I need some advise on build a garage/shop. Back in NY i had an aircraft hanger but here in PA I am in the upscale area of town and they got some limits. Basically I can do 25'x25'x15' tall. I need at least 8ft doors and it can't be an alum structure or any other cheap crap.

Anyone know of a good set up, or better yet know of some plans? What about putting in a pit in the floor? I full second floor (with low ceilings) would be pretty sweet for storage.

Anyone have a nice set up they want to show me? Of course it is going to be fully insulated and heated wired for 220, cable TV, gas, etc

Ron

I'd say, move.

You'll never get a functional second floor with a peak max of 15' and I seriously doubt that they would allow a pit if they won't let you use longer lasting metal building materials.

Where's that private property rights argument.

As far as them telling you what you can and can't build.....:flipoff:

Originally posted by Belly Dragger
I seriously doubt that they would allow a pit

Who says they have to know? Call it a drainage pit.

I need at least 8ft doors and it can't be an alum structure or any other cheap crap.

what alum siding ain't crap comes in many colors and designs. well depending on the site if able to go with 10 foot rool up on the gabel ends so that you can drive right through the shop

plumb in everything from the start, have a seperate service for elec than the house and put an outlet at 4' high from the ground every 4'-6'

definetly have a toliet sink and shower

take some grid paper and draw out a plan and then take more grid paper and make "stuff" like your work bench, welder, and the like this way you can "build" a shop and work out the kinks before hand or see if they have a comp program.

plumb air through out the shop

do radiant floor heating if you can swing it. i'm building a 30x30 garage the the tubing will cost me 500 bucks. then you need a pump,water heater, some fittings and such. but if you can afford the tubing and get it in the pad then you can do the rest later.

you need to check codes on wether you can have a seperate service or not, i don't think you can in pa but i might be wrong. and just build the biggest you can afford.

dave

Where's DRM? He had an EXCELLENT thread a couple months back when he was building his shop. About a dozen epople chimed in and showed pics and pitfalls with their designs...

Anyway here's all of the ones I could find, they deal primarily with wiring and lighting, but it should be some help:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=26234
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25599
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24181

Originally posted by evilfij
Basically I can do 25'x25'x15' tall. I need at least 8ft doors and it can't be an alum structure or any other cheap crap.

Anyone know of a good set up, or better yet know of some plans? What about putting in a pit in the floor? I full second floor (with low ceilings) would be pretty sweet for storage.



I'm FINALLY getting to the finishing stages on my new shop.. we're drywalling tomorrow. That's about the last bit.

30x30x10. ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms - a bunch of stryofoam Lego blocks that they fill with concrete n' rebar). The walls are R-50. Should keep a lot of my noise inside, too.

Outside has vinyl siding.

I have outlets every 3' and positioned them about 40" or so off the floor. Idea was that when I go to put the sheetrock up on the bottom of the walls, I'll have to just notch the top side of the bottom panel for the outlets, then the second up row will be uncut.

I have probably two dozen outlets in the ceiling to facilitate mix n' match of cheap 4' light fixtures as need/budget allows.

It would be a *really* nice shop if I didn't have to share. One side has a 9x7 door on either end and is parking for the car n' Harleys. The other side (about 30x17) has a 9x9 door and is the workshop.

2" foam with 750' of 1/2" poly pipe, then a 4" slab on top. All set for radiant heat. (I live in Montana.. heat is good!)

I slaved a 100amp service from the house to the garage.

Also ran some Cat5 so there's Ethernet and Phone wired in. I haven't decided if I'm running coax or not - don't have CableTV (it just distracts me from wrenching on the trucks).

Plan is to line one wall (the 30' w/o doors on the work-bay side) with shop equipment - :beer: fridge, drill-press, sand blaster, parts washer, rollaway, etc.

The shorter work-bay wall (~17') will be work benches (well, an old used metal desk, plus a workbench).

If I didn't have to share.. I might've tried for taller walls. 15' would be nice.

Then go with a 6" or 8" slab and you can install a 2-post lift.

As it is, this is a huge improvement over the old garage (big enough to store tools and equipment in, but too low and small/stuffed full to get a rig inside, so I did my work in the driveway).

With just one workbay I didn't want to be walking around a 2-post lift that would be in the way as often as it would be useful.

But with a shop big enough to work on two rigs? Sure.. one side with a lift, the other w/o.

Originally posted by ironpig70
I need at least 8ft doors and it can't be an alum structure or any other cheap crap.

what alum siding ain't crap comes in many colors and designs. well depending on the site if able to go with 10 foot rool up on the gabel ends so that you can drive right through the shop


Iron pig you sound as if you know steel what do you do for a living?

Thanks so far.

Alum siding is fine, just not the corregated stuff like a hanger would be. Also I don't think T-111 will fly.

It basically has to look like a normal garage from the outside. Whats inside I don't think matters much so long as it meets safety codes.

The full second floor would be just for storing stuff.

So did you all design your own plans or go with an archetect or commercially available plans?

Ron

I can deal with the restrictions on what it looks like afterall my house was around before the first automobile and I would be poed if the neighbors install an aircraft hanger.

Iron pig you sound as if you know steel what do you do for a living? [/B][/QUOTE]

ironpig works as a customer service rep for united rentals basically i answer phones all day but my family is all construction and i see alot of customers that work with and around alot of neat stuff. if you want a lift use a "portable" one will have to find the book but there is a post style lift that is on wheels and you roll it into place set it down and lift your rig seen it in a couple of my books also as stated a few times radiant heat in the floor way nice :D