Garage planning tips?
Discussion
I'm hoping to build a new garage later this year so I'm looking for tips and thoughts about the details and unexpected complications the wise folk of PH have envcountered when building their garage.
It will be a wooden structure on a concrete base with electricity supply, hopefully double garge sized.
So what do you wish you had done when building/planning?
Things I am wondering about
Doors - most of the wooden garages come with side openeing doors but I think I prefer an automatice roller shutter.
Security - has anyone had issues with insurance because the building is wooden?
Security - how have people secured their wooden garages?
Flooring - I was planning to have polished concrete and then sealing it with some sort of paint
Ventilation - any tips tricks for this
Anything else?
It will be a wooden structure on a concrete base with electricity supply, hopefully double garge sized.
So what do you wish you had done when building/planning?
Things I am wondering about
Doors - most of the wooden garages come with side openeing doors but I think I prefer an automatice roller shutter.
Security - has anyone had issues with insurance because the building is wooden?
Security - how have people secured their wooden garages?
Flooring - I was planning to have polished concrete and then sealing it with some sort of paint
Ventilation - any tips tricks for this
Anything else?
I'll start with a few.
Opening doors take up space outside so are not ideal. Roller style are good as they don't take much space inside like an up and over.
Polished concrete and paint would be fine.
Check with your local planning officer and make the roof a pitched design and as high as you can. The space can then either be used as storage to get rid of the junk that is already cluttering your garage or it can be used to allow a 2/4 post lift. If you can go high but not high enough for a lift you may be able to modify the design of the roof trusses to give lift clearance.
Steve
Opening doors take up space outside so are not ideal. Roller style are good as they don't take much space inside like an up and over.
Polished concrete and paint would be fine.
Check with your local planning officer and make the roof a pitched design and as high as you can. The space can then either be used as storage to get rid of the junk that is already cluttering your garage or it can be used to allow a 2/4 post lift. If you can go high but not high enough for a lift you may be able to modify the design of the roof trusses to give lift clearance.
Steve
Steve_D said:
I'll start with a few.
Opening doors take up space outside so are not ideal. Roller style are good as they don't take much space inside like an up and over.
Polished concrete and paint would be fine.
Check with your local planning officer and make the roof a pitched design and as high as you can. The space can then either be used as storage to get rid of the junk that is already cluttering your garage or it can be used to allow a 2/4 post lift. If you can go high but not high enough for a lift you may be able to modify the design of the roof trusses to give lift clearance.
Steve
Colin - good shout above from Steve.Opening doors take up space outside so are not ideal. Roller style are good as they don't take much space inside like an up and over.
Polished concrete and paint would be fine.
Check with your local planning officer and make the roof a pitched design and as high as you can. The space can then either be used as storage to get rid of the junk that is already cluttering your garage or it can be used to allow a 2/4 post lift. If you can go high but not high enough for a lift you may be able to modify the design of the roof trusses to give lift clearance.
Steve
If you can, get a cut pitched roof - if your using a 'kit' type structure then it will be a truss type roof.
A 4-post lift would be invaluable if your budget will stretch that far.
Nick
Lighting - get sufficient LED strip lighting to fully illuminate all the areas you will be working. Also paint the interior white to maximise light reflection.
workbenches - sufficient to hold all your bits and pieces, and strong enough for a good sized vice ( and any other powered tools such as Drill / grinding wheel / etc.
Power sockets - plenty of them.
Sink and water supply - hot and cold water.
workbenches - sufficient to hold all your bits and pieces, and strong enough for a good sized vice ( and any other powered tools such as Drill / grinding wheel / etc.
Power sockets - plenty of them.
Sink and water supply - hot and cold water.
Steve_D said:
I was thinking more along the lines of being able to store more cars...potentially 4.
Steve
Nice idea I might plan for that even if it doesn't happen immediately. The thing I really want is room to be able to work all round the car. At the moment in the single garage it's a real tight squeeze if I want to work on the brakes suspension.Steve
We designed and built our own.
Reinforced brick piers, concrete ring beam and pitched timber tiled roof.
Walls are constructed in 6 inch featheredge constricted panels with 3 inch gap under the eaves. No condensation problems at all.
Scratch built doors using 75 x 50 mm timber covered in 18mm ply and covered again in 6 inch featheredge boarding to match walls.
LED strip lighting all round with a 500 W extra light in the centre. It is better than daylight in there.
2 post lift in the centre, shelf units around all sides and a large steel bench.
Tall enough to lift a transit with 6ft space under.

Heavy duty gasp and staple with security bar and another lock.
Reinforced brick piers, concrete ring beam and pitched timber tiled roof.
Walls are constructed in 6 inch featheredge constricted panels with 3 inch gap under the eaves. No condensation problems at all.
Scratch built doors using 75 x 50 mm timber covered in 18mm ply and covered again in 6 inch featheredge boarding to match walls.
LED strip lighting all round with a 500 W extra light in the centre. It is better than daylight in there.
2 post lift in the centre, shelf units around all sides and a large steel bench.
Tall enough to lift a transit with 6ft space under.
Heavy duty gasp and staple with security bar and another lock.
Insulation and heat so it is warm in the winter.
I insulated mine with 100mm foam insulation backed plasterboard and started the boards 75mm from the floor so they don't get wet when i have a leak or wash the floor etc then I extended the heating system from the house with radiators so it nice and warm in the winter.
put in sky and a big TV. Only one small problem with that - concentration. I was watching the 6 nations England Wales game while changing the front brake pads and put them in back to front - metal to metal. I didn't discover till I had a nasty grinding noise when I reversed it out of the drive!
I insulated mine with 100mm foam insulation backed plasterboard and started the boards 75mm from the floor so they don't get wet when i have a leak or wash the floor etc then I extended the heating system from the house with radiators so it nice and warm in the winter.
put in sky and a big TV. Only one small problem with that - concentration. I was watching the 6 nations England Wales game while changing the front brake pads and put them in back to front - metal to metal. I didn't discover till I had a nasty grinding noise when I reversed it out of the drive!
Colin
You don't live a million miles from me if you want a nose:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Pete
You don't live a million miles from me if you want a nose:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Pete
bomb said:
Lighting - get sufficient LED strip lighting to fully illuminate all the areas you will be working. Also paint the interior white to maximise light reflection.
workbenches - sufficient to hold all your bits and pieces, and strong enough for a good sized vice ( and any other powered tools such as Drill / grinding wheel / etc.
Power sockets - plenty of them.
Sink and water supply - hot and cold water.
LED light panels, very bright, easy to mount and low power consumptionworkbenches - sufficient to hold all your bits and pieces, and strong enough for a good sized vice ( and any other powered tools such as Drill / grinding wheel / etc.
Power sockets - plenty of them.
Sink and water supply - hot and cold water.
I used these, but others are available
https://www.wholesaleledlights.co.uk/led-ceiling-l...
Colin RedGriff said:
Thanks Pete I may well take you up on your kind offer.
Maybe once I have spoken to the local planning and know what I can and can't do.
My experience with building inspector is that they are happy to come out and discuss with you what you want to do. They can also make suggestions as to what you can do if what you actually want is not acceptable.Maybe once I have spoken to the local planning and know what I can and can't do.
Steve
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