Help with 900 sq. ft. Footprint

[strnge]

I have been told by the city I can have a 900 sq. ft. footprint on my detached garage. I have to find out about building up. I have been told I can not build a "liveable" space above. I can however have storage, so I guess it kind of means I can build up.

I need help with figuring out the footprint for my garage.

Items I will put in garage:

2009 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab
2014 Ford Explorer
1965 Mustang
Harley Davidson

I would like to install lifts.
Have a working bay for projects.
Benches
Air Compressor
Tool Box
Storage Cabinets
Parts Washer
Sand Blast Cabinet

In other words, a working garage


Please explain why you pick the footprint you suggest.
I would like to see pics of vehicles inside the footprint you suggest. I am more of a visual kind of guy.


Thanks.

 

[MN4x4]

A somewhat 'standard' 24 x 36 3-car garage is 864 sq. ft.

I'd say you have one too many vehicles (not including the Harley) to make this work.

Not trying to burst your bubble, just pointing out an issue I see right off...

 

[strnge]

Actually I was planning on putting my wife's car in the attached single car.

 

[Angelfire]

I built a 32x40 which is bigger than you are allowed. However, my thinking was this: I wanted to be able to park cars end to end if needed....now I don't have a big ole crew cab as you do but I measured up what I do have and can indeed park end to end....it pretty much fills my garage side of the shop but they're in there. I am considering a 4 post lift so I can stack two vehicles as well so if this is an option for you, consider your ceiling height. I think you'll find that whatever you decide, you will have to move one or two of the vehicles out when you do any big work. My shop filled up very fast but right now it's just storing all my stuff as I'm out of the country. When I get home, many things will come out. I am doing mine as a dual purpose however, wood shop and auto shop so when I'm done, I'll actually have less space than you will with regards to the auto side but I think it'll work ok.
Cheers.

 

[C96]

I need help with figuring out the footprint for my garage.

Items I will put in garage:

2009 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab
2014 Ford Explorer
1965 Mustang
Harley Davidson

I would like to install lifts.
Have a working bay for projects.
Benches
Air Compressor
Tool Box
Storage Cabinets
Parts Washer
Sand Blast Cabinet

In other words, a working garage


Please explain why you pick the footprint you suggest.
I would like to see pics of vehicles inside the footprint you suggest. I am more of a visual kind of guy.

Wow, not asking for much are we.

 

[joed2323]

If you have a menards nearby they have a computer where you can build many different garage plans, you can get a materials list for free, if you want the actual blueprints they are usually 40 dollars where i live. They actually do have a few garage plans that are under 10 bucks a peice.

You can take your material list you picked up from menards and shop around and see if you can build it cheaper by picking up materials from here and their...

I suggest you go wider then 24 feet or you are gonna wish you have once its built and are tight on space

 

[bczygan]

Check your zoning.
Look at the zoning map to find the zoning for your property.
Then look at the zoning ordinances and see the requirements for that zoning.
Both of these may be online.
It may be that attaching the building to the existing structure will allow you to go bigger.
Height will also be specified for accessory buildings and main structures.
Check where the height is measured (Peak or midpoint of roof).

 

[sr71]

30 x30 ....bench at the back... stairs on side to 2nd "storage" floor. You'd have room for two vehicles + bay for working. You''ll be surprised how fast you fill up 900 sq..

 

[nit2wn]

Well if you can go up, fix an elevator to put stuff in the loft like a Harley and put the air compressor up there with it. Figure out what can go up there and what has to be down stairs.

 

[strnge]

Anyone have photos of the inside of a 30X30?

 

[AZ Pete]

Go up! Put a parking lift in and free up a bay for other uses by having one car parked above another. Maybe you could also use the lift to put heavy stuff into a loft for storage.

 

[ed_v]

check out bmwpower's 30x30:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4372&highlight=bmwpower+30x30

 

[strnge]

Thanks Ed....I asked him to post a photo of vehicles inside showing how much space there is in front and behind the car. Hopefully he does.

 

[nine4gmc]

I just got a 30x30 and it does not look like I will be able to have two bays, much less three and a Harley by the time I get my tools in. Mine does not have a second floor, or height for one so I will only have one working bay and the rest will be shop.

 

[nine4gmc]

Anyone have photos of the inside of a 30X30?

 

[strnge]

How about with a truck inside so we can see how much space in front and behind there is available.

 

[C96]

Since you’re a visual guy, how about actually going out and draw the footprint in the dirt. You could just scratch it in, or use marking chalk, or temporary marking paint. Then you can mark in your work benches, air compressor, blast cabinet etc. Hell, you could either mark in your vehicles, or actually drive them in on it. By actually doing it full scale, you will get a good idea of how much room you’ll really need and where to place things.

 

[SteveCh]

Or stick some stakes in the ground and run string stake to stake. Extra stakes where the door(s) would be. Pull up and move the stakes around to your heart's content. More stakes and string to outline an interior layout for benches, tools, etc.

 

[strnge]

Good ideas if I could do that. Unfortunately the area is currently blocked by a fence.

Kind of hard to do right now since the house is elsewhere and I'm in "the City" for a long while. Maybe I could find some kind of open area while out on a drive or something.

 

[fitz11]

Lay it out to scale on graph paper. I did that when I reorganized my garage and it really helped utilize the space efficiently.

 

[nine4gmc]

I've been using Sketchup to try different plans. Fast and easy to draw up scale ideas.

 

[strnge]

I just tried Sketchup and its crazy hard. How much practice did you get?

Do you use it all the time for other projects?

 

[Matt M PA]

I can't post pics from the device I am using, but my detached is 32w x 26 deep. I have three single doors...thre bays. I have benches and cabinets all across the the wall.

In the far right bay, it's open all the way up for the 4 post lift. I also park the Excursion there.

The center bay is where my midrise is and I park my daily car above. Then in the far left bay i park the Viper. The staircase to upstairs also partially is in this bay.

I use the lift bays for "work"... I just have to move a car out.

I put the bigger and lesser used tools upstairs like the blast cabinet, drill press, etc.

 

[nine4gmc]

I use it every few years on a onganization project or build. I'm not super proficient but can whip up some things pretty easy.

 

[strnge]

I can't post pics from the device I am using, but my detached is 32w x 26 deep. I have three single doors...thre bays. I have benches and cabinets all across the the wall.

In the far right bay, it's open all the way up for the 4 post lift. I also park the Excursion there.

The center bay is where my midrise is and I park my daily car above. Then in the far left bay i park the Viper. The staircase to upstairs also partially is in this bay.

I use the lift bays for "work"... I just have to move a car out.

I put the bigger and lesser used tools upstairs like the blast cabinet, drill press, etc.

I would absolutely like to see pics of that!!!!

 

[nine4gmc]

How about with a truck inside so we can see how much space in front and behind there is available.

There is about 2.5' between the back bumper and door and 8.5' from front bumper to wall with my lwb.

 

[Redhotrod]

I went 25' x 36' (900 sq ft) on the inside to meet HOA rules, I had to be at 900 sq ft or less for no town meeting variance, and I only have 5/8 of an acre with a 1600 sq ft house.

I made this 900 sq ft size work to fit all my toys and still have room to work.

2 cars, 1 truck, 1 boat, 1 motorcycle, 50" riding mower, snowblower and couple cabinets, shelves and 2.5' x 7' rolling workbench.

Still finishing, so a little organization is needed at the moment, but got a transmission rebuild in progress in there.

 

[LB-1911]

I have been told by the city I can have a 900 sq. ft. footprint on my detached garage.

I have to find out about building up.

I have been told I can not build a "liveable" space above. I can however have storage, so I guess it kind of means I can build up.

Have you inquired into the maximum allowed height?

 

[Falcon67]

I've been using Sketchup to try different plans. Fast and easy to draw up scale ideas.

LOL - computer guy here, and I used a pad of graph paper and cheap mechanical pencils. 1 sq=1 sq/ft, you can really rip on layouts.

Also noted from the 25x36 above - that extra foot (25 vs 24) can make more difference than you might think. I went 24 deep and if I could change anything, I'd go 28 or 30 since I have no restrictions.

 

[Matt M PA]

Here are a couple pics. I too got frustrated with software and went to a pice of graph paper. I then made paper cut-outs to scale of workbenches, etc that I could place or move all over the graph paper.

 

[LB-1911]

I just tried Sketchup and its crazy hard. How much practice did you get?

Do you use it all the time for other projects?

Go back to the basics...

Lay it out to scale on graph paper. I did that when I reorganized my garage and it really helped utilize the space efficiently.

LOL - computer guy here, and I used a pad of graph paper and cheap mechanical pencils. 1 sq=1 sq/ft, you can really rip on layouts.

Also noted from the 25x36 above - that extra foot (25 vs 24) can make more difference than you might think. I went 24 deep and if I could change anything, I'd go 28 or 30 since I have no restrictions.

Here are a couple pics. I too got frustrated with software and went to a pice of graph paper. I then made paper cut-outs to scale of workbenches, etc that I could place or move all over the graph paper.