Why You Need A Car Hoist In Your Shed!

Garage sheds can easily be transformed into more than just a place to store all of your junk or random tools that you never use. If you consider yourself a bit of gearhead, you’re probably tinkering on your car at all sorts of hours of the day, but have you ever thought about installing a car hoist in your shed? You might be tired of scrambling around on the ground, or maybe you’re just wanting a secure place to store your pride and joy. Regardless of the reason, there are all sorts of things that a car hoist is a solution for. There’s a reason you’ll see them in most workshops or service garages!

If you’re worried about your expenses and think that you might be unnecessarily splashing out on a car hoist, don’t switch off just yet. Car hoists can be surprisingly affordable and with the number of benefits that they open up for you, they’re well worth the investment. We’ll be breaking down everything you need to know about installing a car hoist, from the different types available all the way down to how you can get council approval for your new garage shed.

What is a car hoist and why do I need one?

Car hoists are simple pieces of hydraulic equipment which are able to lift your vehicles up into the air to your desired height. This makes those repair jobs so much easier, as you can safely lift your car straight up and examine the underside of the vehicle without having to get down and dirty on your back. Trust us, your back isn’t going to be the only one to thank you when you install a car hoist. 

Those oil or tyre changes can be done much more efficiently, getting you back on the roads quicker. Even if you’re not someone who works on your car that often, a car hoist is great for storing your car in a safe place and opening up more space on the floor in those often crowded garages and workshop sheds.

Getting the height right

One question that we always get asked is “how much room do I need to fit a car hoist in?” You’ll need to find the perfect hoist model to match your ceiling height, and ensure that you can install the unit and lift up your vehicle without the worry of it hitting anything. 

Standard size garage shed with an average roof height

• You’ll probably need a hoist like the 4-tonne baseplate 4000BX, as this model will be able to fit in the confines of your shed without creating problems. You’ll need a minimum shed height of 3000mm, which will give you a maximum lifting height of 1850mm. This is also more affordable and can usually easily be installed without too much hassle.
• In the case that you want a clearfloor hoist, or custom sheds built to suit a larger hoist that you have in mind, it’s best to get in touch with an experienced shed builder. These larger sheds require a little more work to get approval from the council, so you need someone who has experience in this regard. For example, the 4000CF 2-post clearfloor hoist needs a 6m span shed, with a roof pitch at 20 degrees and walls at 3500mm tall.

I don’t have a shed yet!

If you’re someone who wants to take advantage of a car hoist but you’re lacking a proper garage shed, you’re actually in a better position than you might think! Building a custom shed in Perth from scratch will allow you to be confident that the shed being designed is capable of fitting the car hoist that you want. 

Installing a new car hoist is also easier to do while your garage shed is being constructed, as you can add the footing and base for the hoist as they put the concrete slab in. In general, your concreter will add some more depth so that it can securely hold your column footings. Ideally, you want this concrete depth to be at around 150-200mm. If you’re going for a 5 tonne or higher 2 post car hoist, then you’ll need this concrete to be deeper. Always have this conversation with your concreter before they get to work. 

Getting council approval 

Many people struggle with all the back and forth between local councils in order to get approval for their new shed. What happens then is that they’ll simply give up on that dream, and never make it past this point. The great benefit of going through experienced shed builders in Perth is that they can organise the entire process from start to finish. From the first application to the shire, to the final cleanup, putting your trust in the capable hands of a shed builder is the best way to guarantee the results you’re looking for. 

• In some cases, you might want your shed to have walls that are 3500mm tall, but not all councils will allow you to have that. 
• If you went for the 4000BX car hoist option, you won’t have to worry too much about approval as your walls only need to be 3000mm with a 20-degree pitch in the roof. 
• One thing to note here is that this is based on the assumption that you’ll be installing your car hoist right in the middle of your garage, to take advantage of the tallest part of the roof. If this isn’t going to work, you might need to consider a bigger, custom-built shed.

Is it worth it? 

Installing that car hoist in your garage shed is not as hard as you may think, and before long you’ll have paid it off with all the quick maintenance work that you can get done. Plus, we think your partner is going to thank you for clearing up more space on the ground, giving you some much-needed breathing room in the garage. 

To make matters easier, going through a full-service shed builder will take the load off your shoulders, as they can give you a package price that includes everything you need to get your new shed and hoist sorted.