Building a Garage

Big Dog

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The thread on shop size has me scratching my head, so it's prompted this thread. I'm asking for help here so consider what you say prevelent!

I'm planning on building a garage (metal building, not a pole barn) in the spring. Current plan is a 48x36x>10. I want to put a car lift in and have it house 2 cars. One for storage and one for everyday use. I'm figuring 1/3 for the shop area. 1/3 for the 2 vehicles and a 1/3 for the toys (Harley, 2 quads, garden tractor). I still have the barn for tractor and implements. I wanted 2400 sqft (40x60) but I couldn't put it were I wanted it without taking out trees, I don't want to do that. Considered a 2 story structurally sound to drive into the second story but financially I can't justify the added cost (one story has to be 10ft for the lift with no lower trusses.

I ain't a carpenter so any ideas are welcome!!!

I'd like to put up 4 courses of block (cinder) and set a 48x36x8 metal building on it. I'm in the early stages so any advice is welcome!!!
 

quincy

Member
48X36 is a good size, and you having a barn for tractor and implements, sounds like a good space... You will still outgrow it though... I think its inevitable. If it is as big as you can fit in the footprint you have available for it then there you go, thats your limit... If the trees you are keeping are nice and will compliment the structure then good.
I thought my shed was cavernous when I built it first. All my stuff from the last place filled one little corner of the shed... God darn it, the stuff just grew and grew and grew...
Advice, lots of windows in your workshop side of the shed (Natural light cant be beaten. keep your work area on the south side of the shed if you can.) Lots of power receptacles, overhead lights and even plumb in dust extraction and compressed air if you can. it all makes for a tidier workspace in the long run. Think of storage too. where will you keep your wood stock, metal stock? I have the upstairs of my shed for stock storage. I can put lots of lumber up there and not have to dig around to find it. Same goes for lengths of box iron, angle iron, pipes etc... Nice to have long shelves/racks for the big stuff.
If I had my time again, of course, I would probably build 20ft X 60ft or longer and have 4 big roll away doors along the front for vehicle access.
Best of luck in your project.... how about a few photos of your progression???
 

Mith

Active member
Can you have only part of it as a 2 story, so have a single story over the area with the lift, say 14' tall, and them have the rest as 2 7' floors.
 
The metal bldg you plan on putting on those courses of blocks...is it going to already have the doors and windows, etc cut and such for it? :waiting:
 

Big Dog

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The metal bldg you plan on putting on those courses of blocks...is it going to already have the doors and windows, etc cut and such for it? :waiting:

Yes, the block would have to be set to marry to the building footprint with openings.
 
Yes, the block would have to be set to marry to the building footprint with openings.

Okay, my next question will be this. Have you factored in the sizes of the premade openings in the metal building to the openings needed in the the block part to fit, for instance, the large overhead doors, entrance doors, etc. I ask because my father in law, being a tall gentleman, built himself a tool shed along the same lines. He wanted more roof height than the standard garden sheds in a box had. So he figured he would do the same thing and run a course or two of blocks. With the door opening figured in. However, he forgot that the preconfigured door in the box building wouldnt go down all the way in the opening placed in the blocks. 2 feet worth. ;) And the window in the box shed ended up looking more like a skylight than a window since it ended up 2 feet higher than the floor level. Not saying that you hadnt thought of it...just asking. :respect:

PS. It was fun watching my FIL having to build a new door, frame, etc. I had tried telling him, but you know FILs taking advice from a son in law.:moon3:
 

Big Dog

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I had tried telling him, but you know FILs taking advice from a son in law.:moon3:

Boy do I ever know!

They only manufacturer I have checked so far is a custom building and the opening can be made as needed, the opening sizes have been considered. It was not a on-the-shelf building.
 
Boy do I ever know!

They only manufacturer I have checked so far is a custom building and the opening can be made as needed, the opening sizes have been considered. It was not a on-the-shelf building.

Hokay....thats what I was wondering about. Just didnt word it like I wanted I guess. But heck...than I wouldnt have been able to tell that story about my father in law. :yum:
 
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