Can’t new shop size 🤨

[Austin915]

Okay so here’s the deal, I’m only alloted 918 SqFt for a shop because I live in a neighborhood and originally was going to file for a variance but truthfully there’s not enough room on my lot. I’m going to build a red iron building and I’ve narrowed it down between a 24x38x12 and 26x35x12, I would rather have the extra depth but want to be able to fit 2 vehicles side by side(one permanent project, one for temporary fixing). Who’s got an opinion on this? Pictures would be even better, thanks!

 

[firebirdparts]

Depends on how long your cars are. That extra length might be the difference between two cars long ways or not. I have Firebirds, so 35 feet would do it for me (barely).

On the width, you want it as wide as you can have it without messing it up. 24 is going to be tough for a full resto on one side. Not impossible, but not good either.

 

[vavet]

Are you doing a single 16 or 18 foot door? Or two ~9 foot wide doors?
The two doors will make it seem wider because the cars will be farther apart.
If the cars are reasonably sized, the 24 will be plenty. If you're talking about full sized trucks, then you might want to bump up to 26 foot wide.

The other option might be to flip your dimensions and do the doors on the 35 or 38 foot wide sides. You could do one 16 foot door for your long term project and park it in the middle and a 9 foot door for the other vehicle.

 

[Jackfre]

I think you will find 24 to be very constricting. I would go for 26 and put the long term project cross ways and deep.

 

[L79Chevelle]

Similar situation in terms of living in a neighborhood but I was limited to 660 sq feet. I have a 30'(wide) x 22' (deep) with a 16' door. 22' for me works 24' would have been better. The width at 30' gives enough room to work on my current project which is a Chevelle with the body off the frame and sitting in the garage next to the chassis. I still have a pretty fair amount of room next to that for my workspace where I have welding tables benches toolboxes etc.

 

[themiller]

26*30 was beautiful for me. I'd have killed for a few extra feet deep. 26*35 would get my vote. It was wide enought to park truck + car side by side with truck angled AND have room for man door AND park/use a snowblower on the side. Since you don't give a location - can't know if you need one or not.

 

[Austin915]

I’ll be using a 18x10 door and I have a full size truck but I don’t plan on it being in the shop much, mainly my daily driver Kia Forte for oil changes and the permanent project being a 58 tru five chevy. A side entrance would be nice but unfortunately there’s not enough room to drive around

 

[kingDIY]

I am in a similar situation. Limited to 788 sq ft myself. Looking hard at 24'6" wide 32' deep. Yes it is an odd size but its what I have to work with.

 

[58Yeoman]

I've got a 24dx40w and it works great for me. Just a couple more feet than what you want. One single and one double door. I've had three cars in it, but then no room to work. I have two cars in it now, and plenty of room to work when I need to work on the sides. I put the work car in the double bay. Those shelving units in front of the cars are 22" deep.

Of course, I may have to move a few things around to get more room.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Without knowing what kinds of cars you have, it's impossible to say.

 

[Dr. Brown]

It’s a tough one. I think I would go for the extra width.

I am in the same dilemma though. Trying to decide between: 32wx40d or 38wx34d. Currently have a Ford superduty crewcab, so I need the length, but also have restoration project (71 bronco) on the side that I need the space for.
I guess it’s a good problem to have.

 

[RPH]

I had a 24’x28’ garage in the city. It was tight everywhere you needed to be. But with the constrictions given I would use the “ where are my benches” as a determinant. It’s a drag to move something across the shop for a bench. Mobile benches are not the best. I vote 26x35.

 

[ZRX61]

The *standard* shop size for a resto project is 3 car spaces:
1 for the actual vehicle
1 to store all the **** you take off it
1 to work on all the **** you take off it.


I'd go with 26x35 if the doors were on the long side. Not necessarily 3 doors, but at least 2 singles or one double offset to one side.

 

[Bigbandguy]

I suggest putting the project vehicle on dollys so that you can move it sideways to the wall after getting it in the door. That would leave you walk around room on the daily. When the time comes to spend a day on the project you could slide it to the middle and give it attention all the way around it.

 

[Austin915]

Currently have a 58 Chevy 210 resto that will stay in the shop full time, other vehicles only for service and maintenance are my CCLB f250, Kia Forte and my wife’s edge. I’m thinking 26ft wide might be my best bet to work comfortably. The resto on dollys is a good idea for getting the most space! I plan to put the work bench and toolbox on the back wall so it should only take up a few feet. Work bench is currently 4x8 but I’m going to cut it in half to a 2x8 since currently it’s too deep to take advantage of work area

 

[tomshep]

When I was laying mine out I got some 5 gallon buckets and marked the corners and connected them with a garden hose laying on the ground. I invited a few friends over with cars similar to mine and we pulled them in the "pretend" garage and studied the clearance. We played with a few measurements and it really helped visualize the vehicles and work space around them.

Tom

 

[laser3kw]

When I was laying mine out I got some 5 gallon buckets and marked the corners and connected them with a garden hose laying on the ground. I invited a few friends over with cars similar to mine and we pulled them in the "pretend" garage and studied the clearance. We played with a few measurements and it really helped visualize the vehicles and work space around them.

Tom

were the buckets and hose representing the outside dimensions or the inside usable footprint?

 

[yeldogt]

24' wide is very tight w/ two cars ... very.

Ideally you need to be able to walk around both ... The front of my city garage is 24 wide. Just for parking two cars --

 

[kwb]

I always vote for deeper bays - while there is practically no resale bump to the house by adding a shop at least with the deeper bays it does expand out usability to potential future owners to be able to store RV's, boats, or other longer trailered type things.

If you are just a car guy you can use the depth to create the "workshop" space in the end and support both bays from the common set of tools.

 

[teal95]

I used graph paper to lay the garage out and then made care sized cutouts from another piece of paper and played with driving them in and out. You'll also need to make sure you consider work benches in where you leave space.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm curious as to why a red iron building for one that small. I would think that would add additional dollars to the price tag.

 

[u2slow]

I always vote for deeper bays - while there is practically no resale bump to the house by adding a shop at least with the deeper bays it does expand out usability to potential future owners to be able to store RV's, boats, or other longer trailered type things.

If you are just a car guy you can use the depth to create the "workshop" space in the end and support both bays from the common set of tools.

I went deep too

Basically built a 3-bay 40x50 building with the only the center bay enclosed (753sqft cap per bylaw). approx 20x37 interior. One 12x14' door on the end.

The project vehicle sits in the back of the shop, and the space nearest the door is where I do my maintenance and repairs. I can fit my Ramcharger and clubcab longbed in there at the same with the door shut.

Door is offset to one side. Just enough room for tool chests on the skinny side, and everything else on the other. Ceiling is high enough (19') I can get creative with vertical storage, possibly a mezzanine later.

 

[Stuart in MN]

24' wide is very tight w/ two cars ... very.

Ideally you need to be able to walk around both ... The front of my city garage is 24 wide. Just for parking two cars --

Just as an example of a big car, I looked up the width of a 2019 Dodge Charger. It's 75", or 6'-3". Two of them side by side is 12 1/2'.

A 24' wide garage will be a little over 23' wide inside. 23' - 12 1/2' = 10 1/2'.

Divide 10 1/2' by 3, and you have 3 1/2' on either side and 3 1/2' in between them.

Sure, if you drive a 3/4 ton pickup with big mirrors, or you have a bunch of stuff piled up on the sides, a 24' garage may be tight but there should be plenty of room for regular size cars.

 

[Matt 330LS]

Just as an example of a big car, I looked up the width of a 2019 Dodge Charger. It's 75", or 6'-3". Two of them side by side is 12 1/2'.

A 24' wide garage will be a little over 23' wide inside. 23' - 12 1/2' = 10 1/2'.

Divide 10 1/2' by 3, and you have 3 1/2' on either side and 3 1/2' in between them.

Sure, if you drive a 3/4 ton pickup with big mirrors, or you have a bunch of stuff piled up on the sides, a 24' garage may be tight but there should be plenty of room for regular size cars.

The only issue here is that a 24" workbench cuts into that 3' 6" area pretty significantly unless you have the room in front.

 

[Matt 330LS]

I ended up building a 28w by 32d. Went with a single 16x8 garage door on the short side so that I have more usable interior room. I haven't moved my project car in yet but there's more than enough space for my crew cab Sierra with another vehicle side by side, plus shelves and work benches.

 

[u2slow]

I should add....

Check the sizes (widths) of automotive lifts. My 9k# 2-post is roughly 9' between columns. With my sqft limit, I would have lost too much shop depth to get the necessary width for 2 vehicles side-by-side.

Also decide if all your stuff will fit in a 24" perimeter or not. Do you want to be able to work in the shop with both car spaces full?

 

[Stuart in MN]

The only issue here is that a 24" workbench cuts into that 3' 6" area pretty significantly unless you have the room in front.

The original poster is talking about a 35 or 38 foot deep garage, so I would assume he is planning on putting his workbench in front and not on the side.

 

[MattT]

Check the sizes (widths) of automotive lifts. My 9k# 2-post is roughly 9' between columns.

Good point on the rack. 24', or even 26', is gonna be really tight with a rack. And if the OP isn't installing one why bother going 12' high?

The original poster is talking about a 35 or 38 foot deep garage, so I would assume he is planning on putting his workbench in front and not on the side.

Which makes me wonder what use is the extra length? If you put anything there it'll be in the way between the benches, and toolboxes, and the vehicles. With the square footage limitation either 28' by 32' or 30' square are best compromises for a 2 bay working shop IMO.

 

[u2slow]

And if the OP isn't installing one why bother going 12' high?

Which makes me wonder what use is the extra length?

Tall vehicles (i.e. camper on pickup), loft, or mezzanine.

IMO, a deep rectangle is more versatile unless you require both vehicles to be able to drive out independently.

 

[Austin915]

Cost of the red iron is nearly the same are the cheaper metal buildings, only difference is installation is included on the metal building but not the red iron. I mainly prefer the structural integrity of the red iron. The toolbox and work bench will go on the back wall and nothing will go on the sides. I do plan on using a 2 post lift which is the reason for going 12’ high on the walls

 

[Falcon67]

Extra depth. 24' is plenty for a parked car and a project, unless both are F-350 DRW trucks. I can park two cars, one on a 2 post lift, in 24' wide and still get work done. Build up and use a lift to get floor space.

 

[sz0k30]

NOW you finally bring up a 2 post lift? That changes the discussion. You need to go as wide as possible.

 

[finn]

I agree with Falcon: extra depth is more useful than width if you are at least 24’ wide. I store an F350 dually crew cab and either a boat or a Chevy pickup with a plow in a 24x32’ garage. Width is no issue.

My lift is in a 24x32’ addition to my shop (different building). I have had a project RoadRunner on the ground and a short bed crew cab pickup on the lift, with plenty of walk around room (more is always better). If I could go another two feet in one dimension though, it would be width. It’s a balancing act.

 

[Kevin54]

Mine is 28' wide x 36' deep. I can park 4 car in it. I could still do it if I was 26' wide. Plus I have a 9000# lift with 10' walls.

I would not think about 24' whether it was length or width. 24' is sort of narrow if you have any fullsize vehicles. At 24' deep you can't have a bench up front and work comfortably, and most work is done under the hood. At 24' wide, you always have to be careful when opening a car door. So go the maximum that you can both ways and stay within your square footage.

 

[MattT]

NOW you finally bring up a 2 post lift? That changes the discussion. You need to go as wide as possible.

Yeah now the rack is confirmed he definitely needs to go wide as he can without going too shallow. And individual doors centered on the bays will be a lot easier to work with than a double.

 

[Kevin54]

This is 28' wide with a 2 post lift.

 

[nadogail]

A little extra length will accommodate an enclosed toilet, a real luxury as your prostrate ages.