eclou's garage project
#1
11-11-2010, 05:34 PM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 3,028
Rep Power: 199 
eclou's garage project
I have just started a project to build a garage/workshop in my backyard. The house was built with a separate 20x36 2 car garage/shop in the backyard in addition to a 2 car garage attached to the house. The "back" garage has an 8' ceiling height and bathroom already which has been nice, but I need more space to put in a 2 post lift or two.
The plan is to extend the 20x36 garage into a 36x45 garage. the 36' is the width and the 45' is the depth. This should allow for 3 extended "bays" for 2 cars nose to tail in each bay. The garage will be constructed so the entire interior space is free of any support columns - this allows maximum flexibility and maneuvering inside the structure.
My goal is to be able to pull thru the entire structure with my pickup and car trailer to haul my track cars. The ends of the garage will have both a 16' and 10' garage door to allow for easy clearance of vehicles.
Because I want to put in some car lifts, it was important to find out what concrete characteristics were specified by the manufacturer. I have decided to use a rotary 2-post lift and they recommend a minimum of 4-5" of 3000 psi concrete. My contractor has overbuilt the foundation to exceed the requirements, and we are using 6-7" of 5-sack (~3500 psi) concrete poured over #5 rebar lattice and 36" deep beams. This thing should help prevent any problems with any lift fixation.
existing structure:
foundation preparation:
note the depth of the beams and slab:
concrete poured:
rotary lift SPOA7LC (from Viperforums)
I'll try to update this as it goes along.
The plan is to extend the 20x36 garage into a 36x45 garage. the 36' is the width and the 45' is the depth. This should allow for 3 extended "bays" for 2 cars nose to tail in each bay. The garage will be constructed so the entire interior space is free of any support columns - this allows maximum flexibility and maneuvering inside the structure.
My goal is to be able to pull thru the entire structure with my pickup and car trailer to haul my track cars. The ends of the garage will have both a 16' and 10' garage door to allow for easy clearance of vehicles.
Because I want to put in some car lifts, it was important to find out what concrete characteristics were specified by the manufacturer. I have decided to use a rotary 2-post lift and they recommend a minimum of 4-5" of 3000 psi concrete. My contractor has overbuilt the foundation to exceed the requirements, and we are using 6-7" of 5-sack (~3500 psi) concrete poured over #5 rebar lattice and 36" deep beams. This thing should help prevent any problems with any lift fixation.
existing structure:
foundation preparation:
note the depth of the beams and slab:
concrete poured:
rotary lift SPOA7LC (from Viperforums)
I'll try to update this as it goes along.
Last edited by eclou; 10-18-2013 at 08:08 AM.
#5
11-12-2010, 02:34 PM
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: NYC : Miami
Age: 45
Posts: 1,972
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great build, and btw you will be very happy with that lift, its exactly what I have at my shops, its going to last forever....I've had a few of them for about 10 years , under commercial use 
edit: I am in love with your 993, can you add some pics of that beauty just for me lol
edit: I am in love with your 993, can you add some pics of that beauty just for me lol
#6
11-12-2010, 03:41 PM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 3,028
Rep Power: 199
Peter yeah I have been out of town a fair amount and need to catch up with everyone.
Joe the Boxster is being converted to a full-time track car:
the other track car is getting an LS1 transplant:
more 993 **** for Dino:
Joe the Boxster is being converted to a full-time track car:
the other track car is getting an LS1 transplant:
more 993 **** for Dino:
Last edited by eclou; 10-18-2013 at 08:15 AM.
#7
11-13-2010, 02:42 AM
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Location: Green Valley, CA
Posts: 124
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#9
11-13-2010, 01:34 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: other side of the world
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#13
12-06-2010, 02:07 PM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 3,028
Rep Power: 199
update #1:
original slab was poured 2' too short due to error by the architect! So another 3' was poured along with 4 new piers and a double beam on the end. Now the garage will be 36x46 instead of 36x45.
Also my contractor discussed with me that it will be cheaper to demo the entire existing garage and rebuild rather than tie into only 2 of the walls so tomorrow the old garage gets smashed.
This has given me extra time to plan and source out a lift - I will actually be using the Rotary SPOA10-RA lift which can be lowered to 11' and save me about $2k from having to buy their special low height SPOA7LC (and this LC lift has been discontinued). I also am planning on plumbing an 80 gallon air compressor with retractable air hose reels on the ceiling, and T8HO fluorescent light fixtures. Lots of info on the GarageJournalForums.
In the mean time, the new pool house has been framed, decked, and wired. I need to figure out how to bridge the wiring from the existing Nuvo audio distribution system I installed in my house to the pool house.
original slab was poured 2' too short due to error by the architect! So another 3' was poured along with 4 new piers and a double beam on the end. Now the garage will be 36x46 instead of 36x45.
Also my contractor discussed with me that it will be cheaper to demo the entire existing garage and rebuild rather than tie into only 2 of the walls so tomorrow the old garage gets smashed.
This has given me extra time to plan and source out a lift - I will actually be using the Rotary SPOA10-RA lift which can be lowered to 11' and save me about $2k from having to buy their special low height SPOA7LC (and this LC lift has been discontinued). I also am planning on plumbing an 80 gallon air compressor with retractable air hose reels on the ceiling, and T8HO fluorescent light fixtures. Lots of info on the GarageJournalForums.
In the mean time, the new pool house has been framed, decked, and wired. I need to figure out how to bridge the wiring from the existing Nuvo audio distribution system I installed in my house to the pool house.
Last edited by eclou; 10-18-2013 at 08:16 AM.
#15
12-09-2010, 04:24 PM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 3,028
Rep Power: 199
started out this morning looking at a clean slate:
home at lunch the frame was started:
by mid afternoon the headers were up:
pics of the 16" wooden I-beam joists that will span the ceiling
beefy versalam headers for the garage door openings
36' steel beam that will serve as the main truss of the ceiling. It will be a dropped beam on which the joists will rest. This gives me the option of running a trolley and hoist off of it
home at lunch the frame was started:
by mid afternoon the headers were up:
pics of the 16" wooden I-beam joists that will span the ceiling
beefy versalam headers for the garage door openings
36' steel beam that will serve as the main truss of the ceiling. It will be a dropped beam on which the joists will rest. This gives me the option of running a trolley and hoist off of it
Last edited by eclou; 10-18-2013 at 08:21 AM.