[JLHarper]

I saw the other post where a couple of the contractors on PY were posting the pros and cons of certain sizes, finish and materials regarding the final price.

For the money: what would be an ideal size to build if using the available sizes of lumber components in local stock?

Since we all know or have been told a two story is a better deal, so, do you all see these being practical for what we as hobby people use the garage shops for? All that space sure is attractive for storage if it can be used effortlessly.

Is the pitch of the roof on a two story more costly since the pitch is higher or does that not matter?

How much sq ft is reccomended BY YOU for say a four, six, eight car garage and shop for general duty?

I know what the garage websites say but you all know how tight these plans are once you take one apart or have multiple projects going.

I was thinking when I build another to have shop around back and the "clean" part of the garage up front with the cars parked.

If you would share, Post up your ideal GARAGE building plans. Thanks....Jeff

[Lloyd-TX]

Jeff - you need to talk to fellow PY'er and Houstonian Bjorn Sefeldt. He's a residential architect by trade and has also designed many hobbyist garages in our area.

He's a great guy and a good friend of mine. Drives a '69 Firebird 'vert.

I'll e-mail you his contact info.

[goatless]

Jeff, There is no "ideal" size for a garage- no matter how big you make it you will fill it... and wish that you'd gone bigger!

Seriously though- the definition of a perfect garage is going to vary for everyone- how much space you need/want, how much space you have available to build on, how much money to spend and on and on....

I would figure on allowing 10X24 for each car as a ballpark size...

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by goatless

I would figure on allowing 10X24 for each car as a ballpark size...

Jeremy, I'd say more like a minumum of 12' x 24' per car.

The bays here at our shop are 11' wide, and def could stand to be wider.

[bankbook]

I looked into Behmdesign.com he has many designs with the plans online, including the inventory listing of lumber needed.

[RAIVJUMB]

I built mine 44x48 with a 12x12 corner having a small shop I can still get 11 in packed before the lift and bench 12 was maxed out. I think a second floor is a must if you have any amount of parts at all. I have shelves laid out with all of the parts off of specific cars that i have and all of the parts that I have bought to do that particular car. I wish I could have or would have gone 10 to 20 feet deeper on the building but I think the building inspector would have had a cow. The next step is go off the back of it 20x 48 as soon as I convince the wife it is "needed". Mark

[mike nixon]

Base size for that IMO is 40x60. 40x80 is probably more realistic. Use trusses that allow for an overhead storage area for parts.

Mike

[The Boss]

Depends upon what your needs are. If you are looking for storage only, 50x100 is ideal. You only need 20' to store most any a-body/bird in and 10' wide is plenty. You can park them side by side down each side and still have a row down the center - 25 cars without a lift!

My plan is for 34x60 - 3 deep storage on each side, lift in the center of the back and still room to park my Super Duty in front of the lift. 12' ceiling will allow for stacker lifts to double storage as needed. Storage truss with a heavy duty drop down stair will allow for plenty of dry storage in the attic.

[JLHarper]

Thanks for the info everyone!

Lloyd, appreciate the email too!

You never have enough space. My last was a 32x28 and I finsihed it off inside. Brick front to match house, heated and cooled. Wasnt nearly enough room by the time I started dragging stuff home.

LINK to site posted by BankBook...thanks for that, bty. Gives you some size ideas when you pull their plans up.

http://www.behmdesign.net


Jeff

[Bjorn]

Not only have I designed a few hobbyists garages ,with different restraints, like HOA requirements ,height restrictions etc....I also designed out body shop and the service center for our Mazda store....
every situation is usually different.....but I`d say a minimum of 12ft widefor ea stall IF you want to work on them...if just parking 10ft is enough... also klayout can vary based on access...drive thru to the rear...8 or 9 ft single doors or 16 ft...hetight for possible lifts...
you need 12' clear for a lift....you dont need 12 plate /ceiling for it ,can be 8, 9 or 10 ft slope up to 12 ft....I did a 7 car garage in a restricted neighbor hood ..we had 10 plate , sloped up to 12' had 3 cars being parked on lifts, since we only had room for 4 cars on the plan....
anyho, every situation is different ,unless you have lots of space....if interested in talking with me....email me at
bsefeldt@mhinc.com
sorry I took awhile for this relpy , but i just came vback from Panama last night.

[JLHarper]

I just received a box of books I ordered from AMAZON and was looking through them last night.

Some of the books are actual construction theme, with tips and ideas, pricing guidelines etc.

A few were "collection theme" and showed some nice/rare collections of cars around the US. Very nice color pics.

I wanted to see how people had set their garages up.

Some of these have upstairs that overlook the open shop floor and had pool table, bar, kitchen, den like furniture....

They say there is a shift toward entertaining in ones garage!.....maybe so...but not in my neighborhood or zip code!

One collection spread featured Jim Wangers and Nephews Garage and Cars....nice...

Jeff

[Engine-Ear]

My replies below, from a poor sap who loves his cars and a place all his own, to get away from everything...

Originally Posted by JLHarper

For the money: what would be an ideal size to build if using the available sizes of lumber components in local stock?

I went with an all-steel frame with 2x6 girts and purlins.

Originally Posted by JLHarper

Since we all know or have been told a two story is a better deal, so, do you all see these being practical for what we as hobby people use the garage shops for?

"My Space" is a 30x40 footprint, with 18' eaves and a 24' peak. There is a second story for parts inventory. See below.

Originally Posted by JLHarper

Is the pitch of the roof on a two story more costly since the pitch is higher or does that not matter?

The pitch on mine is pretty subtle. See below.

Originally Posted by JLHarper

How much sq ft is reccomended BY YOU for say a four, six, eight car garage and shop for general duty?

With the height I have, I will be storing 6 cars on the footprint of 3 using 4-post 'storage' lifts. That will occupy half the floorspace; the other half will be shop space.


Although I would recommend dealing with Bjorn, here is a also link to a great site, FULL of perspectives and experience:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum


I did a post on my project, too:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=32780

[Engine-Ear]

By the way, Jeff, that clock in your avatar would look AWESOME in my shop!!

[beemergary]

Its cheaper to go longer if that works. Your moving the end wall and paying for the side walls and roof. I have 9.5 ft. side walls with a lift but I just modified a few trusses in the roof area. I've see guys put in a pit before lifts got popular. Your just moving the wall going wider but sometimes this causes a need for a different design truss which will drive up the cost.

[JLHarper]

Engine Ear: Wow! No wonder you have all those cars! Nice place to bring them home to.

Thanks for the link too, I will check out the site and your build. I love posts like that...I must be getting old and easy to please...lol.

GARY: thanks for the info as well. Thats what I need to know.

I willl try and scan some of these pics in a few books. Trend is building up if you can, based on what I see and read.

Jeff

[Engine-Ear]

Originally Posted by JLHarper

Engine Ear: Wow! No wonder you have all those cars! Nice place to bring them home to.

Thanks. Waited a LONG time to get that.

Originally Posted by JLHarper

... Trend is building up if you can, based on what I see and read.

Another way to say it is, "Z is FREE" (in other words, if the X-Y plane is your yard, and you can only build a shop within a given footprint, the Z-axis is up and the sky (or the HOA, for a lot of folks, sadly) is the limit).

[Cammer-6]

we are marketing a new concept in lifts that will help with the space constraints. Inground flush to floor lift. You loose no floor space when retracted.

[Engine-Ear]

C-6, how about posting some info on this??