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dstalzer · 10-13-2018, 07:06 AM

I had a garage built to house my Airstream, truck and car. Due to limited space in my back yard, I specified the garage inside dimensions of 30' wide, 27' deep and 12' high. The door for my 25' Airstream Classic is 10' by 10' which is the absolute minimum. If I had it to do over, I would have made the door 12' wide by 12' tall. It is a real PITA to back in and there is no space in the back to access the rear trunk. Since then I have built a 42' wide by 40' deep barn on another property with one door 12' wide by 14' high and a second door 11' wide by 12' high and had a sewer drain installed.

uncle_bob · 10-13-2018, 08:24 AM

Hi

Garages these days seem to be designed by people who don't own cars or trucks. They always seem to have no room to open all the doors after you pull in to the garage. To the extent you can get out, going past an open door ... not going to happen.

If I had a shot at redesigning any garage, it would be to make it wider ... lots wider. On a cost per square food basis, it's un-heated space with no basement under it. It's the cheapest part of the house to build.

Do you have a truck you tow the AS with? ... hmmm .... will it park in the slot next to the AS? ....how long is the truck with the hitch still mounted? How about with the tailgate down and pulling stuff out of the bed? Even with a short bed, my crew cab truck is pretty long.

Bob

skyguyscott · 10-13-2018, 10:05 AM

Check out the North Texas Airstream Community

This is a gated community of (mostly retired) airstream owners who have built either metal "villas" or brick houses with attached Airstream garages with full hook-ups.

pcskier · 10-13-2018, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

My dream home is a two bedroom with a five car garage!

Hahaha. I keep telling people "I need 1/3 the house and 3 times the garage that I have now."
I am actually working toward that goal of a small house but with an integrated airstream garage that will be an extra bedroom.

Daquenzer · 10-13-2018, 05:17 PM

I'm building a 18 x 36 Cleary with 14' side walls and 12x12 door. Starts this week; hopefully. I debated quite a bit about the size of the door, but decided that a 12 x 12 would be more practical and easier to back in. The higher door and sidewalls would be a marketable storage for other RV owners. And 36' long covers quite a few sizes and if I ever went to a 30' AS I'm covered

I already have a 3 car garage that is insulated and heated. I have come to the conclusion that garage space is really nice to have. Looking forward to not only getting my AS out of the weather while storing, but getting all my camping stuff under one roof and out of my main garage.

Albireo · 10-13-2018, 09:08 PM

Big garages are nice. In our neck of the woods many build their garage first and then the house. Our closest neighbor a half a km away built his garage and lived in his RV in his garage while he built the house.

That reminds be I stayed in our old Aliner hard side pop up trailer in the garage attached to our house while the house was being built. I sort of site supervised some of the house build.

You will never wish you built a smaller garage. Well maybe.... I built a 2700 square footer a few years after the house with 10 foot ceiling. At the time RVing was not on the horizon. I am just looking now at changing the door to a barn style so our RV will fit. I haven't spent much time doing so yet but it seems I will just be able to squeek it in. I wish I built 12 foot ceilings. If I were to do it now I would not go for 10 foot ceilings. I have to work with what I've got so just getting it in height wise will have to be OK.

I do like the 3 bay idea with the center bay for the RV. It seems like a good idea. We know someone who has one and he doesn't RV. Just bought the house like it. It's a long story.

Very exciting building a garage. Have fun and bigger isn't always better but with garages I think it may just be.

Albireo · 10-13-2018, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

I'm building a 18 x 36 Cleary with 14' side walls and 12x12 door. Starts this week; hopefully. I debated quite a bit about the size of the door, but decided that a 12 x 12 would be more practical and easier to back in.

Sounds real nice!

bweybright · 10-13-2018, 09:18 PM

So another consideration is the angle or approach to the door opening. I built a shop here with with a 12 x 12 on the side, and a 12x14 on the middle, which is where the trailer lives. My angle of approach is from a side and has me hitting the middle bay for the trailer at an offset. And given my age and bifocals am very happy to have the 12 ft. side width. So the advice to go for a 12 ft width is very well founded. Going for a 14 ft. height gives you resale value down the road for 5th wheelers...
Regardless, don't go cheap now and regret later. Been there and done that.

Albireo · 10-13-2018, 09:31 PM

Also meant to mention we have two Reznor direct vent propane (or natural gas) heaters. They are popular around here. I forget the size but they pump out the heat and no duct work. You see them in industrial settings.

Just a thought as they work well for us.

geekvswild · 10-14-2018, 05:04 AM

I do have a 2500 HD GMC TV. With the tailgate down, I need 23 ft, but I may make it longer based on feedback I'm seeing here.

Thanks

geekvswild · 10-14-2018, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kidjedi

Without knowing how your property is set up... what about going with a pull through (a garage door at either end of the bay)? If you're building from scratch, that would seem like a superior solution to me.

Good idea, but no can do. There's a pool right behind the house.
Thanks

Foiled Again · 10-14-2018, 11:49 AM

Love the open sided Air-port. Great design if climate and zoning allow. Side curtains of waterproof canvas can be added to give some shelter from wind... handy in hail country. Remove the Airstream for a day and the space can be used for a big party or barbecue.

I look at Indian Cove's party shelter thinking ... I could store 8 Airstreams under there in a storm!

Going to Florida looking for property... must have multiple "skedaddle" options northward.

Beautiful design on house, but agree wider and higher is better.

uncle_bob · 10-14-2018, 02:00 PM

Hi

We are focusing a lot on the truck and trailer.

Is there anything else that stores in the garage? (riding lawn mower, hang glider, tandem sea kayaks ..... ).

Where is the "shop area" located in the house? If that's not already provided for, tack it on the "far side" of the garage. You have to put the tools *somewhere*. Having them close to the truck and trailer is not that bad an idea.

There's also things like the beer fridges, meat freezer (gotta put the deer somewhere), beer brewing equipment, .....

Yes, I've been looking at all the junk in my garage ....

Bob

kidjedi · 10-14-2018, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekvswild

Good idea, but no can do. There's a pool right behind the house.
Thanks

Just build a retractable bridge! [he-he]

geekvswild · 10-14-2018, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

We are focusing a lot on the truck and trailer.

Is there anything else that stores in the garage? (riding lawn mower, hang glider, tandem sea kayaks ..... ).

Where is the "shop area" located in the house? If that's not already provided for, tack it on the "far side" of the garage. You have to put the tools *somewhere*. Having them close to the truck and trailer is not that bad an idea.

There's also things like the beer fridges, meat freezer (gotta put the deer somewhere), beer brewing equipment, .....

Yes, I've been looking at all the junk in my garage ....

Bob

Good ideas, but I already have a 16' x 40' shop/shed in the back for most of that stuff. Not to mention a 1000 sq ft apartment I built for my mom with 2 freezers. (she feeds me well). I'm fortunate with a 1 acre lot right in the middle of town. Very few of those. The garage will store the minimum yard tools, and the 4-wheeler, Kubota diesel mower, and shop tools are out back.
The house is basically a kitchen with a technology center and recording studio. Dang, maybe I have too many toys and hobbies!

uncle_bob · 10-15-2018, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekvswild

Good ideas, but I already have a 16' x 40' shop/shed in the back for most of that stuff. Not to mention a 1000 sq ft apartment I built for my mom with 2 freezers. (she feeds me well). I'm fortunate with a 1 acre lot right in the middle of town. Very few of those. The garage will store the minimum yard tools, and the 4-wheeler, Kubota diesel mower, and shop tools are out back.
The house is basically a kitchen with a technology center and recording studio. Dang, maybe I have too many toys and hobbies!

Hi

The core of my thought is that (if anything) you need more wiggle room at the back end of the trailer than at the front. ( = backing dead straight is tough / you can watch the trailer as it passes the garage door). If you have "junk" in the garage, arranging things to give you another 3 feet at the very back does not mean using up the whole space just for the trailer .....

Bob

geekvswild · 10-15-2018, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

The core of my thought is that (if anything) you need more wiggle room at the back end of the trailer than at the front. ( = backing dead straight is tough / you can watch the trailer as it passes the garage door). If you have "junk" in the garage, arranging things to give you another 3 feet at the very back does not mean using up the whole space just for the trailer .....

Bob

Fair point. Spoke with architect this AM and said make the garage wider, higher, deeper.
Thanks for the input!

uncle_bob · 10-16-2018, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekvswild

Fair point. Spoke with architect this AM and said make the garage wider, higher, deeper.
Thanks for the input!

Hi

So when this gets built can I come park in *your* garage when I store my trailer?

Bob

icebox500 · 10-17-2018, 09:45 AM

I am doing something very similar. Have plans for a carport/shop. I did not want to fully enclose the trailer since it is also a guest house. New carport is 32x12 and will have power and sewer. The attached shop space will be enclosed and have a roll up door in the front (motorcycles, skis, tools, shop...). Determining now if I can squeeze 10' or 12' wide (total of 22 or 24 wide) onto the property.

Cheap? No. Worth it? Yes.

jdcamp · 10-17-2018, 10:27 AM

I built a shelter for my 25 ft 2007 Safari SE designed to protect it but leave it exposed as part of the landscape. The shelter is tall enough to raise the tv antenna and is designed to look something like a covered bridge. It has full hookups for water, sewer, and electric and is used as guest quarters when needed . It is also steps from the pool and the outside shower for warm season fun. When I want to use it I just hook up and drive away.