16X24 or 20X20.

[Skyllz]

Been lurking the forum for almost a year now, love all the ideas and stuff I have seen.

I just moved into my new house, once the builder finishes the landscaping and flattens the backyard i'm getting a seperate garage in there for my toys/workshop.

Here is how I see things, maybe some of you want to share some experience. I'd appreciate since i'm not sure what to do at all.

It will have 1 car, either running or in pieces depending on what I break or how I feel. It will be stored in a corner during winter. Also 1 ATV. Workbench, air compressor, welder, ect...

16X24 means getting a car in and having more room in the front for tools, engine lift or other stuff like that. if I use 8 foot for the car, that leaves 8 foot on the side for the workbench and moving around.

20X20 makes it easier to get ATVs in and out with a car sitting on one side given the extra width. Not much room in front or back of the car however.

Both would have a 12ft garage door in the front, access door in the front or side with a window on one wall. Will be insulated and electrically heated. I plan on getting a 220v 100amp service panel in there.

One is 400sq ft, the other is 384, not a big difference for usable area.

Both those sizes are what I am budgeting for(plus all those non budgetable things). I found that doing 1 step bigger(20X24) would bring total cost way over what I want to spend on this.

Thanks for any advice or insight you have!

 

[Andamo]

If you're like the rest of us, you'll run outta room real quick and regret not making the garage bigger. It seems at the beginning you have loads of room, but that doesn't last. I had my 24 x 36 built back in 1999 and now, I wish I would have at least gone deeper. There are 2 cars in their own bays and one another bay is for the lawn tractor, quad, rototiller, snow blower and a 4 x 8 movable table. Needless to say, working on things requires moving things at times. I'm actually thinking of a good sized shed to hold the seasonal items that take up room in the garage.
That said, I understand you're under budget constraints, but if you can wait a while and build up the savings for a bigger garage, do that or make contingency plans so the garage can be added onto easily in the future. Good luck.

 

[Skyllz]

The garage size is limited by..
-Budget
-Bylaws
-Wife that does not want the backyard taken over by a garage

If it were just me... the backyard would be paved with a 50X40...

 

[Falcon67]

As the proud owner and user of a 20x24, I would really find some way to go minimum 20x24. In a 20x20, you will be pushing the car out to R&R motors, etc. If you want to work inside, 20x24 is the min size IMHO. The extra 4' x 20 wide makes a world of difference.

Old pic, fuller than this now:

 

[Stuart in MN]

What size is your car? A Chevy Suburban needs more space than a MINI.

 

[Krusty]

I've got a 16x24 with a sports car stowed in the corner. The car eats up 1/3 of the floor space and doesn't leave much work area between the workbench and the car. A 20x20 will be tight in front. I know you don't want to, but if you could swing a 20x24, you would be able to use that space better and still have room in front of the car to park incidentals. As others will say, I suspect that you will wish you went for 20x24 in the first place.

 

[Skyllz]

Should have added in the OP this will be my workshop/garage only. I already have a 15X20 attached for the daily driver, garbage/recycling bins, ect...

As for cars, this is TBD, I'll be returning to Solo1-2 after a few years off, a small sacrifice to get the house my wife and I always wanted. So the car will be anything from a Miata to a Mustang... I got the winter to see to that.

 

[PAToyota]

Twenty foot is pretty short even for cars. Try to pull a pickup or SUV in and you're SOL. I'd go 24' minimum for length.

 

[metal1313]

im planing on a 16x28. but i cannot build larger due set backs and lot size. we dont park in the garage so its not a big deal. although due to other expenses(brothers college is near 50k a year) its lookin like i'll build a 10x10 shed to get yard tools out of the garage. then i'll have more room in my 10x20. just cuz its small doesnt mean you cant make it work well

 

[ket-tek]

20x20 w/ a 16ft door is the typical spec home 2 car garage in my area.. A good size but not for 2 cars that's for sure. They get away with calling it a 2 car since it has a 16ft door.

It's not too bad for 1 car (small car), ***** for any kind of full size truck/suv or big old car. Like mentioned the depth is a killer. You really can't have anything on the back wall an even if you don't it's still tight to get around the front and rear of the car.

I had a 18x28 (9'w door on the 18' wall) at my last house and it was real nice for a single small/midsize car + benches and various shelving/storage, and still have room to work around the vehicle without getting crowded. So Since I can relate to the shape and kinda imagine the space just a few feet smaller I'd probally vote for the 16x24 if you had to stick with one of the two numbers and can't go bigger like everyone wants you to (although you won't regret it once you get past spending the extra money)..

 

[ket-tek]

16X24 means getting a car in and having more room in the front for tools, engine lift or other stuff like that. if I use 8 foot for the car, that leaves 8 foot on the side for the workbench and moving around.

Keep in mind the 16x24 is an outside dimension, so if your building with a brick/block foundation wall your gonna loose about 1.5' in width and length, so your really working with an inside of like 14.5x22.5... If your doing a monolithic pour with 2x4 walls, you'll gain back like 10" or so...

 

[bazzateer]

Go as big as you can. If the cost is too much right now just wait a while and save up the difference.

 

[crewchief888]

if it was me, i'd go for a larger space, with electric service roughed in, and unfinished inside.
as time and budget allow, finish the electrical, insulate and finish the inside.

if i ever get around to having a larger garage built to replace the 19x22 i have now, thats my plan.

 

[jmauld]

As the proud owner and user of a 20x24, I would really find some way to go minimum 20x24. In a 20x20, you will be pushing the car out to R&R motors, etc. If you want to work inside, 20x24 is the min size IMHO. The extra 4' x 20 wide makes a world of difference.

Old pic, fuller than this now:

second picture of yours that I've noticed today. Do you have a thread on your garage? I'd like to see it, if you do.

 

[Cwood8656]

I have a 20x20 shop. It's way too short. Should have made it at least 4 feet deeper. I have a 427 Cobra replica in there now, there's just enough depth to swing a floor jack handle in front. Nothing more. I used to have a 24x30, MUCH better shop size. Go deeper, if you can.

Chris.

 

[Inventive1]

Do you have to build the garage square? It might be better to build the bay for the car longer and make the workshop area smaller.

If you are limited on the foot print of the building use rafters instead of trusses for the ceiling to get some additional storage space.

Consider having the building designed in such a way to allow an addition to be put on in the future for more space.

 

[arizonaadam]

I've got 20 x 20 and to answer your question i'd sacrafice the width for 4 more feet front to back. With 24 deep, you can put tools and cabinets in front of your car and have space on the sides to work around. it sounds like your sizes are set in stone, but if there's any way to swing a bigger space you should do so. Can you get a varriance?

 

[bczygan]

For almost all the things a man has, when you ask "is it big enough", the answer is NO!
Make it bigger than you think you need, bigger than you can afford, bigger than the wife wants. It will still, after all is said and done, be smaller than you eventually need.

Bill

 

[Falcon67]

second picture of yours that I've noticed today. Do you have a thread on your garage? I'd like to see it, if you do.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67564

 

[Tugmaster]

I've got 20 x 20 and to answer your question i'd sacrafice the width for 4 more feet front to back. With 24 deep, you can put tools and cabinets in front of your car and have space on the sides to work around. it sounds like your sizes are set in stone, but if there's any way to swing a bigger space you should do so. Can you get a varriance?

X2 on this. If you a restricted to these to size options, I would most certainly give up the width for the extra 4' of depth. If you stay organized and keep things close to the walls you will be fine. I have a 20x20 and I'm always wishing I had more depth. Todd

 

[ddawg16]

How about 18x22? That will put you at 396 sq ft. 20' In Depth is just not enough. My old garage was 18x20. If I pulled my jeep in...not a whole lot of room in front of it. When I rebuilt it 20x25....I wished I had another 5' on the side....my only saving grace is that it's 2 story (you can see it in my build link in my sig).

What ever you do....plan on making attic storage a part of it....you don't want to be one of those who come back a year from now asking how to strengthen your attic trusses so you can put stuff up there.

 

[hdossett]

If those are the only size options, I would go for the 16x24. Neither is wide enough for 2 cars, but, the 16x24 is wide enough for one car with room to work and lots more room in front for bench and other stuff.

When I had mine built, everyone around here were going 24x24, I looked at floor plans and layouts and ended up going with 22x26. Four ft^2 less area, but the extra room in front really makes a difference. Wish I had done 24x26, but we were already over budget. 22 is a little narrow for the SUV and truck unless there is nothing along the side walls. ...yeah, right!

If I was building it today, it would be 24x30!

Harold

 

[Classic Yunkyard Stuff]

build it 16x24,but 14 foot inside walls that away you can add a lift and add on to the sides later.I know lift?but I have had two given to me.You never know what will come your way.

 

[bill9860]

20 is pretty short especially if you like to walk all the way around your cars with doors down.

 

[Skyllz]

I'll be talking to my builder. I'm restricted to 400sq/ft due to bylaws in my area, hence the size limitation.

Someone mentionned a 18X22... I did not think of that, I like it alot. I will check with my builder for this.

 

[Falcon67]

If you have to limit, go as long as you can - 24 x 16 is better than 20x?. That room in front is key to easy moving around and other work. You can pull a motor/trans combo in a 22' but it is tight, real tight, and the car (typically 16' like a Mustang) has to be bumper against the back wall. With a normal fold up engine crane, you need enough room in front to swing the long lower legs out from under the car and enough room to turn almost as soon as the oil pan clears the radiator support.

If at gunpoint I would: #1 - I would go seek a variance. Look your neighborhood over on Google Earth and see if you can't find a few larger secondary structures. The ruler works real well. #2 - do a 16x24 with bench and tool space along one wall only.