Let's see your home garages

Need some advice!

In short, I'm looking at building a large-ish shed and can't decide on whether or not I should pour a slab OR go the wood floor route???


If I do the wood floor, it'll be similar to those pre-built/drop off style sheds...2x6 studs sitting on 4x4 skids. Probably resting on either blocks or a bed of gravel, have done the latter before and it worked out nicely.

- Originally, was looking to build something at least 12x20 but now thinking maybe 16x20 or even 16x24 would be smarter. Plus, thinking if I go 16' wide, I might have enough room to actually do some work in there. Where as, 12' would probably mean just storage space.
- Most likely going to go with a gambrel style roof to gain as much cu ft as possible since we lost a LOT of storage abilities not having a basement here.

Thoughts???

 

Winter Sucks!

What is a good heater for a single car detached garage so I can do some work in there? I also need some lighting for under my car while working under there, anything good besides those old school hook lamps?

 

In your part of the world...Slab...preferably with some radiant heat in it.

 

I built a detached 22' x 52' 150' away from the main house and garage.

I also built a 15' x 20' office and work from home

 

FWIW- I bought a heater box type from Northern Tools, it's 220v cost about $125 and worked VERY well in my 1.5 car garage.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200395481_200395481

As for lighting, I'd go with something like this> https://www.lowes.com/pd/Buffalo-LE...VGM2djQhRohUNTd33tFGJRMoMG-J6ut4aAmbcEALw_wcB

 

I envy the need and tidy ones. I’ll get there

 

I had to stick build because of sub division covenants. I had about 40-42k in this one, 900sqft, standard 9 foot ceiling. I’m down sizing sharply, so it’s all I need now.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/153234515@N06/shares/i008p5

 

So I'm electronically thumbing through Costco's circular this week, and I see they actually sell post frame garage/barn kit buildings. Some of the larger structures looked to be priced fairly but coming from Wa. delivery costs can't be cheap so it got me thinking, are there any other well known companies who make 'wooden' garage/barn kits??? Not really interested in those metal buildings if I choose to build one here at home.

 

Just do slab, build on it and get over it.

 

Covenants are a PIA. I get it to a point, but where I live now they're ridiculous. Hence the desire to relocate and build what I want. Nice build, but I have to think the neighborhood requirements added at least $7-10k. Was that build cost with YOU doing the work, or having someone else do it? I'm looking at just using a basic Menards kit, and tweaking as needed, which put me around $13k for 1100sq feet, 10 foot ceilings, fully insulated (with me doing the labor). Concrete came in around $7k, so I'm thinking with radiant heat and electric, I'm in for around $25k.

 

A contractor friend did the work, and I planned it that way for a while...he has to make a living too, so I didn’t sweat it. I chose this sub division because all the lots are an acre or better and their covenants didn’t restrict my shop sqft. Just had to stick build to blend the shop to the house. I have another house, it’s sitting on 10.5 acres in another county that I could have built could anything I wanted to on. Lived there 30 years, but like I said, I wanted to downsize now that I’m retired and I’ve done that.

 

Same here. On just over an acre, but they managed to vote in an HOA, despite 68% voting no. Those people just sit around and make life miserable for everyone, and a large detached garage isn't going to fly. Jumping the border into the land of cheese, to get lower taxes and some leeway on outbuildings. Now if I could just talk the electric company into bringing 3phase power to my garage, I'd be all set. I think I've got zero chance of that, so looks like I'm going to have to go with a phase converter. Unless the all knowing beeb can tell me how to get 3PH to a residence.

 

No active HOA here. Three phase? Hate to ask what you need that for.

 

Probably a mill and/or lathe.

 

I need 3phase to bring life to my creation, as I can't count on consistent lightning to animate him....it...umm.....

Yep, CNC mill. Tired of paying rent on my shop, driving back and forth. Would be so much easier/cost effective to have shop and home in the same place. It just seems impossible to get the power, and running a phase converter requires a 120amp single phase circuit, and is quite costly compared to 3phase. The closest I got to an answer from the electric company, was start with $30k to bring to the building, and go from there.

 

Can you put three phase inverters on the motors themselves instead of trying to feed the whole pig out of one box?

 

So funny story. My car used to be parked on the street or in our outside parking spot when we lived in the apartment, and nothing happened to it scratch wise. Now having a garage I was like, it'll never get a scratch...well that is until you open the door and realized that you should have moved that stool that you were going to move like two weeks ago.

Wonder if they'll total out my car now?

 

You can use VFD. My lathe runs on VFD and 3 phase motor.

 

Man....not sure that would be more cost effective....and I'm pretty sure I'm not smart enough to do that myself. I would be concerned about controlling voltage fluctuations to the individual drives. Phase converters have become much more stable than they used to be, so I'm hoping it won't be a problem. Used to be that there would be so much fluctuation, it would dramatically reduce drive life.

 

Check out American Rotory, I have one of their converters running both my CNC's... (big old ones)... they have sales a couple times a year saves you 20-25% on regular price.

https://www.americanrotary.com/products/view/ad-digital-smart-series