Workshop size

[Greedo]

I'm useless at visualising how big a property is from the square footage.

I'm viewing a house on Friday and the schedule has a front on picture of the garage and it says "Newly built 5/6 car garage at 1000 sq ft"

Is this adequate size for a decent workshop building it up over time with workbench, table saw, planer, thicknesser, lathe etc.....

I've not done a great deal of woodworking things these past 10 year but am virtually retired and like the idea of working from home and building a small business making stuff. Would this garage be suitable or will it be too small over time?

Cheers

 

[Brian18741]

1000sq ft is massive for the hobby woodworker. Production shops could be smaller!

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[Fitzroy]

About 18m x 5m, sounds massive to me.

 

[Bob Graham]

My bungalow is just over 700 sq ft

 

[DrDerrick]

Yes, it's a very decent size for a workshop - 1000 sq ft may seem a bit large, but it'll soon fill up, and it's always better to have a bit of extra space than to find yourself hemmed in.

 

[custard]

I'm useless at visualising how big a property is from the square footage.

I'm viewing a house on Friday and the schedule has a front on picture of the garage and it says "Newly built 5/6 car garage at 1000 sq ft"

Is this adequate size for a decent workshop building it up over time with workbench, table saw, planer, thicknesser, lathe etc.....

I've not done a great deal of woodworking things these past 10 year but am virtually retired and like the idea of working from home and building a small business making stuff. Would this garage be suitable or will it be too small over time?

Cheers

I've got an 80 sq m workshop (plus two lock up garages that I use as timber stores), so in total it's just a whisker larger than what you're looking at.

I'm a full time bespoke furniture maker, and it's just about okay for my needs. I could have (just) fitted separate machines in, but I've elected to have a combination machine and so free up a bit more space for assembly. On balance I'm fairly happy with that decision, but I still don't have enough room for a dedicated spray area which can be limiting for some jobs, and when I set up for vac bag veneering everything else has to come to a halt as efficient veneering generally needs clear worktop space qual in size to three times your largest component. On occasions I've had a second craftsman working along side me and then it really does get a bit tight, especially if we're both working on larger projects.

If I were to branch out into fitted furniture work 80 sq m would definitely be too small. Not too small for making as such, but too small to store all the finished cabinetry for more than one complete kitchen. From what I've seen in other workshops fitted work tends to end up becoming very space hungry.

My workshop is split into a concrete floored machine room and a bench room with a wooden sprung floor, it's useful to keep most of the dust in a separate space. I also have joists running above the entire workshop and that's proved invaluable for storing all the jigs that you'll inevitably accumulate for making your designs. I'd really struggle in this space without that facility.

If you're working commercially but on your own then you'll probably be fine in your space, you'll always want just a bit more space, but that would probably be true even if you were working in an aircraft hangar.

Good luck!

 

[lurker]

I imagine most of us are working out of a space similar to a one car garage.
If it is truly as big as they say, I'd buy the house regardless of the rest of the property was like :lol:

 

[ED65]

I'm viewing a house on Friday and the schedule has a front on picture of the garage and it says "Newly built 5/6 car garage at 1000 sq ft"

I've recently been looking at whole houses — three-bed semis! — smaller than 1,000 square feet :lol:

 

[AJB Temple]

My framing barn is just over 10m by 9m so near as dammit 1000 sq feet and you would not get 5 or six cars in it unless they were small cars! It is a decent size for a workshop but a lot depends on the shape of yours. In my actual workshop, which is about 11 metres by just under 4 metres it is a right pain to handle full size sheet goods.

1000 sq ft is luxurious for a hobby / small business workshop. Lucky you!

 

[custard]

I imagine most of us are working out of a space similar to a one car garage.

Nothing limiting about that, for many years I lived in London and worked (mainly on an amateur basis) from similar sized spaces or smaller. Apart from handtools I had a bandsaw, a lunchbox thicknesser, and a bench. By sticking to moderate sized projects of increasing complexity it wasn't restrictive at all, and I completed many pieces of furniture that still give me great satisfaction today.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Just be aware that the larger the space, the more 'stuff' tends to accumulate. Discipline is forced on you in a smaller space, not so much in a larger. If you do take it on, be clear about what you want to achieve, and ruthless in sticking to it. Otherwise you'll end up working in a single-garaged size space in one corner.....

 

[memzey]

I’d just say don’t underestimate the value of empty space. You might look at an area of your workshop and think “an xyz machine would fit in that” but think about it carefully before pulling the trigger. Having adequate in feed and out feed runs for everything and storage space for materials, components, partially completed projects, assembly and glue ups is vital (although not as immediately desirable as, for the sake of argument, a Wadkin lathe )

 

[MikeG.]

Here's mine. It is 30 square metres (330 square feet ish):

I could earn a living from this workshop. What you are looking at is three times the size. (Oh, and Memzy is bang on right).

 

[memzey]

My workshop is exactly the same size Mike although it’s five times as messy so I won't be sharing a picture today!

 

[Rob B]

I'm beginning to think my 8'x6' shed with a bench that I've just erected isn't going to cut the mustard,
Good job I know my limitations.
Rob

 

[OscarG]

I'm so jealous of you guys with that cavernous space for a workshop!

I got an hours drive to get to my parent's place and my "workshop" is 40% of a 5m x 3m garage.

The thought of having a big space, where you have all your toys out at same time without having to move stuff about...stuff of dreams. One day ;-)

 

[Greedo]

Thanks for the replies guys. The house is actually not that big but the previous owner was a car nut hence the large garage.

 

[Farmer Giles]

When the kids move out, that is the kind of downsizing I would accept Sounds a great size to me, as long as your not as messy as me.

I currently have two floors in the barn, both 1300 sq ft, plus some small rooms I use as an office, brewery and a room full of tractor spares. Could be heading towards 3000 sq ft total and I never have enough space, but it is a mess and I need to do some tool pruning. Why did I buy that surface grinder? Oh yes it was a bargain, I don't actually have a use for it, but the moment I sell it I will.......