When I started thinking about building our house the AI was not even a consideration... I did not know at the time that this would be part of our lifestyle. At the time it was all about having the space and equipment to spend hours lost in the garage tinkering with my cars and motorcycles...
I initially wanted the house to be a single story (thinking ahead about being older and not looking at stairs with a painful thought) but then the footprint would be to large... so there was a plan for an elevator if going with a second story... and the reason for having dual laundry areas...
Today, I would still look for the same layout but with the modifications made by Interblog. With the kids, at that time, out living their lives, we would not need as many rooms as we have now... With my in-laws today, we have two master bedrooms, my daughter's room in the bonus room that is also the side of a master bedroom, and two additional rooms (one for my son and one we currently use as the home office)... there is the dining and living area that we seldom use... there is just so much space that we could do without...
I even built the kids a play house that they no longer use (me and my father-in-law in the photo):
We do not like bathtubs... walk-in showers is what we prefer... with an area to sit... rain-like shower heads... We also love open areas... Family area and kitchen is where everything happens... so we want that to be comfortable.
So many great ideas seeing Alex design... but for me, I would make it smaller since it would be just Mara and I. With the kids visiting from time to time or us driving over in the AI to visit... Daniela wants to work for Pixar so that will place her on the other coast... Daniel, too soon to know... Keep in mind, I am thinking retirement... so the needs are not those of what we have today...
At the time, this is what I was thinking on having for the garage side. If done today, it would incorporate space for the RV, more solar for less dependency on the grid. I am over boats, we still have one because my father in law just loves it... but the older I get, the less stuff that I want to maintain or store...cars and motorcycles, I do not think that I will be over those... :
Structural
1. Raised structure (at least 24” stem wall). Even if it is not in a flood zone but since it is close to the river. To have some peace of mind (this is when the land we had was next to the river)... this will change depending on where we build our next house...
2. 4 or 5” 4000 psi concrete slab floor with thickened (6”) pads for car lift
3. Steel beam on the ceiling to be used as an engine hoist, allowing me to remove an engine and then slide it from the two-post lift area along the metal rail to the work surface (bench).
4. Drains in garage floor in each bay
5. Garage door notch for weather-proofing
6. Plumbing and drain (3/4” water supply) for sink in garage (using a restaurant type stainless steel sink to serve as dual sink and parts cleaner).
7. Outside taps
a. By garage door next to main entrance
b. By deck area
c. By side and back of structure
8. 14' ceiling in first floor
9. 10’ ceiling in second floor
10. Three 12' x 12' insulated door. High lift track doors. Door should be pneumatic for quiet operation or using LiftMaster 3800.
11. In-ceiling pipes for air hose and electrical extension reels (or maybe do those outside for easy troubleshooting later if something goes wrong with them). Which ever is more cost effective.
12. Air compressor room in garage area with insulated walls to keep noise down
13. Full bathroom with closet area for working clothes. To be shared with first floor (two access doors, one from the garage and one from the living area). Toilet should have area for magazines to maximize the time reading the latest from CAR, Excellence, Panorama, etc.
14. A large floor level sink in the garage. Provides an excellent area to clean mops or parts.
15. Propane (or Diesel) tank for generator.
Electrical
1. 200 amp 220 volt service panel (40 breaker)
2. 30 amp 110/220 volt circuit for lift in ceiling
3. 30 amp 220 volt circuit for welder
4. 30 amp 220 volt circuit for powder coating oven
5. 30 amp 220 volt switched outlet for compressor
6. 30 amp 110/220 volt outlet for washer
7. 30 amp 110/220 volt outlet for dryer
8. 30 amp 220 volt outlet as spare
9. Circuits for A/C units
a. One for the garage
b. One for the living area first floor
c. One for the living area second floor
10. 20 amp 110 volt outlets in ceiling for lift, drop lines, ceiling fans, and air filter
11. 15 amp 110 volt GFI outlets outside on each side of garage door
12. 15 amp 110 volt outlet for exhaust fan
13. 110 volt GFI outlets at 48-52” height using double gang boxes located every 4’ around garage (approx 60 total)
14. Overhead high-output LED lights
a. 6 rows of lights with 5 lights in each, each row on switched circuit
b. 2 above work bench
c. 2 above cleaning area
15. Switched (with motion sensor) outside light. One on each corner.
16. Recess lights outside, over garage doors entrance
17. Individually switched ceiling fans
a. Over computer desk
b. Over car bays (off centered)
18. Natural Gas/Propane or Diesel, backup generator capable of running the living areas
19. Decorative lamps on each column (dark brown and black)
20. Three A/C units
a. One for the Second Floor
b. One for the First Floor living area
a. One for the Shop/Garage
Other wiring
1. Wired alarm system
2. Telephone service
3. Cable/satellite wired (lines for each room and garage)
4. Cat-5e network cables (lines for each room and garage)
5. Wire speakers for in-ceiling speakers in all rooms and garage
6. Wire video surveillance (power/video lines for 4 cameras)
7. Spare conduit to pull other future cables
Equipment
1. Asymmetrical two-post rotary auto Lift (my Mid-raise lift would be against the wall and with places to install if needed...great thing about a movable setup)
2. Refrigerator for cold refreshments
3. Flat screen TV with Blue-ray/DVD so that I can watch instructional videos on tuning engines, and play PS3 Gran Turismo to hone my driving skills, etc.
4. In-floor lighting. Excellent way to illuminate the underside of your vehicle when it's up on a lift. These lights are flush with the floor and have break resistant lenses.
5. Cordless phone and speaker phone for conferences - you can tell that the list is a bit dated... but I would still like a wired phone for emergencies... just the other day we were completely without mobile service (we got rid of wired phones at home about 4-5 years ago)
6. Two nice big tool case with wheels on it (in addition to the ones that are fixed) for moving the tools, under use, around easily
7. Wash-up area with deep stainless steel sink. An NSF-rated stainless sink with two sinks and a drainboard. There are two sinks so one can be converted to be a parts washer, using an aqueous solution that is EPA-rated to just be flushed down the drain. No solvents, no headaches, and no permanent parts washer to use up space
8. Computer area with digital camera, manuals on CD-ROM, and internet connection
9. Air line reels hanging from the ceiling and in the side walls
10. Electrical line reels hanging from the ceiling and in the side walls
11. Low temp work lights ( LEDs)
12. Mig/Tig welder and cutting torch
13. Oscilloscope, digital multimeter, digital micrometer, digital calipers, diagnostic computer, and temperature probe/sensor
14. Fireproof cabinet for cleaning chemicals
15. HUGE fan (to cool down engine, exhaust, etc and to get fumes out of garage
16. Hose to use to expel exhaust gases from garage when doors are closed
17. Milling machine, Lathe, Drill press, grinder, cutter, polisher/buffer, drills, electric saws
18. Engine stand
19. Engine lift/hoist
20. Powder coating equipment
21. Tools cabinets with stainless top
22. Oil drain unit (on wheels to move under the car when on the lift)
23. Pneumatic sit-on creeper
24. Keys cabinet
25. Stools for the workbench
26. 2’x3’ white board (sometimes I just want to make sketches and the floor or walls are not the place to do this…)
27. Washer and dryer to clean oily rags and dirty towels so they don't mix with the regular clothes
28. Fire-suppression system
29. Central vacuum system
30. Non-skid tiled floor
Miscellaneous
1. Carpets/rugs to check for leaks and keep mess off of tiled floor
2. Soap and towel dispenser
a. In bathroom
b. In each wall
c. Next to computer desk to avoid greasy keyboards
3. A TON of sport cars/bikes posters, flags, toys, etc
4. EVERY garage MUST contain at least ONE "pinup" calendar that the wife/girlfriend/significant other does not approve of! This is a MUST! No respectable garage is without one! These are the rules and we as car enthusiasts must adhere to them! It does not have to be Playboy or something like that, but bikini-clad women in/around/near sports cars or on beaches is a requisite. This is age-old tradition so don't question it! Ok, ok. I will be the first one to admit that my garage does not have this because the last thing I want is my daughter to ask me why I have that in the garage... thus I will have it inside the tool box until she is 40
)
Keep the ideas coming... I am starting to plan again!!!