I am researching building a new garage at my house. I plan on a 28x48 now but I am researching online before I make any final decisions. Size is controlled by how much I can afford to build. The garage will have a small section for wood work and the rest for auto shop or storage. Any good tips or ideas before I get started?
Garage size and design
- Thread starter mdurbahn
- Start date
Gary S
Well-known member
You are on the right track. Build it as big as you can afford, and then forget about tips from everybody else. They don't know what you want or need. You do. Follow your own tips and ideas.
sberry
Banned
48 long is great, can get 2 cars into end to end if needed with a bench along the front but 28 is too narrow if cars come in gable end, 36 wide for 2 cars side by side. One of my buds has 30 and all the space along the walls is about useless, just not enough room. Floor space is a funny thing, the first thought that comes to mind is that but its really wall space thats as important as anything.
Same for my own building, only reason to build bigger was for more along the walls,extra 20 ft would have netted 40 but drove the cost up some, added to heat demands and walking distance. """"They don't know what you want or need. You do."""" I would say the want part of that might be accurate but I see more than one garage looks like its designed by a bunch of monkeys armed with a metric pencil and a six pack. Really kills me to see door placement wrong, doors in eve sides where it would have been just as simple or easier to put them in the end. Many of these goof ups are aided by builders who agree with everything the customer says, do not give them benefit of experience, builders are not always a great value added help.
I see one a while back where that was the case, after the fact the guy says,,, wish I done this or that, some of it didn't cost much or near free but the builder in such a hurry to sign the guy up he doesn't want to make waves. Elevation all fucked up, too close to the road, how hard is it to know,,, it snows here?
Same for my own building, only reason to build bigger was for more along the walls,extra 20 ft would have netted 40 but drove the cost up some, added to heat demands and walking distance. """"They don't know what you want or need. You do."""" I would say the want part of that might be accurate but I see more than one garage looks like its designed by a bunch of monkeys armed with a metric pencil and a six pack. Really kills me to see door placement wrong, doors in eve sides where it would have been just as simple or easier to put them in the end. Many of these goof ups are aided by builders who agree with everything the customer says, do not give them benefit of experience, builders are not always a great value added help.
I see one a while back where that was the case, after the fact the guy says,,, wish I done this or that, some of it didn't cost much or near free but the builder in such a hurry to sign the guy up he doesn't want to make waves. Elevation all fucked up, too close to the road, how hard is it to know,,, it snows here?
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wawa1
Well-known member
build what you can afford. research with local contractors for costs on elec and gas hookup. i started with a budget of 35000 dollars and am now at 45000 dollars spent. its fun working with a linited budget. stuf is expensive here. the garage i am building is 36x36x16.
I would suggest you make a list of EVERYTHING of significance that you can imagine needing space for and then doing a layout in your desired space. See what you can fit, what you can't or don't need to. See if a space can be multifunctional. Then sit on it and think about it for a while (a week or two), then go back and see if it still makes sense. Keep going through a series of changes until you are happy.
Or just put up a big box and do this all in real life, but paper (or better yet something like Google Sketchup) is WAY easier and cheaper!
Or just put up a big box and do this all in real life, but paper (or better yet something like Google Sketchup) is WAY easier and cheaper!
Falcon67
Well-known member
Visio is also a good tool for layouts if you have it. So is a pad of plain old graph paper and a pencil. I bet I burned up a good tree branch just sketching layouts on graph paper. 1 square = 4' gets a lot of layouts, 1 sq=2' gets some detail. 1 sq=1', now you are on to something LOL. I wanted 48', I get 40' with an 11' 4" clean work area and 28' wide for car work. 24' deep is best I could do without lotto winnings. That really gives me plenty of room, I'll be happy. If you tinker with the cars, 12' per is a decent affordable figure with more = better always.
Figure it'll cost 25~50% more even if you budget like a crazy man. If you like DIY and have some skills, you can save bundles doing work yourself. 28' wide will cost you extra in trusses and some machine rental getting them set on the walls, but the space is nice. If you want a lift, figure you'll need at least 11 1/2' minimum for a 6' guy under a 4 post with a mid size car (Mustang, Camaro) - 12'+ if you are a trucker. This means high walls or special trusses. High walls = extra $$$ in interior/exterior finish work and materials. I thought HARD about the lift issue and after 38 years working on hot rods without one I figured I'd survive a while longer LOL. Trade off was a bigger space with nicer finish. A mid quality 4 post would have cut nearly 8' off my building because of the budget.
I also thought forward about "old age" - I'd love a huge space, but with things in the employment and retirement areas such as they are I wanted to make sure I could still tinker in the shop on some form of meager income. Make it so big you can't afford to heat/cool/etc it and you'll be screwed later IMHO. We are paying as we go so the only residual cost on the building will be taxes and power.
Figure it'll cost 25~50% more even if you budget like a crazy man. If you like DIY and have some skills, you can save bundles doing work yourself. 28' wide will cost you extra in trusses and some machine rental getting them set on the walls, but the space is nice. If you want a lift, figure you'll need at least 11 1/2' minimum for a 6' guy under a 4 post with a mid size car (Mustang, Camaro) - 12'+ if you are a trucker. This means high walls or special trusses. High walls = extra $$$ in interior/exterior finish work and materials. I thought HARD about the lift issue and after 38 years working on hot rods without one I figured I'd survive a while longer LOL. Trade off was a bigger space with nicer finish. A mid quality 4 post would have cut nearly 8' off my building because of the budget.
I also thought forward about "old age" - I'd love a huge space, but with things in the employment and retirement areas such as they are I wanted to make sure I could still tinker in the shop on some form of meager income. Make it so big you can't afford to heat/cool/etc it and you'll be screwed later IMHO. We are paying as we go so the only residual cost on the building will be taxes and power.
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Will67
Well-known member
I would suggest a trip down to whatever agency is going to issue the building permit and see what is permissible in your city/town/county. Some areas will only allow a percentage of non-permeable surfaces to be built, also there might be set back restrictions, or restrictions on height or square footage (attached versus detached structure to primary residence structure).
I had my dream plan all drawn up took it to county and they took out a nice shiny pin and poked a hole in my ballon.
Good luck
I had my dream plan all drawn up took it to county and they took out a nice shiny pin and poked a hole in my ballon.
Good luck
Falcon67
Well-known member
Yes ^ ^ ^ in spades. I had to get a variance, that was a 2 1/2 month setback in time.
John in OH
Well-known member
+1 regarding the importance of wall space ... both for utilization and clearance.
stick004
Well-known member
Excuse me? You should probably put that beer down yourself. Putting doors in the eve side is exactly the same as putting it in the gable side. Both require the proper opening and header design. This is entirely and personal choice. I personally HATE seeing doors on the gable end. It looks far to industrial and absolutely no overhead protection if you want to open the door in the rain.
I'm going 36' and want to know what anyone suggest as far as doors. 2 big ones or 3 smaller??
2 Big ones. Getting in and out of the place will be much easier and so will framing it up. Your not going to be adding much more insulation by breaking it into 3.
bill.haigh
Active member
I have enough space to build a 40x40 shop, with all legal setbacks, no problem. Then I went to get my permit and I was turned down (by the city) because "The garage is disproportionatly larger than the house".
Say what?? My house is 1600 sqft and the garage would be 1600 sqft, so they are the same size.
"Nope, your house is 1600 sqft on 2 levels and the garage is all on one level, so it would LOOK twice as large."
Why did I ever move here.....
pro machine Engineering
Well-known member
I would consider putting a pit in the floor. I put one in my shop and love it. A couple others here in town seen mine and put them in there shop when they built theres and they say its the best thing they did
First post and you've been here for 3 years ? I guess you have lurked through the Gallery section ? It always gives ideas on what other have done with the space available to them.