I'm looking to start on a garage but haven't decided on my dimensions yet. I want to add a 2 post lift down the road so I want to have enough room for that. My worst case scenario would be a long bed extra cab pickup. I've never used a two post lift so I'm not sure how far to install it from the garage door. And then how much space is needed in front of the lift.
To allow room to work on two cars, im thinking 30 or 32 wide and 36 to 40 deep. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
I wouldn't design a new garage around a lift, but I can give you some ideas of what a lift bay requires. Each lift manufacturer is different, but the principal is pretty universal.
A shop's work bay should be approximately 12' wide x 28" long for standard automotive work. If the lift is asymmetric (10K capacity or lower), it should be installed 9-10' from the nearest obstruction to the front (ie. wall, toolbox, workbench, etc) and centered in the bay. If the lift is symmetric, you want to move it back to 11 or 12' from the nearest obstruction. Since you will want room to walk around the lift, it should be at least 2' from the nearest wall on either side.
Ceiling height is the biggest issue with personal garages and lifts. For a 2-post lift with an overhead cross beam (most popular), you need a minimum of 12' clear. Keep in mind that many folks have made the mistake of putting in 12' ceilings and 10' doors. The garage door opener, unless installed high, will hang down into your lifting space. Having the garage door angle up to run along the joists saves a lot of headaches.
Congrats on the new garage! If I can be of any help, feel free to let me know!
