Diy garage

[magicofmotors]

A while back i was told about people that own garages and rent them out by the hour to Joe Bloggs to do work on his own car using tools ramps etc rather than them paying garages top money for jobs they could do themselves given use of ramps and tools. Would any of you use one if in the Yorkshire area? i'm looking for premises myself at the moment and have found a garage suitable for my needs but the workshop side would be empty nearly 90% of the time i'd appreciate your comments many thanks in advance

[MitchT]

If I knew anything at all about working on cars I'd definitely make use of such a service. Sounds brilliant. There must be loads of people out there confident enough to carry out some pretty big jobs on their P&J but frustrated that they don't have the space or funds for lifting equipment, etc.

[Andymaserati]

i would definitely use such a service .... i have alot of tools, but sadly my house is lacking a ramp/pit.
i think if you offered the space to petrolheads, so they can work on their cars.... you'd have yourself a nice little business.

[Talkwrench]

Chris.... YHM!

[magicofmotors]

Come on PH surely a few more of you have an input as to if you'd use the garage or not.

[burriana]

ah, but being a petrol head and being mechanically adept are two different things

[elster]

Definitely interested in using ramps.

Will there not being an issue with other people using premises and insurance, incase their is an accident.

[magicofmotors]

I have found a way round that by membership and disclaimers but it is possible just speaking to a few people at the moment about the possibilities but valued opinions on here as to if people would use it. This was done once before but went bust after a few years but relied solely on the garage where i have other things in mind to run alongside it.

[fletch360]

At least three times in the past few years, I've wanted exactly this type of service.
One time I managed to get it up on blocks, axle stands etc. but it was a very hard job to get it done.
One time I paid a garage in town £20 just to use their lift so I could fit a front brace (had to be level).
Any other time's I've just had to get the garage to do the work....

Like now, I've got a new exhaust coming next month, there's no way I can fit that without a lift and plenty of time.


Yes, I'm reasonably sure there'd be enough people interested in renting time at the garage to make it pay, but I'm not sure it will make a fortune.
Have you mentioned it on the national PH side?


PS.
If you do manage to get it 'off the ground', sent me a mail. cheers

Edited by fletch360 on Tuesday 29th May 13:51

[Balmoral Green]

I have posted about this a few times. When I was a kid, there was one on Huntingdon Street in Nottingham, this was in the seventies. My dad used to take his cars there, they had several bays and lifts for hire by the hour, day or week. They also had a tool hire desk and you could hire anything you needed. It made jobs like changing the exhaust on his Austin 1800 very easy.

I wish they had these places now. I need to put BG up on a lift this summer and do a bit of tidying up on the underside, dinitrol wax etc, but cannot find anywhere to go to.

Business opportunity I reckon, rent an empty garage premises. DIY mechanics den, long term project and storage centre, chill out room, petrolheads meeting place etc.

[magicofmotors]

Thanks for the feedback and i remember your comments BG and what you said is spot on i'm looking at a garage at the moment but i won't need the workshop more the office space and storage but the place i'm looking at got me thinking of the diy garage again and already has ramps and airlines compressors etc still in if i can get things moving i would hope to be in for the end of june or early july. I will keep you all posted

[AL666]

What kind of access were you thinking about providing?

Would it be members only, and everyone's got their own key, or would you have to book it in and there'd be someone (you?) there to supervise the whole appointment?

I'm interested in this kind of thing, but I don't have the money, to be honest. I've regularly wished for somewhere that I can work on the Coupe so that I don't have to pay a garage for something that I know how to do, but can't because of having no ramps, compressor, welder etc...


I wish you the best of luck with it mate