Think features, then plan for the utilities and mechanicals to handle them. Not everything needs to go in immediately, but a wash-and-wax station for the cars is useless if the plumbing is not in place. Computers are in the kitchen, why not one in the workshop? Garage Design and Planningĭesign your garage workshop to meet current and future needs.
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For example, a two-post full hydraulic lift is to the moonlighting mechanic what a 48-inch gas stove with dual ovens is to the gourmet cook. Once basic needs are met, fancy stuff can go in as the budget allows. A powerful water supply should be on the list for any inside washing and waxing. A sink and bathroom keep the space and cleanup self-contained so that enthusiasts need not track their projects into the house. Lighting and electricity are a universal must-storage and workbench space, too. Excess space also means higher heating and cooling costs.Ĭounters, cabinets, plumbing, electricity, lighting, heating, cooling, flooring, and ventilation make up the basics. If a lift is not part of the plan, a ceiling of that height would be superfluous and unused.
Ceiling height is usually restricted by town regulation, but need not exceed 12 feet to accommodate most lifts. D’Gerolamo likes to see at least 22 to 26 feet of depth, which allows space for front wall storage and workbenches. The old days of 20-foot-by-20-foot two-car garages are gone today’s SUVs span seven feet in width with excess room for the opening of doors. A good rule of thumb is to have at least 13 to 15 feet of garage width per car. Space is crucial for any garage workspace. Knowing how the space will be used prior to breaking ground is essential. Most garages rest on slabs, but any drainage system for a mechanic’s workshop will require more extensive excavation, foundation work, and filter systems for oil and grease. Garage BasicsĪ new garage construction project requires the same basic considerations as a new home construction project-site preparation, permits, foundation work, framing, roofing, and mechanicals. So it’s little wonder that the garage of old is getting one serious makeover. So why not garages? Beyond the basics of four walls and roof, a garage workshop becomes a second home for the enthusiast-housing tools, toys, workstations, and more. “People spend thousands of dollars on their kitchens, as a place to cook, congregate, and for a certain level of comfort,” says Steve D’Gerolamo, founder and owner of The Ultimate Garage. It is the tool type’s equivalent of a gourmet kitchen. To the car enthusiast, it is a nerve center with a lift, a wash and wax station, and cabinetry for an extensive supply of tools to the carpenter, it is a woodworking shop with a table saw, a ventilation system, and workbenches to detail out the latest project. To some, a garage is much more than a place to park the car and store junk.