Chris:
I haven't built a garage, but I've lived with a couple, so here are
some thoughts.
20'x 20' is fine for parking, but not for working. I currently have
a 24 x 24, which is much better. At my garageless first house, I was
planning a 24 x 32, but we moved instead.
Assuming you can keep kids toys out of the way, etc., you can put more
than 2 cars in a 24 x 24. Mine's poleless, so you have freedom to
move things around however you want. You could also put one sideways
against the back wall, and still get two cars in. One big door is
better than two for this.
If you are in a cold area, plan on a complete closed floor in the
attic. If you don't have one, any heat you try to generate will go to
the attic, leaving you cold. This helps with lighting,too, reflecting
the light back down.
Plan on someday needing to lift something heavy by hanging it from the
ceiling, and design the structure accordingly. If you have ever done
an engine removal from the bottom, by hanging the front end from the
ceiling, you would know why.
Two doors vs one? One's great for flexibility, Can you park 3 across
in a 24 x 24? Maybe, if all three are small. But each time you open
it, one whole side of the garage is open, allowing dust, leaves, bugs,
and whatever else to blow in.
Make sure all of the floor is sloped toward the door. If you have
drains, make sure that they are piped to a specific location outside
the foundation. This isn't just for rain, snow, etc. What if a fuel
tank decides to leak? You don't want the gas residing under the
floor, or in your bomb shelter. You could have dangerous fumes for
weeks, and if the EPA finds out, you may have to dig out all of the
polluted dirt. It's easier to dig up the backyard.
That's all I can think of quickly. Good luck with your plans.
Stu
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