I am finally going to get my detached garage built. I just don't have time to do it otherwise I'd build it myself. I've got 1 quote so far and another incoming tomorrow morning but I'd like to get a couple more to make sure I've exhausted all my options. I'm looking at a 28'x28', 10' walls, 16' or 18' by 9' garage door. 12' ceilings, but otherwise fairly standard build. Anyone here do it or can recommend someone? Any other input on what to do to make it nicer? Planning on a 2 post lift and tons of electrical already along with lighting and a jackshaft garage door opener.

Not sure if thats up to trei's abilities. Or Gary from the springs.

Paint the floors with a quality paint and several layers of it! It'll help brighten things up when working under stuff. Heater? Exhaust fan?

Steel building an option?

Planning on coating the floor for sure! No heat initially but it will be an option down the road. Exhaust fan would be nice so I'll see about integrating it. Steel building isn't really an option as I am in a highly residential area and I think it would stick out like a sore thumb.

I've gotten 2 quotes so far and will integrate some ideas from them into the garage but would like at least 2 more quotes before I pull the trigger. I'll check with Trei. Who is Gary from the springs?

sbolt19 = Gary.

As for fan, you wouldn't need huge. Heck, even a high performance fart-fan could do the job. But I know after welding in my garage, it should would have been nice to be able to suck all those fumes out. Or running the bronco inside, or...

insulate with 1" foam board the OUTSIDE of the foundation, when you go to heat it you wont have a big heat sink of concrete. I saw this on the new C.O.O.P building this spring.


What's the price per square foot?


Erik

I'm having my building totally gutted amd rewired, so I've been able to see what's up for code, here's some of what I've learned:

I would recommend the 110v are set up for 20amp breakers, not 15 amp. That will be a little more for thicker wiring too.

Just some info here - Also arc-fault circuit breakers are required for code in CO - its been code since 2002(?) but not enforced in Mesa County until this year, I don't know about Denver... but they are expensive ($20 each) and can trip for just about anything, drill, vacuum cleaner, etc..... Your electrician might be able to return those breakers and replace with standard breakers right after final electrical inspection. Arc-fault breakers not GFCI outlets. Just a thought as the breakers don't really work properly yet with current technology and it would save you some money. I'm not sure what I will do, but the company did offer it as an option to save some money.


The price of copper has come down tons from 2 years ago.

I got lucky and pulled my electrical permit under old code and didn't have to do very many arc fault breakers (just bedrooms), and only GFI's on outlet circuits in the garage, thankfully. I don't know current code, but I know its a lot tougher than what I did.

I've learned that even properly operating 4' florescent lights will trip GFI's. In my garage, I have one circuit that has lighting on a GFI'd circuit. It started tripping the GFI when the lights were on. I swapped to a different fixture and the GFI hasn't tripped. I put the "faulty" light fixture onto a non-GFI'd circuit and it works fine.

I love that we have to build a home that doesn't work, all in the name of "safety".

Protecting you from yourself

I hadn't even considered it but now I am looking at just doing 12' walls. Doesn't seem to add much to cost and would allow me to have full car lift capability. I looked through Zack's thread linked earlier in this thread and like the ideas. I will likely build a small room off the side of the garage to put my compressor. Keeps it much quieter. I will at least enclose it somehow with venting to the outside so it can breathe.

I am waiting on a call back from Trei but it sounds like he should be able to help me out. I hope so, it is always nice to get someone I can trust to do the work!

One of the things I wanted the most in the garage that never happened for me was the clean room. So much stuff happens in my garage, from grinding to cutting, etc., I thought it would be wise to have a room to do final assembly in.

Do you have any prelim drawings? Or an engineered set yet? I will pm you some numbers for my footer/ foundation guy, and a GC that lives about 2 minutes from you

No drawings or engineered sets. I am working with Trei and will be going with him to build it. In speaking with the city of Arvada I will end up going with a 28'x28' as planned, 12' walls/ceilings, 3 windows, 100 amp electrical sub panel, at least 4 220v outlets including one in the ceiling for the 2 post car lift I will install, 1 dedicated compressor 220v and 2 extras for the plasma, MIG and TIG to share plus a bunch of dedicated 20 amp 110v outlet circuits. Eventually I'll install a bunch of bright high bay lights, insulation and close the inside up.

Further proof that "there is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness". Sounds like a sweet setup!

I had bright idea a couple of nights ago and wound up out in my garage welding at midnight. In my boxers. Pretty sure I'm there with ya...

"100 amp electrical sub panel" & "
1 dedicated compressor 220v and 2 extras for the plasma"

You are probably ok..but...

Just make sure your plasma cutter (not sure what you have) and your air compressor can run at the same time.

Depends a lot on your air compressor motor size.
****By running at the same time I mean the air compressor STARTING up with the plasma cutter cutting***** You will see a huge spike of power needed for startup.

It would be a bummer to be cutting on the plasma and pop a circuit breaker because the air compressor come's on to refill itself during a cut.

All the 220v outlets will be dedicated so it shouldn't have an issue. My compressor has never tripped the 30 amp circuit it's currently on nor has the plasma so 2 separate 30 amp 220v circuits running at the same time should be fine. The plasma is inverter based so it's pretty efficient. The compressor is only 7hp so start up isn't too huge of a spike.

Now if I'm running the compressor, plasma and one or, especially both, of my 220v welders on max for all I may have some major power draw and blow the main breaker. I've never had the need for that but it may happen one day!

I've got my sub-panel running off a 60A breaker in my main box, which has a 100A feed. At the Lars Bars day we had my 60gal compressor, plasma cutter, two grinders, and my 14" dry chop saw running at the same time with no problems. I've also run my welder, compressor and plasma at the same time without any trouble, so you should be good. Admittedly, both the welder and plasma are inverter and the welder wasn't maxed out, but I'll be surprised if you exceed the 100A capacity of your panel.