How much room do I need?

[nterry1957]

Hey guys... First post!

Building a 30X50 and I want a room inside walked up and insulated so I don't have to heat/cool the whole thing. The smaller climate controlled room will be where most of the hot road and mower work/maintenance will happen so it needs to be big enough to fit a 62 Biscayne or 57 210 and still have room to work. (Doors open pulling engines) I also want to configure the room for maximum storage area in the other part of the building.

Any ideas?!

 

[sublimate]

Since you already have the 62 Biscayne and the 57 210 (whatever that is) probably easier for you to measure it with the doors open than us.

But if you're having difficulty you're welcome to loan the car to me for a while and I'll measure it for you when I get a chance.

 

[finn]

30'X24' should do it.

 

[larry_g]

I would suggest that 14' wide x30 would be the narrowest you consider. Ask the working mechanics here, what is your bay width? If you look at my build below you will see my room is just under 12' wide and it works for a machine shop but would not work for an automobile, maybe a motorcycle if arranged differently.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[rburke65]

Sublimate.....you must be young not to know what is a '57 210. Good for you. Young is good. Comfortably working on cars like that....go with a 24x24' size. Good luck. And you should really put a location in your profile.

 

[DC73]

. . . it needs to be big enough to fit a 62 Biscayne or 57 210 and still have room to work. (Doors open pulling engines)

Easy. Don't necessarily use the vehicles you currently have. Determine the size of the largest vehicle you might ever have in the shop. Measure that vehicle with the doors open. Measure your largest friend and allow enough room to walk completely around the chosen vehicle with the doors open. That's your minimum size. Adjust as necessary for workbenches, etc.

DC

 

[Steevo]

Well, I have never heard anyone say "I wish I had built a smaller garage".

So, whatever you thin you need, double it.

 

[nterry1957]

Thanks so far fellas! It's already determined that the entire building will be 30X50... I reckon I'll just build it then pull the 62 in and decide then how much room we will need to work around it before framing in the "workshop".

210 was a trim package Chevy offered for several years it was cheaper and plainer than a Bel-Air but more expensive and fancier that a 150.

 

[BillK]

Terry,
Depending on where you are putting the doors, long or short side of the building...... my detached 24 x 24 is just about comfortable for working on one car except I wish it was deeper. So if you put the drive in doors on the long side of the building and wall off 24 x 30, it would be ideal in my opinion.

To be honest with you though, I don't think you are going to save that much in heating and ac and you will be a LOT happier with the entire 30x50. Maybe close off a small "clean" room for an office.

That's the way I would do it.

 

[Corsair4360]

The answer I would provide is the biggest you can afford, been there done that. I am used to a 40x60 shop and it was stuffed full of projects and tools, and yes it was well organized and kept clean. No longer have that shop, long story.

 

[sberry]

I agree, spend the money you would putzing round with wall construction and refine the rest of the place to heat a little better, heat a little lower and use a 30x50 vs chopping it in to cubbies. In fact would bust my tail to get it 40 wide.

 

[Jetfixr320]

24x30 or so would be okay for a working area. I wouldn't go any smaller.

 

[stikman56]

I agree, biggest you can afford. They always get too full, and I just hate that.

 

[Slow_Lane]

I would agree some of the others, we heat with natural gas in southwest Iowa. Our level pay is $233.00 a month, I heat around 3200 square ft house and 1400 square ft of garage. Spend the money to divide it on insulating and doing it right you can have the best of both worlds. If you are on propane disregard my previous comments that stuff is all over the board depending on the year.

 

[hippie2cams]

I can tell you from experience that 30x50 is a minimum size. I have a 30x 40 that is setup for harley's and it's not big enough. you put on a lift table to work on it, then you have to get around it. you park one and then you need room to get around it, then you put one on a jack for long time service and there goes more room. then if you want to ride one you have to have room to manuver that one out of the shop so you can ride. and that's not counting tool boxes, air tools, compressors, welding machines, torches, plazma arcs. Are you getting the IDEA yet. MAKE IT BIG AS YOU CAN.

 

[nterry1957]

Ok fellas... It's going to be a 40X40. Breaking ground in a week or two.
Stay tuned for a build thread!