What are best dimensions for bus garage with 2000 sq ft? What size door?

belfert · April 27, 2014, 05:31:45 PM

I have sold my house and am currently looking for another house. I really want a place that will allow a bus garage to be built.

The city I am most likely to buy a house in will allow a garage up to 2,000 square feet. My bus is 43 feet long. What would be the ideal dimensions for a bus garage to stay within 2000 square feet? My original thought was to go 40x50, but I could hardly open the engine hatch on my 43 foot bus. Caveats are I still need to have room for two cars and the bus side by side at the front of the garage. I also want use at least 20x25 for a shop. What size door should I use for the bus? 14x12?

luvrbus · April 27, 2014, 06:09:03 PM

Your local codes and the truss manufactures span width are going to dictate the width of your building,have a architect draw a set of plans if you go into odd ball sizes the waste of materiel is unbelievable and waste is money

good luck

Hard Headed Ken · April 27, 2014, 06:18:54 PM

If possible include a pit in the plans.

Ken

belfert · April 27, 2014, 06:59:03 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on April 27, 2014, 06:09:03 PM
Your local codes and the truss manufactures span width are going to dictate the width of your building,have a architect draw a set of plans if you go into odd ball sizes the waste of materiel is unbelievable and waste is money

I don't think 40 feet wide will be an issue for trusses. There are pole buildings all over with spans over 40 feet. One size I am considering is 36 by 56, but it puts me over by 16 square feet. Multiples of four tend to be better for sheet goods. I am going to hopefully talk to someone tomorrow who can help me plans and a price to build.

The city won't allow a traditional pole building with the vertical steel siding. There are residential pole buildings that can meet city requirements by using a traditional house type siding instead of vertical steel.

Jim Eh. · April 27, 2014, 07:01:39 PM

Does it have to be rectangular? What about L shaped?

TomC · April 27, 2014, 09:54:09 PM

65ft x 30ft will give you 1950sq/ft. That will give you 11ft front and back, right and left. Good Luck, TomC

Jon · April 28, 2014, 03:54:46 AM

The first time you park your 365 square foot coach in your 2000 square foot garage you will think you died and went to heaven. Within a year you will be out of room and walking sideways just to get around everything.

If nothing else make it long enough to be able to open the engine bay doors plus have room to walk behind it with the doors open. You only need about 2 feet in front of the coach. That suggests a minimum depth of 55 feet. That leaves 36 feet for the width. Allow at least 4 feet along each side of the coach so you can pull an axle or holding tank. If you plan on 4 feet of clear space on each side of the coach you have a remaining space of about 19 feet X 55 feet.

The door needs to be 14 feet high and if you can do it, allow 14 feet for the width. Add a pit. Add water, sewer, and an RV plug for 50 amp next to the coach. Put in enough lighting to be able to do surgery. Insulate it as well as possible. Make the floor at least 7" thick so you can support the entire coach on stands. Plumb the pit and the garage with air, welder outlets, and plenty of electric outlets.

belfert · April 28, 2014, 04:29:00 AM

Quote from: krank on April 27, 2014, 07:01:39 PM
Does it have to be rectangular? What about L shaped?

I guess I don't know on that. I'm not sure why I would want L shaped unless it would be to have a really long section for the bus along with a small section for parking passenger cars. The city definitely wants a structure that is primarily for parking vehicles. The city will allow a garage up to 2,000 square feet and another building up to 768 square feet. If a house already has an attached garage I would need to need to convert the attached garage to living space before building a new garage.

I have to think about future resale value too. Something totally custom may reduce the number of buyers down the road. A large rectangle would not be an issue for future resale I don't think.

The one house I am currently considering has a 5 acre lot, but I would probably put the garage close to the house since I need to park my car there too.

TomC · April 28, 2014, 07:00:40 AM

I too am looking for a suitable house with large enough lot for a 60ft x 40ft garage. Reason? After I'm done with my truck, I want to build a pipe organ along one wall.
14ft x 12ft door, etc all good.

I have found that looking at horse ranch properties will put you possibly outside city limits and problems. Putting up a "barn" on a horse property usually isn't a problem. I have found a couple of 2.5 acre places in the Corona, Ca that are prime. Just not quite ready to move. Good Luck, TomC

Lin · April 28, 2014, 07:32:09 AM

Tom-- look down here in Joshua Tree.

Bryan- I would ask if you want the bus to be in position to be worked on all the time. Otherwise, if the door is wide enough, you can keep the coach tucked against one side for storage or move it to a more central position to accommodate whatever work you have planed.

belfert · April 28, 2014, 09:23:33 AM

I talked to the city again today and got some more clarification on what can be built as a garage. The bad part is the city building official said the garage can't be taller than the house. The house is one story with a walkout. The garage would be built at the lower basement level. The building official said the height of the garage can't be taller than the front elevation of the house.

The building official is checking to see if there is some way for me to get the height I need to have a 14 foot door. The property being over 5 acres might help.

B_K · April 28, 2014, 09:32:40 AM

Ask him if you can build a sun deck up top on the house for all your WILD PARTY'S! That will give you more height for the shop!

If you want my opinion go with a 14' X 14' Door for the bus. (That's what we had in Union City and you know how easy it was to back in and pull out (@ 40 MPH w/extension cord hanging out window plugged in wall socket)

Seriously all jokes aside I really do miss the 14' X 14' doors! We have 14' X 12' now and the extra foot on each side has been greatly missed even though we get by with the 12'. (dad an some of the help get scared when I'm coming in "hot" (aka fast during a snow or rain storm trying to keep as much weather out as possible)

BK

luvrbus · April 28, 2014, 11:40:17 AM

Same stuff I ran into in Scottsdale plus the exterior had to match the house then the HOA had their say it wasn't worth it to me,you are lucky to not have to deal with a HOA they are a bunch of Richard Heads IMO

sledhead · April 28, 2014, 02:44:27 PM

When I built mine the building max height was less then I needed and I asked the building inspector if there is anything I could do his reply was quote dave we never inspect height . So it has been up and finished now for 4 years . the property tax guy came by with his measuring tape and only measured the outside size width , length .

dave

chessie4905 · April 28, 2014, 04:12:18 PM

In my area, they have to inspect and approve plans, so they will see the height and dimensions. Did you ask if you can apply for a variance to be able to go a little higher and/or slightly more square footage? Would a small cupola added to the house roof be counted in the front height? I'd want 60 foot length. If you ever get a 45 footer, with engine door open and sitting 3 feet from front of bldg, you would still have approx 6 to seven feet at rear to work. I'd want 8 feet on both sides for clearance with baggage doors open or slide outs of any kind. 13 or 14 foot door, at least 12 foot wide, but 16 wide would be better. A quality looking pole building with handsome or conservative colors would probably be more acceptable, depending on where you live. 3 foot overhang on the front and 2 foot on the sides and 1 foot on rear.