New Garage Build!!

[MaineGarage207]

Hey guys, I'm contemplating ideas for my garage build and looking for some other ideas. This garage will be built in Maine so warm and freezing temperatures are present. Idea behind this garage is like any other guys dream. Nice big workable area to store toys and work on equipment while being able to live comfortably above.

Attached is the rough plans of my garage/house.

Size of garage: 44x44.
Size of living space: 44x30 w/o porches.

I have made some modifications but I'd like to see what idea you have. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Big Daddy Chop Shop]

I think you will regret not going bigger.

Also, not sure of your age, marital status, etc, but carrying groceries and everything else up stairs (especially over a shop space with at least 10-12' ceilings) may not appeal to you or a young lady, nor the idea of living above a noisy, smelly shop (perception)

Personally, I'd consider a small "apartment" in the shop with enough property to build a proper house one day. Then, once the apartment is no longer needed it can be a lounge, rest room, tool room, or tear it out.

While some of us may find this "ideal" (not myself, but I am a fat middle aged guy with 5 kids) very few ladies will. It may lead to "the shop or me" or some other silliness. and trust me, you think you know the answer now, but ladies can be very persuasive.

 

[ADoerr]

Wow! This is going to be awesome. I wish I could have a garage this big or have enough room on my property to build a separate garage. I know you are going to love it! I'm very jealous!

 

[NORTON'S SHOP]

I like it! But, I would try to place the kitchen near the steps, or vice versa.

 

[bry@n]

I'm with Big Daddy (that didn't sound too good lol)

As I get older, the last thing I would want is to carry groceries up stairs. I hate carrying them down to the food pantry in the basement now and that is going down. I'd prefer to separate buildings. garage noise always seems to seep into the house somehow. I can't imagine how bad it would be underneath the living space.

 

[Kzguy2]

I would personally do just one larger door and go higher. Needs more garage and less chill space. Looks good though!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[Big Daddy Chop Shop]

Lol, my thing is, even with a conventional attached garage (my last 4 shops) the wife could "smell" chemicals, paint, gas, etc. I say "smell" because I could not. She sensed it i think, but ladies are like that. And that is with one penetration between spaces, 1 fire rated wall.

The other issue we had at a few houses was the noise. I would work thru the night and keep the wife and kids awake, or the air compressor would scare them awake. It would be amplified living above the work space.

Not trying to be a "Debbie downer". If you were 40, swore off ladies and ran marathons, I'd say go for it!

I'd still go bigger. Always go bigger.

 

[matt_i]

Personally, I'd lose the extra bathroom downstairs. Get some tidy trax, use the one above and open up the space.

Agree with the comments about planning for the future if a young guy. Maybe position the shop on the property so you still have another building site for a house, plan utilities, septic, to go around or not interfere. Count it as a plus if you ever moved (at 25 I never intended to move, by age 45 I've moved 5x to different states), someone else might really like your idea down the road.

 

[MaineGarage207]

Okay for the few guys that dont like the idea for access reasons. I do plan on having enough property to build a house near it down the road. I am only 23 years old so I have time. The plan is to run with this and eventually turn it into a guest house. thanks for the advice!

 

[MaineGarage207]

Haha yea I'm just a young guy with no family just a girlfriend so right now those don’t really pose as issue but are potential issues down the road. I have made modifications to make the upstairs bigger and opened up the down stairs as well even more. There was a bathroom down stairs in the garage but I figured it was a waste of space. As for the air compressor the plan is to make a little shack attached to the house that is insulated so I don't have to listen to it run all the time while I am working in the garage. Or so you hopefully won’t hear it upstairs.

 

[dlcwent]

First let me say welcome to the GJ. That's a nice looking place you have there. And being young, the upstairs trips won't bother you for a long time (I hope). What part of the state are you in?

 

[HemiRamOn22s]

I would leave the bathroom downstairs. You dont want to be a mess and have to take off your boots to go upstairs and use the bathroom. Are you going to heat the garage? The bathroom could serve as a mudroom as well to dry your wet clothes from snow, rain, etc living in Maine. I would leave an option to even add a shower later down the road. And i would move the bathrrom to an outside wall and add a door from the outside into the bathroom as well. If you ever have a pool, etc down the road it could be used as a changing room, wet room, etc. Thats what i did with my shop. There is access to the first floor half bath from the inside and outside. I'm even going to put in an outdoor shower. Might not be such a good idea living in Maine.

As for upstairs i would only do a single bathroom, because really the second 1/2 bath serves no purpose. If someone needs to shower they will be using the master bath. So put in one central bathroom that both bedrooms can share. If you flip the WIC in the master and the bathroom you should be able to make it work and then you can make the spare bedroom larger. i like the idea of the kitchen and greatroom facing forwards where the view will be. Just some ideas.

 

[MaineGarage207]

First let me say welcome to the GJ. That's a nice looking place you have there. And being young, the upstairs trips won't bother you for a long time (I hope). What part of the state are you in?

Thank you and Southern Maine buxton/standish area.

 

[MaineGarage207]

I would leave the bathroom downstairs. You dont want to be a mess and have to take off your boots to go upstairs and use the bathroom. Are you going to heat the garage? The bathroom could serve as a mudroom as well to dry your wet clothes from snow, rain, etc living in Maine. I would leave an option to even add a shower later down the road. And i would move the bathrrom to an outside wall and add a door from the outside into the bathroom as well. If you ever have a pool, etc down the road it could be used as a changing room, wet room, etc. Thats what i did with my shop. There is access to the first floor half bath from the inside and outside. I'm even going to put in an outdoor shower. Might not be such a good idea living in Maine.

As for upstairs i would only do a single bathroom, because really the second 1/2 bath serves no purpose. If someone needs to shower they will be using the master bath. So put in one central bathroom that both bedrooms can share. If you flip the WIC in the master and the bathroom you should be able to make it work and then you can make the spare bedroom larger. i like the idea of the kitchen and greatroom facing forwards where the view will be. Just some ideas.

Yea the downstairs bathroom is still in the air thanks for some pointers. I have changed the plans to make the garage now 58x44 and the up stairs 44x44. So now there is 2 full baths upstairs with plenty of room. I will update the floor plan tomorrow with the new main living space.