I believe pits are illegal in MA, at least in private residences

I'm going to brace the floor with extra concrete for a future lift. Can you park a car under a 2 post lift ? would it be safe long term? I have to share the garage with the boss.lol
Heres what I'm thinking of doing not set in stone. The door is 18x8 I'm changing it to maybe 16x8 for more side room for compressor. I'm going to use Clopay insulated with Liftmaster 3800 opener.
Let me know whaty you think.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...ictures013.jpg

Wayne -- I park under my two post all the time... with or without cars on it. If it's empty - the arms are down and I just drive in between them... If I have it loaded -- I ALWAYS drop it down onto the locks.. taking the pressure off the hydraulic cylinders. I do this even if I'm just working under it.

Make sure you have the HEIGHT in the garage area for the lift you're looking at... most need at least 12' (if I remember right).

Make sure you get an ASYMMETRIC two post... clear floor... The asymmetric will let you position the car on the lift so that you can open the doors wide without hitting the lift. Very handy! - It also lets you put the lift "forward" a bit more than a symmetric lift - since it carries more of the car to the rear.

The other lift you may want to consider -- is an inground scissor lift.... which would create a flat floor (you'd have to plan for this NOW before construction)... and would have NO posts. They're not perfect - but nothing is.

There are also lifts that lift from the SIDE... so you could have all of the lift on one side of the garage --- again - not perfect -- but ANY lift is better than no lift at all! :cheers:

Greg with either scissor trusses or stick built with collar ties it will be more than 13' if all goes right.

This is turning out to be complicated build
 

I just got off the phone with the architect with some fun news. It seems that Ma. just started new building code for my area. Sense I'm within 20 miles of the coast I need an engineer to stamp the plans. Were in a 110 mph zone. Not bad $250 I can live with that. But when he checked it out they decided with my wall height of 11'3" that I need shear walls. specifically for my wall height. More money , not sure how much. Their going to see if I make the foundation taller if it will let me scrape by on the wall type. The ones their talking about have metal in them plus different bolts to hold it down on the foundation. I figured it must be like Cali. standards. Plus sense my door isgoing to be 16x8 its a specific door because of the hieght over 6'8" It just gets better and better!

Wayne --

Anyone that's ever done any additions or remodeling etc has multiple stories like this! It's the way this kind of stuff works.

Ask me about the "bridal trail" that is part of my property - that NOBODY knew about - including the city -- UNTIL I wanted to build the shed! Then somebody down at planning noticed a very faint dotted line across the back of my property and decided to look into it. Turns out - it's a "bridal trail easement" - 15' wide and running the width of the property. This can not be modified by the city - can not be given a variance - and the property can not be "disturbed" -- not even weeded! No digging it up - form a wall - and backfilling... no sir - DO NOT DISTURB.

Now -- there hasn't been a horse in the area since maybe 1942... but that doesn't matter. Doesn't matter that every neighbor - including me - has fences across it... and that the state cut a highway through what USED TO BE a horse trail... and that a 1/4 mile from me - in the way of said bridal trail - there's a 15' tall concrete wall (noise barrier for the highway).... NONE of that counts. I shalt not disturb!!

The "shed" had to be completely modified - to the point where I went from a stick framed 2250 sq foot (foot print) two story building - to a 1500 sq foot one story rectangle. BORING TO THE MAX compared to what was going to be built! But I have to say - it's still fun to go mess about in! :cheers: :woot:

I call this stuff -- "the voice of small authority"... The smaller the job, the bigger the authority. Doesn't make any difference that it doesn't make sense - there is NO THINKING done at city hall. In the end - they saved me about a quarter million bucks... and screwed themselves and the city out of many years of increased property taxes (due to valuation). :woot:

Greg it is fun isn't it! My neighbor across the street from me didn't want me to build the garage, but we are friends and we watch each other's house when that person is on vacation. So she told me she wouldn't sign in favor of it , but wouldn.t go fight it. She belongs to the neighborhood association. She said "they will never let you build it". I think thats what she was counting on. There were two people at the meeting contesting my build they had 32 signatures against me. It passed anyway. A coouple of days ago I saw one of the guys from the meeting in her yard with an envelope in his hands talking to her. I think they are going to try to get her to protest it.Thay have thirty four days . I don't know how they came up with the number. The building inspector told me he can give me the permit but if they protest it in court I will get a cease and decest order and I willhave to stop. Then if they would win I would have to return the property to its former state. So I'm waiting with bated breath!!!

That's just wrong! From looking at what you had drawn up I think it will look great and actually increase the curb appeal! Just 33 more days...............................:faint:

FWIW, I went with the 8' tall doors and I'm really glad I did! It makes it possible to fit my truck in there and to be honest they just look better! I like your idea of going 18' wide....I have a 16' wide door and I think it's a little cramped pulling in and out at times if I have two cars in that part of the garage. I know it's standard...but still..............

Don't know how I missed this thread??:question:
Congrats Wayne! That's great news. Maybe I'd be there when you guys are working on your car to pass the tools, beer, whatever!! Or just to drool over your car lolll....:lol:
GOOD LUCK buddy!:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Thanks Tony I'll be glad when we get it started. I can get the permit around July18th. Only problem is I go in to the hospital to have an ablation done on my heart the 19th. It will hold me up for a few days. But as soon as I can I'll be waitng for the building dept. to open to get it.