New garage - looking for inspiration

[HVB]

The VBs are moving house soon and I'll have a nice new double garage to call home. I do a little bit of spannering and am become more likely to take on 'projects', building my knowledge of spannery type things. It's a place I'm likely to spend a reasonable amount of time and as such, I'd like to make it comfortable and ergonomic.

It's very easy to get inspiration for rooms inside the house - there are dozens of magazines and books devoted to the subject. I'm looking for inspiration, but not finding much. I figured this NG would be brimming over with such inspiration.

Aside from the usual... painted floor and walls and some heating/cooling... what else can I do to the garage to make it a nice, comfortable, fun place to work? I want to go in and think "wow!".

What would your ideal garage have in it?

Anyone know of any websites that might help provide inspiration?

I'm not looking to spend an absolute fortune, a couple of thou would probably be the max.

Ta! HVB

[Anita Palley]

A couple of thousand on a garage? Have you gone mad?? That IS an absolute fortune.

Put in a fluorescent strip light, a couple of 13A sockets, a few old kitchen cabinets from down the tip, and some spanners. Fifty quid, and change left over for a chicken donner.

[Owain]

It's not entirely clear if this is to be a garage, for spannery tinkering, or a shed substitute. Obvoiusly if a shed substitute a higher spec fit-out is required, with comfy chair, b&w telly that only gets five channels, electric kettle...

Owain

[Phil L]

First thing you need is a sound system - there's no limits here so it's up to you, along with speakers and their positions, sizes etc. A fridge wouldn't go amiss, you can pick up small ones now for less than a ton, beer, for the cooling of.

Obviously some posters dotted about:

'll want an alarm: telly.

Telephone extension and phone.

A Jack Daniels neon wall clock:

(These people have tons of cool stuff, even a remote controlled tarantula) water and small sink/basin.

Comfy chair

etc.

HTH

[John]

One assumes that a car is not in the list of optional extras!

[Steve Walker]

I had mine built last year. Key items for my own desires were :

- 3m ceiling height (double-layer PB with vapour barrier)

- Central heating

- Walls in white external emulsion, floor in grey

- Clean bench with networked computer

- Dirty bench (HD with vice etc)

- Kitchen sink unit & row of basic wall cabinets

- 4m of 6ft dexion-type shelving down one wall

- 4x 6ft flourescent lights, plus several spots

- Compressor, airlines & tools

- Exposed RSJ in roof for ad-hoc winching etc

- Full-width motorised roller-door

- Several C02 extinguishers

I worked hard to earn this, and put it all in new. It's not especially expensive, except the door, and it's a wonderful luxury after years of mending cars on the street and everything else on the kitchen table. Now I potter about in warmth & comfort, can easily google a query whilst listening to my fave sounds, can store everything neatly.

What I now wish I'd done at the same time......

- replaced the manky cardboard & plastic boxes with new stacker crates

- Inspection pit (or even a basic vehicle lift)

- Proper extractor with hoses for woodworking machinery

- Accompanying 'garden store' for mowers, bicycles etc.

- Even more soundproofing specced in (integrated garage)

Good luck with your project - I've been really pleased with mine.

[Lurch]

On Sun, 01 Apr 2007 20:12:02 GMT, "Phil L" mused:

Some of those bits sound OKish, but overall I have to say that sounds like a shithole of a place.

[Phil L]

>>> (These people have tons of cool stuff, even a remote controlled

Which parts? :-p

OK the neon wallclock was a bit gaudy, but I figured he's gonna have a clock of some kind, what else? - a grandfather clock? - a jewel encrusted masterpiece from the jewellers?

The posters, sound system, telly, phone, sink, chair, alarm and fridge are all required IMV

[Dave Fawthrop]

|!The VBs are moving house soon and I'll have a nice new double garage |!to call home. I do a little bit of spannering and am become more |!likely to take on 'projects', building my knowledge of spannery type |!things. It's a place I'm likely to spend a reasonable amount of time |!and as such, I'd like to make it comfortable and ergonomic. |! |!It's very easy to get inspiration for rooms inside the house - there |!are dozens of magazines and books devoted to the subject. I'm looking |!for inspiration, but not finding much. I figured this NG would be |!brimming over with such inspiration. |! |!Aside from the usual... painted floor and walls and some |!heating/cooling... what else can I do to the garage to make it a nice, |!comfortable, fun place to work? I want to go in and think "wow!". |! |!What would your ideal garage have in it? |! |!Anyone know of any websites that might help provide inspiration? |! |!I'm not looking to spend an absolute fortune, a couple of thou would |!probably be the max.

Can you get it to habitable building standards? Insulation, Windows, plumbing, electrics, etc? could cost a fortune.

[Owain]

Shame to waste a perfectly good garage on a car which is well able to stand outside in all weathers.

Owain

[Lurch]

On Sun, 01 Apr 2007 21:13:00 GMT, "Phil L" mused:

Yeah, I'd just use a 99p wall clock. ;)

Just not in the style you suggest perhaps. Obviously some of us have more taste than others, it happens.

Re: the alarm, if you're got anythig in there of any value then get a proper alarm, if you haven't then don't bother.

[John Rumm]

Lots off insulation and sound proofing. Heating, running (hot) water. Ample power sockets. Good ceiling height. Loads of lighting. Decent workbenches, shelving, cupboards etc. Lots of tool storage cabinets. Space to setup machine tools (pillar drill, lathe etc)

[Phil L]

such taste!

Not more taste, just different tastes, horses for courses and all that bollocks

If the garage is connected to the house, it may be on that alarm system, but lets face it, who ever sets the alarm when they are at home? - those cheap/nasty ones are adequate to deter the commonest of thieves; bored teenagers/drug addicts

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'd love a garage and have often drooled over a decent one. But it would mean moving since this house hasn't room for one and on balance I love the house more than what I could afford with a garage or space for one in this area.

First I'd have all the services. Including gas and three phase if possible.

Next some method of easy access to the underside of the car. A hoist would be ideal - if not a decent pit.

Everything else can be done as and when.

[R]

Good lighting and heating with usual insulation Ample power supply (3 phase if you can afford it) Chair and accompanying footstool (Footstool doubles for a hop up and sitting on repairing stool) Sounds (Radio or TV etc) Hot n Cold running water (NOT down the walls though ;-)) Kettle and supplies Toaster HD Bench with 6" vice Disassembly bench with wipe clean light coloured top + GOOD movable light Parts washer Air compressor (100psi and over 15cfm) + Tools Lathe Pillar drill Dexion type racking with plastic bins Scissor type vehicle lift on wheels (They are *so* handy) Couple of fire extinguishers

Fekin great luminous sign on the door " Keep out - Unless bearing food or alcohol"

EBay is your friend here...