Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda.........

[Charles (in GA)]

For those who built garages or shops from scratch, or did major modifications or expansions to existing shops or garages....................

What is the one (or more) major things you wished you had done differently, with regard to layout, construction methods or techniques, features (windows, doors, etc), that you almost daily kick yourself for having not done.

Either you knew you needed to do it and had no money, or time, or you just didn't think you needed to, or you simply didn't know to....................

Whats that one thing that now is difficult, expensive, or impossible to go back and install or change....

Lets here your stories......................................................

Mine, built a 60x60x16 eave (21 ft peak) steel building. Its an aircraft hangar. It uses a door system made by Horton Stack door in Wellington, Kansas (great people). When you open the doors, they stick out, no big deal. What I wished, and never gave any thought to at the time, was having an overhang of the roof, so when it rained I wouldn't have to stop and close the doors to keep it from blowing in on the floor.

First pic is of the doors partially opened, They are 14 ft tall, so when it rains or blowing rain, it comes in on the floor. Close up the building, it gets hot, and you cannot continue working, aside from the time wasted opening and closing the doors.

Second pic is of a small metal building, same manufacturer and same guy erected it that did my building. It is used as a local warehouse for delivery trucks to distribute pizza ingredients for Hunt Bros pizzas you see in convenience stores. It has this neat overhang. This overhang is easy to have done when my building was designed, just use longer purlins that hang out past the truss/frame, then continue the roofing on top, and add roofing sheets underneath. A 6 ft overhang would have required four additional roof sheets (two top, two underneath, and 6 ft of trim on the edges on each side, thats it. I simply didn't know to do it (and was nearly out of cash anyhow at that point).

But, every time I open up the building nowdays, I gently kick myself and wished I had that overhang, especially with the rains we have had the past couple of weeks. It also would help keep the sun from beating in on the floor slab and heating the concrete up in the mornings.

Lets here your Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda issues.

Charles

 

[gunguy]

I hear you. I live in a tract house with an attached 20x20 garage.

When I had it built, I wish I had bargined for attic or storage trusses for the garage. It wasn't listed as an option, but I feel sure i could have come to an accomodation with the builder/developer. Like you, I kick myself.

Jim

 

[mslisaj]

Nice building...........
I have a 40X80 with 14' eves and 21'peak. I added thirty feet on the back and I went as far as my wallet would allow. I guess that is the limiting factor in most cases. Regrets are that I didn't insulate the entire building both the old and new part when I was having all this work done. It's gets cold in Klamath Falls and I can see 10 degrees in the shop in the winter time.

On what I did right was have the new floor polished smooth. So nice for jacks to roll around and the side skylights that go all the way around the building just under the eves.

I have roll up doors so I can adjust them for the rain and snow if I need them open but I certainly don't have a heat problem there. It's actually pleasant in the shop in the heat of summer.

So there is a start for your thread.

Congratulations on the new building..................

Lisa

 

[BlindViper]

Seems like to me you have a nice weekend project in adding a overhang

 

[A_Pmech]

None yet, but this is only phase one.

 

[Cougar]

In floor heat.
Twelve foot instead of ten foot sidewalls.
A loft.

 

[regguy1]

Indoor water line, below frost line for washing cars during the winter......
PIA now

 

[green.bubbly]

None yet, but this is only phase one.

Yeah but unlike me, you have the tools, know how and experience to fix what ever issue you might run into.


So far my only issue was trying to use 2x4 electrical boxes.

It really was not that big of a deal to switch them out with deeper 4x4 boxes but I can not stand doing something over.

 

[anotheroldguy]

Would like a floor drain for washing. Can't retro fit, in floor heating.

 

[StumpXJ]

wish I could have talked the wife into moving a little further outside of the city, then I could have afforded more land to build a larger shop on. I love my shop, 13 foot ceilings on the inside, lift the whole nine, but at 24 x 24, there aint much room. I could "settle" for a 40x40, but bigger is better.

 

[Homespun91]

When we bought our house (abandoned), it had a 26' w x 24' long garage built sometime in the '80s. Due to dumping vast sums of cash into the house, I decided to simply add 12' on one end, 8' on the other, and tie in/extend the walls, roof, slabs, etc. to end up with a 26' x 44' building with doors on each end. The original slab was contoured like a banana, which made tying in everything new, and making it look original, entertaining.

Looks nice, works great, but only has 7' high doors and 8' walls, which limits things...including working on my SuperCab which is too tall to go through the door...but the alternative was to raise the existing walls (or replace them), and re-truss or re-rafter...and if I was going to do all that, I would have been better off to just demolish it and start over.

On the positive side, the additions cost me under $4K, so I'll live with the low ceilings. Damnit.

 

[ozyborn]

When I was rebuilding my garage, pouring new footings and blocking up. I should have raised the darn thing another foot or 2 on the blocks. Or at least raised the floor joists between the floors for a smaller upstairs and a 9ft ceiling downstairs instead of 7 1/2.

 

[tinbender 66]

Mine is 48 x 24. I'm fine with the 48 and the thing is 11' to the joists but I wish I would have made it 30' deep. It wouldn't have cost that much more and it's impossible to do now. I have 2.5 acres so space is not a problem just lack of foresight.

 

[holdover]

It is 40 X 60 with an attached 16" X 36 lean-to, which is huge compared to my 20 X 22 attached garage I had used for 30+ years, But I wish I had made it 50 X 80 and had a dedicated machine shop room, say 20 X 20 and a dedicated storage room for welders, jacks, transmission jack, compressor etc etc It is dug into an embankment so I can't expand it. My advice is before you build , add about 20% in size!!! And with that said I am still in hog heaven, two lifts high ceiling, insulated better than I ever had!!!

 

[onewaydave]

1. Bigger
2. In floor heating.
3. Bigger.
4. Patio, loading ramp.
5. Bigger.
6. Outside lean-to for dust collection ans compressor.
7. Bigger.
8. Drain & plumbing.
9. Bigger.

Dave.

 

[kngkong]

I've been beating myself up a lot lately that I didn't level and seal the floor of the garage immediately upon buying the house and moving in. At least it's still possible, just a lot bigger headache now.

 

[nit2wn]

I'm kicking myself over not trying out how our vehicles fit in the garage, before we bought the house. I wanted and intended to, until I saw how the current owners had it packed full and ready to move. i just let it go as it was the only house in our range with my requirements. I guess we would have still bought it, but I'd offered less. We have two in there but tighter than I like. The F250 is a joke going in there to add air to the tires.

 

[nmanitou]

Wish I would have piped natural gas to the new addition during the build. Last winter was a PITA using bottled propane and the condensation issues. It was a choice driven by money, but is really is a necessity in northern Michigan and now it will cost me more to do it after the fact. Sheesh!

 

[Printer Mike]

When finishing off the attic above my print shop I wish I had added a larger breaker box instead of using those two in half the space breakers, because I still ran out of room. Now, starting over would be a real hassle.

 

[W-Cummins]

Charles, I wish I had made my eve extesnsion in the back larger and had some more outside storage space, like 15' wide, would have been nice on the front too but I would have had to go with much taller walls if I put it on both sides. I also wish I had gone with 3" thick over head doors and the HD 3" tracks too. If I was really dreaming I should have also had engineered frames that could support a 5ton bridge crane... Lastly I wish I had installed a 24 gauge standing seam roof !!

William....

 

[canuckian]

mine's a 24x24. it's wide enough but as soon as the framing was done I knew I should have made it at least 4 feet deeper. Also, I'd have poured knee walls instead of a flat slab and I'd have raised it up about 6-8 inches for better runoff. other small things include short wide windows (piano windows I think they're called) near the top of the wall instead of a regular window for better security, phone and data cabling, and some form of heating system besides the construction heater I use now. no biggie though as I doubt we'll be at our current place for much longer (when the housing market goes up again - we're sellin!) so I'll incorporate what I learned this time around into the next place.

 

[Autorotica]

Hey hey... Newbie using the search option here!!!

Wondering if anyone has anything other thoughts to contribute to this thread. Meeting with an installer tomorrow that a friend used to build their barn. Trying to incorporate their input in the planning...

I appreciate all the information here and am trying to make the least amount of "oversites" I can.

Thanks!
Chris

 

[OldracerJones]

I would have installed roll up doors instead of standard garage doors so,I,wouldn't have used up my airspace above the bays.

 

[1921runabout]

I'm going to get a building permit tomorrow for a 24' X 24'. I'm thinking I should probably add 4 ft to the depth as Canuckian mentioned. I'm trying to stay within my budget, but the extra depth would give me that extra work or display space. Good thread fellows, gives those that haven't broke ground something to think about.

Orlando

 

[want-a-be]

shoulda not tried driving down the ditch that last time....

Actually not working on the garage...the house...but it's close to the garage...so it sorta counts. I was digging in the 6ft ditch for the ground source heat pump. I dug it out working from the garage end...only I needed to dig a little more on that end after digging the ditch...straighten up and such. Well I had dirt all over the place and didn't want to pull off the backhoe...put the bucket on and move the dirt. So I successfully drove down the garage end straddling the ditch....spun around cleaned up that end... It was on the trip back down the ditch that a side gave way and well you see the rest. $300 mistake....lucky for me I wasn't 5ft further west....or the crane would have been able to lift the cat.

Again slightly off topic...but within close proximity....(plus I have pictures)

 

[ddawg16]

1. Bigger
2. In floor heating.
3. Bigger.
4. Patio, loading ramp.
5. Bigger.
6. Outside lean-to for dust collection ans compressor.
7. Bigger.
8. Drain & plumbing.
9. Bigger.

Dave.

And your point is? I'm not sure what your trying to convey.

(yep....never big enough)

But, I must admit....not really any thing I would change given my constraints.....

Why? Because I found GJ before I started the garage....I learned from everyone else's mistakes....

 

[Autorotica]

Thanks for your additions folks...

Builder no call/no show today. Economy must be booming. I cant give money away!

Want-a-be... Glad there wasnt any injury to anything other than your wallet.
I am trying NOT to give money away in that manner!!!
Chris

 

[canuckian]

I'm going to get a building permit tomorrow for a 24' X 24'. I'm thinking I should probably add 4 ft to the depth as Canuckian mentioned. I'm trying to stay within my budget, but the extra depth would give me that extra work or display space. Good thread fellows, gives those that haven't broke ground something to think about.

Orlando

the biggest reason I wished I'd have put that 4 feet on in my current shop was so that I'd have more room in front and behind when I park a fullsize truck in there. I can still get around it ok but I can't put any tool storage or shelving on the back wall because of the depth restriction. Curing that and then some with the next place. Build on the house should start in the spring and I'm doing the detached shop at the same time. I'm thinking 32X36 or maybe even 32x40 this time. Want to be able to have a little room in the back for a woodworking room so I don't get dust all over the main shop.

good luck with your build!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm going to get a building permit tomorrow for a 24' X 24'. I'm thinking I should probably add 4 ft to the depth as Canuckian mentioned. I'm trying to stay within my budget, but the extra depth would give me that extra work or display space. Good thread fellows, gives those that haven't broke ground something to think about.

Orlando

I'll agree with Canuckian, on the bigger garage for a fullsize truck. That is something I wish I had done when I built the house garage, 28x32 instead of 24x32. I was going to go with 8x7 doors until the neighbor advised me to go with 9x8 doors since I have 10' walls.

I'd also make the suggestion, go with 10' walls vs a regular 8' wall. Eight foot might be fine for a house but the small up charge for a 2' wall increase will be money well spent.

 

[larry_g]

From the edge of the overhead door to the sidewall should be 4' plus. Mine is less and it negates most all storage along that wall.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[MoparTrucks]

I built a 24x32 with 10' side walls pole barn last year and had saved for several years for it and used every last dime on it so I was kind of stretched but I wish I had been able to do the following:

1. Insulation; I am now insulating the thing using double bubble and it would have been cheaper, easier and more effective if it had been part of the original build.

2. I added a lean-to machine shed on one side which was good but I wish I had made it wider.

3. An overhang over the roll up door would have been a nice addition as the OP states.

4. I have found myself really needing an office so I am now looking at putting a door on one side into the machine shed and enclosing one of the bays for an office. It would have been better to just build a small office off the back but I put the building too close to the fence to make that practical.

5. I have a concrete apron but I wish when all the concrete work was being done that I had a large pad installed in front of the shop.

6. I did not specify the flashing at the bottom of the metal walls that keeps out rodents and am now having to go back and correct that omission.

7. Of course like everyone else I would have liked to go bigger but money is tight and I did what I could at the time. Now I am looking at getting a steel shipping container for storage which will add a few thousand (I am currently saving up for this) when I probably could have added a few more feet to the original shop for half the cost of what the container will ultimately cost.

 

[ixlr8]

I put up a 30'x30' metal building, 7' walls on a 3' concrete stem wall, 18" overhang all the way around. I have 9x7 and 9x10 overhead doors and a 3' wide service door. Loft over 1/2 garage, other half is open for lift clearance. As soon as I saw the size of the hole for the foundation... I wish I gone bigger. I could have had a 30'x36' for only $400 more!! I put in infloor heating, but wish I had planned further ahead for plumbing location vs stair to loft location. Presently some of the tubing fittings are impossible to get to due to stairs being in the way. I epoxy coated the floor before anything went in. Even though the epoxy folks said it was okay to put down the coating at temps down to 45dF, I don't recommend doing it at anything less than 60dF. I did it at 48dF.. the coating didn't flow easily, think molasses in January in New England, and seal/UV coat didn't stick well and is pealing up. I wish I had; made it bigger, 34x36 minimum, higher walls, 12' rather than 10' to have more room in the loft, and budgeted for an apron out front.

 

[brownsl]

I have a 32x52x12 detached garage on a traditional block foundation. I am very pleased with it except for one thing: I wish I would have made it 36 deep so that I could have a useable standup attic space.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I thought of something else today. In my garage, I made the two restrooms into one. I wish I would have made it a little wider, giving more knee when you're sitting on the crapper.

So if you're a bathroom, make sure it's big enough.

 

[crewone]

The biggest thing i wish we woulda done was put garage doors on the back would of been easier getting stuff in and out...also I am on top of a hill so the breeze in the summer would have been nice.... too late now

 

[BlackLead]

Here are links to a couple of really old threads that might be useful:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2998
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446

Always thought they should have been stickied.

 

[Free Willie]

I should have planned to put floor lighting under the lift area.
I am glad I decided to go 32' deep, sure helps when I need to work on my pick up with the plow still on.

 

[K588]

I built a 28'x40' 2 floor with 10.5' walls downstairs and a 10' x40' lean to on one side. Wish it was a 48'x60' x12' side walls. 3 16' wide bays with a 12' ceiling would be about perfect for me. Also wish I would have had a large apron poured in the front I decided against it at the last minute, really kick myself now. Oh well its better than the 2 car and 10'x12' shed I was using, probably would be wanting a 60x80 if I had built it 48x60.

 

[carhunter]

I moved into mine too soon. We had a crisis with the builder and electrician, so the building was finished way behind schedule. And I had to clear out an 8000sf warehouse full of stuff that was 1.5h away, and find space for it all in a 2200sf building! My lease ended before the building was finished.

At the time, we couldn't do concrete floors because the builder ran off with the money and ended up in jail, so I had to work with what I had.

Now that I can do afford concrete again, the building is packed and it would take a week to knock down the pallet racks, move cars, etc...In fact I'm still laying gravel and working with drainage issues almost a year after moving in, and I only have a few working lights.

 

[KCarGuy]

I wish I would have gone with In-Floor Radiant Heat
2x6 walls instead of 2x4
Larger Windows Upstairs (loft area)
Even More Outlets on each wall
A few more outlets in the ceiling.
A Floor Drain... (code does not allow)
And at least 5 feet deeper (not enough room to do that)

are some of my Shoulda...Woulda...Coulda's