tannji Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 Hey all... looks like we are staying in our current house that has no garage, and not enough room. We are currently pricing an extensive addition. The house sits on a fairly steep slope, so that the small basement is a walkout. We are on a corner lot, so the side of the house is also acessible from the side street. I think I can put an attached garage on the side, but because of the hill, will have to do extensive excavation and foundation work, to support the garage. This will mean that there is serious room under the the garage area. I am considering a plain-jane 2 car upstairs, with a 3 car underground garage, which would be "walk-out, like the basement. this would allow me to have a pit opening in the upper garage, which is something I have always wanted. My question is this: with all the experience in home modding and wrenching that is on this site, what are some of the options and accessories that you wished were considered when you garage was built?I am already considering ventilation for projects like painting. I also want to be able to wash the car indoors, so draining is being taken into account. It goes without saying (but I will) that there will be wireless web, sound, and video in the lower garage. I have extra appliances laying around, so I am thinking mini bar/kitchenette. I will stop short of sleeping quarters. throw some practical concerns and ideas at me, including things you have done, or learned the hard way to do differently. thanks, tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 Tannji, I threw this topic out about two months ago--do a search for "dream garage" and you'll probably find the thread--lots of pics and info in that thread. Refrigerator. Separate laundry room (to keep lint dust from getting into the clean garage), big stereo system, weight set, hydraulic or mechanical lifts, lots of storage cabinets, tool chests, epoxy painted floors, finished/sheetrocked walls, automobilia signs and license plates, banners, racing flags on the walls, etc, etc. Keep it clean! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 I'm in the process of setting up shop right now too, so I'll be reading eagerly. I'll add my 2 cents though. Seems you have the basics, internet, music, fridge etc. I highly recommend a comfortable place to sit and ponder. Also a good sealed floor coating. I think the biggest thing people overlook is PLAN out your storage. No matter how large the place you'll not have enough room, so use the space wisely for storage. Sounds like you are well on your way to being able to turn a hose on the garage to clean it out, good plan, just remember that you might want to keep things off the floor to facilitate this. (ie: make your storage waterproof at low levels, or make it all start up off the floor) The biggest deal for me though, is make sure you have sufficient lighting, and not just from above! I'd put good ceiling lighting in, and then work out a solution that will allow diffused lights in the walls projecting out across the garage. This will help you everytime that you get under a car to do work. Too bright and they will blind you, but if they are well diffused (ie: fluorescent) they should work well. You may want to put those lights on a seperate switch as well. Looking forwards to hearing more ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted September 9, 2003 Author Share Posted September 9, 2003 good stuff.... Davey... I was thinking more about specifics on what people did to customize or make their spaces more functional. like the adjustable or lower height lighting. For instance, I am thinking about a gantry in one bay for lifting and moving engines and such, but why not 2, so that you could have a free-hanging rotisserie? = ) The ceiling is already going to have to have steel members to support the garage above, might as well make use of that strength. I am just looking for things to build into the garage, or take into account, to save me time, money, and headache later, when I would have to alter structure. tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 multiple compressed air disconnects on central air compreessor with big tank. Multiple 110 outlets. Multiple 220 outlets for welder. Parts cleaner tank. AC & heat for year-round comfort. Exhaust extraction system so you can tune car inside without asphixiating yourself. Paint booth? Car rotissery easy chair and TV for wife so she can keep you company and still be entertained. several work benches set up for spicific funcitons. Lots of strorage space for parts and tools. Tour a Mercedes service dept. and see how a class operation sets up their service bays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinCA Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 you should have pegboard on the wall with hooks for your tools, make it nice, neat , and organized, then outline the tools with a red or black sharpie. then mask off the area inside of the sharpie mark and paint the whole deal black. that way you know that your tools are all where they should be. An overhead electric hoist that can go anywhere in the garage would be much nicer than having a conventional engine hoist in the corner. retractable extension cord setups next to you air outlets. thats all i have right now. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted September 10, 2003 Author Share Posted September 10, 2003 Does anyone know of a x/y axis gantry/hoist, that mounts to the ceiling? Might be overkill, and too expensive, I imagine I would end up with conventional hoist, but I like the idea. tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotfitz Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 A utility sink for clean-up. Parts cleaner bin can be hard on the hands. Always need a bathroom in the garage, especially when your dirty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Click on my personal album and click through the picks of the garage I built last year. Near term additions will be a four foot sheet metal break and a new set of cutting torch tanks for my heads. I'm also gonna get a Tig welder at some point! I currently have a tubing notcher, Mig welder, tubing bender, several vises, Porter Cable Sawzall, several sized drills, Ryobi drill press, die grinders, disc sanders, hand grinders, My Car lift, a folding engine lift, several engine stands, a small parts washer, and of course Tons of mechanics tools... Get a fridg and TV, as well as a radio. I'm also running my computer line in to mine so I can have my Connection out in the garage with a slow lap top! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nic-Rebel450CA Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 I've never had a garage, but if I did I know a couple things I would want to be sure of are security related. I'd want a good motion sensing alarm, and a fire sprinkler system or other fire supression system would be good. For power outlets, I have learned that overhead outlets are very nice compared to wall outlets. For cabinets, etc. I would try to plan what is going to go into the cabinets before designing the layout, otherwise you may end up with a bunch of half-empty cabinets because they arent the right size to fit a lot of things that you have laying around. A big white-board would be nice too for instant notes. A large cabinet with a ton of those little hardware storage drawers would be very usefull in keeping track of hardware pieces when taking things apart on the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aaron Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Here are some cool features I am planning for my shop. The ceiling is approx. 14 ft. In one corner I am planning to build a closet to hold my compressor and water heater. Next to it, I am going to have a kitchen sink and counter. Above this area, approximately 4'x10', I am going to build a platform with a ladder leading to it so I can put my old car books, magazines, etc. up out of the way. I will probably put my old computer up there. I will put a TV up there positioned so it can be seen anywhere in the shop (got to keep an eye on the football games). One bay of the shop will have a lift at some point, and on the other side, I want to build some racks hangind down from the celing to hold larger parts (doors, hoods, etc.) up out of the way. I stole this idea from another member here. I am also planning to buy a used washer and dryer to wash my shop rags in. That way we don't contaminated our good clothes in the house. Finally, I want an electric oven so I can use eastwood's powdercoating system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmyntti Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 I just set up my new garage. I used older kitchen and bathroom countertops to make oil resistant workbenches all along the outer walls. I also have 8 foot tall shelving above all of the countertops for extra storage and a place for florecent lights. I used one kitchen sink as a location for draining oil etc. with a bucket set under the sink drain. I used one counter with a sink hole in it around my parts washer. I have a bathroom vanity with countertop that I will be making int a sandblast cabinet. This is all very usefull and the best thing is it is all free. I had a couple people give me their old kitchen counters and even a built in oven with cabinate (for heating or powder coating parts). This is what I have done so far but I still haven't moved my stuff in yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted September 10, 2003 Author Share Posted September 10, 2003 Mikelly, very nice... Love the translucent roofing panels.... If I saw that correctly, wish I could do that with mine, but I will have a garage and laundry/utility room on top of my play area. How much do you think a used lift like yours goes for? I will be trying for a 12 foot ceiling in mine, to allow for storage and lifting cars. Also, it looks like I will be stuck with a 2-car width and depth. was hoping for width as opposed to depth, but cost have to be kept reasonable, and this is far nicer than I ever anticipated getting anyway = ) I already have used appliances, but I have not determined how much of my space I am alotting to them yet. I think I will put a cheap pre-fab shed next to the garage for the unavoidable Z-debris accummulation. As the garage is largely underground, the walls (and most likely the ceiling) will be concrete, so I will pour risers where I want major cabinetry or work stations, with a drain grate down the center, so I can keep the floor as level as possible. Dont even want to think about how many times I have wished for a level floor. I thought about pit access to the garage above, but it would be difficult to do, add to cost, and isnt really justifiable in light of all I will have downstairs. I am taking notes, very good stuff... too bad I havent found any local Z buffs, will be a minor shame not to have anyone to hang out with in a setup like this.... tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 The ceiling is just sheet rock with LOTS of flourescant lighting... I have 48 four ft. long tubes total in the down stairs. The floor to ceiling height is 12 ft. 6 inches and is BARELY enough room for my lift... I have ONE INCH of space to spare... So be carefull when you shop for a lift! My lift ran me $900. The building is 32 wide X 24 deep and I do have an upstairs I need to finish... it is a 32 X 11. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. G. Olphart Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Drain tiles around the perimeter of the foundation and really good sealing of the walls could make a big difference in the quality of your life each spring. (I know, you all knew that... but I couldn't help saying it). Too big is never big enough, especially regarding wall space. Space along all walls should be deep enough for the stuff we want to use/store: air compressor, valve grinder, lathe, drill press, welders, engine(s), engine stand, refrigerator, sink, parts cleaner. Is there still room for a work bench? Everything is deeper than will fit along side a car in a regular garage, and one still needs to allow for door swing/ passage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 If you plan to do some engine rebuilds, maybe consider a 'clean room' with filtered air so that when you are assembling and engine, you have a clean area and don't have to worry about crud falling into your engine, and you can lay out all your parts before assembly and everything will stay clean. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted September 11, 2003 Author Share Posted September 11, 2003 Interesting.... I have never personally rebuilt an engine.... but I would love to. It cant be all that difficult, can it? = ) I am not a master mechanic by any means.... but my greatest fear is not that I cant do something, but that I wont have all the data I need when I attempt it. I would love to be able to say at some point "I built that motor" and not be talking about the 1.5 HP lawnmower over in the corner.... I do build high performance computers.... and that seems to impress some people, whose skills with the innards of motors completely impresses me. tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Back to the original post - Are you really planning to do a 2-story building with cars on both levels? Set into a hillside...retaining walls....earth-sheltered? awesome. I envision some Serious engineering, maybe precast concrete panels for the upper floor. Tricky job to pour a slab 12 feet in the air. Unless one has a kind uncle in the parking deck or high rise condo construction business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted September 11, 2003 Author Share Posted September 11, 2003 Yep.... I only get to do this because it is kinda necessary to do it. In otherwords, the front of the property is the high point, with a stong slope to the back. The alley is probably 20 to 25 feet lower than the front curb. In order to build the garage in the traditional house-side posistion, I have to excavate significantly lower than the basement, refill with stable earth, and then as you said, build a strong foundation at the same level as the basement, with a ceiling/upper level floor that is strong enough to support either a concrete slab, or some kind of composite. the lower garage will obviously have access facing the rear of the property, with a driveway bending in from the side of the property. Good thing we are on the corner lot, or it wouldnt really be all that feasible to drive uphill to the garage from the alley. (at least, not in the winter, anyhow.) So far, it looks like a wide 2 car garage upstairs, and a wide 4 car (2x2) down stairs, which I think will be 3 car, with the 4th position taken up with a work area and equipment. The major concern at this point (besides cost) is how to keep the other half's stuff out of the lower garage. The whole addition will be an "L" shaped wrap around our house, with one leg being garage, and the other leg extending our walk-out basement below, and allowing for larger kitchen, separate laundry/utility room, and a very large sunroom above. My girlfriend runs a daycare out of the house now, and we are beyond cramped. The addition will add almost 2/3's to the existing size, but will be cheaper than buying a house that would suit our needs. (actually, between my garage and computer lab, and her daycare, I doubt such a beast exists = ) tannji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Sounds like a great garage! About the clean room. Have a dirty room too. A room surrounded by walls or curtains for doing grinding and welding would be great. Spraying grinding wheel grit and hot metal onto your prized cars is not fun. Heating and cooling. If you are doing this large of an expansion on the house, spend the money on heating and cooling for the place. Maybe heat the slabs and route A/C into the spaces. I freeze in the Winter and sweat to death in the Summer. That's my next upgrade in the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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