Garage addition, planning stage

[FlyingLow]

So my wife is wanting an addition on the back of our house, I figure what better time to negotiate a garage addition than now... I currently have an attached garage sitting on a 24'x24' footprint with 9' ceiling and want to add another bay to the side of it, probably pushing it out 12'. I would probably do it in 2 stages, carport first and close it in after the dust has settled and pocket book recovered from the addition in the back. I use my garage mostly for working on my landcruiser, welding and some wood work. I think one of my biggest costs and PITA is going to be moving the power mast to be acceptable to hydro but it will just have to happen if I want to go ahead.

Now for my questions. The grade would allow me to drop the level of the slab in the addition by at least 6-7", what are peoples thoughts on this? Does anyone have a situation like this? I know that wheeling anything like a floor jack, welder or saw over will ****, probably have to build a ramp to put down when its needed and also a tripping hazard. The main reason I want to lower the slab is for ceiling height but I don't know if the 6" is worth it, still won't give me the height for a lift that will work well with my landcruiser. Maybe one day when I get a hotrod...

Lift talk brings me to question #2, for a car, what is the minimum ceiling height that you would want with the lift, worth putting scissor trusses in?

I'll post a picture from my phone of the current garage.

 

[FlyingLow]

Pictures

 

[ddawg16]

Click on the 2-Story Addition link in my signature. I'm in the final stages of my project.

If I'm understanding your question right....my family room would be similar to the drop your talking about. The family room has a 9' ceiling. In fact, it sits on slab while the rest of the addition is over a crawl space.

 

[FlyingLow]

Click on the 2-Story Addition link in my signature. I'm in the final stages of my project.

If I'm understanding your question right....my family room would be similar to the drop your talking about. The family room has a 9' ceiling. In fact, it sits on slab while the rest of the addition is over a crawl space.

yes, similar but mine would be open garage area with a step down from the double bay area to the single bay area, both on slab. I would like to know if it can be a usable space with a step in the middle.

Also to add, the roof ridge over the additional garage area would be perpendicular to the existing.