New house being built, garage question
- Thread starter jeostang
- Start date
DaveL.
Well-known member
How long is your car and will there be tool boxes,work bench,lawn mowers,etc. in front of your car?
My house came standard with a 20 x 20...I upgraded a tad to 30 x 40.
Welcome aboard...post some pictures of your new place.
My house came standard with a 20 x 20...I upgraded a tad to 30 x 40.
Welcome aboard...post some pictures of your new place.
well the house won't be done till July. I have Mustang, Maxima, titan, and Bike, I know the titan won't fit and the bike will probably go in the shed in the back. I would like to have a work bench and get my tool box in there.
BoostAddiction
Well-known member
IMO, 20X20 is too small to park two cars and have space to work on any of them at the same time.
If you are just parking them there, it's OK.
If you want to work on cars, then you have a real nice 1-car garage with space for tools, etc.
Even the extra 1.5 feet in the next model up is marginal.
Is it possible to work with the builder to fix this? If it is too small you will have to live with it every day you own it.
My advice: do everything you can to make it bigger now. Or have space to build another garage on the property.
-Will
If you are just parking them there, it's OK.
If you want to work on cars, then you have a real nice 1-car garage with space for tools, etc.
Even the extra 1.5 feet in the next model up is marginal.
Is it possible to work with the builder to fix this? If it is too small you will have to live with it every day you own it.
My advice: do everything you can to make it bigger now. Or have space to build another garage on the property.
-Will
For 10k extra they will make it a 3 car garage. But the lenght is still the same 20' If we add the 3rd car it will be 20 X 30 with one large door and on standard door. I'm starting to think that third car can be used for tools and other storage.
oldgoat
Well-known member
To me 20 ft is too short. When I built mine I made it 22 x 26 so that I could have the length to be able to have a bench or tool boxes across the end. 24 ft depth would be the min I would want. The 20 x 20's I have seen have just enough room to get a car in and that is about all.
My attached garage is only 19' deep. Seems the builder wanted more interior square footage. There is no way to work on any of the vehicles if both are parked in the garage. Try to go deeper, if not, I would go the 3 stall route. Room for the Titan and a work bench. 
Well just my luck, the lot we picked is in a cul-de-sac, and no homes can have a side entrance if there in the cul-de-sac and a side entrance is the only way a the builder will do a three car. So I guess I'll keep one car out side and set up half the garage as a shop. Does anyone have any pics of a 20X20 setup?
Kuhlryde
Well-known member
I have a 25x25 and that still isnt enough work to do a total resto on just one car 
jwh
Well-known member
I have a 20'x20' or thereabouts. Plus mine has a sloping flat roof with NO "up in the rafter" storage. As soon as I've got some spare money (LOL) I'm gonna tear that thing down and build a decent size garage. What ever you can do to go bigger, DO IT NOW!!
With kids stuff, tools, lawn equipment, snow thrower, etc, I have NO room for anything.
Just my two cents worth.
John in Rochester NY.
With kids stuff, tools, lawn equipment, snow thrower, etc, I have NO room for anything.
Just my two cents worth.
John in Rochester NY.
I would go deeper 25 ft or more.
3 wide still doesnt' help the depth. Fact is most of the time you are doing engine work or up front. 20ft will almost demand you leave the back of car out, door open.
Being house is being built, now is your time to fix it vs living there next 10 years wishing you did.
3 wide still doesnt' help the depth. Fact is most of the time you are doing engine work or up front. 20ft will almost demand you leave the back of car out, door open.
Being house is being built, now is your time to fix it vs living there next 10 years wishing you did.
The Alchemist
Well-known member
The garage size is the only thing the wife and I didn't get when we sold our old house and bought our new one. She got her dual walk in closets, 250 sq ft master bath, jacuzzi tub, etc but I only got a 20x20 garage. I really wanted a 24x24 (or bigger) but it didn't happen.
My brother and his wife recently bought a new house and he has a 24x24 and it is so nice. That extra 4ft depth and width means being able to open both car doors when he pulls in and he's able to store his garbage cans inside as well as his snow blower and lawn mower without issue or inconveniance.
Eventually I am going to be adding an additional 24x24 onto the house at a 90 degree to the other two car and then I'll be able to put a lift in and be able to work on the car at the same time.
My brother and his wife recently bought a new house and he has a 24x24 and it is so nice. That extra 4ft depth and width means being able to open both car doors when he pulls in and he's able to store his garbage cans inside as well as his snow blower and lawn mower without issue or inconveniance.
Eventually I am going to be adding an additional 24x24 onto the house at a 90 degree to the other two car and then I'll be able to put a lift in and be able to work on the car at the same time.
Elky
Well-known member
i couldnt fit either of my hearses in a 20 footer.
they are both a tad over 23 feet.
they are both a tad over 23 feet.
Tim240Z
Well-known member
My Garage is only 20 x 18. I can fit 2 cars in it with my work bench and tools, but then there is no space to work. I will usually pull the car out and work in the driveway in front of the garage, then put the car back in for storage. It is a pain, but workable. Here are some pictures. The first one is of the garage before I tore into it and 'sorted it out', just for a reference of the space with two cars. The following ones are after the 'remodel'.
The cars are small, a 240Z and and Opel GT, but I recently sold the 240Z and bought a hulk...1955 Pontiac Chieftain. The pontiac fits, but barely as I have a 350ci/TH350 on the floor at the back of the garage. I have to put the 55 right up against the engine in order to close the door. My garage is behind the house and driveway gate which helps a lot....it was the deciding factor when we purchased the house.
Hope that helps to ease your mind as it seems you have little choice at this point..... You will just need to be creative on storage solutions....
Tim
The cars are small, a 240Z and and Opel GT, but I recently sold the 240Z and bought a hulk...1955 Pontiac Chieftain. The pontiac fits, but barely as I have a 350ci/TH350 on the floor at the back of the garage. I have to put the 55 right up against the engine in order to close the door. My garage is behind the house and driveway gate which helps a lot....it was the deciding factor when we purchased the house.
Hope that helps to ease your mind as it seems you have little choice at this point..... You will just need to be creative on storage solutions....
Tim
kevncar
Member
donzi,
I think the hardest part of your 20x20 is the 2 vettes. I would imagine the doors are somewhat long on those things when open. My 3-yr old daughter has a '06 electric barbie jeep that she'll trade you straight across for one of the vettes...you know...just to help ya out. I think the doors on her jeep only stick out about 12 inches or so. Not to mention it's only about 3 feet wide. ;-)
I think the hardest part of your 20x20 is the 2 vettes. I would imagine the doors are somewhat long on those things when open. My 3-yr old daughter has a '06 electric barbie jeep that she'll trade you straight across for one of the vettes...you know...just to help ya out. I think the doors on her jeep only stick out about 12 inches or so. Not to mention it's only about 3 feet wide. ;-)
mdshore348
Well-known member
if your stuck to a particular footprint , at least have them stick build the roof in the garage, so it allows you lift hieght .
mdshore348 said:
I guess I could ask for that, that should be too hard should it? Isn't is just moving 2x4s higher up? Or is there more to it then that.
How high should I ask them to go up? there is nothing over the garage and it has a slanted roof.
The Alchemist
Well-known member
Here's a couple pics of my garage...
Here's both the Saab and the Trans Am in garage, as well as the John Deere. It's a tight fit, but it works.
Here's the Saab out of the garage, and you can see how I built the workbench into the wall and braced it so that the floor remained open underneath.
There is nothing above the garage, so I can realistically blow the ceiling up to about 18 ft on the left side and about 14 ft on the right. Eventually I'll get another 2 car built and then I can make this a 'park' only garage and use the new one for actually working on the cars.
Here's both the Saab and the Trans Am in garage, as well as the John Deere. It's a tight fit, but it works.
Here's the Saab out of the garage, and you can see how I built the workbench into the wall and braced it so that the floor remained open underneath.
There is nothing above the garage, so I can realistically blow the ceiling up to about 18 ft on the left side and about 14 ft on the right. Eventually I'll get another 2 car built and then I can make this a 'park' only garage and use the new one for actually working on the cars.