Garage sizing for tractor and implements

MinnesotaEric · Feb 27, 2015

Komrade said:
I plan to share the garage with cars. I understand it needing to be deeper for tractors. I could see how up to 32 feet it might be useful. My problem is digging into the hilll (uphill), the deeper I make it the more I hill I have to remove, the stronger the wall would have to be to hold the dirt.

You'll remove some dirt, but pack the dirt at the front, thereby lifting the entire building up and creating better drainage. Is there a reason why wider rather than deeper will not work due to set backs, existing emblements, chattel that cannot be moved, or topography?

Komrade · Feb 27, 2015

EricTheOracle said:
You'll remove some dirt, but pack the dirt at the front, thereby lifting the entire building up and creating better drainage. Is there a reason why wider rather than deeper will not work due to set backs, existing emblements, chattel that cannot be moved, or topography?

There are some limitations.
There is a loop driveway (both sides going uphill). This is the bottom of the loop. The house is in the outer edge of the loop, the garage would be on the inside side of the loop. The driveway is relatively flat for 60-70 feet. So can go wider, but cannot go much higher without redoing the whole (bottom of the) driveway (which is a possibility, but no more than a foot higher, due to house elevation=first floor being maybe 3 feet off the ground, and porch is probably lower). I was hoping to capture some of that flatness with a lean-on and storing implements under it, plus additional parking spot. The side that will have office, doesn't need a flat driveway in front of it so it'll be at the start of where the flat area ends.

Picture from top. House dimensions 24x28

oosik · Feb 27, 2015

I've always wanted a storage building. My problem is - because I keep on buying more & more implements - what I need must be bigger & bigger. Its already well beyond my finances and somebody mentioned the dreaded property taxes.

Why don't I have an outhouse on the far side of the property - - taxes, ha,ha.

Jay4200 · Feb 27, 2015

Komrade said:
I know "bigger is better", but bigger is also more expensive. How do I find a happy medium?

That's easy. Figure out the MOST you would ever be willing to spend building a garage/barn. Multiply that number by two, then build the biggest building that you can with that 2x budget.

You'll figure out how to pay for it eventually...my barn is 60x60. Anything less is p*ss*ng in the wind.

countrybumpkin · Feb 27, 2015

Yep always bigger than you think you will need.

I had a 30 x 40 at my house I just sold and am in the process of building a 40 x80 and I hope it's big enough at least for a few years.

hhsco · Feb 27, 2015

I always seem to end up building rectangular buildings, but it can't hurt to remind oneself that a simple square gets the most economical square footage!

Also, I agree that 28' is a smidge slim, but sometimes you've just gotta make a building fit the surroundings. Then again, you've got a TRACTOR so dig out some more hill! Heck think of all the free insulation you're getting.