garage size

[kirks5oh]

i'm planning the ultimate garage for my future home, and am looking for some insight.

first, i plan on a garage that is 3 cars wide and two deep, with ample room on the sides and front of the garage for workbenches, etc. i also want two 4-post lifts for car work/storage.

i was thinking roughly on 36' wide by 50' deep by 14' high???
i also plan on a second floor woodshop

i'm sure there are people out there who specialize in planning garages like the one i'm describing. i know basically what i want (lots of lighting, radiant heat, lifts, workbenches, storage, compressor with air ports all over the garage), but i have no idea as far as specifics--wiring, setting up compressor outlets/connections, etc. , and i'm not sure a general home contractor would have the special knowledge building such a garage would require.

any thoughts??

thanks

 

[cj7jeep81]

Not sure on the rest of your questions, but if you want a second floor shop, I'd go at least 16' high. By the time you figure in the joists and flooring for the second floor, you're looking at less than 7' ceiling height (probably closer to 6.5, and that's awful low (and thats not counting lighting or anything).

i'm planning the ultimate garage for my future home, and am looking for some insight.

first, i plan on a garage that is 3 cars wide and two deep, with ample room on the sides and front of the garage for workbenches, etc. i also want two 4-post lifts for car work/storage.

i was thinking roughly on 36' wide by 50' deep by 14' high???
i also plan on a second floor woodshop

i'm sure there are people out there who specialize in planning garages like the one i'm describing. i know basically what i want (lots of lighting, radiant heat, lifts, workbenches, storage, compressor with air ports all over the garage), but i have no idea as far as specifics--wiring, setting up compressor outlets/connections, etc. , and i'm not sure a general home contractor would have the special knowledge building such a garage would require.

any thoughts??

thanks

 

[beetroot72]

i know basically what i want (lots of lighting, radiant heat, lifts, workbenches, storage, compressor with air ports all over the garage

Heat the Slab!

Truly sounds like a "dream" garage....good luck!

 

[RonBou]

Take the time to look at all the old posts. All of your answers are there. If you havethe time or ambition do some of the interior work yourself. A conntractor will do anything you ask but expect to pay a premium price for air lines, speakers in walls or celings and other automotive type add ons. BUT, if money is no object then design your own by surfing all the good ideas on this forum, sit back and watch and occasionally take some photos so we can see the progress. Plan well and you will be happy.

 

[twostory]

First off, make the outside dimensions a multiple of four(4). Since all sheathing and subflooring is 4x8 ft. So make it 36x48. As that will save money.

I am building a two story garage (26 x 44) , wood shop upstair. If you do not want any post on the first floor, that 36 ft span is going to be very expensive, you can go 28 foot much cheaper. The wooden I beams will only span so far, then you have to use a taller beam, or go with 12 inch spacing. My second story floor cost was $3,500 (I beams, rim board, Advantec subfloor)

Think about your stair case, and where it will go. Mine is four feet wide, which I really like, easy to move equipment and material upstair.

Make the first floor at least 12 ft tall, that will require 2x6 walls, 16 inch oc. Then if you every want to put a lift in, you will not have any problems.

As for roof trusses, the 36 foot span is not a problem. I would highly recommend you get attic room trusses. This will give you a nice area in the attic to put a subfloor on and store stuff. My trusses have a 10 x 30 foot area, 40 pounds / sq ft.

Check out my building on the web site listed at my user name. Just click my user name and goto the public page area.

goodluck...

 

[1320stang]

Well, around here, we'd call that a shop.

As far as the 36' span and columns goes, if you plan ahead you can put columns next to one of the posts of your 4 post lift (assuming it's not a roll around type) and then the column isn't really an obstruction. You don't state your location, so that would have some bearing on some things due to code and weather.

Is the first floor 14' then a second floor on top of that? How big of a wood shop are you talking about? You don't say anything about door heights, so I'm assuming a 7' or 8' tall door is enough, 3 wide and 2 deep sounds like the doors are along the 50' dimension. Because of roll up doors, you'll need to move the lifts up into the front area, but that's cool because it's closer to the benches. Think about columns near the rear posts on the lift and have them span back toward the garage doors, then put your wood shop over the doors and have the tall space where the lifts are at the front of the garage. You can store 2 high at the front of the garage, yet not block something you're pulling in at the rear of the garage.

 

[kirks5oh]

thanks for the replies guys. i'd be thinking about the 3 doors on the 36' side. and i am talking about the woodshop above the garage on a second floor-i will also have an office, or something else up there. the lifts will be towards the front of the garage, by the benches, and can have column supports by their posts. i do plan on going with heated cement, depending on where i end up settliing--i'm finishing my training right now, so this garage will be part of my house, and will be built rougly 3 years from now--i like getting all the research covered.

i had initially asked if there were people out there who specialize in designing garages. in other words, if i tell my builder that i want a garage that is 36'X48', he will easily be able to build it. however, he, nor i really know the best placement for the lifts, 220volt electrical, heating pipes, compressor tubing, etc.

 

[boiler7904]

I'd think about making it 40' wide or more. 36' isn't going to cut it if you want two 4 post lifts side by side, have room for a third car, workbenches down both sides, and still have working room.

You need to do a lot of detailed research before you start designing anything:
1. List all equipment that you want in the building preferably with make / model of equipment. Start collecting catalogs and tech data for what you know you want. As a part of this, note any special utility requirements like gas, electric (including amperage, voltage, plug type), water, compressed air, etc. for each item.
2. List all items that you want to store in the building - cars, bikes, boats, etc. and get a rough size for each.
3. While planning stuff like tools and equipment, start thinking about flooring, wall coverings, storage, etc.

Once you get all of that, you can start planning a design. This can be done one of two ways.
1. Use a CAD program on your computer and draw each item as a block (autocad lingo) that can be moved around. Draw a perimeter around the layout and that is your footprint.
2. Get some graph paper and draw each item to scale. Cut each item out so that it can be moved around. Draw a perimeter around the layout and that is your footprint.

Either way, play with the layout for a while to see what you think works and then forget about it for a week or two. Go back to your design and see if it still makes sense.

If so, the next step is to start talking to architects (preferably with garage or auto dealership experience). When meeting with them, spell out exactly what you want in excruciating detail. Do not hire an architect solely on price. Unless they have completed projects similar to what you want, a cheap architect isn't going to get you what you want.

The only person that is going to know the ideal layout of lifts, 220 electrical, 120 electrical, air lines, hose bibs, etc. is YOU. You're the only person in the team that knows exactly what you plan on doing in the space and how you want work to flow through the building.

 

[kirks5oh]

i've thought of exactly what i want in the garage, and drawn a few scale designs on graph paper. most of the work area will be in front of the cars. i understand i will have all the input on what i want and where i want it, but i WILL need input from a builder/planner--and i'm pretty sure that the average builder does not usually do heated cement flooring.

 

[twostory]

First I would check with your county to see what size garage you are allowed to build. My 26 x 44 was not what I wanted to build, but that is all the sq footage I was allowed to build. I would have went bigger, if I could.

 

[Bob Marlin]

Where I live, if the garage is detached , you have a maximum size of
50% of the house size.

 

[kirks5oh]

i would plan on the garage being attached to the house, and yes, i guess it would **** if my project got denied by the county.