Ideal garage proportions

lakeview

lakeview

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Well wife and I have officially moved to the country from the city. Although it comes with a 2 car garage, that is fully committed, so I am going to build a small workshop. In this municipality I am allowed to build an accessory building no more than 100 square feet without a permit.
I want to fit in a bike lift, a workbench and some tool storage. Do I go 10 by 10 or 8 by 12? I am thinking the latter as that way workbench at the end and the bike longways, lots of room to move around, given good housekeeping.
OTOH, a 10 by 10 would see a bike off to one side with about 5 by 10 left for bench and tool box.
Have any of you any direct experience in this sort of small scale planning?
 
No experience with building a workshop, but I agree with the rectangular configuration. The long wall would accommodate a workbench, cabinets, etc.
How cool is that? A dedicated motorcycle shop. I have a 2 car + garage and it holds 2 cars, 2 motorcycles, 2 trash dumpsters, my workbench and cabinets. I'll tell you, it's a game of inches! Everything has to be just so.
Congratulations! You're going to love it!
 
In Puyallup, WA I can build a 200sq/ft building without permit. But I am going to wait and spend the money to do a 24x30. The building and reinforced floor are going to end up between $10-15k. But for me it is worth it as I plan on getting my own CNC mill, and already have a manual mill and lathe.
 
Think about a roll away system. Have the bike bench so a set of rollers can be lowered and then slide the bike bench and all against the wall. Can still work one side and give plenty of side room in a 10x10. Have it designed, so the whole bench can do a 180 and the bike against the wall again. Room for a bench one end and down one side 3' or so. Over head cupboards/shelves. No reason a reasonable lath couldn't be incorporated.
 
As an enthusiast suffering from inadequate shop space ,this is what I miss the most. A reasonably wide door. Make it swing out not in ! Height , You may oneday prefer a lift. I am absolutely tired of laying next to my bikes to work under them because the ceiling is too low. My lift is outside rusting. High ceiling with adequate lighting ! A window is nice, If you enjoy being there you will be more happy working on your cycle instead of just having too ... So high ceiling, wide outward swinging door , window . That is the very basics but goid points to consider for a small shop.
 
Weekendrider, here in Ontario the province, until the 70's, was divided into counties and then further into townships. Towns and villages were part of the township government, while a city had its own council, separate from the township where it was located.
Back then the government had a few boatloads of paper to use up, so it thought it would amalgamate some smaller countys' townships into a municipality with the same boundaries and a ward system like a city.
So here in the former Kent County, where the county town was Chatham, it is now the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, a single tier municipality. The former Raleigh Township, where I now am, is in the middle of farmer's fields for miles around, so I am in the country, but subject to a municipal government and its bylaws.
It is really flat around here and they say it is the bottom of a prehistoric lake, but I think it is the start of the prairies.
Hope that clears up the confusion.
 
Are you allowed an external wood stove, without sacrificing that 100 sqft?
Could you sneak an air compressor in there?

I use paper dolls for floor layouts, like here:

http://www.xs650.com/threads/small-electronic-box-in-place-of-the-starter.42233/page-2#post-469233

I like to manage the relationships of work/storage sizes and human/pathway sizes, maximizing the work/storage over the pathway (which is a waste of space). I'll generally use widths of 24" for work/storage, 30" for pathways, 36" for central workbenches...
 
For reasons of noise and moisture buildup in the tank, the air compressor should be outside the shop. We always put them outside with a sheltering lid above them for precipitation protection. You can hear yourself think in the shop that way. Insulate a space that small and you can use a little 110 volt electric heater, maybe 25 bucks.
 
Put the shit in the house. If you're keeping a bitch who doesn't like it offer to make her her own 10x10 house in the backyard. If she starts putting stuff outside call the cops and change the locks.
 
lakeview seems a mess to me. If you are restricted to a 100 sq. ft. foot print but nothing for height I would consider going tall enough for a storage loft in a 8 x 12.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I am limited to 100 square feet unless I go get a permit, which is not the end of the world. I like the idea of a substantial storage loft, though. A permit would require inspectors poking around, but more importantly, a much more substantial floor than I want to invest in. Yards of concrete for a floating slab, or digging down 4 feet for footings, that sort of thing, when all I want is a three season hobby shop, built on deck blocks or 6 x 6 skids.
 
Lakeview, a buddy of mine in a similar situation found that while there was a limit per building there was no issue joining 2 structures together with a common roof. So, he built kind of a breezeway between his two "buildings" each below the max square footage but joined with a common roof. One side for storage, one side to work in. I seem to think each was 10 x 10 with maybe another 10' between them?
Just an idea.
 
I am somewhat in a similar boat. I had a large tree fall through my storage building which is 9x20 but divided into 2 rooms (1 for lawn/garden tools & equipment, the other junk storage) Insurance is enough to totally rebuild it, and then some... but that 9'wide restriction is tight by the time you get a workbench, lift and bike in there. I am trying to convince the wife to take a small loan and just build a 1 1/2 car garage. It would be MY area for all my tools, bike & projects. Our attached 2 car garage is too tight to get both our vehicles in anyway. That's where I currently keep both my bikes and tools, so i have to park out in the driveway anyhow. In my opinion, i think you should consider pulling a permit and making it a good size where you have room to move around. You will never regret building too big... but i think if you go with 8x10 you may kick yourself down the road for not going the extra mile... just my 2 cents...
 
:agree: with willis. If cost is not an issue, do it once, do it right. A permit is inexpensive and when a building inspector signs off on it, you have the peace of mind that it was done right. If ever an issue, your insurance company will be much more cooperative with a permit in place.
Add a pony panel with 220, running water to a small hot water heater and a shop sink. One of the handiest things I did in Papa's shop was to plumb in a sink. I don't think any of us would ever say, "man my shops just too big". Lol.

Edit, And while you're at it, run a gas line to a heat source and you have a 4 season playroom.
 
Having just rebuilt mine less than a year ago, my only recommendation is to go as big as you can afford to. Already I wish I would have punched out at least 50% bigger than I did. Once you start filling it up with tools, parts, bikes, and benches you'd be surprised at how quickly you need more space, if I could pull permit for a new poll barn I would have went that route but the county I live in has been catering to the city slickers coming out this way the last few years, assholes. You can never really have too much space but it's easy to not have enough ya know
 
Is the garage detached? jack it up 9 feet and build a new first story under it!
I have an 11x22 under the house and a 40x60 shed, they are both full. I think I would fill ANY size building. I promised myself no more racking cause it just frees up space that I fill again. But I 'm weakening.
 
Does that 100 sqft limit include carports?
ShopCarport.jpg

I'm sure you've seen "motorcycle floor plans" on the net. Figure on 3' x 8' for just the motorcycle. A minimum of 30" (2-1/2') on the sides for servicing makes an 8' x 8' footprint.
BikeFloorPlan.jpg

You may be able to get away with a "Toyhauler". As an RV, they usually aren't included in real estate taxes, and ordinances. *usually*...
ToyHauler.jpg
 

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