Small 1-car garage => thinking 4-post lift = Ideas?

[gb99]

Hello everyone:

I have a car addiction, have 2 cars I want to store for the cold New England winters and have a small 1-car garage. In fact the 1-car garage we have is about 12' wide by 23' deep. The garage has a loft up top and it seems to be a ridge beam/board design (it does not have trusses). I'll take pictures of the interior tomorrow.

My goal is to spend as little as possible on modifying the garage as I hope to build a bigger multi-car garage down the road, but who knows when that will be.

My idea is to cut out an approximately 7' x 17' rectangle from the ceiling so I have space for a 4-post lift. Here are my comments and questions for you all:

1 - the roof joists run front to back; the ceiling joists I want to cut run side to side. I thought this was odd since most structures I'm seeing in my research have the ceiling joists run in the same direction as the roof joists.
- so based on the orientation of my ceiling joists vs the roof joists, can a rectangle be cut out and still keep the garage structurally sound? What type of reinforcements to the remaining ceiling joists would you recommend? I live in Massachusetts and we get tons of snow.

2 - the concrete slab is not perfectly flat, is old, has a crack somewhere near the middle.
- I think the slab should be tested to see if there's at least 4", but would you recommend any additional work to the slab?

Let's start here and I'll provide any additional information to help you help me.

Thanks!

 

[T_R]

See if there are rafter ties above the ceiling joists, there should be. If they are in place, you may be able to cut the ceiling out. But the ceiling joists may be bracing your gable end wall.

The slab thickness isn't as critical with a 4 post as long as it's not so thin the posts break through the concrete.

With 12' inside you may be able to get 2 cars side by side for winter storage, possibly with a wider door. It would be tight but I've done it. If it's once a year and you're careful it can be done. Most cars are slightly less than 6' wide.

 

[gb99]

Some interior pictures of the loft area.

 

[gb99]

One more.

 

[AldeanFan]

What cars are you trying to store? Parking 2 '59 Cadillacs is a lot different than 2 Minis. I recently figured out I can park 2 Cobras in my dads single car garage with a Midrise scissor lift

 

[T_R]

I'm not seeing any ties on the rafters above the garage ceiling/loft floor height. I wouldn't cut those ceiling joists. I think you might risk bowing the walls out with snow load.

 

[cleason]

whats the height. u might be able to move the rafter ties up, and add more. u need to call a professional for advice.

 

[gb99]

I'm trying to store a Porsche 944 and a BMW e39 5 series. So not too big of cars. My justification for doing this is that renting winter storage is about $700 each year. If a lift costs me $3000 or so, then I can "make that back" in a few years and car maintenance would be easier to boot!

Agreed collar ties would be needed. However, note that the ceiling joists run side to side, so are they really tying together the walls that support the roof joists? Either way I would hire an engineer but I am trying to gauge what I'm getting myself into first. If the ceiling joists are supporting the gable end, then I wonder if there is a way to safely compensate for the cut-out?

I want to see pictures of the mid-rise scissor lift allowing for two cars to be parked in a garage!

 

[Inabox85]

How much does it cost to go down insteed of up? Dig a hole in the floor.

 

[AldeanFan]

Here's a quick sketch I did.
These cars are 13' long, I might have to take the back wheels off the car on the hoist to make it work.

 

[gb99]

AldeanFan - thanks for the picture. I'll think about that, but I don't think my ceiling is tall enough. Since the car on the scissor lift has its suspension unloaded the entire time it's stored, have you noticed any problems with cv joints, bearings, struts, etc?

 

[AldeanFan]

The car has a solid axel and coil overs so it doesn't drop much and doesn't mind the suspension hanging. The car is a cobra so if you take the windshield and roll bar off its only 30" tall.