Small Garage desing tips?

[troy]

Hi - I've been lurking for a while getting ideas. great site! Here is my dilema:

I am limited to 200 sq. ft. for and out building according to our development convennants. My current 3 stall is 36' wide and 24' deep, and I do most of my work there. I am running out of storage space and would like to build a shed but the 200 sq ft rule is tough.

What I'm thinking is 11.5' x 17.5' with a four post lift so I could squeeze 2 cars in it. I of course would have to make it look good to satisfy the city and development committees.

Should I move the shop out there instead and put the lift in the 3 car garage? Looking for any suggestions to maximize space.

My Dad has ample room for storage, but is 4 hours away. My brother-in-law has a 50'x100' pole shed, but he is anything but careful and I would hesitate to store anything valuable.

Thanks for the help.

 

[toxicz28]

I am limited to 200 sq. ft. for and out building according to our development convennants. My current 3 stall is 36' wide and 24' deep, and I do most of my work there. I am running out of storage space and would like to build a shed but the 200 sq ft rule is tough.

What if it is attached?

 

[brownbagg]

build a shed over a basement with the upper floor being 200 sq ft. everything below what ever you need.

 

[christian]

can you only have a 200 sq ft slab? if thats the case, build up!

 

[boiler7904]

A couple of questions to ask:

Is the 200 square foot number set in stone? Will they issue a variance to allow a bigger building? Is this still a requirement if the building is attached to the main house via a breezeway since you wouldn't have an accessory building anymore?

Are there any height restrictions that you'll be working with? This is usually set by the city. May or may not affect your plan to have a lift in there.

Is it physically possible to add on to the main house / garage and get the kind of space that your need?

What are the space requirements of what you'll be working on? A go cart needs a lot less space than a full size truck.

What kind of equipment do you want in the space?

How much working room do you want around the vehicle?


Things I would want to do if it were me:

Keep the width to an even 12'-0". It makes for the best use of sheathing material, stud spacing (16 or 24 inch centers) concrete forms, etc. It is also possible to find a stock truss that is designed for a 12' wide building vs. a 11'-6" wide building. 12' will also make it easier to put in a lift if you decide to go that route.

Use the detached building for parking of your daily driver and storage of rarely used items (think attic with pull down stairs). Adding utility service to the building other than a few lights would be grossly expensive for the amount of space gained. It frees up an entire bay in the main garage and keeps other stuff out of the way at the same time.