Funny you mention it. I just broke ground on my
own 40'x30'x12' garagemahal this Friday. I spent
a lot of time designing it and reading garagejournal.
Here are my personal preferences:
- insulated 6" thick concrete floor, 4,000 psi, with
10" footings beneath the lift posts. Use hard shake
when the concrete is floated; this hardens the concrete
(like nitriding) so that it will not chip or stain. Better
then paint which is a maintenance item and needs to be
redone like any paint. Includes floor drains. I am in
New Mexico so it does not get cold enough for radiant
heat.
- don't know if Babcock is smoking Maui-waui, but
a 2-post lift is a MUST. I've used them for years and
just the simple expedient of raising the car 2 feet to
work on the engine will have your back thanking you
for years. I have ordered a Mohawk 10,000 lb lift,
which is sufficient for the 3/4 ton Silverado.
- I have ordered 2 insulated 12'x10' roll-up doors.
Expensive as hell (each as much as the lift), but ordinary
garage doors intrude too much into air space in the garage.
- Doors face south, I have many windows on the northern
wall. It is vital to have adequate flow-through insulation
during the summer.
- stick-built, insulated and stucco-finished walls are not much
more expensive than a insulated steel building. I am working
on a budget of $45/sq ft, and that is for the complete building,
permits, electrical etc.
- for lighting, I am using four 2'x4' skylights and eight T8 8'
flourescent lights. T8 technology is instant start, zero flicker and
work at sub-zero temperatures. 8' is a whole lot cheaper than 4'.
- power is 200 amps, including 220V single phase line. I cannot
ever see my self needing 3-phase. Wall plugs will be mounted at 4'
off the ground. All my work benches have power-strips built-in.
- you can pick up used pallet shelving damned cheap, and this
is the best way to make lofts and heavy-duty storage.
- I'll be running airline through the walls. I have a 2-stage
80 gallon compressor which does not bother me much (150K
miles on a megaphoned Guzzi took care of my hearing) so it
will stay inside with me, but I will build a closet for it.
- We have more cooling days than heating days in NM, so
I am using a pro-panel roof, in white. That will make it more pleasant
during the summer.
The only con is that I do not have any water or bathroom. The
former is solved by a bucket, and the latter by the 120,000
acres of national forest on 3 sides of our property.
I'll be posting pictures and a blog to garagejornal. I'll let you
know the link when I have some more pics to show.
Shane Ingate in NM
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