Using our garage as my shop is not a bad thing. There are definitely advantages of having the shop connected to the house, but there are also some reasons why I might actually consider having it separated. I will give my reasons for both below and you can give your opinions in the comments. I would love to hear what you like or dislike on your current setup, whether your shop is attached or detached.
Now, so we’re clear, I am referring to the general hobby shop, not the full on fabrication or mechanic’s shop where you are spending most of your days out there working on projects. I feel that those should most definitely be separated from the house and probably fairly far from it.
So, here is my crazy list of opinions at the moment:
Cons
- There is the possibility that some of the shop dirt and dust may get into the house. Who is going to care about this the most? Who cleans the house?
- Probably for most, the noises from the garage transferring into the house could be an issue. Do you really want to disturb others in the house? Lucky for me, my wife doesn’t mind it, probably because it doesn’t happen too often.
- If a fire starts in the garage shop, it can easily reach the house and you will probably lose everything that is more important than your shop.
- It is easier for the kids to get into the garage if you have a door directly from the house. There are times when I am drilling into some metal and there are metal shavings on the floor, then our three year old daughter walks out there with no shoes!
- If you want to park vehicles in the garage, you might not be able to if you have too much shop equipment in the garage. Not a big deal for me.
Pros
- It’s fairly close to the restroom and kitchen. When I need a snack, water, or need to the restroom, I wouldn’t want to take away much time from the project unless I really need a break.
- You don’t have to build a separate building, which is a huge benefit if you have a small lot or a small budget.
- It is a shorter walk to the shop from the house. I will be standing enough in the shop as it is, I don’t want to walk more. I want to get out there and start working on projects! Maybe if the detached garage isn’t far from the house, that wouldn’t be an issue.
- You don’t have to walk in bad weather to get to your shop. Who would want to track mud into the shop when it is raining? Let alone into the house? Again, if the garage isn’t far from the house, maybe you don’t need to walk in the mud.
- It is easier for your kids to visit you. Yes, I let my kids in the shop with me. And yes, they do tend to take me away from my projects at times. But is that necessarily a bad thing? I get to spend time with them and they get to learn how to use tools and be creative. They are my kids.
There are so many different factors that could alter opinions. Right now these are my pros and cons, primarily based on my current setup. Your lot type may not be all dirt like mine, for example, therefore mud may not be an issue when it rains. I am sure you can come up with more pros and cons. If you want, share them below!
Rick Simper has various hobbies, including woodworking, metalworking, composting, and gardening. He is an Architect full time and uses these hobbies to get away from the busy week of Architecture.