My Last (and best) Garage

[JohnZ]

After 37 years of working (and ten homes, all with 2-1/2-car garages), we built our retirement home two years ago; made a deal with my wife - she designed the house, I designed the attached garage, which would become my "home" when I retired (which I did last year).

It's 46'x 60'x 12', clear span (no columns), 2x6 framed and super-insulated, with forced-air gas heat; also insulated under the concrete floor before pouring it, with 1-1/2"-thick high-density closed-cell foam sheets with heavy foil on both sides. After it cured, I hired Home Pro Floor Coatings ( www.homeprofloors.com ) to come in and steel shot-blast the concrete and pour two coats of light gray-tinted 2-part industrial epoxy resin for an indestructible and easy-to-clean floor.

I had the "step" in the front formed-up 60" deep instead of the usual 36" for plenty of stool and walking space in front of my main workbench area without having to step up and down constantly while working. The garage has its own independent metered 150-amp power feed and breaker panel, with 110 outlets EVERYWHERE, including plenty in the ceiling for drop reels, and 220 for the compressor and welder, and has hot and cold water with an industrial bucket spigot; lighting is 8' 2-tube fluorescent fixtures, bank-switched so I can have only the ones I need on at any one time. Both the compressor and the water spigot feed 50' retracting hose reels.

It also has a fully-enclosed 16'x 16' office/shop in one corner (where the daily drivers park), with another 16' workbench, 26' of counterspace with lower storage cabinets, sink, fridge, cable, TV/VCR, phones, computer hookup, and windows both to the outside and overlooking the garage - my "retirement office" where I hang out. Also have the phone/cable/TV/VCR setup out in the main work area, above the workbench.

The restored Sunoco 260 pump was a surprise birthday present from my wife - only thing she forgot was the 10,000-gallon underground tank full of 260 to go with it

Main Work Area:

Bench Work Area:

Office Entrance:

Where I Hang Out:

Where The Heat Comes From:

Great concept, retirement - do what you like best and get paid for it!

 

[klb76]

oh yeah... i am jealous... sweet garage, mind if I move in? I promise to take less space then a car!!!

 

[Rob]

John,

Awesome cars! How do you like the 308?

 

[Justin_cv87]

Woah, your garage rules! You got very nice cars, a work area, and even a laptop! I hope to one day own somthing similar to your garage!

 

[Ctfoodguy2000]

That is an awesome place to hang out! Great looking cars.

 

[Rowdy1]

'Aye Carumba!!!

About the ONLY thing your garage and mine would have had in common is the heater. I bought a 45,000 BTU forced hot air propane by Modine. I posted some pictures a couple weeks ago of what I'm starting with. Fortunately my heater hasn't been delivered yet so the fact that I just viewed your pictures and went out and set fire to my garage will have no effect on my next garage, providing the insurance company doesn't put me in the slammer. I would have bulldozed it but I won't have access to my backhoe until tomorrow.

Seriously John, what can I say, absolutely gorgeous, well thought out, meticulously done. Oh yeah, my floor "would" have been tiled black & white also. Enjoy my friend, I wish you many many years of time spent in that "garage".

 

[oyealiz]

omg! your garage and cars are absolutely awesome....what a retirement package.

 

[Eric]

WOW John! That is the most impressive garage I've ever seen. Nice job and as Lou said, very well thought out; you didn't miss a thing.

So now that begs the question - when I meet you face to face in Hershey, do I bow or just shake your hand?

 

[MsSchroder]

good Lord.
I am speechless.
it is awesome.

 

[Eric]

Oh yeah, nice chair.

- Eric

 

[ET VETTE]

if i ever win the lottery you can build mine please:grinsanta

 

[lytemup]

:BOW

that is all i can say.
...that & i see you live in washington, mi, which is only a few miles from me, so put me on the list of interested parties if you ever move!! :s

 

[Dave L.]

John - From one garage lover to another I have one word for you,FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!! I always tell Lori if we ever build a new house she can do whatever she wishes with the house,I just want a 40 x 60 climate controlled garage. For now though,my 24 x 30 serves me well.

Dave

 

[Gorgon]

OMG!! :eek Very nice. I have always liked the 308/328. Maybe one day I could add one to my garage.

Leon

 

[qwall]

so when do i move in?

very very nice place, I hope my place will be half as decent as your garage.......thanx for sharing with us

q

 

[JT ZR-Won]

simply stunning John! I'm putting one on my X-Mas list:grinsanta

Jay

 

[Tom Bryant]

Fantastic Garage John. Do you miss the '57 yet?

Tom

 

[les]

Well I have a new dream now.:j

 

[JohnZ]

John,

Awesome cars! How do you like the 308?

Fabulous car - owned it for six years; just sold it to one of my Chapter members who's been bugging me for two years to sell it to him. Only put about 200 miles on it last season, and it deserves to be driven more than that. I still miss the '57, but we really enjoy the '67 that replaced it - much nicer highway cruiser, and we do a lot more of that these days.

Thanks to all for the nice comments! I've waited all my life to be able to build my dream garage, and I've maintained a long list over those years of what I wanted and needed in it for when the time came that I could finally make it happen. The timing worked out perfectly - I was able to retire (after 37 years of 12-hour days) a year after we moved in, so now I get to enjoy it full-time, several years earlier than I had originally planned.

 

[JonM]

God Bless America...