Cryptic1911
Well-known member
Go as large as you can fit. even that'll end up being too small once you fill it up with stuff. It always happens
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A nice small shop or a bare bones large shop?
- Thread starter ilikedirt
- Start date
gfd_703
Well-known member
I just built a 30 x 50 attached to an existing 20 x 36. So I am in the bigger is better camp. My old 20 x 36 was barely big enough to park my pickup in and have tool boxes and benches across the back. Yes new pickups are right at 22 ft long, then add room to walk around you need 26 ft deep. My suggestion would be to tear down the existing shed and use all the square footage available to build a bigger new shop. You want a lift in the future so build it tall enough for that. Build a mezzanine for storage to make up for the lost shed. Once built you can finish as funds become available and you only get one shot at getting the most allowable footage. The city could change zoning to where you could only have 1/3 the size of the house. Get all you can while the getting is good.
I guess the question is, do you want a shop, a garage or both. I plan on working on my cars, motorcycles and other stuff, in the shop but storing them in my garage. I have lots of storage for parts in a walk up attic. So my 22x24 shop should be suitable for my needs. If the shop is also a storage place for cars, yard equipment and other stuff, I would need way bigger.
Years ago, I read an article that said your desk should be a work area, not a storage area. I got rid of my big desk with drawers and piles of paper and used a banquet table that didn't have any storage. It changed my organization and productivity for the better. I intend to follow the same philosophy with my shop. Only working items, storage goes elsewhere.
Years ago, I read an article that said your desk should be a work area, not a storage area. I got rid of my big desk with drawers and piles of paper and used a banquet table that didn't have any storage. It changed my organization and productivity for the better. I intend to follow the same philosophy with my shop. Only working items, storage goes elsewhere.
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I can't imagine having a garage smaller than my 24x32 that is insulated. I wish I had higher ceilings for a lift. If I had the choice a basically a pole building with no insulation or a bit smaller insulated garage I'd go smaller.
ssdave
Banned
Go as large as you can fit. even that'll end up being too small once you fill it up with stuff. It always happens
It doesn't have to. There's no reason to fill up your space with stuff. Control your acquisition of stuff, weed through what you already have, and get rid of the excess. The shop will be smaller, less expensive, and above all: easier to use.
As one poster above said, the shop should be for working in. Not for accumulating stuff. Might as well rent an off-site storage if all you want to do is accumulate and store stuff.
Go high quality small. With big you just collect more stuff and sprawl out. Small make you way more efficient. Think about a dealership shop. It looks huge but their are many people working their and most of the mechanics work in one bay possible two if they are real lucky
meathooker
Well-known member
Big as you can go. Finish inside later.
James-W
Well-known member
I would say to build what you feel you need in order to do the things you want to do in the shop. I mean, if all you want is a shop so you can build birdhouses then you don't need a HUGE shop to do it in. Also, as others have so eloquently pointed out, some things to consider is the cost of heating, cooling, property taxes, insurance, etc.
JasonMcElroy
Well-known member
I'm thinking 599sq/ft with no footers.
Leaves you more contingency money for problems, or things to fill the shop with if you don't have problems.
Utility costs will be lower.
30 x 30 isn't a bad size if you're not keeping vehicles in there.
Jason
Leaves you more contingency money for problems, or things to fill the shop with if you don't have problems.
Utility costs will be lower.
30 x 30 isn't a bad size if you're not keeping vehicles in there.
Jason
One you can finish .....
I got good advise from my dad on this when I was planning -- the budget was used for a finished space. I convinced him I could paint it ....
No ...... "I will do this in the future" was allowed with him. For many guys the future NEVER comes and they have an unfinished shop FOREVER.
Don't know how old the OP is -- but, when you are young things get in the way. You have lots of energy .... but, things will get in the way and it will take longer to finish.
I had a nice workable shop that became the tool to work on other things .... I was not spending the next two years building it out. Also -- as i got more $$ and moved up ... I got more space but not anymore utility.
One last --- what the return on a big building with a modest house .. even small. Not much ... so unless the OP is never moving ..it's a money pit.
Life goes by quick
I got good advise from my dad on this when I was planning -- the budget was used for a finished space. I convinced him I could paint it ....
No ...... "I will do this in the future" was allowed with him. For many guys the future NEVER comes and they have an unfinished shop FOREVER.
Don't know how old the OP is -- but, when you are young things get in the way. You have lots of energy .... but, things will get in the way and it will take longer to finish.
I had a nice workable shop that became the tool to work on other things .... I was not spending the next two years building it out. Also -- as i got more $$ and moved up ... I got more space but not anymore utility.
One last --- what the return on a big building with a modest house .. even small. Not much ... so unless the OP is never moving ..it's a money pit.
Life goes by quick
Cryptic1911
Well-known member
It doesn't have to. There's no reason to fill up your space with stuff. Control your acquisition of stuff, weed through what you already have, and get rid of the excess. The shop will be smaller, less expensive, and above all: easier to use.
As one poster above said, the shop should be for working in. Not for accumulating stuff. Might as well rent an off-site storage if all you want to do is accumulate and store stuff.
well, no don't use it as a storage area, but once you get car(s) in a garage, you loose a lot of real estate and area to work. I just see a lot of garages that are barely long enough to pull a car in and have a toolbox or any breathing room. Thats how my brothers is. His mustang is like 8" from the wall on one side, about a foot from a shelf in the front and you gotta **** your gut in to squeeze between the back of it and the garage door. I have a 30x30 with a lift and it's still too small. Yeah we have a lot of equipment, but it's all garage stuff that we use.
I am in the go big and add finishing touches later, but I want room for cars, if your main goal is a comfy place to work you may want to go with the smaller, finished shop.
I have built two garage additions now, in both cases I ended up with about 800 sq. ft., The second time around part of the 800, a little over a third, is insulated and heated, I do like having those things, but bottom line both times I built I wish I had gone bigger (second time around I knew better, but had zoning and other restrictions).
I have built two garage additions now, in both cases I ended up with about 800 sq. ft., The second time around part of the 800, a little over a third, is insulated and heated, I do like having those things, but bottom line both times I built I wish I had gone bigger (second time around I knew better, but had zoning and other restrictions).
Evilcactuar
Well-known member
I'm in agreement bigger is better. I built a 30x60 garage last year, this year in process of a 35x60 shop. The shop won't be built out with insulation and heat this year, but I got the space I wanted. If I find it's unreasonable to hear and cool I can divide it off I suppose.
There are many variables, will you stay in this house forever? Life changes, I have friends that went upside down in a Harley cause it was their forever bike..lol
Will a bigger building add value to your current property, or will it overshadow your house? If it is not your forever home a large building near a smaller home can be a detriment.
Plan...take a notepad and write down the pros and cons of what you wish to accomplish, when you achieve the size and type you want add 20%.
Will a bigger building add value to your current property, or will it overshadow your house? If it is not your forever home a large building near a smaller home can be a detriment.
Plan...take a notepad and write down the pros and cons of what you wish to accomplish, when you achieve the size and type you want add 20%.
APEowner
Well-known member
A lot depends on what you work on and how you work. If you're a wood worker and do one project at a time then a smaller space like my Dad's shop in the corner of his basement is great. If you work on cars and generally have one long term project running consecutively with shorter term projects, general repairs and maintenance and the occasional household project then a larger space would be preferable.
The number of vehicles and the amount of household detritus that needs to be stored in the space also drive the size requirements.
The number of vehicles and the amount of household detritus that needs to be stored in the space also drive the size requirements.
Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
I'd go big and nice (even if unfinished at first). You can always finish it out, pretty it up later.