I don't know what your climate is, but if planning to work in this new shop in cold weather, plan in hydronic radiant floor heat. I installed this in my 30X40 in 1996, and still love it. If installed and run properly, it is very economical and comfortable. Also, think ahead and install a large plate of steel in the middle of the shop, that you have prepared by drilling and tapping holes. Weld on re-rod, set it into the concrete so its top ends up flush with the floor top surface. Later, when you want to mount a metal bender, or tire machine, or something else that you would want in the middle of the room and only use occasionally, its easy to mount and remove. Wire with conduit on the interior surface of the room, both ceiling and walls, its easier and more changeable later. When ready, plumb your compressed air around the room with hard copper line. Don't forget phone line access, and please consider adding running water. A simple way to do it if you are not heating the space continuously, is to stand a drain-back hydrant along the wall or in a corner somewhere. You will want a floor drain too of course. Slope the vehicle area to the drain, but also be sure to leave some level concrete aera in about half the shop, for construction projects. Figure out how big it needs to be, and multiply by 1.5 or 2. Put in high output flourescents, but have them on multiple seperate switches, mounted up high, so a person just poking in the shop for a tool would not reach them. Instead the person would find a couple switches controlling standard incandescents, enough to find your their way around the tooldrawer. This way, your high outputs last longer because they are not being fired five times a day for a minute each trime. Put all benches and cabinets on casters. As far as height, a nine foot sidewall is really too tight to put a garage door opener above an eight foot door. It can be done, but it really tight. Better to have 1.5 feet more sidewall than door opening, at least.
