My name is Matt, and...

[Uranium235]

...you guys are already costing me money! Moved into my new house 2 years ago, and this summer's projects are the patio and the garage. The more time I spend on this site, the smaller my future patio gets!

The good: 3-car garage (barely), nice flat slab, no water heater, 12-foot high ceilings, washer/dryer, or anything else on my blank canvas.

The bad: I have three cars, a budget, and a lot of wants.

The ugly: my neighborhood covenant prohibits outbuildings, so lawn mower, kid's bicycle, assorted gardening implements all live in the garage.

Future plans: Rocksolid flooring (already purchased), more electrical outlets, storage over the "2-car" door, high-lifting the "1-car" door (someday a 2-post), and lots of painting and decorations.

Pics to follow, I promise. Thanks everyone!

 

[xtremek]

Welcome to the rabbit hole.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Welcome from Central Washington State. Post up them pics.

 

[drivesitfar]

Uranium: in case you haven't read all the details on the lift you are thinking of buying some of them need 12.2 inch tall ceilings for full height. just saying.

welcome and can you post some pictures of your garage or tools you've acquired? only if you want to and maybe add a little color to your thread.

 

[ADSR]

Welcome!!

 

[Uranium235]

Ok, attaching a couple of pics...disclaimer: I do not have any pics of the garage per se with me here at work. I will update shortly. But in the meantime...
Gratuitous toy pic, with garage and house from outside:


Inside back wall with storage...

 

[snod83]

BS on the budget.... Nice toys though.

 

[Uranium235]

The toys are WHY I have the budget! Priorities...

 

[1/2 Cup]

Hello and welcome to the GJ Matt, thanks for posting and all the best with your projects.

 

[rburke65]

Hello and welcome from Ohio!

 

[drivesitfar]

Matt: nice pictures of your 4 wheel friends. looks like you might have a few 2 wheelers unless they have a code that you need a helmet to drive one of those with 4 wheels.

great workbench and cabinets too.

ask questions here if you have any about the forum or just go on threads you like and start posting either questions, answers or just thanking the posters for their information. We are a pretty helpful friendly bunch here and if find a few un friendly ones let us know that too.

cheers

 

[Uranium235]

Past tense. Had some 2-wheelers, a Yamahe FZ-1 and a couple Hayabusas. I think my motorcycling days are over now that I live so far north. I just can't bring myself to get rid of my Picotte replica helmets.

 

[drivesitfar]

Matt: i understand completely especially if your old helmets also fit great because you might want to buy another bike some day in the future.

i see you started a thread on your garage and i'll try to post over on it as it gets some more posts. since you have a very high ceiling do you have plans for a lift, loft or some big racks to get some storage that you might need later?

i lease a storage unit with 14 foot ceilings that i use 12 foot commercial racks that hold a ton of stuff and they come in 2 to 4 foot depth and 6 to 12 foot wide. i also put 3 side by side so i could park my utility trailer under them and have storage above the trailer which might work well for you to park your car under them.

i'll post a few pictures of the trailer to show you what i mean if you would like me to because i don't have any pictures to post now. here's a picture of one of my storage shelves that I've had close to 4,000 pounds on the bottom two shelves at times because under the 3/4 inch pressboard there are the little metal supports about every foot.

 

[MrWrencher823]

I want your budget! Haha. Welcome from MI!!

 

[Uranium235]

DIF, I am hoping a 2-post is in my distant future, but not immediately. A loft along the back half would be amazing, but I think it's out of my wheelhouse unless I contract someone. I am definitely doing a 4 foot by 8 foot shelf above the big garage door on the front wall, maybe even bigger...perhaps a "mini-loft" just for storage?

 

[bczygan]

When accessory buildings are prohibited, I think of nice large additions to the existing structure......!

 

[drivesitfar]

Matt: when i moved in my current home almost 30 years now i was a lot less handy and i built a couple storage areas in my garage above the cars. i have two small single car garages next to each other. if i remember correctly because i took them down a few years ago that they were 10 x 8 over my wife's car and 8 x 8 over mine because her garage is a little bigger. i made the frame out of 2 x 4's and only change i'd make if i was going to put up something heavy and that wide would be to use more supports or 2 x 6's.

i used 6 2 foot 2 x 4's for each loft storage area that were bolted to the ceiling joists and then bolted to the 2 x 4's that were 8 and 10 feet long and had 3 of those on each unit. the 10 footers started to bow (sag) after many years because i put some pretty heavy items up there on my wife's side. then i had 1/2 inch cheap plywood for the storage are to store stuff on.

if your ceiling is sheet rocked the joists are a little tougher to bolt into so let me know if that's the case and i'll think of an easy way to put up some storage or maybe somebody else has done so to show pictures.

good luck

 

[Uranium235]

Ceilings are drywalled, I was planning to hang the storage areas pretty much the same way the garage door rails and opener are hung, then run that angle iron down to the shelf, probably about a 4 foot drop. If there's a better way, I am all ears.

 

[drivesitfar]

Matt: if you are able to do metal frame and bolt or weld it together then all the better. with the height of your ceilings i'd go at least 2 feet down from the ceiling and maybe 3 feet if not in the garage door or opener's way.

I've seen some storage solutions that you can buy that also lower down from the ceiling, but i'm not sure who makes them or if they are very big. i know you can get a pulley system to put your bikes up to the ceiling and then bring them down without a ladder when you want to ride them.

good luck and ask questions if you still have any and I'll (we'll) try to help you.