Ifyou were to build a new garage/Shop what would you add to the plans??

[Stephan Larson]

I don't know if ya'll know about the program Grizzly has on there home page. You can put in your shop dimensions and then pull down equipment to fill the space all at scale. I did this for placement of lights, electrical, plumbing, DC, etc. It's on the left column under build your Dream Shop. It doesn't show dimensions but it does have a ruler app that you can measure and write it down. Hope it helps.

Stephan C

[Walt Nicholson]

Put in twice as many electrical (including 220v) as you think you will ever need. Double check codes in your area before spending the bucks to install outlets in the floor. In our area if you have an overhead door (or anything large enough to get a vehicle through) your outlets cannot be in the floor and must be a certain height above the floor. Some guys put the conduit in the concrete and pull the lines through the day after the inspector signs off but might cause issues with insurance settlement if anything happened later and it didn't meet local code. Don't put too many things in (benches, cabinets, etc.) that can't be easily moved later as the workshop is a constantly changing/evolving workplace as equipment and uses change over time.

[Will Rowland]

When I built my shop, the best decision I made was to go with 10' ceilings. For the first few months I worked in there, when I swung a 4x8 sheet around, I occasionally would cringe as I knew I was about to hit a light...but then I would look up and see I was well clear of the ceiling.

The one decision I regret was not putting some conduit/trenches in the floor to run air and electrical out to my work tables and equipment.

[Kirk Poore]

I considered a roll-up garage door when I built my shop last year. However, I realized that I would lose lots of cold or warm air every time I used it during the summer or winter. Instead, I went with sliding doors using some horse stall door hardware. This has given me an 8x8 door opeing from my shop into my garage. Eventually, I'm going to put the doors inside a frame to make them pocket doors. This will let me get my wall space back for hanging even more stuff up.

Kirk

[Devon Shannon]

Dust collector separate from main shop, with filtered air return.

[Harry Goodwin]

I'd insulate it. absolutely
I'd aiir condition it with heater - air type.
I'd use plywood instead of sheetrock to attatch tools etc..
I'd have 20 amp wiring and twice the recepticles you think you need.
Harry

[Travis Porter]

In addition to what has already been recommended:

Windows should be 36 inches above floor to allow counters/cabinets underneath.
Any outside walkways should be an inch below slab height to divert water away.

[Jerome Hanby]

• Closed off finishing area
• Bathroom with a shower stall and shop exit (clean up and leave without going back through the shop)
• Small kitchen/break area
• Compressor/Dust collector closet
• Roll-up "garage" doors (doors roll up into a tube above the door)
• Single 240 and dual 120 sockets at every power drop (even if not originally "hot" for future expansion/moving)
• Raised floor/crawl space to allow routing of wiring and dust collection (and easier on the knees)
• Enough floor space to leave room to walk and work between work stations.

[Josiah Bartlett]

A mechanic pit or lift, and a spray booth with an explosion proof exhaust fan. Also, air lines and a compressor shed.

An overhead crane is also a really nice thing to have, or at least a beam running down the center rated for at least 2 tons point load. It makes it really easy to lift that new monster bandsaw out of the back of a truck.

[Chuck Gallup]

I took the comment about high ceilings to heart and put in 14'.
I used my own common sense and installed infloor heating coils.
I didn't want snow dumping in front of the garage door.
I made bi-fold garage doors. Roll up doors I don't like simply from past experience and they don't keep out the cold.
My doors are made from 2x6, vented, insulated, glued and screwed and cost me $200 versus $3000 installed
I have to see out. The absence of windows kills my creativity.
I used the comment to 'build bigger than you need because soon, your shop will become smaller than you imagined'.
My wife wanted a place. She wanted a place for people to stay. She wanted maybe a rental for when we get old and grey.
I installed a tool room, a paint room, a bathroom that doubles as the furnace room, an office and a place for a NEWCNC 510 that should be coming along in due time.
What a blast it has been!
IMG_0513_2.jpgIMG_0512_2.jpgIMG_0515_3.jpg

[Larry Browning]

Where do I begin.....

Bathroom
Outside extension for large air compressor and dust collector
220 outlets everywhere
hot/cold water
radiant floor heat
A/C and heat
in floor electric outlets
insulated walls and ceiling
attic storage with trap door and crane to lift heavy objects
compressed air drops everywhere with regulators & filters
cable TV, wireless internet & phone
wood floor wood be cool
bead board walls so you can mount anything anywhere
electric cord reels from the ceiling
big clean up sink
in ground ductwork for D/C to large machines


This is just off the top of my head. I'm sure I will be back with more later.............

This almost exactly describes the shop I built. I intentionally built mine as pier & beam with an ample crawl space. This allows for the elec. floor plugs and DC duct work to be placed just about anywhere and moved with ease. I also wanted to never be tempted to put a vehicle in there. My shop is 30x40 with an 8x16 wing. I keep the DC cyclone, as well as air compressor and water heater and plumbing for the radiant floor heat in there. I think the size is about right for a one man hobby shop. It has a toilet/sink room, finishing room, and a storage area. It has 8ft walls, but I had the trusses made to where they quickly angled up to a 9ft ceiling. This kept cost down as std size material could be use on the exterior walls yet have 9ft ceiling on the inside. Be sure to put in about twice as many outlets on the walls as you think you will need all placed at 50" above the floor.

[Chris Tsutsui]

Some of the descriptions I read describes a heavenly mancave that is only missing a bedroom suite.

I would throw in a courtesan room next to a hot tub with survellance camera monitors around the hot tub. Scarface comes to mind.

On a more serious note I am very glad that I added a hot/cold water faucet with stainless counter top/sink to my garage.
If you're pre-wiring stuff, I'd include a good shop sound system.
I'd have surveillance dvr or maybe some outdoor motion sensing security lights.
I also don't see many home shops with fire sprinkler system so I'd consider that.

[Kerry Wright]

Ditto with what everyone else has said!!!!!!

For future expansion, add either a couple of 3/4" or one 2" empty conduit from your electrical panel into an easily accessible spot in your attic. Be sure to add at least two pull strings in each conduit. Later on when you do add an extra circuit (and you will eventually), run another pull string with the new wiring. This will always give you two pull strings (one to use, one for backup) for later on.

[Bruce Kohl]

If you can make it larger - you'll find that 22' X 24' is kind of a small space, especially if you have some stationary machines. Also, if you can put in a half bath - I didn't in the detached shop I built a couple of years ago and I've regretted it. I'd add a separte room or a bump-out that would house the air compressor and dust collector. Add as many electrical circuits as you can afford. Finally, put in some skylights. I have six 2' X 4' skylights in a 24 X 32 space. On a sunny day this provides all the light you need. The only downside is that you lose some heat in the winter.

Good luck with it.

[Gordon Niessen]

Having a 30x40 workshop with a small 6x8 bathroom myself, I can't imagine much smaller then that. And when you are planning things out, plan out your wood storage and finishing area. I didn't plan the first well and left the finishing area out totally. I tend to use the assembly area for finishing, but then can't work on anything while it is drying. I second the high ceilings. You need the lights up out of the way. And paint the ceiling and walls white. Add plenty of lights. And after my experience with a roll up door, I am going to switch to carriage doors (as soon as I sell my roll-up).