Living in rural areas means that you have a lot of space to get your jobs done. Whether it’s working a farm, owning a nice-sized company, or simply trying to make the most out of the land you own, you’ve learned that size really does matter.

That’s why when it comes to the choice of getting a garage or opting for a workshop, you’re really worried about which way to go.

There are a number of factors to think about when considering what to buy, with the biggest concern being the steel building size of the unit.

Bigger is only better if you’re going to use all of the space available. There are few things more disappointing than building a huge metal shop building, only to use a quarter of the space. Probably more common in not building big enough. Space can fill up much more quickly thank you think, which can put you right back into the same situation you were in before you started the project.

That’s why we’re here to help you out.

Factoring Steel Building Size into Your Garage or Workshop

We’ve put together a list of things you need to look into before you decide to shell out your hard-earned cash. Keep reading to find out what you need to know.

What’s Its Primary Use?

First and foremost, you need to know the primary reason why you’re having a steel building made. This main reason should have been the driving point behind your decision to have one built in the first place, so it should be obvious.

The primary reason that most people build a garage for is to house their vehicles.

One huge benefit of living in rural areas is that you don’t have to park your car on the side of the street. You have all the space to build a custom house for your favorite truck, and a garage would work just fine for that purpose.

On the other hand, if you’re more of a working man (or woman) you’re going to want to go with a workshop (hence the name).

Workshops were designed with the builder in mind. Working on projects require access to things that a garage simply won’t give. If this sounds like it’s more up your alley, then definitely go for a workshop over a garage.

Although it’s definitely possible to use a garage as a workshop and vice versa, it works in your favor if you know what you want before you build in order to get the most out of your metal shop building.

Nooks and Crannies

You should also consider how the layout is going to be and what you’ll stuff inside the building.

Garages, by default, are made with an open floor plan. This allows for your vehicles to have the maximum amount of parking space needed.

Because of this, don’t expect to have much room, if any, for shelves or for stowing away important tools and other items.

With workshops, it’s essentially reversed. Technically speaking, the average workshop has more space than the average garage. This is good because you need all the space you can get to stow your stuff.

Workshops come packed with a ton of storage space, and they’re much more customizable.

Shelves are stacked around the room and there’s plenty of space for your workbench. You should also have room to do your actual work as well, so you can work on your projects even on a rainy day.

One way to get the most out of your space (and have the best of both worlds) is to make your building partially or fully two-story. It’s a perfect way to increase usable area without increasing the footprint of your building or the cost of your foundation.

Seriously, Go Big

No matter which steel building you get, you need to make sure it’s big. As in, bigger than even you might think it needs to be.

Don’t go thinking you can get away with a snug fit for a garage. You need space to swing the doors open, as well as space where you can walk from the garage to the house.

Just the parking space alone should easily be at least one and a half to two times the width of the car in order to comfortably move in the area.

With workshops, you can try to base how big it should be on what you actually do. The more the project requires, the more space you should prepare to have.

For example, if you do a lot of woodwork, you’re going to want room for all of the woodworking equipment. On the other hand, if you need the space for painting, you shouldn’t need as much space.

Regardless of what your projects are, never fail to plan big. It’ll save you from a headache later.

Why Not Have Both?

If you have the money and the freedom to build both a garage and a workshop, then, by all means, go for it.

It’s pretty obvious by now that garages and workshops each offer impressive benefits that the other doesn’t. By combining the two together, you really do get the best of both worlds.

That being said, you’re also going to be paying a pretty impressive bill.

Here’s the thing: if you don’t need to buy both, then don’t buy both.

If you have space to comfortably park your car without needing a garage, then don’t get a garage. If you have a room in your house where you can paint, then you don’t need a workshop.

However, if you have cars to park and big projects to work on, it makes perfect sense to build both rooms. If your requirements for them ever change in the future, you have more than enough room to do what you want.

The Ones You Can Trust with Your Steel Building Project

Now that you know the steel building size you need to take on your projects, you need to find the people you can rely on to create the building the way you want it done. That’s where we come in.

At QuickSteel Buildings, we build garages and workshops in a variety of styles, including Gable style, Dutch & American Barn style, residential styles, airplane hangers, and much more.

Got a question you’d like for us to answer? Not a problem. Just reach out to us and we’ll be more than happy to take care of any concerns you may have.

Quicken Steel