Need Advice-- Building Carriage house

seth

Has Left the Room - Banned from VTCOA!
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
361
Reaction score
0
Location
Northern Virginia
In our new home in VA, I am going to build a purpose built 2 car carriage house for my cars. I can use some advice on what would be a well built set-up. I was thinking built in pneumatics, 220 amp circuit, two post lift (one). Anything else I should think about? This is the garage where I will be building a car in one bay and working in the other.

How high do you think the ceilings should be?
 
Building from scratch, so I can do whatever I want. Also did some more reading into lifts. If money was not a factor which type should I go with?
 
seth said:
In our new home in VA, I am going to build a purpose built 2 car carriage house for my cars. I can use some advice on what would be a well built set-up. I was thinking built in pneumatics, 220 amp circuit, two post lift (one). Anything else I should think about? This is the garage where I will be building a car in one bay and working in the other.

How high do you think the ceilings should be?


if your gonna be working on a car in one bay, store one also by itself in a bay , then you gonna need some room.

first off probably a three to four bay minum, then at least a 15 to 20 ft ceiling to clear a lift.

also it would need to be at the least 24ft deep, but more practicle 30 or better feet deep.

that gives you room for parts, moving around, and still not getting near a stored vehicle.

If you could do a 60x40 that would be a good start, oh and also a pit under the lift witha retractable top also comes in real handy;)

a couple 220 spots for power on three sides of the building , and 110 everywhere you can find a place to put one, a good dual stage compressor out back with outlets on every spot of the wall at least every ten feet apart.
'
flourescent lighting everywhere! even a couple onthe walls works good.
oh and too, if you are able to divide one of the bays off iwth a wall or door, that is helpful, if you decide to paint a small part, or anything like sandblasting, you dont want it to get to any of the other cars inthe bays:marchmellow:
 
The house already has 3 bays, so this shop would really be for storing one car and working on another. The wife factor sets a value of 4 dollars on this project. So every ask requires an extra point in the new diamond.
 
I would get a four post stand alone lift with the wheels so you can move it around. This way if you need to you can store a seldom driven vehicle on the lift and another beneath it. The ceilings should be at least 14ft. high. Don't forget to get high lift on your garage door(s) to keep them as close to the ceiling as you can get and still clear the car on the lift.
 
SilvrSRT10 said:
I would get a four post stand alone lift with the wheels so you can move it around. This way if you need to you can store a seldom driven vehicle on the lift and another beneath it. The ceilings should be at least 14ft. high. Don't forget to get high lift on your garage door(s) to keep them as close to the ceiling as you can get and still clear the car on the lift.


Well if momma says small bay , go small bo, jsut remember to go deep, I made that mistake with mine, the cieling is too low, and the building is not near deep enough.

But contact SilvrSRT10, he can def hook you up on the garage doors bo, the best in NC:rock: :rock: :rock: :rock: :rock:
 
If it were me, I would a 30' x 50' w/3 bays. I'd do two bays together and one bay seperately. I'd also build an enclosed 10' x 50' "lean-to" the rear of the building for an air compressor, work bench and tool/part storage.

I'd frame all the walls w/2x6's for good insulation values. We all know working in a cold/hot garage SUCKS! I'd also heat/cool the entire thing.

I would incorperate a good draining system in the single bay so I could wash my car(s) out of direct sunlight and in the winter months. I would add ample fluorescent above and on the walls for detailing/painting. I'd also specify numerous outlets (220 and 110).

In the double bay I would do indoor/outdoor carpet. And again, I would have numerous 220 and 110 outlets with tons of fluorescent lighting. In one of the "bays" I would definately have a lift. 15' ft ceiling should be fine.

I'd have all the air lines ran from above or within the walls and have outlets strategically placed. I prefer having them ran through the walls as opposed to above with reels.

I could draw you some plans for your garage if you have any go-fast parts you want to get rid of. . .
 
I'm definitely no expert, but I do know the first thing I would do would be to get the low down from the local building department as to what is and isn't "allowed" in your neighborhood.

As far as pits and high walls you may need some special permits and engineering, but then we are from California :rolleyes: ............ just a thought ;)
 
Stinker said:
But contact SilvrSRT10, he can def hook you up on the garage doors bo, the best in NC:rock: :rock: :rock: :rock: :rock:

Thanks Stink. We do try hard to make our customers happy. I think his Mrs. wants a comparable in value diamond on her finger for what he sinks into the carrige house. So for every $ he spends is doubled in jewelry cost.

But your right, you can never go too big. I've got a 40X60 with 16' ceilings out back and it's full of stuff. You'd be surprised how much space garage door stuff takes up plus the '48 Chevy pickup I'm redoing plus all my wood working stuff. I need to build a seperate wood working shop out the side of my building and get all that stuff seperated. Just what I need, another project.
 
Roz-SRT said:
If it were me, I would a 30' x 50' w/3 bays. I'd do two bays together and one bay seperately. I'd also build an enclosed 10' x 50' "lean-to" the rear of the building for an air compressor, work bench and tool/part storage.

I'd frame all the walls w/2x6's for good insulation values. We all know working in a cold/hot garage SUCKS! I'd also heat/cool the entire thing.

I would incorperate a good draining system in the single bay so I could wash my car(s) out of direct sunlight and in the winter months. I would add ample fluorescent above and on the walls for detailing/painting. I'd also specify numerous outlets (220 and 110).

In the double bay I would do indoor/outdoor carpet. And again, I would have numerous 220 and 110 outlets with tons of fluorescent lighting. In one of the "bays" I would definately have a lift. 15' ft ceiling should be fine.

I'd have all the air lines ran from above or within the walls and have outlets strategically placed. I prefer having them ran through the walls as opposed to above with reels.

I could draw you some plans for your garage if you have any go-fast parts you want to get rid of. . .

Sounds like a nice place to park a viper:D
 
Where we are moving the zoning is very easy, no HOA and a whole lotta land.
 
SilvrSRT10 said:
Thanks Stink. We do try hard to make our customers happy. I think his Mrs. wants a comparable in value diamond on her finger for what he sinks into the carrige house. So for every $ he spends is doubled in jewelry cost.

But your right, you can never go too big. I've got a 40X60 with 16' ceilings out back and it's full of stuff. You'd be surprised how much space garage door stuff takes up plus the '48 Chevy pickup I'm redoing plus all my wood working stuff. I need to build a seperate wood working shop out the side of my building and get all that stuff seperated. Just what I need, another project.


You are exactly right. 2 dollars on the rock for every 1 in the garage. Whomever said months salary is a d*ck.
 
To save on the ceiling height, go with side mount door openers. Or since it's strictly a working garage, go with swing open barn style doors.

The suggestion of an outside air compressor is also good. That way you don't have to listen to it when it's running.

Flat floor. Lots of garages put in sloping floors. Makes it a bitch to roll things around.

Spend the money to have the floor professionally coated. While there are some good do it yourself coatings our there, they do not hold up like a 3 coat, 2 stage epoxy.

I think everyone else has covered the same things I could think of.
 
Silverback said:
To save on the ceiling height, go with side mount door openers. Or since it's strictly a working garage, go with swing open barn style doors.

The suggestion of an outside air compressor is also good. That way you don't have to listen to it when it's running.

Flat floor. Lots of garages put in sloping floors. Makes it a bitch to roll things around.

Spend the money to have the floor professionally coated. While there are some good do it yourself coatings our there, they do not hold up like a 3 coat, 2 stage epoxy.

I think everyone else has covered the same things I could think of.


All good stuff there... Being a "Carriage House", I'm guessing you are matching architecture with an existing structure (main house).... This could hinder the ceiling height a bit. But, 15 to 16' ceilings on the first floor should be do-able. :dontknow: I would go with Rotary Lifts... (www.rotarylift.com) A good friend of mine owns a shop in Michigan, and uses Rotary's exclusively. They have worked well for him...

..%5CPhotoGallery%5C178l.jpg


The LARGE air-compressor in a separate sound insulated room (or outside) is a MUST. Plumb the pneumatic lines with a hook-up every 8 feet or so... or run a good quality retractable reel in each bay (as seen above)... But, have at least one extra hook-up on each side of any work benches.

Good luck! And make sure to post some pictures when you're finished! :rock:
 
Black1 said:
All good stuff there... Being a "Carriage House", I'm guessing you are matching architecture with an existing structure (main house).... This could hinder the ceiling height a bit. But, 15 to 16' ceilings on the first floor should be do-able. :dontknow: I would go with Rotary Lifts... (www.rotarylift.com) A good friend of mine owns a shop in Michigan, and uses Rotary's exclusively. They have worked well for him...

..%5CPhotoGallery%5C178l.jpg


The LARGE air-compressor in a separate sound insulated room (or outside) is a MUST. Plumb the pneumatic lines with a hook-up every 8 feet or so... or run a good quality retractable reel in each bay (as seen above)... But, have at least one extra hook-up on each side of any work benches.

Good luck! And make sure to post some pictures when you're finished! :rock:
Thats great advice Jake.:rock: :rock: :rock:
 
Brat said:
Thats great advice Jake.:rock: :rock: :rock:

:D :eek:

I forgot something... FOR GOD'S SAKE, put in floor drains! :p The initial cost is high, but you WILL be glad you did. If you run hot/cold water inside, you will be able to wash your vehicles in the winter. It's something I've suggested to three of my other friends that built pole-barns.... they all went the cheap route :rolleyes: They cuss themselves in the winter now. :D
 

Latest posts

Support Us

Become A Supporting Member Today!

Click Here For Details

Back
Top