Mancave - Standalone 4-Car Garage w/loft + Workshop + Office/HamShack

[Route246]

I'm sure some of you have nice garage/workshops, standalone mancaves and otherwise a place to store your toys, watch football, work on cars and projects and otherwise chill by yourself.

This is planning way into the future but I want to be ready if the opportunity presents itself. I'm thinking a standalone structure with the following requirements:

• 3-4 car garage parking
• loft storage above the cars
• project workshop area for table saw and other power tools, large workbench space, etc.
• enclosed home office area with desk, TV, chairs and sofa - also functioning as a ham radio shack

This is a standalone functional office, garage and workshop area, not for inhabiting or living which I believe makes it easier for permits and planning, etc. It needs to be secure with steel doors, etc.

Anyone know of resources, plans or ideas to get started. We are always short of storage so it would be nice to have storage loft area above the vehicles. My ham radio setup is relatively modest and I don't plan to have a full-on hardcore DX shack, just a place to park my radios, amp and tuner.

 

[kumquat]

The Garage Journal – Garage Design & Tools For The Working Man!

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[target2019]

Back in my youth I worked for 4-5 years in the two-car garage that sat apart from our rented home. It had the storage overhead where I'd keep found and purchased lumber. My power tools were pretty limited to the absolutes.

I'd say make sure you have a really good ventilation system to provide excellent air exchange when you need it. If you're going to be in an area that freezes, having a well-insulated floor is a god-send. Of course I had neither of those as the garage was circa 1910.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I have a stand alone 3 stall heated garage (important in MN). It is good for my marriage.

 

[Route246]

Back in my youth I worked for 4-5 years in the two-car garage that sat apart from our rented home. It had the storage overhead where I'd keep found and purchased lumber. My power tools were pretty limited to the absolutes.

I'd say make sure you have a really good ventilation system to provide excellent air exchange when you need it. If you're going to be in an area that freezes, having a well-insulated floor is a god-send. Of course I had neither of those as the garage was circa 1910.

We have good weather here in California so roof-mounted fans are usually sufficient as long as the walls and roof are well-insulated.

The Garage Journal – Garage Design & Tools For The Working Man!

www.garagejournal.com

Been participating on Garage Journal for many years. Thanks.

 

[calmloki]

When we bought our old house in Oregon it had a sagging board and batten barn. Cables from side to side to keep the walls from falling out. Mostly home to various wildlife - nutria and the like. We collapsed it and saved the exterior walls. Got some old windows from a house that was going to be a practice burn. My Mom spotted an arched top wide church door at a sale and I said "yes, please". Bought a ceiling hung gas heater from a building material store that was closing. Had trusses made. Plans were modified from some Home Depot plan book. Gal has her pottery studio, wheel, kiln and clay upstairs, along with a minor kitchen, bath, and living area (because to a landlord/hammer everything is a nail). Storage closets flank the walls where there aren't benches. Parking for three cars two and one on either side of the center stairs.

Edit: Gotta say - building new, even with used supplies, is SO much easier than trying to work with a twisty crooked out of level old house where you want to save the character and have to work out the equation "do you want it to be level or look level"?

 

[Koolau]

Heh, heh, my garage holds a couple of hundred cars - of course, I only get two of the spaces.

I DO miss having my own attached garage with attic storage. But, now I'm too old to worry about such things. If I had a big garage, I'm sure I'd just fill it with junk. YMMV

 

[Ronstar]

I go with Garagejournal also. Lots of ideas there. I built my detached workshop 20 years ago and use it daily. Mostly woodworking. It’s only 22x24.

My only advice is to build it bigger than what you think you need.

My shop:

 

[old medic]

My only advice is to build it bigger than what you think you need.

LOVE THE KAYAK.....
I will second Rons idea, or at least incorperate future expantion in the original build.
Or you can take my friends advise... level an acre and put a roof over it.
I miss my old shop at times... 24x28 2 bay concrete floor, 18x28 2nd floor and a 12X28 shed roof on one side.

 

[pjigar]

My only advice is to build it bigger than what you think you need.

I say at least 2 or 3 times as big as you think you need!

I built a 50'x60'x18' man cave with 1/3 loft area so about 4000 sq ft. It turned out rather nice looking in the end. But after it was done, DW said this would be a party place so I am bared from storing my big tools and lumber. I managed to get a 14'x20' room and a wine room for my own use! I am planning to build another 30'x40' dedicated workshop. And this time, I am not going to make it too fancy.

If your municipality allows: Look in to tubular metal building (cheaper option) or traditional "red iron" metal building. Tubuler metal building is a good option for a span up to 30' wide. Red iron building shines with wider spans and price difference significantly shrinks after 30'. Red iron sweet spot is 50' span.

 

[Ronstar]

Yep building too small is a common problem - Friend of mine just built a pole barn. I can't remember what his initial plans for size were, but his wife said that he should make it bigger than planned. He ended up building a 72x48. It's now full and he still has stuff in his mom's barn.

 

[Koolau]

^^^^^^^^^

VERY impressive, Ronstar!

 

[Sittinginthesun]

I've got a 2,400 sf shop/mancave. 15' ceilings with lots of LED lights, two 14'x14' poly doors, two 2 ton heat pumps for efficient heat and A/C plus a 60k btu vented propane shop heater to bring heat back up quickly in winter, washroom, etc. 80" tv, extra heavy duty twin xl bunkbeds as overflow sleeping for teens or inebriated friends. Nothing too fancy, bare concrete floors, etc. but its a nice spot to hang out.

 

[Koolau]

^^^^^^^^^

Heh, heh, my apartment would comfortably fit inside your shop/mancave. Amazing!

 

[skyking1]

I keep going back and forth between a modern design with clerestory windows and the gothic arch barndominiuim. Either one is going to incorporate an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in the loft space for reasons.
The arch barn is 50x36. I can have up to an 850 SF ADU, so that leaves ~900 SF of loft dance floor to build boats or party or what-have-you.
Something about that arch shape speaks to me.

I'd use small shed dormers for windows upstairs, even an external deck.
Shed dormers. these are single between the 2' on center. I would opt for a 4' window with header.

I was thinking a side deck, but the end deck idea has some appeal too.

Starwood rafters in Wisconsin quoted me $475 per 40' wide 24' tall truss, plus freight. I have since cooled my jets down to 36' wide and have not gotten that quote.
Say it is similar @$500 per 2' OC truss, so 26 trusses for 50' = $13K
I would pay them for some special engineering if possible. The mow floor is that floor that ties the truss at the bottom. I'd want the appearance of 8' side walls but a 14' RV capable ceiling, so that takes a bit of special sauce I have already designed.
Manufacturer of high-quality trusses|agriculture, residential, commercial buildings|Starwood Rafters
Whatever I do, it will get one of these lifts. They are quite affordable indeed.

Features : Products : Affordable Lifts

The modern shop would have a half loft with skillion roof and clerestory windows to provide for one half to have the high bay and the other to house the wood shop with ADU above.
Using this image as an example, the high bay is on the right and the low shop on the left with loft apartment above. The side wall between roofs would get clerestory windows for the loft apartment.

 

[Route246]

These photos are all brilliant and got me stimulated. I do not want to fall into the trap where the wife wants anything to do with it so I want to keep it a little primitive and slightly unfinished. I know to build as big as possible because it is human nature to grow into any size. Thank you to all for contributing.

 

[Koolau]

I do not want to fall into the trap where the wife wants anything to do with it so I want to keep it a little primitive and slightly unfinished.

Heh, heh, very perceptive. DW used to take over my man cave when she got fed up with the kids back in the day. Whatchagonnado?

 

[Badger]

These sound like my dream but now too late to act on.

 

[Koolau]

These sound like my dream but now too late to act on.

I was thinking the same thing. Late 70s so I'm "over" having a stable of cars and a w*rk shop. YMMV