The Beginnings of My Shop Build

[ykf7b0]

I'm finally getting a place to work and getting out of the driveway and off the carport. This picture is of the driveway underlay that will lead to the 40x30 shop.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I'm finally getting a place to work and getting out of the driveway and off the carport. This picture is of the driveway underlay that will lead to the 40x70 shop.
View attachment 1271634

Fixed it for ya... Trust me, it's the right choice...

 

[zyzzyx]

I wish you could come over and do the same for me! Ha!

 

[Thrashingcows]

I built a 32x48 shop...and yup wish I had been able to build larger but the piece of land where I had to build it wouldn't allow me to go any bigger.

Congrats...just being able to get out of the elements is worth any size shop or garage.

 

[ykf7b0]

Fixed it for ya... Trust me, it's the right choice...

. I wish I could go bigger but I came from a long line of poor people so believe me, this size (40x30), is a stretch for me.

 

[ruffcut]

Yep, gotta build what you can afford! I know what you mean about coming from poor family. I started out with nothing and still have most of it! Actually, I am very blessed. I think you appreciate what you have when you have to work for it.

 

[Beekeeper]

I built a 30 x 40 and of course i wished it was bigger and if i built it 40 x 60 i would still want it to be bigger. build the biggest you can comfortably afford. I do have a good amount of work space with two cars in my garage.

 

[ckessel]

Make it tall enough for a lift.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

. I wish I could go bigger but I came from a long line of poor people so believe me, this size (40x30), is a stretch for me.

I get it, I'm broke too, always have been... But my shop has always made me money so if theres room I'd look real hard at making it bigger... If it's to small you wind up storing stuff out of the weather but it's hard to get any work done cause you gotta get stuff outta the way to work.. DAMHIK

 

[ykf7b0]

That is understood as I did make it bigger. I was going to do a 30x30.

 

[Cranky]

Mine is 28x52....wish I had done at least 60 feet long and with 10' ceilings. No matter how big you start with, it's always 'wish I had done it bigger'!!

 

[ckessel]

And if a lift is on your want list for later, make sure the slab is thick enough. 4 post isn't as picky as a 2 for slab thickness. Have plenty of outlets, both 110 and 220, around the unit so you aren't trying to do it all with extension cords. Power doors? Look into getting the direct drive/jackshaft unit. Regular openers suck up valuable space. Also get the doors at least 8' high, more would be great for clearing lumber racks/campers/trailers etc and 12' or more wide.

 

[Thrashingcows]

Make it tall enough for a lift.

Doesn't cost much to put in taller walls.

I went with 14' ceiling on my shop, originally was only going to go 10' and the cost difference was about $1500 on the lumber, obviously a bit more for drywall and insulation but I figure no more then $5000 total when all was said and done.

 

[joe smith]

. I wish I could go bigger but I came from a long line of poor people so believe me, this size (40x30), is a stretch for me.

Were related...... LOL

 

[joe smith]

Whats the magic wall height for a real lift? Been told 12'?

 

[eldubb440]

. I wish I could go bigger but I came from a long line of poor people so believe me, this size (40x30), is a stretch for me.

I was poor too, still am lol......is there room to expand? I started out 30x40, 7 years later I added 18x40 onto the side..... then slid a 40x8 shipping container next to it on the other side and built a door into it....... now my 30x40 is 56x40 with a place for parts and a separate "clean" room for painting and such....... i have a 22x22 area on the rear mapped out for a lift and a carport.......big doors front and back are nice too



another point ........ back in the day I rented a small shop, it was 30x30.....basically a 2 bay garage

the extra 10 feet of depth in a 30x40 allows for 2 rows of cars........I comfortably fit 5 cars in my 30/40 area with plenty of room to get down and dirty. Trusses are a must, you don't want any poles in the way

lol my GTX is behind the AMX and out of sight...... 30x40 is a very nice size work area

that's 5 full size cars with one on a rotisserie, a rolling 4x8 table and a 10 foot work bench..... everything is on wheels and easily pushed up against a wall

 

[ckessel]

The needed height will be dictated by how high the lift goes and what the tallest vehicle you'll put on it. My 4 post goes up 6', the ramps when on the floor are about 8-10" up off the floor. On the inside of my garage, at the peak above the lift, I have 18'.

 

[ykf7b0]

I would love to go big but to be honest, I’m very happy to be getting this 30x40 with 9 foot ceiling. I have worked in the driveway, carport, and yard for the past 40 years and have been vey cold at times. I’m having a nice concrete slab poured in front because I still like to take in the Tennessee weather when the conditions are good.

 

[black64]

Mine is 40x40 and has 10ft rollup door and 9ft sliding doors on each side. I wish I had another 20 ft in length.

 

[skicker]

Using a custom Cathedral truss is the way to go if you want height but can not build the walls themselves high enough...

I used them in the areas where my garage doors are as that is also where my lift will be located...

Mine added 3' of height at the center making it right about 13' using 10' walls...

I had the truss builder leave 3' extending past the exterior walls in the front which made the whole elevation look like it was only 9' high walls.

Last pic is when finished and the concrete aprons poured...