New Garage - North Chicago Suburbs

[iusamson]

Moved last year, and starting to plan my new garage build. It'll be semi-attached to the house (through a breezeway). Looking some advice on sizing. I would love the "as big as I can imagine" but as this is going to be right next to our house, I need to keep it within reason.

We have a 2.5 car side loader garage currently, and we're going to be building this new one perpendicular to this.

Depth wise is set at 30'. Due to tree line can't get any further. Width wide I'm at a cross-roads. I currently have it for 24' wide (which should give me a bit over 23' inside (stick built 2x4 construction). I can get as much as 30' wide, but I don't want to make the house look "funny". My wife is limiting me to one 18' door, so if we made it super wide I'd have to think of a window or two on the front to make it look Ok.

I'm looking for advice as to what realistically I need to function. I'd like to put two 4-post lifts (already own them, just moving from another location) next to each other. They are approx 9.5 wide, and it feels like 24' will barely give me enough room to work on the sides. I'm not looking for the "easy" answer (obviously it's build it to 30'). I have a wife to please, and need to take into account the minimum I need to function. Just a weekend/evening hobbyist of muscle cars with a few antiques.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ClearWaterMS]

Putting aside my jealousy that you have the space and more importantly a family that is supportive of a collection that requires parking for 4 vehicles...

My easy answer (as far as I am concerned) is "as big as possible"

However, the "how I would justify it answer is"
The minimum I would think you would want is 3~4' lanes on either side of the lifts and between the two lifts, so to that end, I would think you would want 9~12' plus the 19' width of the 2 lifts. This means you want a minimum of 28'

 

[blacksporty]

Just go 30' or you will always say, "I wish I would have gone with 30' " and your wife will be happier because she will not have to hear that for the rest of her life.

 

[kbs2244]

Check your local code.
Any attachment, even just a roof and screens breezeway, may make into an "attached" garage.
And they need a full blown foundation, not a slab.

 

[iusamson]

It has to be an “attached” garage, so full foundation is a must. The breeze way is a requirement from the city as well in my case. I’m resisting fully attaching the building so I have a way to get into the back yard without walking around the whole building or through the house.

I’m having a friend draw up some plans so I can start the permitting process. After doing some measuring and sketching last night, I think Going to go with a. 28x30. It’s big enough for me not to have to worry about the lifts or workspace-and the wife is still happy.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on windows in the garage? I’m doing it more to make it look less like an out building. My father thinks I should be more concerned with preserving inside wall space.


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[GrayFlattop]

What’s everyone’s thoughts on windows in the garage? I’m doing it more to make it look less like an out building. My father thinks I should be more concerned with preserving inside wall space.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

Depending on the wall height, you could always place the windows up higher on the wall to allow light in and some cross ventilation. This would be my choice.

If you just want to make the garage blend in with the rest of the house, the windows can still be completely covered on the inside with plywood. Just paint the street-facing side of the plywood white or something so it "looks" like a window. Granted this means spending money on a window, but it simply an aesthetic decision.

 

[iusamson]

Going w/9ft wall height. The house has 8ft walls, but there is a 1' band on top that, combined with siding vs brick, should obscure the extra height in the garage. Would love more, but it's just not in the cards. I'm told an 8/12 pitch (matches the house) will get me to ~13' clearance for ~18ft in the middle of the garage. with short muscle cars this should be more than enough for me, and would still have flexibility if I ever got something different.

I'm less concerned about the inside walls - to me, i'm lucky that my wife is even letting me put up a building. Not putting windows in it seems to be a line that i'm not interested in crossing - but wanted to know what others have done in my situation (where the garage needs to match or blend with the house.