Advice on a Medal Building ( Garage)

[js27]

I  am thinking of picking up another car. My 67 GTX has been gone a year and a half and my Challenger has been gone 7 months. I have a empty spot in my life. I am looking at a few cars now and all my life I wanted a garage just to restore cars in so now maybe the time to pull the trigger. I think a 24' X 24" would work fine. Any advice on thickness of foundation--companies to work with-ceiling height--one big door or 2 separate doors. Pricing ?  Any advice is welcome.
Thanks
JS27

[Cbridgewater]

There is a company from North Carolina called Carport Central. I am using them for a building at work right now,50x30, 16 ft tall, two garage doors and two man doors for about $23k installed. It was $16k for the slab, but I work for a public utility and we have to pay prevailing wage. I also had a 24x30 done and it was $14k installed.

[Shane Kelley]

24 will be a little short. A 24x30x10 would be ideal for restoring 1 car. A car on a rotisserie will be about 20' long. Definitely one big door.
As has been mentioned before by everyone who has built a shop. Build it as big as you can afford because they are never big enough.

[torredcuda]

I`ve owned 4 houses with 4 different garages, first was 24 x 24 wood with gambrel roof and second floor, second I had built 24 x 32 wood no second floor, third was 24 x 25 with high ceiling and I added an 18 x 24 bay off the back, current is 24 x 24 metal no second floor.  Pros and cons - 24 x 24 is not large enough for me as I usually have two vehicles in them and after adding tools, benches there is not much room to work, the second floor was great for storage, I have heard issues with metal and condensation but so far mine seems fine. If you only have one car inside 24 x 24 is adequate but the extra length is nice for working around a car, make it high enough for a lift or rotisserie,I have had what they call a mushroom slab done and it`s fine but that depends on your local regs, if you can afford it I would spend the one for a foundation and knee wall. My dream garage would have a  heated floor as even though I have heat the floor is always cold in these New England winters, my third was nice and is and the plan was the extra bay off the back was to be my work area/spray booth, I miss that one but life said we had to move.

[dodj]

No experience with metal buildings, but if property and finances allow, I would go bigger than 24x24.
Mine is 26x40 and it is good...but I could still put more space to good use.
10 foot walls will allow for a variety of lifts if you decide you don't like sliding around on your back under the car.

[71vert340]

Mine is a 24' by 30' with 10 ft walls and trusses on 10 ft centers allowing me to put in a lift. I have a work bench and plenty of storage shelving. Concrete floor has steel mesh in it to prevent cracking and uneven floors.  I had floor cut 1 inch deep in + pattern so any cracking would occur along cuts. That size cost me $10k in 2001.
Terry

[Cudajason]

I would go as big as the budget allows!!!

If you want inspiration check out Garage Journal.com.  The group is not quite as awesome as this group, but there are some killer garages on there and lots of knowledge!!

Jason

[js27]

Thanks for all the info. 24 x 24 is the limit I have space for. I live in a city not the country. I really do not need a rotisserie as I do not plan on doing body work or paint. A lift would  be awesome but probably not affordable after I pay for the foundation and the building. I restored my GTX and Challenger in a garage that was under my home and that was 16 X 28. Yep I did a lot of work in my driveway but got it done. I have a small 2 car garage on my house now but My wife has informed me already if I buy another car she is not giving up her garage space after waiting 30 years to get it..LOL So my side is no way big enough to do any work so that is why the extra garage. Just looking for enough room to tear a car apart and put it back together. After doing a total of 4 cars in my old garage a 2 car all to myself would be heaven.-LOL
JS27

[chargerdon]

I had a 24x26 metal garage built back in 2012.   

If you like ill try to find the contact info for the company.   It costs me i believe right around $5500 PLUS the concrete pad which was by a separate contractor.  That costs me another $4500 so in total it was right around $10,000.   When i had it built there were a lot of options to it.   Examples are i had three sliding windows with screens put into it...  1 on left side and two on back wall.   Helps a lot with both ventilation and illumination.   I also paid extra for a standard locking door.   Because it is 24ft wide it came with two metal roll up car doors.   They work well, the contractor did not have an option to put in "folding car doors".   The roll up doors work suprising well BUT i have not been able to find any company that makes a power opener for them.   Construction is without any pillars on the inside so totally open.   I also paid extra for an "extra foot" of height.  The three side walls are 9' 2" high and the center of the garage the peak is 12 ft.   So, yes, i can put a lift into it, but, not one that would go high enough to "park one underneath". 

The mfg had one thing that i loved and also paid extra for.   The underside of the roof has a felt like material on it that absorbs condensation.   That is important as a metal garage will draw a lot of condensation !   The roof material absorbs so that you don't have "rain" inside.   

I agree with the cutting of the concrete floor.   My concrete guy did that making it like 4 large slabs and yes, it did crack on the cuts, but not on the slaps. 

The company was fast...they arrived at 7:30 one morning and by 1pm where finished !!    They were great, as i had the concrete slab poured a few inches big (bad info from the salesman on that), but the installers said, no problem we will simply make it a little bigger to cover..result is that all of the three walls, extend over the edge of the slab, so that rain water runs down and off and cannot come into the garage.   Have never had a leak and no rust. 

I did have problems with the Wake County NC inspector originally wouldnt pass inspection because "the doors aren't hurricane proof".   I contacted the Builder and they said, those doors will withstand 120 mph winds !!   I contacted the inspector and he said "then there should be a certification sticker on them and there isnt".   So had builder get in touch with the inspector, and inspector said if they double the structure at the doors ill pass it.   Builder came back out, said inspector is nuts, but they then put up second row of 3x3 inch steel on each side of the doors and then inspector passed it.   NO additional charge.   

Oh, and Wake County, NC demanded that the concrete slab have a footer on the perimeter.   Builder produced a document stating that with a 6" reinforced slab of concrete there was no need for a footer, because the weight of steel panels are so low footer that a 6" slab is like 10 times as strong as needed to support it so it isn't necessary.   Wake County didn't give a crap, i had to have a footer poured as well...  I argued with the county that a footer did absolutely no good !!   They said yes it does, it enables you to have the plans approved to get permit !!   It was like throwing an extra $1,000 into the ocean to have the footer included !   Seems that Wake County makes no differentation between a metal garage and a stick built wooden house !!    Dumb !!

[cuda hunter]

My suggestion is to add something else to this building.  Closed cell foam.  Very effective.  Spray foam sticks well and will insulate the building.  It will also help with condensation issues as it is waterproof and will not allow interior moisture to pass through and contact the metal. 
  This is the absolute best way to insulate a metal building.  I've done several this way.  It's pricey.  But well worth it.

[Plumcrazy72]

I built a 20x25x10. The extra 4 feet you will have would be very nice. Mine is full but thats also storing a lawn mower, snow blower, 2 kids 12v trucks, work bench, bar, etc etc. Make the pad thick enough to put a lift in it. The budget may now allow for one today but might down the road. I would also put a shaft mount garage door opener instead of one that hangs down in the middle of the two tracks, will allow more options for a lift and utilize the full ceiling height. Another thing i also wired in my shop was a bath fan on a humid-a-stat, its keeps any humidity out and works great.

[js27]

All Great advice. I emailed a supplier but never got an answer. I called a concrete company and they quoted me $5000.00 for a 4" 24 X 24 pad. Does that sounds about Right ?? I did think about the foam insulation since I live in SC and it is HOT and Humid  down here . We already have the green dust starting from all the pollen.
JS27

[cuda hunter]

reasonable cost.  I recently installed a 20x24 for 4700.00.  3K labor 1700 materials

[Shane Kelley]

All Great advice. I emailed a supplier but never got an answer. I called a concrete company and they quoted me $5000.00 for a 4" 24 X 24 pad. Does that sounds about Right ?? I did think about the foam insulation since I live in SC and it is HOT and Humid  down here . We already have the green dust starting from all the pollen.
JS27

I live in Southern Illinois. A 30x30x4 concrete pad is a about 3200.00    My grade was already leveled and set so there would be more labor depending on high or low your grade is.

Closed cell foam is a outstanding upgrade and I highly recommend it. Makes everything air and bug tight.

[HEMICUDA]

I've had several larger buildings built, I would suggest go as big as the property will allow that fits you budget.  A couple other, as mentioned earlier, make sure you have the ceiling height for a lift.  And the last is, if you're not putting in tapered floor drains, have your concrete near the front overhead door tapered a couple degrees so you can wash cars.