Garage ideas and tips.

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67Dart440GT

67Dart440GT

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Hey all. I am in the process of planning a new garage build. I live in town and have a maximum size of 750 Sq ft I can build. I have lots of yard to use and currently only have a one car. My driveway runs directly by the side of my house now but doesn't really give me access to my back yard. What kind of options do I have? What dimensions can I maximize my Sq ft with? I am considering something like a deep tandem with a garage door on both ends just for air flow and easy of moving stuff around.

I included a shot of my property from Google. You can see the arrangement of the house to garage.

Screenshot_2020-01-10-10-39-12-1.png
 
After building a garage with only one way in, I would definitely say put a garage door on each side. I would also have a "human" door on the side you will enter the most. When you wire it, put your electric outlets about a foot higher than any work bench - basically about a foot above your waist. You may not mind crawling around now to plug something in, but when you start filling with stuff and adding shelves, those low outlets are hard to get to. Plumb it for compressed air (connections about as high off the floor as your electric outlets) and put the compressor in its own structure outside of your shop - you will appreciate the decrease in noise. Leave rooms for shelves - you will have to store tools and parts. I put in two rows of LED lighting.

If you ever plan on having a lift (which is worth the $), make sure the slab is thick enough and that you have at least 14' of clearance from the shop floor to the shop ceiling - failing to do that is why I built a third shed on my property.
 
I currently have my two stage compressor directly behind the garage in the steel shed you can see in the picture. I don't believe my town allows ceilings high enough for a hoist but I'm going to check with builders when I get some prices. My main goal of the tandem is to eliminate having to have a massive amount of concrete work done to extend the driveway back to the back of the lot. I believe my lot is like 130 feet deep by 86 wide or so.
 
I'd also like to be able to pull my new truck inside but have more of a shop area for my Dart. I was thinking about a tin ceiling with attic space and a fold down staircase for storing parts above. It will be heated and insulated and considering its own electrical panel and gas service.
 
67Dart440GT said:
Hey all. I am in the process of planning a new garage build. I live in town and have a maximum size of 750 Sq ft I can build. I have lots of yard to use and currently only have a one car. My driveway runs directly by the side of my house now but doesn't really give me access to my back yard. What kind of options do I have? What dimensions can I maximize my Sq ft with? I am considering something like a deep tandem with a garage door on both ends just for air flow and easy of moving stuff around.

I included a shot of my property from Google. You can see the arrangement of the house to garage.

View attachment 1715450482
Click to expand...
is there a height limit? If not, go with as high a wall as you can afford and like. If you can, 11-15 ft. Will allow you to install a lift at some point and the added height will help air flow thru. Lowest I've seen for most 2 posts are 11 ftish.
 
You can only build 750 ft2...25' x 30'? Get a tape measure and lay out an outline around your car to see what works for you. When we built our house, we built a detached 3-car garage/storage building. the problem is, everything is just too close to work on without having to make lots of compromises. Due to that, I built my second shed (shop) and made it 30' x 30', but I only have two big doors (drive through) so the other side has a car on wheel dollys. And I did not make it tall enough because I never thought that 25 yrs later I would want/need a lift. My new shop is 30' x 30', with a 20' x 30' lean to attached for additional parking or work. If they will allow the lean to and if you have the room, I would strongly consider it. Attached is a photo of my new shop shortly after construction (without the lift). The doors on the left go all the way through. The door on the right is "in" only.

IMG_0638.JPG
 
If you’re limited to 750sq ft, I think 20x38 would be good dimensions for a tandem. That would let you get 4 cars in there. That’s actually 760sqft, but maybe you can cheat just a little :)
 
Also says that an "attached" garage can be within 5 feet of the house and only size limit is smaller that the living space... This might be an angle to get more space too.
 
Check with your insurance company . Attached garages generally are more expensive to insure than detached . My garage is 30x32 and it's too small . I'm not talking about filled with stuff I'm talking about opening and closing vehicle doors while getting in and out and working on your ride with the doors open , bummer . As far as slab is concerned the thicker the better . thin slabs crack over time . Have your concrete guy put fibers in the slab to make it stronger and cure it slow . Also , you can apply for a variance from your local zoning board if you want to make it bigger . Nothing ventured nothing gained . Good luck
 
Make sure you figure for wider garage doors than 7 FT. My 2010 Challenger has about 2" on each side of the mirrors so I have to be so careful pulling in or out. I added a 3rd car garage, never thought about garage door, but when cement was being poured contractor said could have put 10 ft. door, but at that point it was too late for the bigger door.
 
rule number 1,after finished. "DON'T LET SON/DAUGHTER/SON-IN-LAW OR OTHER OUTLAWS STORE ANYTHING IN IT". i have a 1728 sf garage and son has it packed with chit. only room for car with motor blown up.
 
rbkt65 said:
rule number 1,after finished. "DON'T LET SON/DAUGHTER/SON-IN-LAW OR OTHER OUTLAWS STORE ANYTHING IN IT". i have a 1728 sf garage and son has it packed with chit. only room for car with motor blown up.
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In all, I have a 3 vehicle storage garage and 2 30x30’s. All of them have stuff that I was assured would never be in any of them. Good luck keeping the family out :rofl:
 
Couple things I can suggest is put in twice the amount of electrical outlets than your code requires (I did!)...you'll thank me later. Also, put 2 outlets in the ceiling about center front to back, side to side, of each "bay", for electric door openers and overhead pull-down trouble lights. I also put 3 lights in the attic on a switch next to the attic entrance...saves carrying a flashlight up there looking for parts.
 
rbkt65 said:
rule number 1,after finished. "DON'T LET SON/DAUGHTER/SON-IN-LAW OR OTHER OUTLAWS STORE ANYTHING IN IT". i have a 1728 sf garage and son has it packed with chit. only room for car with motor blown up.
Click to expand...
Bobacuda said:
In all, I have a 3 vehicle storage garage and 2 30x30’s. All of them have stuff that I was assured would never be in any of them. Good luck keeping the family out :rofl:
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Anything not “MINE” inside of “MY GARAGE” gets promptly thrown out with zero warning at any given time without any care or concern to who’s it is, the value of the item and there is a zero tolerance policy in effect without any liability to it’s worth or usefulness.

If you leave it in “MY GARAGE” and I throw it out, it is a 100% loss to you and I owe you NOTHING!

And this has worked perfectly since day one because I do not screw around or care.

I have been living in bliss ever since.
 
Theres nothing in my 27x31 shop that's not my chit. Every year we store christmas gifts in there away from prying eyes, but theres a light at the end of that tunnel on dec 24th. Other than that, it's my hard n fast rule. My shop my **** only. My carport has a peaked roof area is boxed in as a storage with pulldown stairs for everybody else's crap.
 
67Dart440GT said:
Regulation says 14 feet to roof peak.
Click to expand...

How is it worded exactly?

My hometown allowed 26' to the mid point of the roof which was defined as 'The mid-point of the roof between the outer wall vertical edge & the peak' so essentially, 1/2 way up the roof pitch / slope.
 
One thing I will say is decide how you're going to use the shop first. If it's just for parking cars and minor maintenance then it doesn't matter too much what the shape of the thing is. However, if you plan on doing full rebuilds you might not want just a big square because that space in the middle isn't very useful. So you might want to think about how you will lay out different sections or stations. For example, this is where I'm going to build engines, this is where I'm going to do fab and welding, this is for the lift, etc. Because you don't want your fab station anywhere near your engine building area or your final assembly or parking spots. A longer, shallower bay garage is easier to break up into sections than a giant square floor plan. Of course you're limited by what your property and access is going to be, but no matter what I would plan it out beforehand. That way you can have all your outlets in the right spot too, your air compressor and welder might need a 220 outlet, and regardless a higher amp circuit, so those type of things you want to locate before you build.
 
Alaskan_TA said:
How is it worded exactly?

My hometown allowed 26' to the mid point of the roof which was defined as 'The mid-point of the roof between the outer wall vertical edge & the peak' so essentially, 1/2 way up the roof pitch / slope.
Click to expand...

Screenshot_2020-01-16-16-10-55.png
 
Your options will be limited by your town's bylaws as far as height and square footage as you have stated already. What you need to consider is how you plan to use the space, and try to organize in a way that will make it most functional for you. When I built my garage, I planned for a 10' ceiling, a useable attic space, and a "work area" where my hoist is located. I put in a single overhead door, 16 X 8 ft, and I offset it to one side slightly, about 18 inches IIRC, to leave a space for a small workbench that would be out of the way. I also put in some 32 110 volt outlets, 1 every 4 ft, about 4 ft above the floor, as well as every 4 ft staggered at about 6 ft above the floor, and 2 230 volt outlets. The garage measures 24 X 30 ft, I can put 4 vehicles in it, but it is cramped with more than 3. I have an upright 80 gallon compressor tucked in a corner, with a built in shelf beside it that measures about 3 1/2 ft wide by 1 1/2 ft deep by 10 ft high with 5 shelves. It has room to store a complete V8 engine and my welder under it, and is made of 2x6 lumber. My workbench is in the opposite corner, it measures about 60 by 36 inches, and can store 2 V8s under it. I recently added a 40 foot airhose reel, which will reach anywhere inside the shop, and I have enough additional hose to reach another 75 ft. The attic has a trap door access but requires a step ladder to reach. The attic measures about 8 ft wide by 2 1/2 high by 30 ft long, with 2 incandescent lights. I have 2 8 ft T5 fluorescent lights over the work area, plus 2 LED bulbs in the center, and 2 incandescent bulbs at the far end, and 2 metal halide lamps that I can plug in when needed.
I have only 1 small 24 by 30 inch window as I have had problems in the past with break ins through windows. My overall height is 14 ft 5 inches at the peak, and I used metal sheeting for the roof as I never want to have to replace it in my lifetime. I have a 2 post MaxJax hoist that runs on 110 volts, and will lift up to 5500 lbs to a height of about 4 feet. I have lifted a variety of different vehicles with it, and the only time I got close to the ceiling was with my Bronco, using 4 inch blocks on the pads to give as much lift as possible as I was swapping the transmission, and needed it high enough to get my trans jack under the truck. In the summer months I have no more than 2 vehicles inside, but during winter I don't do any work unless it's urgent, as I have no insulation or heat at this point, and have at least 1 vehicle stored for the season, plus my Bronco and wife's car.
 
Wow that's a lot of rules! I'm currently putting in a 1850 sq ft carriage style garage and there was really only (5) rules. It can't be taller than 14 ft at the peak, it has to be 10 ft away from a utility line, it has to be 5 ft from a property line (which can be reduced to 2 ft if the wall adjacent to the property line is a "fire wall"). It can't be more than 25% of the square footage of your backyard. And it can't be more square footage than the first floor of your house.

Other than following "the rules", it's your duty as an American to get the most advantage you can and exercise every possible loop hole you can!
 
Bylaws in my borough (the suburbs located on the island of Montreal) read similar to yours.

-753 sq ft, 3 cars max.
- Two outbuildings total. max sq footage limited to 5% of total lot area.

I have a 20,000 sq ft lot so I would have been allowed a 753 sq ft garage and the remainder 247 sq ft as a "shed". I proposed that a single building that combined the total area allowed (1000 sq ft) would be preferable in order to reduce costs (1 foundation pour, 1 electrical service, etc).

They responded that it was acceptable as long as the two spaces remained distinct. I was to build seperate entrances to each space and build a separating wall between the two spaces. I put in the doors yet somehow the separating wall never got built and I have a 24 X 42 garage with 9'9"of clearance. Your planning dept might not be as open minded. Of course, you don't know if you don't try.

In my case, should they ever come and check, I would be willing to frame and drywall a separation. I could then use a garage door to connect the spaces.

You might approach the authorities with a plan to combine the allocations under a single roof. Even if you did have to separate the spaces, you save some money. I'm not sure whether you could renovate and remove the wall at a later date.

Oh, and definitely get the larger doors. My GF got an SUV and that thing barely clears the larger doors. Taller and wider if you can, you'll be glad you did.

Also, you might consider pulling a significant amount of electricity into the space if you can. I upgraded the old 100 Amp service in my home to 200 Amps when I bought the place and my buddy, who is a commercial electrician, suggested I put the old breaker box in the garage on a 100 Amp breaker and some big-a$$ed wire. This affords me with enough juice to power welders, heaters, lots of plugs and lights and capacity to spare.

Don't forget the perimeter of the building either. Lights outside, plenty of plugs around the garage all help make tasks easier in and around the yard.

When I built it in 2002 many of my neighbors (the guys) came around to check it out. I nicknamed it "The Garage Mahal".

Jacques Bouchard
Montreal, Qc
 
Pretty much exactly what I did for electrical, and definitely recommend an 8 ft high door, negligible extra cost on that, benefit is I can get most SUV's and 4x4 trucks in no problem.
Funny, my financial adviser and my wife both call it the "Garage Mahal". LOL
Still wish I could have afforded to go 30 by 40, oh well.
 
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