Mysterae

@march Thanks for posting the images and description. I think I'll go for a 5ft ish insulated door and a personnel door as well. Due to be moving in a few weeks and then I'l start the planning later in the year.

Extreme stupidity! Has he not heard of a pen?

Saw this on Reddit, makes me flinch!

Moving from Swindon, Wiltshire to 30 miles north of Inverness, about 550 miles in total. Quite the trek towing a car at 60mph!

Thanks for info guys, I'll be making some calls. @Bravo73 That's what I used to get an idea of the costs. Good to hear that you didn't have a problem with them. I think I remember a thread that said not to transport the car backwards, is that right?

My move date for moving up to Scotland is fast approaching and I'm wondering how to get my Esprit up there. As much as I'd love to drive it the 550 miles, it'll cost more in fuel, getting it ready and the return fare than some of the quotes I've received, between £450 - £500. Considering the distance these are reasonable quotes. Does anyone recommend any car transporter companies or individuals to use or to avoid? Any tips for the transporting an Esprit that distance?

Hi Peter, I've never used a scissor type jack so perhaps talking out of turn, but I don't like the idea much. They seem quite restrictive for getting under the car, all the gubbins of the jack is in the way. When I was working on my Esprit on the drive I considered a QuickJack. A little bit more expensive that the scissor type you linked to but so much more versatile - You can still get under the car with a creeper and can pack it away when your not using it although the parts are a bit heavy. It doesn't lift as high as a scissor type though. There's stacks of videos of the QuickJack on youtube too:

I've not put that much thought in to heating and ventilation of this man-cave and I really should, I imagine it's going to be quite cold in the winter. Best to think of something pre-build. More things to consider! I need to be careful of scope-creep or I'll end up building a mini-McLaren workshop (I wish I had the budget!). @andyj007 I tried sircondiy.com but it looks like a dead link, as does aircondiy.com.

@Escape If I were to go with the metal type it would have to be 100mm insulation like yours. That's a good point on ventilation, a skylight that can be opened being a bonus. I think any attic storage space would need a fixed method of access. I had forgotten about a door other than the roller type, most of the designs I've looked at have some sort of personnel door. @snowrx Yes, lights are quite important but I've not given much thought to as yet. They'll definitely be LED of some sort, the days of florescents have past! @Chillidoggy Yes, heating. Where we are moving to has numerous sources of energy (oil, gas, wood, coal, electricity), hadn't considered paraffin or diesel. I'm going to have to give this one more thought. @TAR Ah, planning. I've seen many precedents being set by others in the Highlands but that's never a guarantee of success. Hopefully the fact that it won't be visible from the road side and is relatively far from neighbouring properties should go in my favour. I have no intention at all to convert it to a habitable abode later so will have to make that clear. Your plans sound expensive, when are you starting the build? @andyj007 That would be really helpful and appreciate your time, I'll send you a PM!

I don't do politics normally, but I know a Horseman Of The Apocalypse when I see one.

^^ That's pretty cool.

Great information guys, please keep it coming! @Chillidoggy I suspect my internet is going to be a bit slow where we're moving to but a connection is still a must. If I get stuck on something and need to look it up it would far easier in the garage than traipsing through the house. Tea making facilities is mandatory . Camp bed hopefully not, unless it's my choice! @snowrx I've seen garages with the stairs outside, definitely a solution to keep in mind. @march I've not thought of true agricultural buildings, more the steel type from the likes of Hanson. At first I thought they looked a bit too industrial, would be cold in the winter with awful condensation, but the technology has come a long way. With 40-100mm insulation and wood effect panels I'm definitely considering them. You mention timber rotting - even that garage I posted above had the bottom of the doors going bad, and that garage wasn't up long. The longevity and required maintenance is a concern - I'd rather maintain my cars than the building they're in! Many thanks for bringing the wood problem to light. That's a good tip on the roller door span! Please let me know how you get on with yours. I really do favour the 4 post lift over 2 post or scissor lifts, just something more secure about them (the picture of an Elise falling of a 2 post has never left me). As for making the garage twice as big, the cost in groundworks will limit that! @v39 Thanks for posting the images, you really don't have much clearance when your Esprit is up. How far up off the ground is the Esprit and is it okay working on it? Not too much hunching over? @Ali tuck You're not wrong about the cost of the groundworks. I'm staggered at how much it costs to dig a hole and put cement in it. Yeah, I know there's more to it but still. If I go with the proposed 9m x 8m size I could be looking at £10k for it. Eye watering. I will be applying for planning permission or at least applying to see if I need to apply for planning permission (seriously). I've wondered if I need more professional help in planning and designing it, especially the groundworks prep. @andydclements I've though about a pit but I don't like them, strangely. Not sure why, perhaps I'm scared that I'll (or someone else) will fall in or that I've never seen one without water at the bottom! Thanks again everybody, so much to think about!

Thanks guys, some great suggestions, here's my notes so far: I was thinking of a proper 4-post lift instead of a scissor lift. The scissor type is great that it tucks away but I think they are a bit restrictive when it comes to working on the car and doing tracking and alignment is difficult (the alignment version is £££). I'll need to make a note of what thickness the concrete base of the garage has to be whatever option I take. Over-specing the ceiling for an I-beam is a good idea. A chain hoist is preferable over a crane type I've used as the reach really limited it's load capacity. Having an I-beam may dictate the type of garage though. Rafters rather than trusses to allow attic storage. Yes, attic storage would be great but I'm thinking only for one third of the garage to allow space for the lift. Access to the attic space means stairs which takes up a little space. High doors if possible (8 foot?). Talking of doors, I don't like up-and-over type as they block out the ceiling lights when fitted or means extra depth if there's a lift in front. Hung doors can be caught in the wind and needs the front of the garage to be clear when opening. Roller types are my choice. I have a spring reel air line already and the air drier and bits already but I'll need a new compressor, 50L is just not enough. Sound system - good idea! Pitch of the roof - that's something I hadn't even thought of @snowrx, so snow isn't dumped on the drive, that would stop more than getting in to the garage! I had forgotten about timber frame construction as another option. Insulation would be critical! Talking of timber frame construction, while house hunting I saw this garage: Two-thirds where floored to provide the attic space which made it impossible to fit a lift underneath, hence why I'm thinking using only 1/3 for the attic.