Is it worth building if the building is small?

[boguenator]

My house is on a 1/2 acre and per HOA and the county I'm only allowed to have maximum detached garage size of 720 sq feet. At what point would you say it's not worth it to build. Cost vs building size usefulness. I'm having a architect draw something up and see what I could fit in this space but I'm starting to question the size being usefull. I wanted to use building for a workshop/ pool house combo. With the doors that slide all the way open to take advantage of pool plus a garage door to work on cars and motorcycles.

 

[56rpm]

Can you build two? Or three?

 

[boguenator]

I can only build one building.

 

[teal95]

720 is still 2 car territory (unless my math has gone horribly wrong). There are people on here with singles.

steve

 

[TTA89]

Well, I'd love to do a 30x30 Garage but due to zoning setbacks it looks like the most I can do is probably a 26x24. We have a stupid roof on the house and to make the detached garage not look stupid I can't have big walls, so no lift. It's not what I want but it's better than having nothing. Yes, it's expensive but if you really want a place to play you'll make it work.

 

[ADSR]

720 is 30 x 24. That's way bigger than a 2 car garage.

 

[themiller]

For me it would be. 720sq ft is 720 more than 0... Especially if you have an attached garage for the cars, then 720sq ft for just fun stuff is awesome!

 

[rsanter]

I think you can make it work.
You need to be organized and have things on wheels so you can reconfigure things to the task at hand.
Also if you have 2 of the sides that will open up that will free you to use the outside space when needed.
How tall can you build it? Is you can go taller you can take advantage that way too

Bob

 

[Danver]

I could easily live with 720 sq ft.
I couldn't so easily live with a HOA telling me what I can do.

I would move.

 

[toyoguy81]

I could easily live with 720 sq ft.
I couldn't so easily live with a HOA telling me what I can do.

I would move.

Nicely put, exactly why i moved out to the country and away from the soccer moms..

 

[boguenator]

I don't think my wife is going to let me move. Putting stuff on wheels is a great idea. I guess I'll wait to see what kind of bids I get before building. I can go as high as the existing house so that helps.

 

[rsanter]

Are you allowed a trailer?
Can you park an enclosed trailer behind the fence? That way you could use that for storage
Then just take it with you when you move....eventually

Bob

 

[ADSR]

Are you allowed a trailer?
Can you park an enclosed trailer behind the fence? That way you could use that for storage
Then just take it with you when you move....eventually

Bob

or a shipping container?

 

[tomshep]

What is their definition of detached? In my area if you put a covered walkway between the building they are attached. Maybe that would give you more opportunity?

Tom

 

[jomobco]

What is their definition of detached? In my area if you put a covered walkway between the building they are attached. Maybe that would give you more opportunity?

Tom

I was thinking along the same lines. Can you not detach and go as big as you want? Will the layout work?

 

[boguenator]

It goes off lot coverage. They only allow a percentage of lot coverage or roof coverage. So my attached garage and covered patios are included in the numbers. Everything has to look just like the house. No trailers or containers. I have been looking at examples of garages the same size to see how things fit in this size of space.

 

[raja]

Ela dispara a cobertura muito. Eles só permitem uma percentagem de cobertura do monte ou a cobertura do telhado. Então minha garagem anexa e pátios cobertos estão incluídos nos números. Tudo tem que ficar igual a casa. Sem reboques ou recipientes. Eu tenho olhado exemplos das garagens do mesmo tamanho para ver como as coisas se encaixam neste tamanho de espaço.

 

[zkling]

720 is still 2 car territory (unless my math has gone horribly wrong). There are people on here with singles.

steve

Seriously, I'm trying to sympathize, but considering 720 ft^2 too small to build?

Can you go vertical?

 

[keelan]

I have 450 square feet. You learn to make do and to hang on to less ****. I upgraded from a 130 square foot tin can shed at my last place to this, so I'm still quite happy to have any space. 720 woul seem like an acerage at this point.

 

[popbehert]

There are people on here with singles.

 

[sloppy]

I would do it.. put a gambrel roof on it. gives you basically a second floor to..

Kinda assuming you cant do a 2nd floor on the building.. Most HOA's wouldnt be OK with it..

 

[METALMOVER]

It will be big enough if your architect is any good, do they consider pergulas covered roof? Or maybe sun sails and incorporate those with the pool house portion.

 

[McJaguar]

I would do it.. put a gambrel roof on it. gives you basically a second floor to..

Kinda assuming you cant do a 2nd floor on the building.. Most HOA's wouldnt be OK with it..

I was thinking a gambrel roof, too.

Sheesh. I'd be lucky if I could get 400 SF in my future garage....

 

[JimVonBaden]

720 is 30 x 24. That's way bigger than a 2 car garage.

320 sq ft bigger then my 20X20, and I find it pretty useful!

 

[McJaguar]

320 sq ft bigger then my 20X20, and I find it pretty useful!

Haha! I made a thread about the initial plans for my garage, and people were telling me than 20x20 is way too small even though I wanted to use it for just 1 car + tools/storage. For me, the more important factor would be getting the ceiling height such that I could install a lift.

 

[jnkpile]

Can you post a picture of your house so we know what style this new shop has to follow?
I personally think 720sqft is plenty big enough to be a great shop! I live with 420sqft of interior floor space and although it's tight I make it work. My only plan is to make it a bit deeper than the current 20'6".
If you're planning a hoist in there try to make the bay at least 24' deep.
If the architect can accommodate rafters instead of trusses you'll gain valuable ceiling height inside while keeping your HOA happy with the outside.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Haha! I made a thread about the initial plans for my garage, and people were telling me than 20x20 is way too small even though I wanted to use it for just 1 car + tools/storage. For me, the more important factor would be getting the ceiling height such that I could install a lift.

I would have built bigger, but they threw in the garage with the house we were buying. I plan to expand, but my 20X20 has been fine for a shop. Not as good as a place to park cars!

 

[Playwme]

Do we need to pull out the 12 guage?

 

[LB-1911]

Do we need to pull out the 12 guage?

Why Not.....
http://12-gaugegarage.com/


Then there is also....
https://www.google.com/search?q=720...l+site:www.garagejournal.com&biw=1366&bih=663

 

[volleyball]

Is property value a big part of the question? That is a gauge for many as to should I do it.
If your situation supports it, you can build a basement under it. Ground level is the the lift all the way up.
Put the shop and storage down there. Ground level 1 vehicle and pool house.
Going up is usually cheaper but you have HOA problems. I too agree with moving away.
But some cannot. Sometimes a workshop in another part of town is a better option. You have HOA and things like making noise or too many buddies over can become a problem.

 

[Fishplate]

A lift is nice, but is it ever essential? I actually worked at an independent shop where we didn't have lifts. This was back in the day when in-ground lifts were about all you could get. We managed just fine, except for one guy who was too lazy one day to set a jack stand under the car while he "took a quick look". He survived, but cracked his skull across the front.


I'd like a lift, and I have the height for it, but I'm not likely to put one in because it would get in the way of everything else I do in my 24 x 26 garage.

 

[jnkpile]

Oooo I want a lift, even in my small shop. Everything is easier when you're not constantly picking yourself up off the floor. I also want to build a sweet work table to lay across the legs when not hoisting cars - adjustable height, motorcycle/atv lift, project table, load things in and out if the truck, etc...... I really like the old Wheeltronics 8020...... Sorry didn't mean to ramble on your thread /:

 

[volleyball]

Changer the function to lower and you will see what I was getting at.

 

[Average_Joe]

If you want a lift, you could always do a vaulted ceiling.

 

[cactiki]

Come on, man....
Ridiculous that you can't build bigger on your own property, but we have been over that subject many times.
But 720 feet not worth it? Come on, man!!!
My garage is 720 and it works for me, but then I don't park my cars in there....

 

[ADSR]

320 sq ft bigger then my 20X20, and I find it pretty useful!

I've seen your garage. It's all about a organization system that lets you do what you need to do. You have yours dialed in!

 

[purplezr2]

320 sq ft bigger then my 20X20, and I find it pretty useful!

20x20 is 400 Sqft, how is that smaller then 320?

 

[CT2012]

720sqft is bigger & better than 0sqft.

I would LOVE to get 720sqft!

 

[JimVonBaden]

20x20 is 400 Sqft, how is that smaller then 320?

His is 720 square feet, mine is 400 square feet, his is 320 square feet bigger than mine. I know, math is hard!

 

[McJaguar]

Took me a couple tries, too! Haha!