Two attached garages, which should be the shop?

[KeyserSoze]

I've been looking for a house in Boulder, CO on and off for a few years, there's really nothing available with a great garage. Now I'm considering building, and am wondering what the best configuration is. I just saw this house online (unfortunately in Oregon!), and am considering doing something similar: http://16765leroylane.mhom.es/gallery/

It's got a normal 2-car attached garage at first floor level, but then also has a second garage on the entire basement level. At first it looked great, but on second thought, I'm not sure about putting the shop (with a lift) in the basement garage, because of ceiling height. My 'vette is only 48" tall, and my subaru is 56" (although in the winter I have a roof box on it). I'm about 6'3", so if there was no height constraint, I'd like to have about a 12' ceiling over the lift. Being in a basement I could get 10' ceilings, which would let me stand up under my vette, but I'd be hunched over under the subaru, and a full size pickup would only be 4' off the ground . I'm not sure if basement ceilings can go much higher than 10'...

So, alternatively, the lift and shop space could go on the ground-level garage, with a high ceiling. I could extend half the garage 2-cars deep, so I'd have a work area about 22' deep by 14' wide? That should work in theory, but in practice I think I'd end up either very cramped in the upstairs, or else half my tools and projects would be in the basement garage, and half in the upstairs, and I'd always be going between them looking for tools, or else have to move a project from downstairs to up if I need the lift.

Thoughts?

- Miles

 

[NUTTSGT]

If you're building a house, you can spec it the way you like. How about having a section of the basement garage/shop with a higher ceiling ? On the first floor, it would simply be a raised floor that you'd have to step up to. It'd be something similar but in the reverse of a sunken living room.

I'm sure an architect with a decent skill set could easily draw it up.

 

[Zeke]

Wow, what a setup. I don't much care for the house and the furnishings are ****, but that can be fixed. Great garage on under the house.

But I agree that a shop is a shop. How about doing a split level house with the walk up over a higher bay? The rest at normal working height.

 

[ed_v]

My advice is to not build with an attached shop. Mine is a good 100 ft or so from the house and I love it that way.

Ed

 

[Northstar]

I prefer attached, but I wouldn't want over/under garages like that. The shop should be the shop completely. Daily drivers get thier own place, the household garage **** goes with them or in thier own shed/storage. My shop has the front garage for daily drivers and some long-term tool/supply storage.The back garage is the shop ce and tools, etc. Thre's a full size garage door betwee them and another for roll in/out directly to the shop. Works well.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Interesting setup. A Corvette collector had a similar house near La Crosse Wisconsin ... most of the basement was storage for the cars. Remember that as you go deeper in the ground to get that additional height in the "basement shop" ... the drive down will be steeper and longer. I could see using the basement if you had a good sloping lot for storing your collection and having a four or five car garage "upstairs" attached to the house with a really high bay for the lift. Be careful not to try to kill to many birds with one stone.

 

[dmeadow]

I had a basement shop for a while. I couldn't work in it whenever the wife was resting, napping, or just didn't want any noise. She wasn't obnoxious about it, and she deserved her peace, but more often than I would have liked i couldn't use the shop. My next shop will be detached.

 

[LutzTD]

not keen on the base ment shop either. would be nice for finished storage though. I would always be worried about fire or fumes under the house with welding and grinding and such.

 

[Zelatore]

They're only asking $375K for that.

I really should move to Portland...

Oh, and although it's cool if you're building from scratch I'd tend to agree with those above and not do a shop in the basement. I like the idea of an attached shop, but even if your wife is cool with it the average person might not be...harder to resell down the road I would think.

 

[tdkkart]

My advice is to not build with an attached shop. Mine is a good 100 ft or so from the house and I love it that way.Ed

Agreed, my shop is 100ft from the house and I like it that way, the only thing I wish I had was a crapper and running water.

We're in our first house with an attached garage, and I'm glad I don't have to use it as the shop, just have top be too careful not to stink up the whole house if you do anything out there.

 

[NUTTSGT]

For the record, I prefer a detached shop also, as that is what I have now. I was merely making my suggestion to the OP as he like the home design in his link.

 

[markf4e]

I rented a place with the garage in the basement. Paint fumes always got into the house no matter how many fans I used. But it did stay warm in the winter and cold in the summer, so I was torn on whether I really liked it or not.

 

[Krash Kadillak]

That would work for me.......

Really all they did was take a space suitable as a walk-out basement and adapt it to garage use. Does lead to problems with HVAC, etc. (sucking in car exhaust fumes into the house). Like others have said, better to have a stand-alone space, or at least one that doesn't have more house above it.

 

[RECox286]

There are a couple of reasons to dismiss the idea of an attached garage

being used as a work shop. Especially if you will be welding, cutting,

using solvents, getting rags greasy... But some of us have no choice.

Noise is always a big problem. Seems I can't start before 10 am or

go beyond 6 pm. (neighbors) I do what I have to...

If you want a lift, then you could either jack up the ceiling, or lower the

floor (put in a shallow pit under the lift area) As long as it is on paper

it is easy to change. When it is bricks and mortar, then it is a bit harder.

Sometimes you just have to keep an open mind. And, as far as which

garage you should use, tell the wife: "The house above the garage level is

yours, the garages below the house level are mine." (hee, hee!)

Of course you may end up committing one corner of "your" garage to a

closet,a bed, and dresser drawer...

Uncle Bob