If You Were Building A Garage...?

[2fat2fly]

My wife and I bought some land about a month ago to build a house and separate garage. It's a little over an acre out in the country. There are 2 houses on the whole road (one of which is across the street from the property) and my immediate neighbors to the left and behind the property are farm fields. A woods is on the other side. Anyway, the point of this is that we're in the planning stages and I'd like input from everyone as to how big a garage you'd build and how would you outfit it and why. There will be a two car garage attached to the house for the daily drivers. I'm looking for ideas ideas from everyone for the detached garage as it will be the maintenance/fabrication/building and storage facility. I haven't settled on garage dimensions yet, so all input is welcome.

I have a decent selection of tools and shop equipment right now but will expand down the road as space and funding allows so throw out any ideas you have.

 

[shadyone]

40X60 with an upstairs storage area. bathroom and in wall speakers fridge tv.

[magley64]

Figure what you think will be "big enough" and double it... consider going taller that you want in case you decide to put in a lift...that is all the advice I got

[jporter12]

Magz covered it pretty well, other than I'd say AT LEAST double it!  

[TimTheAzn]

+1 on lifts.

Sent from my iPhone.

[JStump]

Inspiration 

 

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?17919-The-Uncluttered-Ultimate-Garage-Thread

 

Edited July 29, 2013 by JStump

[Jst2fst]

Something I've always wanted in my garage when I build it will be a full shop air supply small overhead crane

[max power]

Why are there random links in your thread for the ZX forums?

I would make sure you have water and alarm lines ran from the house so you can do a 2 partition system and set/monitor the alarm from the house. Build as big as you can now, but do it with ease of expansion in mind if you want to add on down the road.

[madcat6183]

Go twice the size you think you want.  Go taller than you think you want for a lift that can hold trucks etc.  Run plumbing(you will regret not later), run air lines all over, more plugs than you planned on, Personally, I'd do an oil change pit too, just a simple one, drive over opening with steps down or ladder, DRAINS, lots of DRAINS, hose connections for hot and cold water.  As stated cable would be good, speakers, but those both can be added pretty easily.

 

I recommend a waste oil burning heater setup, or gas/propane radiant heat.  Also recommend a true seperate room, either an upstairs or a ground floor level, full insulation, drywall, and windows.  Windows so you can run a smaller AC unit in there, and make that a true man cave.

 

I've priced similar things to what I've mentioned, minus concrete and really it's not as bad as you may think.  Heck you can find used lifts on Carigslist all the time so it just makes sense to me. 

 

 

Someday.......

[max power]

Concrete will be your biggest expense.

[Helmutt]

#1 - Congrats on taking steps towards a dream home, I would love to do the same

#2 - I would keep the floor dimensions down to a 3(ish) car plan so your concrete will still be fairly affordable, but like others said go with a 2 story plan for extra space for storage and/or huge mancave, you'll probably be glad you did.

#3 - overhead plumbed air source would be a blessing, a car lift might be a valuable investment at times too but not an absolute necessity unless you have the spare funds to throw at it. Or maybe consider having a pit poured in one bay, could be cheaper? Idk what the price differential would be, but if the forms are in place before the floor is poured I cant see it costing too much:dunno:

Will be a huge amount of decisions to stew over with a virtually limitless plan for a garage build - good luck and as always, post pics of the build

Edited July 29, 2013 by Hellmutt

[2fat2fly]

#1 - Congrats on taking steps towards a dream home, I would love to do the same

#2 - I would keep the floor dimensions down to a 3(ish) car plan so your concrete will still be fairly affordable, but like others said go with a 2 story plan for extra space for storage and/or huge mancave, you'll probably be glad you did.

#3 - overhead plumbed air source would be a blessing, a car lift might be a valuable investment at times too but not an absolute necessity unless you have the spare funds to throw at it. Or maybe consider having a pit poured in one bay, could be cheaper? Idk what the price differential would be, but if the forms are in place before the floor is poured I cant see it costing too much:dunno:

Will be a huge amount of decisions to stew over with a virtually limitless plan for a garage build - good luck and as always, post pics of the build

 Thanks. Right now I'm trying to think of everything and develop a plan to do the cost analysis of what I want vs. what I need vs. what I can afford. If money were no object I'd go 60 X 80 and be done with it. Unfortunately I work for a living so that's not gonna happen. We won't start building for at least 6 months and possibly a year. I want to make sure I have everything in my design before I start building because I don't want any screw ups along the way ( or at least minimize them). That's why I posted this thread. I want other people's ideas of what you all would put in a garage because I know tthere's stuff I haven't thought of that I'm sure I would love to have in a garage. My "wife approved" budget is whatever it takes to build a garage that makes me happy. I'm sure she'll rethink that one later. Right now I'm looking at either a 4 car garage design or a 40 X 60 pole barn or stick built garage as a basic starting point but I'm open to suggestions.

[Gump]

Air Compressor hut attached outside. Some are loud and annoying.

Large roof overhang the length of the garage and as wide as a car with concrete. Kinda like a porch.

[Strictly Street]

300 amp or better service.

220v for the compressor and welders.

[2fat2fly]

300 amp or better service.

220v for the compressor and welders.

Why would you go 300 amp? I'm not an electrician so I'm asking to get educated, so please educate me. Questions like this are exactly why I started this thread. I thought you'd need  50 to maybe 100 amp service for a garage.   Thanks for the input. 

[2fat2fly]

 Here's a couple builds from another forum that have me thinking. There's some good ideas in them:

 

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210350

 

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=203554

 

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46792&highlight=motorcycle

 

 http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=141942&highlight=motorcycle

 

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=192383&highlight=motorcycle

[max power]

The lift in the floor is a good idea

[jbot]

stripper pole

midget cage

roll out tarp

sniper nest built into flying buttresses facing strategic vantage points

soft serve/froyo machine

stripper po... oh, i did that one already. but just in case, build in 2.  the second one can double duty as fireman pole from your second floor man cave suite/i got in trouble with wife for stripper-water-sports-room

bunk beds

45mm thick transparent armor plate for windows

beam mounted suspension device

indentured servitude japanese sushi chef. if you're on a budget, go with korean. chinese is last resort.

and don't forget a fire extinguisher. safety first.

[magley64]

Why would you go 300 amp? I'm not an electrician so I'm asking to get educated, so please educate me. Questions like this are exactly why I started this thread. I thought you'd need  50 to maybe 100 amp service for a garage.   Thanks for the input. 

 

Welder...

 

some run over 200 Amp

Edited July 30, 2013 by magley64

[Strictly Street]

Why would you go 300 amp? I'm not an electrician so I'm asking to get educated, so please educate me. Questions like this are exactly why I started this thread. I thought you'd need  50 to maybe 100 amp service for a garage.   Thanks for the input. 

 

The idea here is a 300 amp service line running in the garage giving room for future expansion as well as what you need to do now.

 

50 amp tig welder

25 amp power outlet circuit

25 amp power outlet circuit

25 amp power outlet circuit

25 amp power outlet circuit

25 amp ceiling lighting circuit

30 amp compressor circuit

10 amp radio/pc circuit

 

Now add heating and/or AC and your starting to get the idea of it all.

Also there is this pesky code thing which has been bumped up in recent years.

What it is I don't know but start with that and think were you might end up.

 

Fridge in the garage?

 

Perfect planning......

[Bad324]

Lots and lots of outlets. When I bought my house I was pumped with having 6 dual socket outlets and have been surprised at the amount of times I wish I had more

Lots of good lighting

Great drainage

Really nice flooring

Extra tall doors

[Gixxus Christ!]

Don't skimp on the insulation, don't buy cheap door openers, put a few ceiling fans in if you're going to go tall (helps push the heat down towards the floor) if you plan on doing any welding, cutting or meth cooking I highly suggest some ventilation fans to evacuate smoke. While you're plumbing your compressed air and running water and power out to the house, run a 1/2" line of compressed air back into the house, for small household projects in the basement. Take advantage of current security technology and wire the building with a central brain computer to operate surveillance cams, alarm systems, environmental controls, light timers etc. Tankless water heater to save space, maybe a natural gas generator with back feed to the house in the event of power outage. Draft beer....def need draft beer.

[Helmutt]

Considered a steel building? Gives you options for an overhead hoist, more structurally sound than your standard stickbuilt, much more fire safe, and not THAT much more cost involved depending on the size/scale of the building.

http://www.worldwidesteelbuildings.com/specials.php

[BDBGoalie]

If money is no object:

 

30'x25' main garage (20' ceiling)

20'x20' attached side building (10' ceiling, Paint booth)

 

Reinforced concrete pad for both.

Floors angled for drainage.

Drains installed. Fine mesh covers. Easily removable.

Floors epoxy coated.

Lots of overhead florescent fixtures. Double what you think is needed. So nice to have a well lit garage.

9.5' garage door that retract straight up. No blocking lights when they are open.

Fully insulated walls, ceiling, doors, and pad. No windows.

HVAC for Heating and Cooling.

Door entry to connection point between building.

Deep sink

Fridge/Freezer combo

Radio antenna ran to roof.

 

Seperate air handler for paint booth.

Good modular hanging system for paint booth.

 

+1 for the 300 amp line

Piles of outlets

Security system

 

A-Frame lift

Bike lift

Multiple jacks and stands

80 gal multi stage compressor (2x if planning on painting and working at same time)

Toy box full of tools

TIG welder

MIG welder

Plasma cutter

Wall mounted strut compressor

Solid workbench (6'-10' long, 2" hardwood top, Bolted to floor)

Vice

6" bench grinder with pedestal

Sandblaster

Drill press

Computer with ETMs

 

A decrepit old couch

Pieces of bikes/cars you've broken

Pictures of you breaking said bikes/cars

[TimTheAzn]

stripper pole

indentured servitude japanese sushi chef. if you're on a budget, go with korean. chinese is last resort.

This made me laugh :haha:

Sent from my iPhone.