30x40 or 20x60 shop to store 5er

[DrBaker]

We are building a new home and the HOA allows us to add a metal shop building no larger than 1200 sqft.

Trying to decide what dimensions to use for the shop. The lot is much deeper than it is wide so a 60ft deep shop would work fine. My 5er is 30ft long and if it were ever replaced it would be something of similar length. In a 30x40 I couldn't leave the truck hitched up and close the door which is why I'm considering other sizes.

The main purpose of the building will be to store the 5er, a 16' utility trailer, and a small amount of lawn equipment.

Who prefers the narrow/long option? I had been thinking a 30x40, but am now not sure it's the best option.

[jgraves]

I have a 28x46 building with two 10x10 doors which I use for a shop and race car.

The 10 foot door is narrow for a trailer or to open the truck door when half in the building. I would recommend a 14 foot wide door to allow getting in / out of the truck, walking around the trailer, etc when half way through the door. Max height is 13'6" in most places so I'd also look for a 14 to 15 foot tall door to allow any RV or commercial truck to fit.

I'd also allow 4 feet plus all around the RV with the slides out if you plan to load, unload, clean or service the trailer while it's indoors. I think this puts you around 20x40 without the truck or 20x55 with the truck attached, not allowing for anything else in the building. If you're strickly using it for RV / truck storage, you can get away with a smaller space.

A design option to consider is an extended (15 to 20 foot) overhang with lighting above the garage door to allow covered (but not indoor) hitching of the trailer. The overhang most likely will not count toward your total square footage.

For the utility trailer and lawn tractor you could also build an L shaped building with 20x40 for the RV and 20x20 for the utility trailer and tractor, add a basement (spancrete) for the utility trailer and lawn equipment if the slope of your yard would allow it (side or rear entry) or extend the depth of the 2 car attached garage with a door in the back.

Your X340 will likely haul the utility trailer around the yard (assuming firm ground and gentle slope) but I'd be sure it was empty and careful of the tongue weight.

The most important thing is to consider how you will use the building and design it to fit your needs. There are many options when you're building from scratch and it also doesn't hurt to be creative when working around the constraints imposed on you.

[sk734]

I think I would make the drive straight back to the shop-easier to back in.5 garages and a building-now that is living!!

[rb71]

20 x 60 you could have the truck hooked up and ready to go then. or maybe a 50 by 24 might work better for you also.

[Retired_JSO]

I would take your 30X40 and make it 25X45 or something like that. It will allow you to put the slides out when loading and also get store or get something by the RV if need be. Mine is 18X40 which was good for my fifthwheel but when I sized-up, it became a squeeze when we went with a 40' motorhome..

[Copperlisa]

If you can get away with it, make it a pull through. As long as the HOA is working with you, ask for the variance and get that extra 10 feet. The storm shelter idea is a great idea. My folks have a 40x60, with 3 bays, and one is a pull-through. It's amazing. In a pinch, you can get 5 rigs in there, with room to walk around them all.

2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4x4 6.0L
1998 Jayco Designer 2930RKS

[NJRVer]

I would go 30 wide and 40 deep.
Put in a front and rear door and configure your driveway so you can bring the fiver right in the back door and drive out the front.
With 40 ft in that direction you still have about 9' of room behind the trailer to pull things in and out of the building.

[Cummins12V98]

I built a 40w x 30d shop with two roll up door the far left one was 10w x 11h the other was 10x10 plus a man door. All was fine for our 25' prowler 5er. Next rv was too tall and too wide. This was 1985 have learned to built larger than you need. I added a RV pad on one end of the shop with water power and sewer.

If I were you I would go 30w x 40d. Left side a 10' x 14' roll up door for your rv up to 37' or so. Next to that a 10x10 roll op for your truck or what ever. Then a 3' x 6'8" man door. Much more usable space.

Builder for 35 years.

[DrBaker]

This is not perfectly to scale. I added in the shop and tried to connect it to the front driveway. Not perfect, but gives a better idea of what I have in mind.

[DrBaker]

The house will have a 5 car garage so there will always be plenty of parking for the truck in the house garage. The utility trailer is about 20' from tip to tip. While that trailer will fit in one of the garage bays on the house, I much prefer to keep it out in the shop.

The lot is about 300' deep and 125' wide. So fairly narrow and decently deep. The narrow and long shop design will make for a better fit in the back yard.

As mentioned in an earlier post, the side door toward the back might work. That would allow me to load the utility trailer (if it will actually fit in a 20' space) sideways behind the 5er. I don't want to concrete the area down the side of the shop as it will eat up too much of the backyard with concrete. We want as much grass, trees, and landscaping as we can get while still having the benefits of the shop. If my John Deere X340 can handle an empty flatbed utility trailer, that would work to maneuver the utility trailer in and out of the side exit of the shop. Not sure what the lawn tractor is capable of moving. The truck driving in the grass is definitely not preferred.


I think I'm pretty much sold on the deeper option. I just need to figure out door placement.

[Dayle1]

Also prefer longer rather than wider, that guarantees you the option of a longer unit someday. Even with slides on both sides, 18 ft is sufficient to have all slides open with sufficient space to walk around the unit. But a lot depends on your property layout, size of the utility trailer and if you already have covered parking for the truck. The other option with 30x40 puts the utility trailer behind the truck in one bay and the fiver in the other bay. So, either option will work.

[FlatBroke]

Congratulations of which ever you decide. Wish I had that problem. Around here RV's are like a red headed step child. Practically nothing is allowed.

[Peg_Leg]

You might consider a second garage door on the side towards the back. Even a small golf cart size door would help with getting to stuff in the rear.

For the big door I would install a hangar type. Hinged across the middle that folds outward as the bottom comes up. A local farmer has them on his barns. They provide an extended, covered work area for the farmer. I installed a 16' roll up so as not to have inside tracks, but I've wished I'd thought of the hangar type.

Good luck on your decision. Just remember, what ever will be better than nothing and it will never be big enough.

[DrBaker]

Looks like everyone agrees to go long/narrow.

My concern is ability to get the RV and the 16' utility trailer in and out without always needing to move something to get the other one. At 20' wide the 14x12 door will take up enough space so as to not allow 2 doors.

[joebedford]

20 x 60. Couldn't close the door on my rig in 30 x 40. Don't forget to leave room to open the slides inside the garage.