Would You Rather Have A Larger Garage, Or A Smaller Garage With A Lift?

[92Apocalypso]

I'm preparing to have a garage built in my backyard, hopefully before my daughter is born in November. I'm getting a pad poured and pole barn put on it. owning this fox body has really made me think having a lift may be very valuable. i can't have both. a large shop and a lift. so my question is this, if you had a certain budget and you could have either a 2 car garage with a lift, or a 3 car garage, which would you choose?

keep in mind, I am a contractor/wood worker, so some of the shop has to be dedicated to that craft.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I'd definitely rather have the lift. If I have enough room around the car to use a floor jack and not hit the walls, open the doors all the way or be able to paint it, that's enough room for me if I can have a lift along with it. If I were building a 2 car garage with a lift, I'd just put the lift right in the middle and call it a one car garage lol.

 

[RaggedGT]

If you build the bigger garage first. Down the road you could always add the lift

 

[92Apocalypso]

If you build the bigger garage first. Down the road you could always add the lift

nope, because in order for me to build it for a lift, I'm raising ceiling height to 12 feet.... if I do a 3 car size, I cannot afford to go 12 foot, unfortunately.

 

[RaggedGT]

Two car-12 feet... You're welcome
lol
I love my garage,it's - 2 1/2 car garage. But it's not tall enough for a lift,and I want one.

 

[General karthief]

Wow, what a dilemma, ok, think about this: build the three car garage and build it with a plan that will include raising the roof over one bay to install a lift later.

 

[Jersey Joe]

To have such problems, I'm stuck in a one car with a low ceiling for good measure, seriously though I think I would go 2 car with the taller ceiling, unless you need to park more than one car in there.

 

[imp]

Two car-12 feet... You're welcome
lol
I love my garage,it's - 2 1/2 car garage. But it's not tall enough for a lift,and I want one.

@RaggedGT
My problem also. 8-foot walls, 2X4 trusses above. I've calculated out how to raise the joist-chord 4 feet, using 2X8 rafters and joists, cutting away the bottoms of about 5 trusses. Gosh, how I want a lift!

Another detail: Lifts call for reinforced concrete in the slab. Otherwise, maybe:

 

[92Apocalypso]

Wow, what a dilemma, ok, think about this: build the three car garage and build it with a plan that will include raising the roof over one bay to install a lift later.

that is a great idea haha. only issue is, with work, and hobbies, and family, and new baby coming, I just don't have time to build it, and I don't see myself having said time for the next few years. thus, I decided to have the like barn built, and you are limited with how you can build it. budget isn't too high, so it really is one one or the other. good try though haha

 

[92Apocalypso]

To have such problems, I'm stuck in a one car with a low ceiling for good measure, seriously though I think I would go 2 car with the taller ceiling, unless you need to park more than one car in there.

so I currently have a 1 car garage that is attached to my home, that I will still have that to park a car in, even tho it's tight.

 

[92Apocalypso]

@RaggedGT
My problem also. 8-foot walls, 2X4 trusses above. I've calculated out how to raise the joist-chord 4 feet, using 2X8 rafters and joists, cutting away the bottoms of about 5 trusses. Gosh, how I want a lift!

Another detail: Lifts call for reinforced concrete in the slab. Otherwise, maybe:

yup, the pad is actually cheaper still, when reinforcing it, but going down in size. also, if I make it a 20x24 I save $1500 by not having a guy come out and survey it for my county building enforcement... if it's 480 sq. feet or smaller i can use survey from when i purchased the home. that's half the price of the lift right there

 

[Mstng93SSP]

I hate being cramped. Drives me nuts! I need space.......i have never had a lift. Would be nice, but I have done everything under the sun on my car without a lift so I would go with a bigger garage personally.

 

[imp]

I hate being cramped. Drives me nuts! I need space.......i have never had a lift. Would be nice, but I have done everything under the sun on my car without a lift so I would go with a bigger garage personally.

@Mstng93SSP
My thoughts exactly for the past 60 or so years. In the late '50s, needing to drop one of those cast iron automatics out, I pulled it out of the converter, let it down on my chest lying on my back, then slid it off of me sideways. And, were those bastards HEAVY! But then, I was bench-pressing 240# 12 lifts or so, several reps. Now, I desperately want to keep up doing the work, but at 75, it just ain't possible. A lift would extend my abilities doing such almost till I croak.......imp

 

[JJD08]

A ten foot ceiling would also allow for a lift in the future. 20x24 wouldn't allow much space for both a lift and wood working equipment.

 

[Adieu]

Look at all you with your fancy garages...





(Says the guy with a 10,000lb capacity Challenger lift in his bay at work.)

 

[nelzfoxes]

I wish I had a garage. Yours is a good problem to have. I had to swap a powertrain outside.

 

[Bullitt347]

I wish I had a garage. Yours is a good problem to have. I had to swap a powertrain outside.

Yikes!

 

[Real time recon]

How about a average size garage with a lift

 

[nelzfoxes]

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Yikes!

If I had a garage, This would probably be done by now.

 

[Bullitt347]

And the neighbors would be happier I bet...lol