How A Car Lift Can Make Your Workshop (Garage) More Efficient

April 15, 2022 The Mechanic Doctor

A workshop or garage is a convenient addition to a household whether you want to work on cars for personal or professional purposes and need the area for extra storage space. When incorporating a car lift in this area, a homeowner is given added efficiency.

These are typically only seen in a professional auto shop, but they are becoming more popular in the private sector due to the many functions they serve in the garage and the home.

The system is responsible for raising the auto above ground level, providing more room below so individuals have an opportunity to work on the vehicle, and there’s ample space for either parking more cars in the space or to utilize for a storage area.

When these units are installed adequately, they’re practical and safe, especially for those who use them restoring vehicles. The undercarriage is much more readily accessible, giving the user the ability to make repairs effectively and efficiently.

The added space in a workshop or garage serves dual purposes for homeowners who need added storage. With the vehicle out of the way and depending on the size of the garage, ample room will allow for other services to be provided in a self-employment capacity.

Tips On Choosing An Auto Lift For The Garage Or Workshop

In the same way, you would invest in your household, putting a car lift in the garage or workshop is an investment in efficiency for the space. It takes considerable planning and forethought to determine the type (choose the best 4 post car lift with this guide), the floor/ceiling space available, vehicle size, the practical purposes for needing the lift, and on. In this way, you can get the greatest return on your investment.

In your search, you’ll find a broad range of auto lifts in the categories of two and four-post lifts and scissor lifts, making the thought process somewhat daunting.

It can be helpful to research and speak with car lift professionals who can guide how to make the best decision for your specific circumstances. Let’s look at a few tips meant to help in the selection process.

● Factor in the amount of available space

Placing a car lift in the garage or workshop requires that the space be large enough to accommodate the system as far as having not only floor space but clearance with the ceiling as well so that the auto can rise from the ground.

Before taking the time to research or shop products, measurements will need to be taken in the area from a vertical and horizontal perspective to ensure the unit will fit appropriately with optimum functionality, considering the vehicle being in a place while in operation.

Once you understand the size you’ll need, you’ll then need to determine which type will be more practical for your needs. An expert will be able to go over the differences between the varied options to help you determine the best choice for your usage.

● What is the size of the auto to be lifted?

With a quality, durable lift, there will be sufficient power to safely and capably handle the varied types and sizes of autos serviced most often in your garage. If you stick with a specific make, which can mean that you’ll have a particular car lift that will precisely do the job most efficiently.

For someone who presents as more of a generalist garage with a broad budget, the auto variety you can service will be wide. That means you can invest in one of the largest albeit most budget-friendly four-post lifts available to provide effective and efficient services for the clients.

It’s relatively common when working from a home workshop to be more of a generalist, but investing in a large-capacity lift will require adequate space in the garage.

Be mindful of how much area you have before opting for the largest lift you can find, or perhaps you can build on to your current work zone to accommodate the lift – another option.

● Will storage be a consideration with the new car lift aside from mere parking

Some homeowners use lifts for multiple purposes, including parking a car to get it up out of the way and free up floor space for added storage area. In that instance, the suggestion is to use an “all-rounder” option meant to accommodate parked autos.

These varieties of lifts are designed to provide parking plus storage aside from offering access to the undercarriage for making repairs to the vehicle.

You might believe that you’re out of luck when you have a small space where a lift installation is not possible, but that isn’t necessarily the case. In these sorts of areas, homeowners have options from “specialty” auto and scissor lifts that don’t need installation but, instead, have the capacity to come into the space only when you need the system. These are more of a portable option.

● Ensure the optimum warranty is issued

When purchasing an auto lift, it’s wise to shop the brands to find the best manufacturer’s warranty. If the system is a part of other equipment used in a workshop or garage for repairing vehicles, it will be the central component of your job.

That means if something were to happen with the functionality or if there’s a complete breakdown, you would need to be clear on what would be a covered service and how promptly the repairs could be made to avoid interruption of your workflow.

It’s wise to avoid committing to the first company you come to; instead, look at perhaps three to check the differences with their warranties and select the best from the options.

Sometimes, the central factor is not just the product’s cost but the perks that come with it, and, of course, the priority is quality before anything.

Final Thought

While car lifts are often seen in professional auto shops, more private garages or workshops obtain the systems to work on vehicles in a personal or self-employment capacity. See here the reason for putting a lift in your garage.

With this system in place, a workshop can function much more efficiently since a car can be parked up out of the way while the floor space serves for storage purposes or allows parking of other vehicles.

When shopping for the best lift to suit your specific circumstances, it pays to be organized. If you’re uncertain of where to start, do some research before making any commitments or reach out to professionals in the business who could offer guidance on what might work as to what might work for your specific needs.