Newbee with newbee questions

[UtahRay]

Hi guys - I just joined and would like your opinion about large metal garages.

I've worked my entire life, I passed 70 last August, and my health is still very good. My wife and I currently have a 7000 sq-ft home and a way-too-small 3 car garage on 20 acres. We want to sell, downsize on our new house, but have a large 40 x 60 garage. Since I don't want any interior posts or partitions (they always get in the way) I guess I should go with a metal garage?? I'd like to hear from owners of metal garages about your experiences; good, bad or indifferent. What you would do differently if you could? Who is a reputable manufacturer?

In addition to having NO interior posts or partitions, I want my new garage to be a drive thru, have a half bath, propane heater, thick concrete floor, car lift, rotisserie, center floor drains (for washing cars) lots of lights, 240 AC for compressor, 20 amp circuits, 18 foot garage doors, a large open shop area and inlet/exhaust fans for automotive painting. Would a metal building be the way to go?

I live in SW Utah and will be building as soon as I can sell my current property. Just not enough room in my current garage! ARRGH!!!!

Thanks
Ray

 

[nadogail]

Welcome to the Forum from Southwestern California, your plans seem to be pretty well thought out. The pictures of your present garage show a band saw like mine and a pretty nice drill press. The compressor looks good too.

I am in a two car garage with no room for expansion.

When your plans get firm enough to plug numbers into you will be reminded of the line from Jaws, but rather than a bigger boat, you will be wanting a bigger checkbook.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Where I live, I could only build 30x40x18t (no bigger as I don't have 5 acres or more) . I went with metal building cause it was the best option for me. I am very happy with it aside from the builder required the pad be 6" longer and wider than the building. It has been a source of water intrusion, caulk around the offending areas has helped aside from the 12x12 roll up garage door. Also if you have the outside tin running horizontally, you can run your wires in there. In addition, there is an option I was not told about, you can ask the framing studs be 4ft on center. Mine are closer to 5ft on center and putting board insulation took longer than I would have liked. Lastly, I did not have any windows put in. I did this on purpose, but feel maybe I should have had an opening in a gable end installed so I could have put a 4x4 fan in to get a breeze through. All your framing and sheeting is way easier to have done while building than after.

 

[drivesitfar]

Welcome. I think there is a great member here that not only knows his stuff about metal framed buildings but he might even own the company that makes them and I think he lives in Colorado. I’ll try to recall his name but he’s got a ton of information on his posts in most of the metal framed buildings threads that other members started about one they wanted to build or just built.

I think his handle started with Red so maybe another member or he will see your thread.

Sounds like you needed a 7000 square foot garage and a 1500 square foot home which is my dream. Since my bride wants about 1000 square foot kitchen I might have to alter my dream a bit.

Good luck!!