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Shop If I had a million+ dollars, I'd build a...

Shop
I have zero buildable area left on my tiny 1/8 acre suburb lot. I'm working out of an 18x20+6x12 (gave up a mud room when building to have more garage space) attached garage that I park two small SUV's in nightly. I manage though, I have a lathe and mill and large bench and 56" tool box and sink and it's heated and well lit and has an in floor scissor lift and everything I could have done with this size garage....but I still want probably a 30x40 or so shop.

I'm going to also finish the basement soon (er or later) and rather than an extra bedroom going to do a small clean workshop...for computers, electronics, tinkering, and especially storage for things like mitre saws and whatnot.
 
Thinking about this, David, at least for Victoria your million dollar proposal is overly constraining.

I'd love a shop in an industrial space, about 4,000sf, and yard space enough for a few lifts of storage. It starts looking very much like a small commercial shop, and that starts looking like work pretty fast...
 
So I just proposed a 8 ft addition to the front of the garage.
Yes with conditions:
1) recycling has to be in garage.
2) need dedicated outdoor bicycle storage
3) fenced/hidden storage for the garbage and compost bins
 
combustable herbage said:
Buildings and tools are important in the dream but in my opinion a good assistant is key this is where I would start.
Let the sparks fly!!




beauty_girl_operate_a_lathe_by_radiouran-d1d69at.jpg
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If you have this as your shop help you can't afford the shop.
 
David_R8 said:
So I just proposed a 8 ft addition to the front of the garage.
Yes with conditions:
1) recycling has to be in garage.
2) need dedicated outdoor bicycle storage
3) fenced/hidden storage for the garbage and compost bins
Click to expand...

Why in the world does recycling need to be inside the garage while garbage and compost can be outside but hidden?

Bicycles can be hung from garage ceiling with a hand winch to raise and lower them.
 
If I had $1M we’d likely move to another house and I’d have a separate workshop connected to the house by a covered walkway

Now if we stayed here I’d do a nice extension that would also include extending the basement to make my basement workshop bigger. The other $850k I’d probably split between retiring early and purchasing more tools that will likely result in us moving to another house.
 
I recall some saying about nature and vacuums and a relationship to garages and stuff.

My original garage was 24'w x 32'd pretty much at the limits of the basic bylaw allowances. I filled it and wanted more space, so several years ago I pled my case to the city and after much wrangling, paperwork and fees, I managed to convince them to allow me to add on a 12' x 20' addition. We have a large pie shaped lot and I was still way under the lot coverage percentage, but the garage footprint was larger than the house (a two storey) which was the biggest concern they had with it. I was able to construct the addition to accommodate a vehicle lift which doubled the parking spaces in it. That left the main space for workshop, motorcycles, and room to park my truck inside most of the time (it has to go out to free up working space). I have a single parking space to the side for that. And to keep all the yard stuff out of the way, I have a small shed to the side.

Untitled.jpg


So if I could do it all without restrictions, I'd have a building large enough to house multiple vehicles and motorcycles in a dedicated space away from the work and associated dust and mess. I would have separate spaces for woodworking, mechanical and metal working. Probably a small spraying and finishing room too. I'd have all paved approaches to the shop so no messy mud and gravel being tracked in all the time. And maybe somewhere to live too, gotta keep the wife happy.
 
Susquatch said:
Why in the world does recycling need to be inside the garage while garbage and compost can be outside but hidden?

Bicycles can be hung from garage ceiling with a hand winch to raise and lower them.
Click to expand...
I got more clarity.
The recycling just needs to come out of the basement to someplace where it's easier to get to the curb
Bikes can't hang because the garage ceiling is only 8ft.
 
Oh man....

I’ve grown to like an L shaped shop, but I’d make the long part of the L 20’ wide with 14’ ceilings. The long L part now is 12’x40’, with the short L is about 40’x40’. The 40’x40’ more of a cathedral ceiling.

I’d turn it into a T, something like a 16’x30’, with living quarters and an office upstairs. 10’ ceiling with a roll up door.

Then add a 10’x15’ on one off the exterior walls for HVAC, air compressor, sink, downstairs toilet, washer and dryer, 8’ ceiling and a man door.

That way I’d have 2 work bays, main shop space, lots of wall space for shelves, pegboard, tool boxes, machines, etc. And almost never have to listen to the compressor again. All the walls the first 8’ is plywood, white tin everywhere else.

If we’re dreaming and playing with somebody else’s cheque book
 
Your title might include to the middle of road allowance but I'm betting there is an "easement" coticyle to the title for the municipal roadway and it will have a "minimum distance from road allowance center" for any building.
In urban Ab. the streets are at first developer owned and then transferred to the municipal entity upon completion & acceptance of the sub-division. The property line for the urban owner is 1.5 m towards the lot center from sidewalk or burb edge (the area for 4-party infrastructure installation). you cant even plant a shrub in this area.

In rural Ab, although the road allowance is included legally in your title (the reason all titles are for 160 acres "more or less", the less is always the road allowance) and there will be a "building restriction covenant" attached to each title for the "set back" in that municipality. the set back for our 1/4 is 75 ft from centerline of road allowance. Of course there are "grandfathered" exceptions to this as there are still some farm dwellings that were established during the horse & wagon days when being 75 ft from a busy roadway wasnt important
 
David_R8 said:
I got more clarity.
The recycling just needs to come out of the basement to someplace where it's easier to get to the curb
Bikes can't hang because the garage ceiling is only 8ft.
Click to expand...

OK, I get it now. Basically management is saying that you cant build an addition just for yourself. You have to share the new space with other needs.

I'd go for it and then when she isn't paying attention, get all that garbage out. Or maybe wait till the next thing follows you home and move the other stuff then. Can't leave the howlitzer outside in the rain you know..... It's way more important than the junk.

If your garage has open rafters, the bikes can hang from the roof rafters and lift up between the ceiling rafters. In fact, you could also build a box frame opening so they can fit all the way through. You could even build and insulate "bike pockets" up there if you wanted to.
 
Susquatch said:
OK, I get it now. Basically management is saying that you cant build an addition just for yourself. You have to share the new space with other needs.

I'd go for it and then when she isn't paying attention, get all that garbage out. Or maybe wait till the next thing follows you home and move the other stuff then. Can't leave the howlitzer outside in the rain you know..... It's way more important than the junk.

If your garage has open rafters, the bikes can hang from the roof rafters and lift up between the ceiling rafters. In fact, you could also build a box frame opening so they can fit all the way through. You could even build and insulate "bike pockets" up there if you wanted to.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately it has a flat roof so in between the rafters is not an option. I'll build an outside locker for the bikes.
 
If I had the coin to spare, I'd build a simple machine shed. Nothing fancy. Maybe not even any lights.

I kinda like my insulated 40x80 pole barn with huge shop doors and 18 ft ceilings just the way it is. I just need to get the tractors, farm Impliments, stored junk, and the kids toys (riding toys, ski boat, and golf cart) out. Then I could actually walk around in there.
David_R8 said:
Unfortunately it has a flat roof so in between the rafters is not an option. I'll build an outside locker for the bikes.
Click to expand...

OK, I give up. I tried.
 
Susquatch said:
If I had the coin to spare, I'd build a simple machine shed. Nothing fancy. Maybe not even any lights.

I kinda like my insulated 40x80 pole barn with huge shop doors and 18 ft ceilings just the way it is. I just need to get the tractors, farm Impliments, stored junk, and the kids toys (riding toys, ski boat, and golf cart) out. Then I could actually walk around in there.


OK, I give up. I tried.
Click to expand...
I've done some investigation on changing from a flat roof to a peaked roof and there are challenges:
The power to the house runs over top of the garage. Code requires 12 ft of clearance between the roof and the power line. If I add a peaked roof I have to raise the power line to the house. And I may not be able to raise it enough to get the required clearance. I considered bringing the power the garage first and then to the house but I need to do more investigation to see if this is doable.
 
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David_R8 said:
I've done some investigation on changing from a flat roof to a peaked roof and there are challenges:
The power to the house runs over top of the garage. Code requires 12 ft of clearance between the roof and the power line. If I add a peaked roof I have to raise the power line to the house. And I may not be able to raise it enough to get the required clearance. I considered bringing the power the garage first and then to the house but I need to do more investigation to see if this is doable.
Click to expand...

Local codes can be whacky but it is doable from a strictly technical perspective. Your meter would be moved to the garage main, the garage panel would have to upgraded to a new main panel with full service amperage and the panel in the house would have to reconfigured as a subpanel - easy peasy. They would prolly require a new ground rod for the garage and the house ground rod disconnected as well as requiring you to disconnect the house ground neutral. And of course only some of your main wire could be re-used. Best to call a local electrician or your inspector.
 
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