How to Plan 1200 Sqft

[texag09]

Ok, so we are starting out build first part of 2017 and are in the planning process now. We have 2.7ac waterfront lot. The HOA states minimum 2 stall garage maximum 1200 sqft garage.

What are some ideas to maximize space use, layout while minimizing cost in a 1200 sqft build.

Square or Rectangle?
Longer then Wide or Wider then Long?
How many doors? What size and Location?

Just looking for some ideas or suggestions I have yet to consider.

 

[texag09]

Thinking on building an attached 2 car carport, these are some options I have considered.

 

[Know Wosad]

A steel building approved by HOA and county deep enough for your longest expected vehicle and as wide as makes the 1200 sf. To remove an engine, etc,the car can be half way outside. Can the roof be another 1200 SF ?
Overhangs all around. Serious overhangs.
The lot is big enough for a front and rear entrance"drive through". No "man door" needed.If you want one use a side(end) entrance. You're in the south (by the grace of Gawd.LOL)

 

[texag09]

Per the deed restrictions no metal buildings allowed with out variance, however I have counted 10+ metal buildings many over 1200sqft that were approved and constructed.

The one thing I have going against me at this point is the waterfront lot. Granted it is the reason we purchased the property to have lake access, it will increase the cost of the shop greatly. The shop foundation will have to be raised 1'-2' above existing grade in the front and 3'-4' in the rear (depending on depth) to account for flooding and the natural slope of the water front lot. Right now I need to minimize cost while getting the best available work space.

Budget for the shop would be about $50k-$70K excluding interior finishes, equipment, and internal electrical, as I will do that myself.

Not sure on the overhang requirements, one out I do have is later they allow a 800-1200sqft guest house to be built on the property. I plan to build that later as money allows as a "guest house" to be utilized as a air conditioned shop for my lathe and milling machine work.

 

[Know Wosad]

Want to start without killing your wallet and upgrade lil by lil ?

 

[garage rookie]

What are your intended uses? If car work, I'd go the way Know Wosad showed. One bay for each vehicle. How high can you go? Attic storage maybe? Planning a lift? I guess with your budget you're talking concrete and shell only?

 

[texag09]

Yes, looking to build just a shell to start, I will run my own power in the garage and most of the shop equipment minus the lift I already own. Height requirements are max 25' so should be able to have room for a lift. Main purpose will be automotive and motorcycle work, but will need one storage space for a 17' CC boat.

 

[s_blaylock]

Looking forward to this. What lake are you on? Gig'em.

 

[texag09]

Looking forward to this. What lake are you on? Gig'em.

We are right upstream of Lake Houston on Luces Bayou.

Gig'em.

 

[Jo Diesel]

A 40 x 30 is your max size just like the picture above and I bet they are going to make you put it on a foundation so might as well stick build it 12' and put attick trusses on and have an upstairs. Should not hit the 25' high mark. Throw a couple dormers on and would look pretty sharp. My father in law has his music studio / man cave up in his.

 

[KM223]

A steel building approved by HOA and county deep enough for your longest expected vehicle and as wide as makes the 1200 sf. To remove an engine, etc,the car can be half way outside. Can the roof be another 1200 SF ?
Overhangs all around. Serious overhangs.
The lot is big enough for a front and rear entrance"drive through". No "man door" needed.If you want one use a side(end) entrance. You're in the south (by the grace of Gawd.LOL)

Love it!

 

[KM223]

Want to start without killing your wallet and upgrade lil by lil ?

And that!

 

[Trey T]

four car garage (10'/bay) with 30ft depth. one bay designated for surgical level cleanliness, one bay for fabrication, and two bay for general work.

I prefer natural material-look over metal building.

 

[extropic]

Think volume, not just area. 40' deep w/ 2/12 roof pitch will allow 20' tall walls easily. You'll never turn 12' high walls into 20' high walls. Build it tall. You can use pallet rack to build any type/size mezzanine you want. Even if only for dead storage, you'll never regret having the interior volume. Put your boat/trailer on a storage lift and park car/toys underneath it. Covered parking (carport) is always good.

 

[zmotorsports]

Sounds similar to my situation, less the HOA though. The largest the city would let me build was no larger than the square footage of my main level of the house and no more than 50% of the property behind the house. My shop is 34x34 with 14' ceilings because I knew I wanted a 2-post lift someday.

My square footage is 1156 so just shy of what you are looking at. Due to access into the shop from the front I opted to go square vs. rectangular because in my old shop with only being 30' deep and a truck on a lift it didn't leave me with as much room between workbench and front of truck as I would have liked. Now being 34' deep, even with a crew cab on the lift I have about 6' between the front of the truck and the workbench which is 30" deep from the back wall.

The only thing I wish I could have done is gone 40' wide to give me more room. My shop is tight getting two vehicles in because of my machining and fabricating equipment along the one section so I basically have it for one bay automotive, one bay for motorcycle work (where I have my two motorcycle lifts and can still put two more motorcycles behind the lifts) and one smaller bay for lathe, mill, welding table, bandsaws and all other fabrication equipment. Not the ideal but it is what it is.

If you plan on adding much equipment I would recommend going 40' in width.

Mike.