Garage Size

[sign216]

Just moved into a new house. Am adding a workshop for my motorcycles.  What size is too small, too big, excetra.
I do all my own maintenance but usually avoid any larger tools  like an auto lift. I have three motorcycles; two that are ridden and one in storage.  I'm going to keep it at about that number, but may get a fourth bike down the line.

Right now I'm thinking 20ft by 12ft.  Reasonable?

Any qualities or accessories I should demand of the builder?

[Stormtruck2]

No such thing as too big.  My garage is 28X24 and it is too small.  Need more room for work benches.








I really would recommend a bike table.  Best money I ever spent.  Build as large as you can.   

[Muzz]

Mine is 20 x 20. Nowhere near bid enough.  Of course,  it also has my wife's Suzuki Swift, the Guzzi, three push bikes along with metal bandsaw, lathe, dropsaw, pedestal drill, various welders, hydraulic press, lawn mower and a partridge in a pear tree.

[nunzio]

You can never have too much light or too many electrical outlets...Alan

[BMWDavid]

Never big enough! I have a 1500 square foot garage (5 car) and its packed. Three cars and three bikes. I have a cycle lift table and a scissors car lift so they take space. I would suggest at minimum 30 feet deep and 40 feet wide.

[Kent in Upstate NY]

This is the empty one. 30 X 40.

[tpeever]

This is the empty one. 30 X 40.

Very nice building!!! I would like to build something similar for my retirement. 12 foot walls?

[Triple Jim]

MIne's 48'x96' and it's too small.  Just get about 4X what you think you need, so you won't outgrow it for a few months.

[Lannis]

Mine's 30' x 40'.    About right for me.   When I'm filling it up, I've really got more projects than I can do, and it's time to get rid of things.

I've got lots and lots of 120V, 20 amp outlets, and quite a few 240V outlets for things like welders and compressors, only one of which I'm using.   I have one 240V 50 amp outlet for the electric heater.    3 workbenches for parallel projects.   One attachment point in the ceiling (10 ft ceiling) for a chain fall.

You can never have too much light.    I have 9 8-foot long quad fluorescent fixtures, so 36 fluorescent tubes on the ceiling, and 12 more over my workbenches.

I could have had a Vincent for what it cost 15 years ago, but it is SOOO worth it .....

Lannis

[Arizona Wayne]

Jeezus, I feel kinda guilty w/a 3 car garage.     No room for the car or truck.

[Red07]

Like the others said, go as big as you can.  I think you'd outgrow 20' x 12' real quick.  I agree with Dusty, go at least 20 x 16.  The extra 4 feet makes a huge difference.  One of my garages is 22 x 16.  I have about a 2' work bench along the back wall.  It is small, but descent space.

Good luck

Randy

[Kent in Upstate NY]

Very nice building!!! I would like to build something similar for my retirement. 12 foot walls?

The former owner bought some antique post and beam barn frames. Outside is modern siding. Inside is mortise and tenon. really cool.

[not-fishing]

Mines a 30' x 30' with 8' rollups, a 9' joist height and it's still to small.

One thing that I didn't plan on is the "little woman" taking up two stalls. 

You're going to need 2' along one wall with about 6' of walk / work space.

One of the best things I did in building my garage is No Windows!  Put windows in the rollups at above 6' and skylights.  Also sheetrock the walls but keep the roof structure open for storage.

If I had it to do over again I'd do a 30' x 40' and put a partition wall down the wife's side at 12' so she could keep all her junk over there.

[Gliderjohn]

Mine is 30x50 with an insulated "Shop" and motorcycle storage area that is about 14x30. I get along with that with two Guzzi's anda Trail 90.
It sure could be bigger however. I use one of those hotel type of combination heat/AC wall units.
GliderJohn

[kevdog3019]

More space=more motorcycles=less $$=unhappy wife 

[Mike Craven]

Two points:
1.  Test and measure any layout ideas.  For example can you park a car, open the door and still clear the lawnmower or workbench or motorcycle parked next to it?
2.  Cost of front, back of building, overhead door or whatever will show you that the 'incremental cost' is very low.  For all the material and work the difference between a 12' wide and 16' wide is...?

Cheers,
Mike

[sknapp351]

I think this is what I need. My current garage is too small to discuss. It does keep my bike and tools dry, at least.

Sam

[sign216]

Wife has her own single car garage for her Miata, and I'll be strict about none of her debris creeping into my motorcycle workshop. 

Previous house had a good size double bay garage, and it was impossible keeping her items from invading my space.  My side was approx. 12 x 22 or 24, and plenty of room.  Although, having a separate work bench for gunsmithing is a great idea.  Maybe I should allot for that.

[Hymes Inc.]

Since you are planning on this being a motorcycle workshop and not a parking garage for lawn mowers etc. I would think a 20x16 would be adequate. However big you make it make sure you have more than enough outlets. I have an outlet every 4ft. in my garage.

[twodogs]

We have a 2 door but 3 stall 34'x26' and it would be nice if it was bigger I'm down to 3 bikes now and it seems huge even with the lift in there, remember when you put up shelves and a work bench the space gets smaller, in the winter I put my 2 cars in and with the bikes there is very little room to work without taking 1 of the cars out, sooo take the size you think will work and then double it and it will probably still be to small, plus like the others have said put outlets and lights everywhere

[canuck750]

Depends if you are looking for lots of storage space or work space or both.
I have a 20 x 24 garage and five years ago added 5 feet x 18 feet to one side and cut open the side wall, installed a 4 foot wide door out the lane. I can work / store two bikes in the annex, two cars in the garage side and have a lot of bench space in front of the cars. More room would be very nice but I get buy. You can do a lot with less.

As many have said, lots of power option, compressed air (in my attic), floor drain and water. Lights, lights and more lights, and paint the floor.
Overhead natural gas heat, drywall and OSB walls, insulated and sealed and a big through wall exhaust fan.







I make great use of the overhead crane I installed to suspend bikes during disassembly and reassembly.





Most of my tools are close to reach, I sold off my big tool boxes years ago.



a four foot six inch wide bench is still useful



I don't have much room left for any more tools or bikes in this garage but it works for me.

[T in NC]

I think this is what I need. My current garage is too small to discuss. It does keep my bike and tools dry, at least.

Sam

I'm in love, I always say if I win the lottery I will build a garage with a house attached

[toma nova]

Central heat and a/c, regardless of what climate you are in.  Insulation to go with that.  Bike table / car lift and overhead space for a hoist or pulley.

garagejournal.com is a great resource.

My three-car has my wife's car, my daughter's Jeep, and I get the third bay for a workbench and the bike.  My car is out in the elements....

[rodekyll]

All garages are too small.  No garage in the history of forever has ever been too large.

When I grow up I'm going to build this huge garage and park a motor home inside for a house.

[nunzio]

WARNING.....The Law of Expanding Gases..... does apply to any size shop you build. 

[sign216]

 I get the third bay for a workbench and the bike.  My car is out in the elements....

That's what I did in my previous house, I reserved my garage bay for the bikes and workshop.  Car was left to the elements.

[pyoungbl]

I'll chime in...as big as you can afford, and then some.  Electrical outlets every 4' (the ones with four outlets), at least one 220 outlet on each wall, and a couple outlets in the ceiling.  I'm serious about the ceiling.  In my shop I have one outlet in the ceiling, directly over my table saw, with an extension dangling down where I can easily plug in a drill, sander, or other tool.  This saves having an extension cord strung across the floor where you can trip on it. 

LED lighting is finally coming into its own and now the prices are getting reasonable.  Install lots of lights, particularly over any work benches.  As you get older you will need the extra light.

Peter Y.

[Idontwantapickle]

I'll chime in...as big as you can afford, and then some.  Electrical outlets every 4' (the ones with four outlets), at least one 220 outlet on each wall, and a couple outlets in the ceiling.  I'm serious about the ceiling.  In my shop I have one outlet in the ceiling, directly over my table saw, with an extension dangling down where I can easily plug in a drill, sander, or other tool.  This saves having an extension cord strung across the floor where you can trip on it. 

LED lighting is finally coming into its own and now the prices are getting reasonable.  Install lots of lights, particularly over any work benches.  As you get older you will need the extra light.

Peter Y.

I agree that ceiling outlets are really nice as is a large, high and sturdy workbench. I have some ceiling outlets wired to a switch for lighting so I can shuffle the light fixtures around as I see fit.
My garage is 22 by 28 deep. It's enough for the typical 4 bikes I have at any given time along with the tools, bike lift, storage for bike stuff, house maint tools and I can still get a car in for service or severe weather avoidance.

As a practical guide years ago I built a building for bikes to live in. It was 12 wide by 10 deep with 3 doors on the 12 foot wall. It turns out that a 10 by 12 footprint is a good minimum space for 3 bikes to park. You won't fix anything in there without moving one of them out.
Another way to look at it: I use approx 10x14 in my garage just for the toolbox, lift, bench and space to work. Nothing parks there.
Try this exercise:
Park your bikes in a clear area and then put a table there with them and mark off space for your tools and whatnot. Remember that you have to be able to navigate around it all and you don't want to play musical bikes every time you want to ride a particular one. You should be able to get an idea this way of what to go with size-wise.
On a very specific note I am using Feit 38 watt LED shop lights, bought them at costco for 35 bucks each. BRIGHT AS THE SUN!!! And they don't dim over time unlike my eyeballs.
Then add 3 ft to both dimensions!

Hunter

[v7john]

I reckon you'll get by ok with 20x12 or 16.

Here in the UK garages are generally a lot smaller and hardly anyone one puts their car inside anyway. They'd rather put the lawnmower and garden furniture in there and leave the expensive car outside.

A lot comes down to the shape of the garage. I bought my timber garage to fit the space available and so it's 30x10 - long and skinny. It's worked out well. Easy parking at the front end for my 2 Guzzis (plus one) and room for the lift and benches at the further end.

[jbell]

Sign 216,
I agree completely with v7john.  20x12 or 16 should work out fine.  I make do with 8x20 (3 bikes) though of course more room is always desirable.  HF has their mc dollies on sale at $69 and they make a world of difference in space utilization.  I would invest in more lighting before more outlets.