Minimum 2 bay shop size

[aarolar]

At the end of this year I am planning on building a nice shop and I am trying to get an idea of what I want/need size wise. My absolute requirements are that it be air conditioned and a nice vehicle lift. What would be the minimum size for a 2 bay shop be?

My uses will include a '68 El Camino I plan on starting to not necessarily restore but get up to safe operating conditions and then general maintence on the rest of the fleet around here also, plus I want some room for general projects and possible side work welding/decorative iron work. Construction will be a metal building.

 

[ultrarunner]

One of my retired car restorer friends has a very nice small shop that measures 24w x 32 dp and it is built on a down slope giving him about a 3/4 daylight basement area for the air compressor, supplies and parts.

This little shop has produced national award winning cars... has a converted lean to carport on one side he uses as a spray booth and for metalworking Spring, Summer, Fall...

How big can you go?

 

[aarolar]

One of my retired car restorer friends has a very nice small shop that measures 24w x 32 dp and it is built on a down slope giving him about a 3/4 daylight basement area for the air compressor, supplies and parts.

This little shop has produced national award winning cars... has a converted lean to carport on one side he uses as a spray booth and for metalworking Spring, Summer, Fall...

How big can you go?

I'm sitting in 50 acres my budget will determine that.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Having worked in tight spaces my whole life, I say 32x32. 16' wide bay with 10 or 12' wide door (x2), and 32' deep gives you room to work in front of the vehicle (pull motor) and still have room to move with door closed.

 

[ultrarunner]

Well... another retired friend has a beautiful shop I will do my best to describe.

It measures 40w x 96 and is like having 4 22 x 40dp garages side by side... each has a large roll up insulated door with the last bay having the life, potty and work bench... the first 3 bays are for the finished cars and future projects.

 

[aarolar]

That's nice keep the ideas coming guys I'm going to be thinking about this for the next few months.

 

[Clint S]

Build it as big a possible as it will never be big enough. I have a 24*24 where the DD's live and it can be heated in the winter. No need for a\c here. I have a 32*32 with a 10foot lean too that is pole barn stule that is full too. 12 foot ceiling for a lift. Seriously it will never be big enough. Lean too's off the sides can add open air storage and get stuff out of your work space that is climate controlled.

 

[aarolar]

Build it as big a possible as it will never be big enough. I have a 24*24 where the DD's live and it can be heated in the winter. No need for a\c here. I have a 32*32 with a 10foot lean too that is pole barn stule that is full too. 12 foot ceiling for a lift. Seriously it will never be big enough. Lean too's off the sides can add open air storage and get stuff out of your work space that is climate controlled.

Yea that's what I know but I don't want to spend an unreasonable amount on it and plus it being climate controlled is non negotiable and the larger it gets the harder to cool. I do have a large 20x60 pole barn out back for all the tractor equipment and stuff plus I'm planning on at least one lean to on the shop for storage/parking.

Mainly I need a big enough space to keep the El Camino in there full time and still work on projects and service other vehicles as they come. The El CO is going to need some major overhaul type repairs that won't be done in any short period of time basically a as money and time are avaliable deal.

 

[aczlan]

We put up a 30x40 pole barn last year with 12' wide doors, its a nice size to work in for 2 bays, but if I were to do it again, I would go 36' deep and 45' or 50' wide to have a little more space to work around projects (but you might not need that extra depth with a car vs a tractor or haywagon).

Aaron Z

 

[bucktaker]

Go for at least 12 ft doors if you ever see a rv or camper in the future, I would build a 40x60 14 ft then divide it up a little into bays that can be controlled as needed. dividing it help as you only finish what you want to be controlled