheetrock for walls (fire resistance). Since mine is pole barn construction I had to add studs on 24" centers which let me use 24" fiberglass insulation in the walls. If I were to do the walls over I would use spray foam. Along the base of the walls I ran a 2x6, P.T. which let me set the sheetrock on the top edge. I did the same at the top touching the bottom of the truss carrying 2x10s. I trimmed top and bottom with 3/4" quarter round trim leaving only the screws and field seams to finish. I did run a bead of clear silicone at the bottom to keep water out of the wall cavity (after painting). I wanted to post some pictures but don't know how!
Mike

 

[YY1]

Regarding 30' depth-

I did exactly that, accounted for a 17' long B body, plus room for an 18-24 inch workbench in front, and room for a person both between the car and workbench and between the car and the garage door.

This worked out well, but even with that planning, another foot or two would have been nice!

I went with 26' width, figuring on two cars and enough room to open both doors on both cars. I almost got it. I have all sorts of shelves and tools along the walls, most in the 18-24 inch size (blast cabinet, welding cart, band saw, tool chests, etc), but had to leave the areas along the walls that line up with the doors bare, so they'd clear. If I park so the outboard doors open fully, I can just barely NOT get the inboard doors open all the way.

I'm OK with that, as 3 out of 4 ain't bad, but again, another 2 feet would have been nice.

I also went with 10' wide doors (as opposed to the standard 9'), and I'm really happy I did that. They are much more forgiving on the entry angle (I have a sharp turn right before the entrance), and it's MUCH easier to carry something out past the cars.

EDIT: Sorry mine is 30' WIDTH and 26' DEPTH.

 

[mach123]

I did a 24x54 and could not go bigger, but if I could go wider, it fills in quicker when narrow. If you are going metel building, I would go like a pole barn with 16ft ceilings, they are cheaper to build andjust as good, still have concrete floors and insulated walls and once it is built no one would ever know if there is a difference. I have buddy getting one done 40x60 and is 35,000 built no concrete 14ft ceilings with insulated walls, then finished at about 65,000 complete, good luck and go as big as you can afford, good luck.

 

[Budnicks]

here's what will be my shop eventually when Pops quits Traveling, I let him keep the RV & boat in there right now... I will concrete the whole area after digging down 6-8 inches, installing plumbing & electrical trenches & add conduit or pipe, it's sitting on 12"x 8' deep concrete pillars, with anchors & a concrete reinforced wall, I will fill in the sides,backs & install a 10'x10' & 12'x12' roll up doors 28' wide x 42' deep, 14' tall at the peak, absolute biggest I could go... it will be allot better than my tiny 20'x 20' I have now, I had a 64k sq ft warehouse @ one time that was really nice... downsizing sucks

- - - Updated - - -

Lots of lighting, parts washer, retractable air hose & electrical reals, lots of air & electrical outlets 220 & 110vt, 60 gal. compressor, a urinal in the back...LOL... a 4 post lift, a overhead chain hoist/crane, benches all over & storage off the floor everywhere, the smaller side will have a retractable curtain & filtered ventilation, for painting & assembling parts/engines, kind of a poor-mans paint booth & clean room combined, stainless steel counter tops, heating & A/C...

 

[YY1]

Mine was a Carolina Carport.

It was 5K without the slab, front and back walls (but WITH the gable ends) and without door.

It would have been another 10K for a 26x30 slab (which I'm really lamenting, now), and another 2K for the front and back walls.

I built my own front and back walls for $400, and put in my own rollup doors for 1k each. (would have been double that for CC to do the doors)

I found a metal clad MH man door for $10 at a salvge yard and installed that as well.


I got some estimates to do the same size in block on a slab and finished with doors, etc, and it was n the $75 to 95K range.
(my 2000 sq/ft house on a half acre was $115).

That's why I bought my self storage property. I've got $25K in it, I've got a 5 car garage around the corner from my house, and it pays me $250 a month at 75% occupancy.

 

[scotts74birds]

Im looking at a 30x60 with a loft. After the divorce, thats where I plan to live! More than enough room for basic bachelor needs, and my bff (best furry friend), my dog. And if I find a woman quirky enough to like it, then I'll build a house for all of us.

 

[YY1]

I've ALWAYS wanted to live in a commercial building.
Train station, firehouse, library, etc.

I once knew some people that lived in an older firehouse.
Litterally right on "Main St" about 2 miles from the center of town.

They were really cool people, and had lots of parties.
They would just open the doors, and pow- their living room was right on the street!

Still had the poles, too.

There's a 1920's icehouse for sale about 8 miles from me.
I'd LOVE to have that.

 

[ws27]

I've ALWAYS wanted to live in a commercial building.
Train station, firehouse, library, etc.

I once knew some people that lived in an older firehouse.
Litterally right on "Main St" about 2 miles from the center of town.

They were really cool people, and had lots of parties.
They would just open the doors, and pow- their living room was right on the street!

Still had the poles, too.

There's a 1920's icehouse for sale about 8 miles from me.
I'd LOVE to have that.

Have fun reading:

http://shopfloortalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7779

 

[HT413]

I had an architect give me some suggestions for the garage I am about to build. He suggested 5' to 6' clear all the way around the lift, plus extra depth for specific work areas, so plan the garage door placement accordingly.

 

[ralley green]

never enough room !