Designing a garage for a car collection
A garage for a collection is designed around the cars, not the house. Each car needs its own bay, a clear way out and steady, dry air. At home, the room can also be a private gallery.
This guide sets out our design order, from the cars to the lighting. It is written for country houses and estates with land.
Updated
Start with the cars
The design begins with a list of every car. Note each one's length, width, height, weight and ground clearance.
The longest and widest car sets the lift and the bays. The heaviest sets the loads. A low car with a long nose sets the ramp.
Cars are getting heavier. UK government guidance notes weight gains of over 35% in popular models. So we plan for the next car too.
The layout
A BELOW gallery is a single level, about 4.5m deep, for around 16 cars. A drive-through lift sits at the head of a central aisle.
Cars park in two rows either side. A drive-out ramp at the far end is the second way out.
Every car drives in and out forwards, and none waits for another. That layout needs length, so it suits larger plots with land.
Our guide to a garage under the garden explains the grounds.
Bays and room to open doors
Each bay is sized to its car. There is room to open the doors fully and walk round.
The same thinking applies inside the lift. Lödige recommends 400mm between each side of a car and the cabin wall.
Our guide to car lift dimensions gives the full lift sizes.
The lift and a turntable
The lift is the front door of the gallery. Our residential car lift guide explains why it is drive-through.
A turntable can present one car at a time. Wöhr's Turntable 505 needs a clear circle 5.6m across for a 5m car.
Our car turntable guide covers sizes and loads.
Light and finish
Super-prime homes already market rooms like this. One Hampstead house was marketed with a basement showroom and showroom lighting.
BELOW lights each gallery for the cars it holds. Finishes are chosen with the house.
A lounge, a bar or a workshop can close the aisle. Every interior is completely bespoke, created with our own design team.
Air, humidity and fire
Hagerty UK singles out moisture as a major threat to stored classic cars. A room below ground needs its air pushed in, dried and filtered.
Approved Document F sets carbon monoxide limits for car parks below ground. Our air and climate guide explains the system.
Chubb asks collectors for fire detection linked to a central alarm station. UK government guidance covers electric cars in covered car parks.
So the fire strategy is agreed at concept. Our car vault guide explains what insurers expect.
Security and water
Chubb also advises restricting access to trusted and vetted people. Our car gallery security guide sets out ten layers of protection.
Water is the one thing a gallery must never let in. We design to BS 8102:2022 Grade 3, which accepts no water and no damp.
Our waterproofing guide explains how.
Planning the land
At a country house, the planning tests include the Green Belt, landscape and heritage. Trees, ecology and flood risk count too.
A Surrey garage won its appeal in 2019. It combined a car lift, a turntable, a workshop and an art gallery.
Our planning permission guide covers the rules. Also see underground garages in Surrey and car galleries in the Cotswolds.
Questions
- How do you design a garage for a car collection?
- Start with a list of every car, with its size and weight. The largest and heaviest cars set the lift, the bays and the loads. Then plan light, air, fire, security and water.
- How big is a private car gallery?
- A BELOW gallery is a single level, about 4.5m deep, for around 16 cars. A drive-through lift serves one end. A drive-out ramp serves the other.
- Can a collection garage have a turntable?
- Yes. A turntable can present one car at a time. Wöhr's Turntable 505 needs a clear circle 5.6m across for a 5m car.
- What do insurers want in a collection garage?
- Chubb asks for a secure, enclosed space with restricted access. It also asks for upgraded wiring and few combustibles. Fire detection should link to a central alarm station.
- Where does a collection garage fit best?
- Under the grounds of a country house or estate with land. The layout needs length for the lift, the aisle and a second way out.
Sources
- UK government, Covered car parks: fire safety guidance for electric vehicles, section 2 (July 2023)
- Lödige, Car lift planning guide (Traffico and Carrico)
- Wöhr, Turntable 505 data sheet (August 2025)
- City AM, London house with a basement car showroom
- Hagerty UK, Expert tips for storing your car over winter
- Approved Document F, Ventilation, Volume 2 (2021 edition)
- Chubb UK, Is your garage storing up trouble for your classic vehicles?
- UK government, Covered car parks: fire safety guidance for electric vehicles (July 2023)
- pbctoday, A summary of changes to the British Standard 8102:2022
- The Negotiator, Surrey subterranean garage wins planning on appeal (2019)