Garage build - what to include
Discussion
So I just got planning permission to build a double garage.
What kit should I be looking to include in the build ?
Don't want to build it and then think, ahhh if only....
A 2 or 4 post lift ?
A pit is out unfortunately due to complex foundations
A hoist ?
Presume I will need to have a special roof support design to allow space for a car to be lifted ?
Water and electrics of course
Anything else ? What do you find most useful or wish you had built in ?
Thanks.
What kit should I be looking to include in the build ?
Don't want to build it and then think, ahhh if only....
A 2 or 4 post lift ?
A pit is out unfortunately due to complex foundations
A hoist ?
Presume I will need to have a special roof support design to allow space for a car to be lifted ?
Water and electrics of course
Anything else ? What do you find most useful or wish you had built in ?
Thanks.
Great reference Scotty and thanks for the advice everyone.
It's a pyramid type roof so I expect the roof trusses will be mental and leave next to no room for access / storage. So I'm wondering if I could get something fabricated out of steel to leave it free for lifting.
What's the scissor lift like for accessing the car to work on Scotty. They look well compact and useful but can you get in around it or does all that steelwork get in the way ? Great access to the suspension though.
The cars I'd be wanting to lift are an old Range Rover (2 ton and tall) and the Chimaera (1 ton and not very tall at all). TVR lift would (more than likely) be to get at the chassis to paint it all so scissor lift probably not that useful. Whereas the Range Rover would be for bodywork (welding) and general underbody maintenance.
It's a pyramid type roof so I expect the roof trusses will be mental and leave next to no room for access / storage. So I'm wondering if I could get something fabricated out of steel to leave it free for lifting.
What's the scissor lift like for accessing the car to work on Scotty. They look well compact and useful but can you get in around it or does all that steelwork get in the way ? Great access to the suspension though.
The cars I'd be wanting to lift are an old Range Rover (2 ton and tall) and the Chimaera (1 ton and not very tall at all). TVR lift would (more than likely) be to get at the chassis to paint it all so scissor lift probably not that useful. Whereas the Range Rover would be for bodywork (welding) and general underbody maintenance.
Edited by taylormj4 on Monday 17th September 18:16
swallet said:
Plumbed in compressed air?
Central heating.
Good lighting
electric doors
alarm.
skys the limit!
Plumbed in compressed air and central heating - now that's why I came on here. Would never have thought of those.Central heating.
Good lighting
electric doors
alarm.
skys the limit!
Garage is separate from house so central heating may be a problem.
How's the compressed air plumbed system work then ? Central compressor with take offs around the garage or something ?
nightflight said:
Definitely a four post ramp plus all the above. 
Liking that setup. Was that the original roof timber setup or have you modified it to make the raised car fit ?Has anyone got a pic of the roof timbers for a pyramid garage. I have no idea what the standard / cheap option would look like but I'm expecting lots of trusses all close to one another so no room for lifting.
Naybr said:
On my double garage I've always wished that I'd specified a full width double door. The brick pier between the two single doors means that it's very hard to position a car so that I have good working space all around it.
Now that's very useful to know. I have been wondering about whether to change to a double width door. Pros are as you said but cons are that when you open the door, the whole garage is on show and leaves etc blow right into the lot. Still can't decide.Colin RedGriff said:
I fitted an electric roller shutter door. It's a slimline one so when raised the actual roll doesn't intrude into the roof space by more than about 50cm. Means I can have the car raised on the lift and still be able to open the door.
Great info again guys. This is all exactly what I was after. Fantastic stuff. Much appreciated all.I'm thinking on whether I could get the roof built with no cross timbers in the centre. I've seen a few 1930s lofts / roofs constructed like this. Alternative would be to have the support pyramid made up from steels sitting on a welded square of steel. Not sure how much this would be compared to trusses but I'm guessing lots more!
The design I've had done is only single brick not a cavity. Is this a bad idea as it'll be cold / damp etc. I was trying to maximise the internal space. The garage is 19 foot square external dimension. Would you recommend sacrificing internal space in order to have the extra wall and cavity then ? How much am I going to lose, 10 inches each side ?
What is the normal internal space in a double garage / what is useable, i.e able to drive in two cars and open doors easily or have one far enough from outer wall to be worked on but still able to park another next to it overnight if needs be ?
What are your internal dimensions chaps ?
ratboiler said:
...As already said door on a single frame (up and over)insulated, thermolite blocks inside the brick with air gap then dry line, with electric rads on a greenhouse stat.
Hi Ratboiler,The design I've had done is only single brick not a cavity. Is this a bad idea as it'll be cold / damp etc. I was trying to maximise the internal space. The garage is 19 foot square external dimension. Would you recommend sacrificing internal space in order to have the extra wall and cavity then ? How much am I going to lose, 10 inches each side ?
What is the normal internal space in a double garage / what is useable, i.e able to drive in two cars and open doors easily or have one far enough from outer wall to be worked on but still able to park another next to it overnight if needs be ?
What are your internal dimensions chaps ?
ratboiler said:
Well I would be happy to move into that garage, have to agree with the floor paint epoxy is 1st class, but be sure you can apply it before it goes off, I struggled with mine, and the floor must be clean.
Do you just paint it on with a brush ? Had previous comments about cleanliness / making sure builders don't mix stuff on the foundations etc. Will keep an eye on that, thanks.Thanks for comments on heating. Do you guys leave the heating on in the garage like in the house or only switch it on when you're working out there. The former would put up the heating bills loads I would have thought.
Garage will be detached from house so wasn't thinking of running the gas CH system out there but having electric fan heaters or those gas tubes (maybe not so good as 'wet heat') just to heat it whilst I am working out there.
Insulation is good. This is all making me think I should have had a double skin wall - gonna lose lots of internal space though and it's only 19' square external dimension. Hmmmm, warm or space, warm or space ?
sheel said:
An easy roof to construct if your not going too overboard in size is to have a RSJ running from gable to gable, your roof timbers go from the wall plate up and over the RSJ at ridge position and bolt together with the coresponding timber on the other side thus forming a natural triangle (they literally "hang" on the RSJ,) you would need to fix a timber plate to the top side of the steel to spike the joists into. Using this method you do not need any ceiling rafters thus giving you max clear headroom. I have done a couple like this with spans over 7mts. You would need a structural engineer to produce a calc for this design, as a plus point,provided your engineer factored it in you could have a traversing trolley mounted on the lower flanges of the beam for engine lifts etc.
My garage is going to have this design when I have taken the planners to appeal!!!!!!!
Nice design. Unfortunately, I've gone for a pyramid roof design so it's going to need to be more complex I guess. I was also worried about pushing the single-skin walls out as discussed above. Was thinking on a steel pyramid structure held at its base by a square of steels that sat on top of the wall and prevent the pyramid from spreading. Would that work ?My garage is going to have this design when I have taken the planners to appeal!!!!!!!
Presume it would need to be independently designed and fabricated on site - sounds expensive !
Good luck with your appeal....don't give up!
NiceCupOfTea said:
Great pics guys, some lovely designs and garages there!
Built ours a couple of years ago on a much smaller scale (single+ sized as we were limited in space).
Phoneline....hadn't thought of that. Might be worth it, although I'd rather use a wireless phone linked to the house so that I can intercom when I want a cup of tea !Built ours a couple of years ago on a much smaller scale (single+ sized as we were limited in space).
- I went for an electric insulated roller door - well worth the money
- I used dynotile on the floor which is nicer to work on than epoxy/paint
- if you're not going to board the walls (I didn't as it cut into space) then paint the walls white for extra light reflection
- I'm using a greenhouse tubular heater on a thermostat to keep the chill off
- You can't have enough 13A sockets or lights!
- When you're putting the wiring through, go for overkill: I have a phone line and 2x CAT5 cables going through
Not sure on the auto-thermostat heating. Lots of you seem to have this. Is it important to keep a garage warm / above freezing for some reason even when you're not working in there. Must cost a few bucks in heating bills ?
Good further advice thanks. I'm going to give this thread to the builder and just tell him to do everything on here !
Extending the alarm system is a good idea. Do you have a separate keypad in the garage or do you go out the garage and then return to the house to arm the whole system after you've locked the garage ?
Extending the alarm system is a good idea. Do you have a separate keypad in the garage or do you go out the garage and then return to the house to arm the whole system after you've locked the garage ?
Thanks again, great suggestions.
Burgular alarm separate sounds more manageable. I'll go with that.
Smoke/heat alarm is a great one - hadn't thought of that.
On the rubber floor tiles. I like the sound of these as kneeling or lying on a cold floor isn't fun but I can see that the epoxy gives a cleaner finish and easier to clean up oil / spills etc. Do you just sit the tiles on top of the epoxy.
Have seen rubber matting (large sheets) too. Anyone used those ?
Burgular alarm separate sounds more manageable. I'll go with that.
Smoke/heat alarm is a great one - hadn't thought of that.
On the rubber floor tiles. I like the sound of these as kneeling or lying on a cold floor isn't fun but I can see that the epoxy gives a cleaner finish and easier to clean up oil / spills etc. Do you just sit the tiles on top of the epoxy.
Have seen rubber matting (large sheets) too. Anyone used those ?
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