# Square feet - your shop vs. your home



## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

I figure my shop is probably 12.5% the size of my home (living + basement).

What's yours ? Rhetorical question.

So … if this guy used only the same % of square feet for HIS shop, how big would IT be ?



















Yes … it's a house made from a dumpster. Berkely, California. Where else ? ;-)

Whaddya' think ? Shopsmith ??


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

'bout that big ;-)


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

wait till this guy discovers bertha's

*'swiss army knife of your dreams'* blog


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

My house = 1440 sq.ft.
My Shop = 720 sq.ft. = 50% as big as my house. Gotta love it.

Qualifiers-aka other living space ;-)
1,000 sq.ft. of decking over looking a small lake. We are up on a ridge.
144 sq.ft. observatory
200 sq.ft. garden shed

BTW, that dumpster home brings back old memories… I do remember living out of the back of my mini truck during my park ranger days! It is kind of like Henry David Thoreau's Walden Pond experience for sure!


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

A lot depends on how you run the figures.
My shop is 1/3 of my 3 car garage, or 214 sq. feet. (Okay, it spills over a bit when I'm running a project, so it is likely a little bigger than this, but only short term.)

The liveable is 2367, but 3300 total under roof, including the shop.
That makes the shop 9% of the house's liveable sf, but, only 6.5% of the total.

Hey Neil, how do you know that first pic isn't the guys shop* and *his house?


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## ChunkyC (Jun 28, 2009)

I like all of the National Electric Code violations. Is that coper water pipe being used as conduit? That multi outlet strip is a violation too. It should be a GFCI Outlet. The electrical inspector didn't do a very good job. LOL


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

The whole house has a living space of about 3200 sq ft of which the shop occupies 460sf


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

better then nothing..as long as i can stretch out…and not get wet, and stay warm when its cold, im in a castle…


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

The whole house has living space of 4700 sf including about 400 sf that is dedicated to my shop, currently. 
However, my shop is expanding beyond its original boundaries.

My vision/plan - - The 2500 sf on the main level remains unchanged and supports all our living functions and the 2200 sf on the lower level is dedicated to shop, my den, utility and storage (and one bathroom).


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## Martyroc (Feb 1, 2012)

My House, the hole shebang shop and all is 3140 sqft, My shop is 340 sqft, so in percentages my shop is only 10.8%. Time to expand as far as I'm concerned


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

And I thought our pickup bed camper was small!
Home is 3460 sq.ft. with a 20X40 covered deck. The shop is a detached 864 sq.ft plus 12X12 area for finish, nails and other hardware, and misc junk. And, an 8X16 area for lumber.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

lol

shopsmith would be the equivalent of the % reversed wouldnt it?

I second the trash bin suggestion up on top!


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

house + basement = 270 squaremeter more or less 
the shop 9 squaremeter of the basement + 5 squaremeter for the shelfunits in another room
= 5.2 %
hmmmm …. that will say the wife use over 90% of the house …... I better get her to pay more of the morgage then … don´t you think

Dennis


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## Ken22F (Jun 19, 2009)

My House is 2000 sf, my Garage is 4000 sf detached the Shop takes 3400 sf of it.
158% ?


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

You go Ken!

Now we're talkin'....


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## zindel (Feb 22, 2011)

Ken, wanna switch? lol


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## KMTSilvitech (Feb 10, 2011)

The house 2400 sq.ft., the shop 520 sq.ft. Just under 21.7% but I still like my shop better than the house.


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

House (living area) = 1400 sq ft. Basement (unfinished) is also 1400 sq ft. So if you're calling that 2800 sq ft and my shop is 288 sq ft then I'm at 12% of my house size. If you use the 1400 sq ft then my shop is 24% the size of my house


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## doninvegas (Jun 10, 2010)

My house is 1440 sq ft. The shop out back is 190 sq ft. But my assembly and finishing space is my 2 car garage.


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## LoneTreeCreations (May 27, 2010)

House is 3200sq ft including the basement and the shop is 300sq ft in a 1200sq ft garage area. So about 10% of the size of the house. Feels really tiny though. My router table takes up most of it. I should set it up in the Master Bedroom. Thanks for making me think about it. =)


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

OK, I keep hearing these different values as we remodel, so I just went and measured.

The living space is 3400.
The shop is about 400, the garage probably 450, and a contiguous area to the shop is 175 feet used for storage. The garage, shop, and storage sit right about 68 to 70 degrees year round, so that is good space. It is part of the house, with living area over it.

So the total space is right at 4400. So if you take the shop as a percentage of that, it is about 11%.

So I am at 11 percent, Neil. I think the freezer will get moved this weekend, just have to put some wheels on it. Sherie will help. Kermit will supervise. I have roughly a 20 by 20 space when you subtract a few things like the furnaces and hot water heater.

*Dennis*
You have a good point there, I think I will have to start spreading the expenses a little differently.

That sounds good, but my wife controls all the money, and I have none. So when I ask for a greater percentage she multiples it by zero and smiles. I always end up in the hole. What's with that?


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

Of course, I could include the *Spider House* in the figurings. That's the house located in La Conner. It has a very, very small shop and I am not sure of the size, but about 2400 sq ft living space without the garage. Then it would look like my shop space is really very small and I would have more leverage to negotiate with Sherie.

Hmmm. That's a good thought.

This topic may net me some real gains, Neil. Thanks buddy.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

House 740 sq ft. Shop 832 sq ft. I guess combined their the size of some of you closets )


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## tom427cid (Aug 21, 2011)

House is almost 3000sf,shop and storage is about 3400sf,and I use about 600sf of the house for shop related stuff. I guess you know what is most important in my world.LOL
tom


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

My shop is only 120 sq ft! The house is much bigger.


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## doncutlip (Aug 30, 2008)

I use most of my basement, so I figure I'm using around 25% of the total space.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

My house if 2500 sq ft. plus a double garage and a small storage room on the end of the garage. My shop is 1200 sq ft. We have an additional room we added onto the end of the 30×40 shop that is 30×21 ft. I am expanding into that area with an air compressor and dust collector. I also have an unattached garage space that is 14×26 that I keep "stuff" in like lawn equipment. When I really thought about the size of the 1200 sq ft shop I said wow! our first apt was 500 sq ft and we had plenty of room. 
Chunky, he could have a GFCI breaker in the panel….if he had a panel but you are correct the copper tubing conduit is a no, no.


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

My shop is 308 sq ft. It is 58% as big as my house.You do the math …...
But when I go camping we live in a 1973 BOLER. AND LOVE IT !


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## Bearpie (Feb 19, 2010)

My shop is 480 sq ft plus loft, our house is 2000 sq ft so roughly 25%!


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

My future shop is one of my top concerns when my wife and I start looking for our house soon. Hoping to get 2000 sq ft of living space. Then I want 200-400 sq ft of shop, she thinks I should get less than 100 sq ft, that its selfish if I want more than that where are our kids (we don't have any) going to play. Yup this isnt going to go well.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

When you're a pro, the answer isn't as dramatic. House: 1740. Shop (leased, in an industrial park): 1800.

Kindly,

Lee


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## kizerpea (Dec 2, 2011)

my house is 2500sf detatched shop 13oo sf plus the dog house..= 50+%


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

My house is about 2100 sq ft counting the shop, but not counting the greenhouse, storage shed and damp basement. The shop takes up 400 sq ft,which is aprox 20%.


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## PineInTheAsh (Jun 14, 2009)

I thought this was a rhetorical question?


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

I'm thinking dumpster-house guy gets a leatherman for a 'shop', or about .2 sq ft… It's a versatile tool and all, but it won't create anything worth posting on LJs. ;-)

Only in Cal…


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## WinterSun (Apr 3, 2011)

House, including basement, is 2500 sq ft. Shop is a bit over 200. Once I get done with a rec room reno that I've been doing, I'm going to overhaul the shop and adjacent unfinished storage area, part of which will be annexed to the shop.


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## rncurrie (Dec 15, 2011)

House 1200, attached garage 1200. Shop currently 1/2 of garage when I get garage side cleaned out I'll give wife 300 and shop 900.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

House 1800sf; shop 1200sf [separate building].


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## tomclark (Feb 16, 2010)

House is 2280. Shop is 2400, or 105% the size of the house. However, with a move coming shortly, ship will be 475 of the house size. Shrinking the shop to a more managable size.


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

House ~ 1500sq ft; shop 510 sq ft; wife giving up garage to let me use as a shop: priceless!


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

Jim :
thats a hole in one ….. can´t be done better for a doc that don´t play golf …. 
or for that matter Tiger woods …. LOL

Dennis


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

Yup…....(-:


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## yank (Feb 1, 2007)

My shop is 784 sf, just a bit over half of my house which is 1353 sf.


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## rep (Nov 20, 2009)

I built the shop first ~2800 sq ft. The (temp) mobile home we are currently living in is 1170 sq ft. I guess that is about a 40% difference?

When we build a house, it should be around 2800 sq ft like the shop.


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## JimDaddyO (Dec 20, 2009)

My house is just over 1000 sq ft, the shop size is pretty much infinite, unfortunately there is no roof or walls and the floor is not very flat and has to be mowed when it gets warm.


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## hydrohillbilly (Jan 28, 2012)

I live in my shop half shop half house about 2400 sq feet.


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## Lilskip (Feb 29, 2012)

Well lets see my house has 1400 sf of living space. and my Workshop is 625 with a 200sf Lumber storage room so my shop is about 825sf total. I can't imagine a shop any smaller. I mean the only thing I do in the house is Sleep, watch TV, and Store my kids.


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## BillyJ (Aug 18, 2009)

Ken22f - sounds like you have one heck of a shop, awesome.

Grandpa - I'm in the same category as you. The last house I had was 1100 sf. My current house is 3000 (about 1500 up and lower). The shop is 1200 sf, but 140 of it is storage, mower garage, etc. Nevertheless, I still need to add on to it - I ran out of space almost immediately.

As far as the answer - I figure the "house" is 35.5 sq ft, thus his shop is 14.2 sf. So Mosquito is under by just as little bit. With a footprint of 3' x 4.7', he might be able to combine a small table saw that will flip over and have a router on the bottom side.

NBeener - maybe that's the next question: how many different power tools could he fit into his shop?


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## canadianjason (Feb 8, 2012)

House is about 800 sq ft. Shop is 1400 sq ft but still seems too small.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Our home is approximately 2500 square feet including the basement walk out portion (1000 square feet).

Shop is built in the loft of our barn, 44' x 84' (about 3700 square feet).

1800 square feet is heated, the rest is used for lumber storage and elevator.

Disadvantage of a shop in loft is the angled walls (gambrel roof), making it difficult to use outside walls for storage, cabinets, etc.

May be easier to see here on shop pics

My total house is roughly 67% the size of my total shop, and the heated shop is 72% of the size of the house…


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

House, including basement and basement shop, but not garage is 2780 sq.ft. The shop part of the basement is about 570 sq.ft.; about 20% of the liveable area.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

I don't have it but ideally, I'd like to live in around 700 square feet and have a 3000 square foot shop.


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## DMIHOMECENTER (Mar 5, 2011)

House heated and cooled = 3870 sf.
Shop is 1/2 of 1150 sf 3-car garage = 575 sf.
Shop percentage of total = 11.45%


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## DHacke (Feb 25, 2012)

2040 sq ft of living space shop is 288 sq ft.

David


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

3600 house
740 garage/all shop
20%


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## cranbrook2 (May 28, 2006)

My shop is 1,700 sq ft and house is 2,000 sq ft and growing


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## jeepturner (Oct 3, 2010)

2100 square foot house with 400 square foot garage shop, with the inevitable space sucking storage areas. So mathematically 19 percent, but if you add the footage taken away by the storage of "Stuff", more like 10 percent. 
I do get more enjoyment per square foot in the shop than most places in the house though.


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## markplusone (Apr 23, 2010)

1200 sq.ft. house
800 sq.ft. shop


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

My house has 4 bedrooms and we have no kids. Maybe I should make three of them into extra shop space?


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

My place is 925sqft
My "shop" (work area?) is 130sqft as long as I work quietly with hand tools… (one bedroom in a 2 bedroom apartment, with a canvas tarp over the carpet)
~14% I guess…


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## EPJartisan (Nov 4, 2009)

LOL.. now that is dumpster diving.

My condo doesn't seem much bigger (900 sqft) but like Canadianjason my studio is much larger @ 1250 sqft.. but add on another 450 sqft if you count my gallery / show room, bathroom, and kitchen.. also if you add in the 2 raised platforms.. add another 300 sqft… OMG.. thats about 2000 sqft… i never realized my shop is over twice the size of my home (200+%) ... and yet my rent is about 1/2 of my mortgage payment.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

House 4100, shop 200 at best. I've got it all wrong


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## mrtoasty (Jan 13, 2011)

2100 in the house and 1034 in the shop.


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## cwcad (Mar 10, 2009)

After reading the posts in this thread I am finding that I am not the luckiest fellow in the shop but near the top. My house is 2300 square feet. My detached shop is 2500 feet with 1200 square feet dedicated to all the wood working tools I have and do not know how to use. The rest of the shop houses all of life's toys plus welders, compressors, and plasma tools. All of which I could pay for but do not know how to use…..YET!


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## Richforever (Mar 19, 2008)

I thought the house IS the shop! (Bachelor here.)


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