New Member Question/Advice and Suggestions PLEASE!

[Suprared89]

Thank you for welcoming me to the site! I am a long time fan of the Garage Journal.

I am in the process of presenting an offer on what would ultimately be my "toy" box. I am a long time car guy. Enjoy working on my vehicles in my spare time. This building is 3570 sq feet. It is cinder block construction from the 80's. The problem is as follows:
It has low ceiling height. If memory serves the total height to the metal roof is 12 feet. My issue is that there are metal trusses that would prevent installing lifts. The trusses are at about 11 feet from the floor.
I am 6'2" tall and wanted to be able to raise cars high enough to knock keep smacking my skull into the bottom of cars.

My questions are around... Who would I contact to "potentially" raise the roof. I am in Atlanta GA.
ALSO... My thought pattern would be to get the roof raised by adding one or two rows of cinder blocks or something, then ley the roof back down. I am pretty sure I can't just cut sections out of the trusses for the lifts. PLEASE forgive my ignorance as I ask questions.

Thank you,

 

[mike93lx]

You want an engineer. Contacting some local firms will hopefully lead you to someone that can take the project on.

Maybe raising the roof in a select area could be an option? Might require support to be added.

Either way, it's going to be expensive

 

[Suprared89]

Thank you Mike. I was afraid the cost would be insane. I could get by with the low ceiling, but at 54.... sliding under cars is not an option anymore. Will only get worse as I get older. I don't think i will ever stop tinkering!

 

[Mikes61]

Another vote for raising the ceiling in just one area.

 

[The Cobbler]

your plan sounds reasonable & doable. you could, as suggested just do the area where you are installing the hoist . are you under any restrictions with height of the building? that could stop your plans real quick if there are

 

[Suprared89]

I have read many posts over the years about the best lifts for low ceiling height. I would like to hear current opinions. Looking for a two post that might work if i DON'T raise the ceiling. My tallest vehicle is about 5 feet tall sitting on the wheels. That is a Fiat 131 Abarth Replica. The other is a 65 Lincoln. I also have a 99 Mercedes S600. I know I won't be able to get the Mercedes hood in service position unless I have really tall ceilings.

 

[Youngandfree]

Can you replace part of the metal trusses with scissor trusses?

 

[Suprared89]

Young and free,
I would assume I could replace some with scissor trusses and eliminate many of the regular trusses. That may be a great idea. Would that be the right thought?

 

[CraigStu]

Can you get a pic of the inside ceiling? Or just do a drawing for us. When I think of a truss I think of triangle shapes like these.

https://www.propertygeek.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Common-Trusses.jpg

But these don't get you a roof that is 12ft and a truss at 11ft. Do you have something like this type w/o the concrete?

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/72/1a/8c/721a8c444505a193694e5791bfc0a5cd.jpg

Also how far apart are these 'trusses'?