1000 square foot garage ideas

[67 GTX]

It sounds like the OP has some square footage constraints, possibly an HOA or deed restriction.
In my area, you can't have a garage or outbuilding that has more square footage than the residence.
However, that restriction says nothing about multi-story or a restricted height.
So, a really high building can leverage a lift (or two, or three) to get more cars inside.

Correct, I would go bigger if I didn't want to get into variances and whatnot. 1000 is somewhat of a limit.

1000 SF will be a little tight for four cars, but doable. Under the constraints you have given, I would go 40 wide x 24 deep. Build a parts loft 7 to 8 feet up and 2-3 feet wide on the entire 40 foot wall opposite the garage doors with the 10-15 foot work bench underneath. Put the lift in the stall at either end of a 24 foot wall. You will need to have no storage on the 24 foot sides, because you need the full 40 foot width to fit 4 cars abreast. Imagine - each car is 6 feet wide, so this gives you just under 2 feet of space between the car and the wall at either end, and 4 feet of space between each car. More would be better, but with only 1000 SF to work with, you are limited.

This is essentially how I have my 24x36 shop set up. I have plenty of loft storage, room to store heavy stuff in front of the cars, enough room in front of the cars to pull engines, and the loft is out of the way of a lift.

If you find that you really need more storage and more garage floor space, then consider adding a separate shed. Most jurisdiction allow sheds around 100SF +/- without any permits or requirements.

Thank you! This was very helpful!
What type of doors would you go with? 2 double doors?
How many cars can you fit in your 24x36? Assuming yours is 36 wide?

 

[67 GTX]

Seems like from what I've been reading above (all very helpful), 3 cars is doable, 4 makes it very tight. I would get a 4 post lift for some basic maintenance/additional storage. That might be the way to get to 4, so not be able to have 4 cars in a row.

Seems like overhead storage should be a must (and something for me to figure out). I will need some storage area, as I'll have a few extra engine blocks (those wouldn't go in the overhead). Either along the sides of the garage where I could clear them, or under a work bench somehow.

 

[eldubb440]

I do six cars 30ft wide no problem..... 10 of width feet per car x 3 .......... 25 ft wide x 40 deep will get you 4 cars easily, dollies are your friend

a lift would make things very tight

I'm gonna do an out door lift with a car port over top, but I have a rear door and an area out back that cannot be seen from anywhere

 

[Sahara]

Are you 24' wide?

I’m forty wide, twenty four deep with one garage door at the end of one forty foot wall. I have three foot deep work benches with over and under shelves on one forty foot wall, one twenty four foot wall and half of the other forty foot wall. With a three foot bench and a ’70 B body there is barely enough room at the ends of the car. Also, twenty four by forty is the outside dimension of the building, you are losing six inches or so per side to wall thickness so your floor space is really twenty three by thirty nine. Every foot matters.

 

[67 GTX]

I’m forty wide, twenty four deep with one garage door at the end of one forty foot wall. I have three foot deep work benches with over and under shelves on one forty foot wall, one twenty four foot wall and half of the other forty foot wall. With a three foot bench and a ’70 B body there is barely enough room at the ends of the car. Also, twenty four by forty is the outside dimension of the building, you are losing six inches or so per side to wall thickness so your floor space is real twenty three by thirty nine. Every foot matters.

You're definitiely right how every foot matters. Thanks for your specs. With one car you must have a dream amount of room to be able to work on projects!

 

[Sahara]

You're definitiely right how every foot matters. Thanks for your specs. With one car you must have a dream amount of room to be able to work on projects!

Nope. I also hoard antique radios, guns, cool **** and stuff I will never use. But the garage/shop is awesome. Walls and shelves painted to match.

Nicer inside than most houses, but full of cool stuff.
It also doubles as a shelter for rescue cats during emergencies. Here’s one of them: Smokie sitting on my WannaBee, in front of about $2k worth of restored Ramcharger parts.

 

[BSB67]

Is the 16’ limitation to the roof peak?

I suggest you get some graph paper and start making to-scale drawings to get a feel for what you have to work with. Not only the floor plan but sections in each direction. Door size and spacing is important too. Also remember that the building size is is the exterior dimensions.

The 16’ will have an impact too. You might get a 12’ with 3/12 roof at 25’ wide.

Some good ideas on this thread. You’ll Need to see how they will layout with your constraints and priorities.

 

[#41]

Thank you! This was very helpful!
What type of doors would you go with? 2 double doors?
How many cars can you fit in your 24x36? Assuming yours is 36 wide?

It's more cost effective to go with two big doors than 4 small ones.

I can actually get 4 wide into my 36 feet, but I like to have plenty of room to work, so I only have three in there. That's 12 feet wide for each 6 foot wide car. Though more is always better, 40 feet is enough to park 4 cars abreast and be able to have working room, again... If you don't have any storage or work benches on the sides encroaching on the 40 feet. You can increase working area around cars in the center two bays by parking the cars on the outer bays close to the walls.

This is what helped me decide my layout: Make your self a scale layout on paper where 1 inch = 4 feet. Your garage rectangle should therefore be 6 x 10 inches (=24 x 40 feet). Each "car" should be a rectangle that is about (1-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches). You can also make scale workbenches, etc. Play around with measurements and placement until you are happy with the layout.

Have fun, and good luck.

 

[YY1]

Don't overlook an "outside the box" solution of a deep structure allowing more than one row of cars.

 

[67 GTX]

I do six cars 30ft wide no problem..... 10 of width feet per car x 3 .......... 25 ft wide x 40 deep will get you 4 cars easily, dollies are your friend

a lift would make things very tight

I'm gonna do an out door lift with a car port over top, but I have a rear door and an area out back that cannot be seen from anywhere

Ya I can see 4 fitting but I just hope they're not so close to each other that it prevents working on them.
And good point, I can see a lift taking up more room. I know some 4 post lifts have casters on them so they can be moved. Not sure it that can be done with ease though.

Is the 16’ limitation to the roof peak?

I suggest you get some graph paper and start making to-scale drawings to get a feel for what you have to work with. Not only the floor plan but sections in each direction. Door size and spacing is important too. Also remember that the building size is is the exterior dimensions.

The 16’ will have an impact too. You might get a 12’ with 3/12 roof at 25’ wide.

Some good ideas on this thread. You’ll Need to see how they will layout with your constraints and priorities.

Yes, I believe my overall height is capped at 16'
Very good idea. I need to map this stuff out some more. And that's a good point with the height. I believe I need 12-13' for a lift to work

It's more cost effective to go with two big doors than 4 small ones.

I can actually get 4 wide into my 36 feet, but I like to have plenty of room to work, so I only have three in there. That's 12 feet wide for each 6 foot wide car. Though more is always better, 40 feet is enough to park 4 cars abreast and be able to have working room, again... If you don't have any storage or work benches on the sides encroaching on the 40 feet. You can increase working area around cars in the center two bays by parking the cars on the outer bays close to the walls.

This is what helped me decide my layout: Make your self a scale layout on paper where 1 inch = 4 feet. Your garage rectangle should therefore be 6 x 10 inches (=24 x 40 feet). Each "car" should be a rectangle that is about (1-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches). You can also make scale workbenches, etc. Play around with measurements and placement until you are happy with the layout.

Have fun, and good luck.

Thank you for that scale idea! That's a great idea! I sketched some things out on paper but not really to scale just to get some ideas. Time to take it a step further.
If I could get 3 comfortably in to work on them, and 4 for storage I'd be happy. I could also do the 3 and have a lift for the 4th.