How big would this garage/building need to be?

[Bennylava]

At some point I'm going to have a metal building built on my property. This is likely a few years down the road, but I like to plan things years in advance. So the building will be a garage. It will need to be able to park 8 vehicles inside.

It also needs to be able to fit a 22' pontoon boat inside. As well as 2 jet skis, and 2 4-wheelers. Also 2 motorcycles. I already have all the recreational vehicles, and currently have to keep them in rented storage to keep them out of the elements. Want to keep them at my house someday. Easier to just go out there and work on them.

Also needs to have a decent sized work area, that can support a lift. And be big enough to have all the staples of a good automotive shop, with plenty of room to walk around. These staples would include 3 tool boxes, a grinder stand, a blast cabinet, a computer desk (to look stuff up) a pipe bender, a welding bench, work benches, an engine hoist, an automotive steam extractor, a woodward fab metal bender... the list goes on. In my mind all that stuff goes up against the wall like most shops. But I think you get the idea. Big enough to cover most of what a decently equipped shop would have.

Lastly a storage area for parts. Probably just needs to have plenty of good shelving. So how big do you guys think this building is? To me it sounds larger than some, but smaller than others I've seen here.

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

May sound simplistic but measure your biggest vehicle and start multiplying. Square footage is only one aspect. Only you know how often each vehicle will go out and if they could be stacked tandem deep or each one needs direct access or your boat needs to be a drive through. If you don't do an architect program a scale cardboard works for initial sizing. Use a matchbox car and scale up from that.

 

[LXCam]

40 x 100. Figure 40ft deep gets you two average cars end to end and then within 10ft wide bays minimum. So just for 8 cars you're at a 40 x 40 space. Good luck dude, you might consider buying some four posts lifts to cut costs and go with a 14-16ft wall height.

 

[wingrider02]

I don’t wish to step on any toes, but I am having a building built by Cleary, and they have a virtual planning page on their website which lets you pick what vehicles you a rough manner, and lay them out in the building to see how they fit.

Might be something that would help you. I would recommend using a computer to do this. I had a little trouble with my IPad moving things around.

 

[PAToyota]

Use something like this: http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner

Under miscellaneous, you can make squares/rectangles of any size. Make rectangles for everything you want to store inside. There are also symbols for many tools and other equipment. Space everything apart far enough for access and then measure around them all.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Use something like this: http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner

Under miscellaneous, you can make squares/rectangles of any size. Make rectangles for everything you want to store inside. There are also symbols for many tools and other equipment. Space everything apart far enough for access and then measure around them all.

Or you can go the old fashion way of using some graph paper.

 

[Falcon67]

Might talk with Mueller - they have a location in Glen Rose.

 

[John in OH]

Two things to consider ...

1) The building you are proposing will, indeed, be pretty big. I'm sure you don't want to heat or cool something that big. Suggest you plan your building for separate shop, vehicle, and storage spaces. Typically, in TX, I assume cooling will be much more of an issue than heating so design a shop space that you can keep comfortable without the need to cool the entire building.

2) Rather than one mondo building, perhaps you could build two separate adjacent buildings. One for storage and one for your shop. Again, thinking about keeping the shop comfortable without heating or cooling a lot of storage space. This would also allow for a difference in design quality ... a good frame-built or steel building for a shop, and an el-cheapo building for storage.

 

[sberry]

If I was going to come in from the side and go for a hundred food building would go 50 wire minimum and even 60 if I thought I was going to get 2 cars end to end. I got bids with 30x40 and the only way is short ones nose up to each other. It's a 2 car garage. Sq ft is a bit more effecient square. 4000 ft would go way fast with the Bennylist.

 

[sz0k30]

Just get some 1/4" graph paper & tape some sheets together if you have to. Figure out a scale that will work - say: 1/4"=2ft, so 1"=8ft. You know your boat is 22 ft. You can figure a standard pickup is 20 ft long & 6 ft wide. Measure the trailers and all the other stuff. Leave some walking around room (1/2"=4ft). Start cutting out the pieces and moving them around. If you don't have access to a cad system this is the best way to go.

 

[PAToyota]

Or you can go the old fashion way of using some graph paper.

Probably easier to do it online - it does all the scaling for you.

 

[Falcon67]

Probably easier to do it online - it does all the scaling for you.

Actually I found graph paper to be way more expedient. From graph paper I went to stakes on the ground for a real feel.

 

[PAToyota]

I'm old enough that my start at drafting was pen and ink on mylar. So I could pull out all of my tools from the drawer. However, any more I do everything in CAD. Much easier to move things around and such without erasing and redrawing.

 

[3504speed]

I had similar wants and needs as you so I decided to break mine up into two different areas sorta like John in OH recommended but under the same roof.
My overall dimensions are 62' x 80' x 16' with a car storage area on one side being 22' x 80' and the main shop area 40' x 80' on the other side.
In the car storage area I wanted to be able to store 8 cars in there and be able to get any of the 8 out without moving another car. Two can exit each end and the 4 in the middle are crossways and can exit out through the main shop as long as I have one of the two main shop doors unblocked.
I have radiant floor heat with two zones and the full length wall separating the two areas also lets me keep the car storage at 50 degrees and the main shop at 60.
In the car storage area I have 16' doors at each end. A 14' high at one end and a 7' at the other. Above the 7' door is a 22' x20' loft for storage. I access the loft via a staircase in the main shop. Hopefully these pics will help show the layout...

 

[ItsNemo]

^^ That is just awesome!

 

[LXCam]

^^ That is just awesome!

Ya it is!!!

More pics please!!

 

[sberry]

I agree, got doors in gable end where they should be.

 

[firebirdparts]

that is some shop! Wow!

To the OP's question, I think paper dolls is actually easier and faster than using a computer.