What size should a 6 car garage be?

[frisk3]

I've been watching this site for years and now its time to kick into action. I'm in my late fifties and plan on embarking on a journey what I've been waiting a long time to do. I'm building a new home with a 6 car garage. I'm torn on the size and am asking for wisdom from those that possibly have already been there, done that and now say if only I had done this differently. I'm trying to avoid that if at all possible. The garage I would like is 3 wide 2 deep. I'm thinking 30 to 35 feet wide and 40 feet deep. I presently have a 2 car garage thats 19 feet wide and 22 feet deep. I would like to do one entire wall 30 - 35 feet with storage behind doors to hide engines, pickers, tools rarely used, sheet metal etc. On the 40 foot wall I would like tool boxes and benches. What size should one allocate per vehicle comfortably? There will be 3 rooms behind the garage, a Nascar, F1 viewing room with commercial popcorn popper, keg cooler, mini kitchen etc, a bathroom and then a memorabilia room/garage office. I mention that only so that I not figure any of that in the garage itself. No sofas, bars etc. Strictly storage and workspace. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I'm not rich I just have a dream. Thanking those in advance that can help out.
GEORGE:

 

[jayoldschool]

My three car garage is 40 wide, 32 deep. Of course, I can get more than three cars in there, along with tools, etc. If it is JUST for cars, 35 by 40 would be the absolute minimum you would want to consider. To have some space to walk around, and maybe a tool chest and workbenches, I would go with 40 by 50.

 

[Lou's Garage]

My experience leads me to like a minimum of 12' x 24' per car. Less than that it is a storage bay, not a work bay. The last 2 car I built was 24'W and with cabinets all along one of the side walls I actually felt it was a bit narrow. With each bay you get a little extra space so the minimum I would think would be 36'W x 48'D or, even better, 40x50 as suggested by jayoldschool.

Lou

 

[Jeepskate]

I'd allow 25' depth for each vehicle which gets you to 50' then add another 5'-6' for your workbenches and space for you to actually work there reasonably comfortably. I'd go with 13' width for each vehicle so that you can comfortably open doors and work/walk in between them which gets you to 39' plus another 5'-6' for your 'behind doors storage' and space to move things in and out of there. So, I'm voting in the 44' x 56' ballpark. My old house had a 2.5 car extra deep garage (about 22' x 26') which I could fit 3 small vehicles in if I didn't have anything else inside and didn't need to be able to walk through and it basically became a one car garage with space for storage (bikes, lawn tractor, engines, axles, etc) and was still too small for working on one vehicle. Current house garage is 22' x 22'/25' (one bay is extra deep) and is utterly useless...barely even workable for just parking the SUV's. Finishing up a 32' x 40' pole barn that will be for three vehicles plus have storage space along the front 40' wall. I went 15' high to have clearance for a lift and will take advantage of that by storing vertically with some 10' tall pallet racking.

 

[zmotorsports]

My opinion is 40'X60' for a six car. My dream shop would be 50'X80' (50' deep X 80' wide) divided in half. One half for storage (coach/trailer and off-season toys) and the other 50'X40' to work in. Mike.

 

[rsanter]

60ft by 80ft

I like to have some spare room around me

bob

 

[Chateau Slate 66]

In all seriousness... as big as you can afford and have space for.

 

[FoMoCoPower]

My experience leads me to like a minimum of 12' x 24' per car. Less than that it is a storage bay, not a work bay.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Mine is 24x24,and I could fit 3 cars in it side by side,but only enough room room to barely fit around one of them. 2 cars and there is more than enough room around both of them.

 

[cletus66]

I have a 30 X 48. You can get 6 in it but the Galaxies get tight. Mustangs fit a lot easier if you know what I mean.

 

[exes]

30x60 works well depending on what size vehicles you have...I wish I could have gone 40 deep instead of 30. Property line offset regulations prevented it. If you can do more, do it. Theres always gonna be something else that you think of later that you will want more space for. Have Fun

 

[frisk3]

Firstly thank you all for your comments! My lot has no restraints HOWEVER my pocket does. Its scary the prices for everything these days. I'm pretty good at seeking out deals and have already leaned on friends who owe me big however it will need big bucks to pull off. My concern is to give my wife her dream things as well as mine in this venture. HAPPY WIFE HAPPY LIFE! I need room to open car doors FULLY in order to get in and out daily. I'm leaning to 40 wide (3 cars @12 feet) + 4 feet. It may be a touch tight but then again my pocket starts to hurt. Now I'm having a problem with depth however I'm leaning to 45 feet (2 X 22 1/2 feet ). One of my vehicles is a F150 Supercrew however its about 19 feet long and fits in my 22 foot garage with a 2 foot bench in front of it however no room to get by. My other cars 1974 Corvette roadster, 1972 Detomaso Pantera and Mercedes E320 CDI are much smaller both in width and length. I would however have a problem with a big finned 1960 Cadillac if I got one of those. I'd go 50 x 50 or bigger but again theres that damn pocket book thing again.
Again many thanks for all the ideas now I need to figure out how to make more money.
GEORGE

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

I'd allow 25' depth for each vehicle which gets you to 50' then add another 5'-6' for your workbenches and space for you to actually work there reasonably comfortably. I'd go with 13' width for each vehicle so that you can comfortably open doors and work/walk in between them which gets you to 39' plus another 5'-6' for your 'behind doors storage' and space to move things in and out of there. So, I'm voting in the 44' x 56' ballpark.

I'm with Jeepskate on this one. This size would let you have a 8-0 wide bathroom, 12-6 office and a 22-6 or so media room in the back to match up with the garage in the front. With a depth of 16-0 or 20-0 feet in this area, and the bathroom in the center, this would allow for a wide "hallway" in which the "keg" cooler, popcorn popper, pictures, etc could fit. Jeepskate has also taken in your storage requirements and workbench area.

Bottom line? the total garage would be 44' wide and 72' deep as a minimum consisting of a 44' wide and 56' deep garage area and 44' wide and 16' deep "man cave" area

 

[twostory]

My garage is 26 wide x 44 deep. The 26 wide is okay, if you do not have anything on the walls. But I have a work bench and shelves. This makes is very tight to open doors. So the 14ft per car is good, but allow yourself some extra area for bench/shelf/etc.

My 44 ft depth is fine for two cars deep. I have a 24ft RV and park my Honda in front of that, there is a few feet to spare. I also have a 21 ft long pickup, a normal size car can park in front of the pickup easily.

If you can, make your ceiling 12.5 ft tall. You can buy a four post lift for $2,200. That is the cheapest way to add more parking space. If you store two cars in a single car's space, you are way ahead in terms of money spent.

In my garage I could add four more parking spaces for $9,000. I have a 12.5 ft ceiling. Currently I own one four post lift.

 

[DaveL.]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=14975&d=1199234028
I have a 6 car in the configuration you suggested....30 x 40

 

[Justanoldguy]

Mine is 40 x 80 and 6 cars are a breeze to fit.
Have an office and washroom and a big mezzanine for storage.
Stud height is 16 ft.
I wouldn't want it any smaller.