garage size or shape (city bugging me again)

[mikeyr]

In my on-going saga of getting my workshop, I have hit yet another snag. Although this one "could" be a good one.

I was permitted for a 15x25 L shaped shop with a 10x10 forming the L, I thought that 10x10 would be a good welding/metal work area and planned on framing it with metal studs and generally fireproof construction. This L shape was done to stay within the set backs the city is forcing on me on this odd shaped lot.

The city has found they made in a mistake kind of in my favor and offered to let me resubmit plans to match the new potential size for free. The setbacks were incorrect and I can now build a 20x20 L shape staying with a 10x10 OR go with a 20x25. The max is still 500sq. ft.

The lot is a cul-de-sac end lot so think pie shape, trying to minimize wasted space. The plan is for ONE car in this space, the car I am currently working on along with all the tools, the other cars can stay in the main garage. So I need this to be a restoration area and I think the longer narrower shape is better, put the car in one end and have space in front. My 4-post lift will remain in the main garage and I will have my scissor lift in the new area (I use it to bring the chassis up to comfortable working height)

I kind of like the L shape with a small welding room or dirty room but what size would you go for, 15x25 L shape or 20x20 L shape ? or would you go for 20x25 (wifey is against that, losing too much yard space and wasting too much in the corner but she is willing).

City guy says if I re-submit early next week, he will personally push things through so construction can start on schedule as planned. I just need to figure out what would be the best size, I am cutting little pieces of paper like crazy to match my tools, etc.

 

[kbs2244]

I like your current thinking

 

[wickeral]

Bigger is better!!! Al W.

 

[Kevin54]

Depends on what you will be working on in the garage, but i think I would go for the 20x20 "L" shape. With wider and if you do any work @20 wide you could get two cars in there if need be, but @ 20 wide, you have adequate room to walk around, put a bench off to the side and still have room to open the doors. At 15 foor wide, things start to get tight. A bench would have to go to the end and then you would have to be walking front to back constantly. At 15 wide you really can't have a bench at the side or there is no room to open car doors. I know, one side of my garage is 14' x 24' and with a fullsize car in there, it leaves hardly any room at all. And you have to figure that with a 10x10 "L" some of your wall will be an opening for a door or just a 10' opening. And also figure that if you have a 10' opening and a 10 x 10 room on a 20' wide garage, you gain 10' which you could actually swing a car sideways to use up some of the 30' that way. My votee would be for the 20x20 "L"

 

[Bib Overalls]

Do what your wife wants. You have to live with her.

 

[BillK]

Mike,
Not sure what you mean by 20x25 "L shaped" ? My detached garage is 24 x 24 and with only my Chevelle parked right in the center, it is still tight to work on with work benches on the sides etc. There is definitely not enough room in front and in back with a work bench on the front wall.

 

[stricht8]

I'd go for 20x20 and 10x10. 15x25 is too narrow to be able to work on side of car.

 

[PhantomEB]

And depends on the size of the toys he intends to work on... see for me, my early bronco is only 14ish feet long so it would be a little cozy to work on it in a 20x20 but my coronet muscle car is pushing 18 feet in length so that garage would no longer be long enough.

 

[mikeyr]

my toys are SMALL, 1930s British toys so 15ft. is is extremely wide for my cars. I won't be allowed to have any door into the "workshop" wider than 6ft anyway since according to the city this is a workshop and not a garage so no garage door bigger than 6 feet wide to prevent a car going in. Of course in my case I can get my cars in if I have a 5ft door

I have been playing with these types of cars for 30 years now so I don't see me changing to full size cars.

I think what I have settled on is 18x22 which is 396sq. ft. and then the 10x10 which brings me to 496 because I have to stay under 500 total.

You all have brought good points, I was concerned that 15x25 would be too long but 20x20 wasted width considering the size of the cars I play with. The compromise sounds good, the guy is re-drawing them in the morning when i give him the size and we will see if the guy at the city was serious about pushing it through.

 

[chevelle malibu 64]

Why don't you mark out the location with pins and strings? If car is movable, roll it to the location and sees what works. I had a 16x20 garage in the other house. It was tight once you bout a shelf and workbench on one wall.