The Ideal Storage Garage ?

[Roadrunner]

We have finally decided to erect a pole building to store our trailer and lease out space for RV storage. What options would you include if you were building from scratch? If you have a storage building, what would you change? Pictures appreciated. Thanks!

Bob
Indiana, PA

TAC PA-5
WBCCI 4871

[kevinb]

Mine is on a slab which I think is important especially if you want to use it as a work area, and I wish I had a completely enclosed building so it could be heated. Remember no matter how large it is you will still think its not big enough.

Make sure you are aware of contract law as it pertains to vehicle storage in your state. It is very tricky to take possession of a vehicle for non payment of storage fees. I tried the storage business, profitable but can be a headache. Also cover yourself by requiring each person have insurance for damage against all sorts of troubles inc rodent.

[DanielB]

1) Plenty of room for backing a long trailer in. Or a drive through would be even better.
2) Gravel pad
3) Lighting
4) Electric plug in (some jerks want to plug in and leave their ACs on 24/7 though).
5) Tell people to keep their mitts off of anything that doesn't belong to them.

[jdalrymple]

I figure about 80x150 would do.

14' side walls and a mezzanine with living quarters overlooking a nice Airstream fleet is our grand plan.


Regards,

JD

[Tater]

Mine is enclosed and attached to the house. It's 47.5' deep and 25' wide with some additional space. Full bath, 32" and cable hookups. 50 AMP service, water, sewer drain close to A/S drain. Space for 30' A/S, Silverado, Open Car trailer and mower. Electrical outlets about every 10'. Makes maintenance and upkeep pleasant. And very importantly. Lots of lighting on 14' ceiling. 12x12 garage door.

[wrochdvm]

I am in the process of building a garage to house the AS, TV my tractor and boat. with a second floor that will be used as a studio for my wife and a wood working shop for me.

It is 30'x40' with a 12'x40' lean to. Will have four 30amp outlets two inside and two outside to provide outlets for the boat and courtesy parking (outside), trailer and welder inside.

here's a picture as of today (looks like you have to load the image in a new window to see it)

[DanB]

If I were paying for inside storage:
-24 hour in/out privilege
-locked, ideally with walls or fencing separating each area
-Common fresh water fill, dump area.
-at least a 15 amp convenience outlet.

Ideally:
- pull thru
- heated
- dedicated full hookup
- compressed air
- lighted
- possible to live in
- Big enough to fit TV hooked up
- ability to monitor via web cam

Am I asking to much?!

[Roadrunner]

Thanks for the great suggestions...many of which we will incorporate into the storage/garage building. Hadn't thought of webcam or ability to park trailer with tow vehicle attached. Good ideas! We will have a well and septic and do plan on having hookups available...at least in one outside area. Pull through would be great but requires a bigger footprint in the layout. Also considering adding a shop to one side...it would be nice to have an area for interior construction. Will also have to look into legalities of renting out storage space. I certainly understand the pitfalls of inside storage...5 years ago we had our motorhome stored in a storage unit and it collapsed under snow load and totaled our coach. Thanks for the input...

Bob
Indiana, PA

TAC PA-5
WBCCI 4871

[MotorCity57]

Lots of good ideas at this forum: The Garage Journal Board - Powered by vBulletin

Personally, I'm looking forward to owning a "Garage Condo" to store my Airstream Interstate, my 1957 Chevy station wagon and my 1947 Chevy Coupe. Here's a link to a development near me that's breaking ground soon. Welcome to M1 Concourse - The Ultimate Car Enthusiast Destination
(I'm already on the waiting list).

John

[Skater]

Originally Posted by DanB

If I were paying for inside storage:
-24 hour in/out privilege
-locked, ideally with walls or fencing separating each area
-Common fresh water fill, dump area.
-at least a 15 amp convenience outlet.

Ideally:
- pull thru
- heated
- dedicated full hookup
- compressed air
- lighted
- possible to live in
- Big enough to fit TV hooked up
- ability to monitor via web cam

Am I asking to much?!

It would depend on how much you want to pay for all of that!

[easyride]

My shop ended up being a 30x60 13' walls,the entrance main door is 12'x12'.
My work shop is also there,with mig,compressor,30 amp and 15 amp every 10'.400 watt high hats for lighting.
It`s not heated and don`t need heat,shop is in Ohio,and I live in Fl. When the temp starts to go down,I start to go south.
My immediate project is a 66 Chevy C10,short,step side,that project should be done next spring,then I can start on Spartanette,or Globetrotter.
I think I`ll have to live quite a few more years to get finished. Dave

[Roadrunner]

Thanks for all who submitted suggestions. We just received acceptance of our offer on 3 acres of land on which we will be constructing several garage/storage units. Many of the suggestions we will incorporate into the building...

-24 hour in/out privilege
-locked, ideally with walls or fencing separating each area
-Common fresh water fill, dump area.
-at least a 15 amp convenience outlet.
-ability to monitor via web cam

Initial plans call for 5-bay...3 with 12 x 14 doors and 2 12 x 12 doors with an attached shop. I'll start a new thread to document the progress. Again...thanks for the input.

Bob
Indiana, PA

TAC PA-5
WBCCI 4871

[Msmoto]

A bit late, but here is what I have to store my RV....currently an Allegro Bus, soon to be a new Serenity International...

12' x 14' door, interior height of about 18'...to 15', width 15', length 58'. Two floor drains, one sewer clean out, two 50 Amp connections (One for guests). Space is heated to about 55° F and in summer never exceeds 80° F because of the large concrete volume in floor/wall.

Lighting is four "light tubes" for daytime, three 70 watt Na Vapor lamps for nights. Also, some LEDs for quick low volume light.

Not inexpensive, but so convenient. Allows full maintenance upon return to home base, plus keeps batteries up.

[Alumaholic]

Here's the garage I built for my Airstream back in 2006.
It had a small kitchen, a bathroom with shower, and 30 amp receptacles everywhere. Outside, I had courtesy parking with full hookups for famous visitors like Lewster and Ken J

[wrochdvm]

We are nearing completion of our garage/workshop. the garage is 30'X40' plus a 12'X40' lean-to for the boat. The second floor wil be my woodworking shop and my wife's metals studio.

We are delayed because one window delivered was the incorrect size.
We will have courtesy parking with 30A service when everything is finished.

[bike_addict]

We're in the design stage of a new house and adding an external garage for the AS.

This may be a silly question but if I put the sewer access inside the garage to dump will it smell? Should I have it put beside the driveway instead?

[Aage]

Here's my WAG: no, if you are careful to put the vent for the connection outside. You will very likely get a small amount of odour while emptying the tank, so install large windows to the outside with that in mind.

[polarlyse]

Check with local building codes. There may be a code that will prevent you from doing this but I think most homes with a basement have a cleanout before the sewer pipe leaves the structure so I don't see any difference. Good ventilation in the area should reduce odor problems.

[Riverrat6270]

A tight lid should keep the dump station from venting sewer gas when the lid is on, either a screwed plug or a tight fitting cap. Some sewer gas will vent out when dumping as the drain has to breath.

[goshawks00]

Originally Posted by DanB

Ideally:
- pull thru
- heated
- dedicated full hookup
- compressed air
- lighted
- possible to live in
- Big enough to fit TV hooked up
- ability to monitor via web cam

Am I asking to much?!

Curious what would you expect to pay for all these amenities per month?