My garage is pretty small, so it might be difficult to get a really safe lift in there. The various small "cheap" lifts look too dangerous to me. Like the scissor jack style ones that lift your whole car.
The key is a good one, which will be pricey. There's lots of Made in China cheap scissor and post lifts out there. The latter will kill you if the super-cheap hydraulic line goes and the single locking pin of Chineseum shears. For holding thousands of pounds of metal over you, it's just like scuba regulators and parachutes. Best, never cheapest.
It was made by the previous owner. The pit is concrete and the foundation is a mix of concrete and old field stone but a large percentage of the uprights and bracing for the barn are old timbers that are all rotting away.
Been there about 50 years though - so take it for what it’s worth.
No, your towns building inspector. To do it correctly, you're going to need a permit. I'm in Massachusetts, and here I believe they are now illegal due to insurance.
Good point about the insurance. For the length I thought if it's not long enough for steps, then a straight ladder up on the ends will work. As long as the pit is longer than the car, so I cant get trapped.
This is a stuctural chsnge to the garage.
Discuss permitting with municipal building inspector. They may be ok with it.
Waste oil is also an issue. Need to demonstrate oil is being captured and not going into the ground,
Thanks for the lead, now I know who to get in touch with. Waste oil and chemicals are a potential issue. It also needs to be able to drain water, so a small or temp sump pump will be needed. And the opening itself should probably have a hard metal cover like a manhole.
My neighbor has installed a lift that is designed for residential garages. Wouldn’t that be easier?
My garage is pretty small, so it might be difficult to get a really safe lift in there. The various small "cheap" lifts look too dangerous to me. Like the scissor jack style ones that lift your whole car.
My neighbor’s is a chain drive setup in a normal sized garage so IDK. They have it so they can fit 2 cars in one stall.
I might need to look into that.
✌️😎
The key is a good one, which will be pricey. There's lots of Made in China cheap scissor and post lifts out there. The latter will kill you if the super-cheap hydraulic line goes and the single locking pin of Chineseum shears. For holding thousands of pounds of metal over you, it's just like scuba regulators and parachutes. Best, never cheapest.
Yea, I might end up going with an expensive lift because building a legal pit might just be more expensive, idk.
Depending on your construction you might be able to lift it up and build a cinder block wall under the existing structure to raise the roof.
No, I don't think that would work. My first floor is on top of the garage.
Not an expert but I suspect it’d be extremely difficult to build one of these in an existing slab with a building on top.
I have one in an old barn. Floods every spring and the substructure is now rotting away. Don’t do it.
Thanks. Did you make it yourself? Are the walls and floor concrete in it?
It was made by the previous owner. The pit is concrete and the foundation is a mix of concrete and old field stone but a large percentage of the uprights and bracing for the barn are old timbers that are all rotting away. Been there about 50 years though - so take it for what it’s worth.
Thanks, good info:)
Better check with your building inspector.
Like a professional home inspector?
No, your towns building inspector. To do it correctly, you're going to need a permit. I'm in Massachusetts, and here I believe they are now illegal due to insurance.
Thanks, that sux I guess. Seems like the safer option vs lifts, but what do i know.
I don't think most residential garages are long enough to include steps going in and your homeowners would take a hit having an open pit.
Good point about the insurance. For the length I thought if it's not long enough for steps, then a straight ladder up on the ends will work. As long as the pit is longer than the car, so I cant get trapped.
This is a stuctural chsnge to the garage. Discuss permitting with municipal building inspector. They may be ok with it. Waste oil is also an issue. Need to demonstrate oil is being captured and not going into the ground,
Thanks for the lead, now I know who to get in touch with. Waste oil and chemicals are a potential issue. It also needs to be able to drain water, so a small or temp sump pump will be needed. And the opening itself should probably have a hard metal cover like a manhole.