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Need to build a GARAGE and looking for suggestions :o)

Mike Arrigo

Mike Arrigo

Well-Known Member
I am purchasing a home without a garage. So you all ask "Why?". The backyard is large and this is my chance to build a garage that I want and that will be awesome. So I am looking for suggestions on sizes and such. I am on a limited budget, so no suggesting wet bars or anything like that. LOL

The specifications (see attachment) are that it can not exceed 750 square feet and can't be taller then 15 feet. I would like to go as large as I can and have the height for a four post lift as well. Thanks for any input you may have and I look to this as my ultimate garage once it is finished. If anyone lives close to Hoffman Estates, IL and knows someone who builds garages, send me their number. Thanks, Mike
 

Attachments

Wire it for 220, have 8" concrete floors for a lift, and paint it BEFORE you move stuff in.

And you can never have too many lights. Light that bitch up. And don't cheap out on the ballasts you use either.

All of those are cheap suggestions that are pretty much neccesities when you can build it yourself.

Jason
 
one thing you deff need inside the garage when your done is an old school coke machine haha:toot: lolll good luck in the garage
 
Ya I agree with the lighting suggestion, I have frickin mood lighting in my garage. Can't see squat! I don't know hwat the builder was thinking??
 
Quiky One said:
Wire it for 220, have 8" concrete floors for a lift, and paint it BEFORE you move stuff in.

And you can never have too many lights. Light that bitch up. And don't cheap out on the ballasts you use either.

All of those are cheap suggestions that are pretty much neccesities when you can build it yourself.

Jason
Click to expand...

I agree with all of these suggestions, don't try to go cheap on the floor paint either. The cheap stuff won't last more than 4 years and for the little increase in cost it's worth it not to have to drag everything out and do it again in the future. Also, figure out how you're going to store things. Some options that you have are peg board, shelves, lofts, cabinets, and whatever else you can come up with. Make sure that you have plenty of storage space (take what you think you need and multiply it by at least 2). What do you plan on doing in there? Just working on the cars? Considering paint work, grinding, or things where you might want a sectioned area?

We have a 3 car wide x 1.5 car deep garage (not sure on the actual dimensions), but we can only fit 2 cars in there. We have 6 of the steel shelves you can get at the hardware store, a wooden bend which stretches the entire back wall, peg board along the whole back wall, most of the lawn equipment hanging from the side walls, 2 lofts (one for camping gear and another for 72 firebird parts), 2 of the normal width Craftsmen boxes, and a bunch of other crap. Needless to say, the next garage will be a pool barn.
 
Make sure you have at least 12 ft. height for a lift and that the garage doors are at least 8 ft. high.
 
I appreciate all the tips, but for right now I am trying to figure out the dimensions I can do with 750 sq ft and 15 foot height restrictions. Pitch of roof and such. I am thinking I can go 25 wide by 30 deep with a 15 foot roof, but not sure what pitch of the roof will end up and maybe there is a better way of determining the floor size. IDK, that's why I am looking for some ideas from you very intelligent people. :) Thanks for the input so far and looking for any other suggestions. I am planning on finishing the inside at a latter date when i can afford to do so.
 
When you get to the inside, seriously consider LED lighting. They last forever and use no energy and run cool.
 
You may want to look into metal seam roofing instead of asphalt. I am seeing it on a lot of new construction around here. Its suppose to last way longer than shingles. We have a garage with a low pitch and have had leaking problems for years (2 new shingle app's and still leaks)so have done some research and am going to do metal roofing. You dont need as much of a pitch for metal, you could maybe gain some height inside that way.
 
Mine is 22 by 24. It seems very small with the two cars. But we should have a shed built next year and I will be able to get rid of anything not car related. Also for a floor try race deck. Its easy to clean and your four post lift can sit right on it.
 

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    garage 066.JPG
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Sounds aboutthe same as what I will hopefully be building next year. I agree with the metal roof, lasts a lot longer and less chance of leaks with a low pitch. you could also do a barn style which would give more headroom in the loft. If you are going to do a loft, and you want a lift, the loft is only going to be about half the width. thats what I wasthinking of doing, then buildinga cat walk around the lift to reach the car while it is up in the air. good lighting is a must if you are goingto be doing any kind of work in there. As far as the floor goes, I would definitely coat it with something( not sure what is the best to use) and you might want to check into the fiberglass reinforced concrete. It's a little more expensive then regular however when you factor in the cost of the rebar and everything you would need with regular, it is actually cheaper,and you probably wouldn't need as thick of a floor. My friend did this in his 60? by 40? garage that we do side work(restorations and collision) out of. we have the floor drilled with pots in it to chain down cars and straighten frames. He hasn't had a single crack or problem yet, and his floor is either 4 or 6 inches thick.
 
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