I'd like to hear about how to safely heat a garage.

Is it kosher to build the garage right on the slab?  Will it support the weight?

I would think you would still need footings going below the frost line for the frame with the slab floating between the footings.

Just my 2 cents.

Quoted: I'd like to hear about how to safely heat a garage.

Well, there's woodstoves and home heating oil furnaces that come to mind.

Quoted: Is it kosher to build the garage right on the slab?  Will it support the weight? I would think you would still need footings going below the frost line for the frame with the slab floating between the footings.

Many people go this route but I can't recommend it for those in the frost belt.

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i see your from pa. just go to 84 lumber and thry'll give you plans. they sell kits for garages. this is pretty  much what i do for a living. just built a 24x36 enough room for 2 cars and a side area for his harley. we always start with a block foundation just a block or two out of the ground to set the wall on. we go 2x6 on the walls and 6inches on the conrete. use wire mesh in the concrete and rent a power trowle to finish it smooth as glass and oil won't stain it. there's a couple of ideas for you.

Amazing how cheap it is to build a shell isn't it?

The big costs of building a house come after it already looks like a house, appliances, flooring, electric and plumbing, fixtures, all add up.

A garage is a much simpler and cheaper project.

Don't have much to add, bigger is better, insulation and heat is always nice if you're going to be working out there a lot. The construction details vary depending on region and climate. I prefer wood buildings and steel roofs, wood makes alteration, insulation, etc a lot easier. Scissor trusses give you more headroom and don't really cost any more. I wouldn't even consider vynil siding unless that's what I had on the house, I really like board and batt on outbuildings, or T111 for fast and cheap.

A set of used or scratch/dent kitchen cabinets can make a nice addition to a shop. Lighting is also important, lots of outlets, a 220 circuit, maybe a pit. Nice to have an overhead hose reel too for air.

I've used a woodstove in my shop for many years, but I did have one sawdust flash early on, be careful of that. I've heard of dust explosions that actually damaged the building severely.

i see your from pa. just go to 84 lumber and thry'll give you plans. they sell kits for garages. this is pretty  much what i do for a living. just built a 24x36 enough room for 2 cars and a side area for his harley. we always start with a block foundation just a block or two out of the ground to set the wall on. we go 2x6 on the walls and 6inches on the conrete. use wire mesh in the concrete and rent a power trowle to finish it smooth as glass and oil won't stain it. there's a couple of ideas for you.

Another thing to look at:

If you are going to to vehicle work, consider adding a lift of some sort.

I met a guy once that had a built in (buried) lift in his garage...when I asked him about it, he got it free, and it only took digging the hole and running the hydraulic lines to get it installed before he built his garage.

I've also seen screw type lifts and pole lifts...worth considering when you are building.

AFARR

tag

I am building an attached 32 x 32 garage right now.  It is 2x6 structure and will be heated by in floor liquid heat.  If you do in floor heat you will need to have your slab insulated.  I did my own plans based on my needs and wants.  One really helpful book for me is "Do-it yourself house building. A complete handbook" by George Nash.  I picked this up at the local B&N.  He only has about 4 paragaphs dedicated to garages, but the rest of the book covers EVERYTHING you need to know about stick frame structures.  It is almost too detailed but I found it to be worth every penny.  

You can never build a garage too big but expenses will be you biggest restrictor.

How are you going to heat it?  

If you are unsure on how to draw up you own plans, you can always go to the nearest Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, etc. and they either sell plans or can get you a list of materials for free.  (menards is really good at this).

When it comes time to build it I would recommend buying a framing nailer (worth every damn penny).  A nailer made things go very quickly and will save your wrists for your favorite recreational activities h
As for your concrete work, it may be expensive.  To give you an idea, mine cost $9600.  This included $800 in insulation, frost footings, floor drain, 5 inch thich floor and rerod (36 inch grid)

Hope this helps.