Need some advice.

[FireZapper]

I'm trying to decide on a garage.

I currently have a 19x19 attached garage. There is no room for me to put any of the vehicles in it.

I have no intentions of staying here for rest of my life. Plus I don't have to 30K to build a good shop out back.
There is about 100x100 of space out back.

For less then 7K I can get an 14x36 garage shed. I figure about 1500 or so for wiring it. Then over the winter, insulate and wall covering. So for less then 10K I could be inside and warm while wrenching.

My 250 is 21' long, that is the longest vehicle I have. I'll need to get an 8' door because I plan to lift it and install 35's. I figure with the 36' I'll still have about 15' of space infront of the truck when working on it. My other trucks are 16' +/-. So no problems with them. I've looked at the 14' wide and I can still walk around the 250 very easily and even open both doors if needed.

I would move the existing shed to where the vehicles are in the above picture. Place the garage shed in it's place. I figure on arranging them so I can use the shed to store my engine hoist, HF bandsaw, and parts.




Question is, will I be happy? I think I will for a while, but who knows what the future holds. Maybe do this for the next 5 or so years, then build. Sell the little shed and use the garage shed in it's place? I'm thinking about doing this the end of the summer. Just racking my brain right now.

 

[dpledford]

I'm trying to decide on a garage.

I currently have a 19x19 attached garage. There is no room for me to put any of the vehicles in it.

I have no intentions of staying here for rest of my life. Plus I don't have to 30K to build a good shop out back.
There is about 100x100 of space out back.

For less then 7K I can get an 14x36 garage shed. I figure about 1500 or so for wiring it. Then over the winter, insulate and wall covering. So for less then 10K I could be inside and warm while wrenching.

My 250 is 21' long, that is the longest vehicle I have. I'll need to get an 8' door because I plan to lift it and install 35's. I figure with the 36' I'll still have about 15' of space infront of the truck when working on it. My other trucks are 16' +/-. So no problems with them. I've looked at the 14' wide and I can still walk around the 250 very easily and even open both doors if needed.

I would move the existing shed to where the vehicles are in the above picture. Place the garage shed in it's place. I figure on arranging them so I can use the shed to store my engine hoist, HF bandsaw, and parts.

Question is, will I be happy? I think I will for a while, but who knows what the future holds. Maybe do this for the next 5 or so years, then build. Sell the little shed and use the garage shed in it's place? I'm thinking about doing this the end of the summer. Just racking my brain right now.

I did something similar to what you are thinking of doing about 6 years ago. At that time I had no intention of using it for vehicles and because of that I made a couple of mistakes. I built a 16X20 yard barn with a loft. The peak is at 13 feet from the floor with four foot wide floor sections. It was great for the original purpose of storing my business equipment, but lousy for vehicle work.

Your building at 14' wide may end up being a little narrow. It will work but you find 16' will be better. I painted my Hudson in mine and with shelves one one wall and a bench on the opposite wall I barely got the car doors all the way open. One of the two biggest mistakes I made was the length, why it never entered my mind to go to at lest 24' I'll never know. You at least should not have that problem. The second mistake was the floor. I had the soil removed 6" deep and filled with limestone then the building erected on top of that with a wood floor. As any yard barn the floor sits on top of 4X4 pressure treated runner. Looking back, I do not think it would have cost much more to have a cement slab poured. The back end of the building is sinking slowly and I may have to move the building. If you are set on using a wood floor at least set the runners on cement piers. The picture doesn't show it but is there an overhead door. If so, with PA winters I would have an insulated on installed.

Why are you moving the other shed?

Set the location so if you have to in the future you can do some type of addition to it.

Good Luck

 

[e-tek]

Don't get rid of the other shed whatever you do!!! You can use it for storage, garden tools, etc, so as not to clog-up your shop!!
If you own your house and you put a 30K shop on it, wouldn't you get the 30K out of it when you sell? Most people add it to the equity of their home. It raises your payments a bit over a 25 year span, but at least you have the shop you want now and you get your money out later.
Regardless, 36x16 is pretty damn good. Mine is 36x24 and it's HUGE. It fits 4 cars with room to spare for benches, etc. I ran rotate a car 360degrees. Decide wether you want a lift or not as well,if so, you'll need 11 feet min.
Good luck with the decision!

 

[mad57]

we just went to the atlantic city car show they had those sweet garage sheds there 24x28 for 17gs but i still think its easier to get or build a bigger pole barn for half of that.just my 2 cents.

 

[FireZapper]

Reason for moving the shed is...

It makes it a straight shot into the garage shed from the front of the house. I like the idea of footings, wonder if I can do that and not have the township on me about permits.


I've checked a couple local shed builders. I'm going to look a little further away and maybe a 24x36.

I've thought about the pole barn set-up. But this way I do not need the permits. I figure the structure would be 7-9K, concrete work in the 7K range, 2K for electric. Upwards of 1K for permits and inspection. Yes I could get it back in the end but where do i come up with the money for the 2nd mortgage?

Less then 10K I can swing at the end of the summer. Unless something drastic happens.

 

[gryzynx]

If you own your house and you put a 30K shop on it, wouldn't you get the 30K out of it when you sell? Most people add it to the equity of their home. It raises your payments a bit over a 25 year span, but at least you have the shop you want now and you get your money out later.

I built a large garage/shop in a previous home in Winnipeg. Bought in 1987, just before the real estate crash and sold in 2003 when I finally could recover my investment. Real estate agents were telling me that the garage was a fine selling feature, but it really did not add to the value of the property. Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but in hindsight, they were right. The principle behind buying and selling usually will be set against you, i.e. if you are buying, prices will be high. Try selling and the offers wil be low.