Seneca RV port width

[Mark S]

I am planning/hoping to build a detached garage with a carport for my ordered Seneca. It will have a wall on one side and columns on the other. How wide do you think I need to make this? I am guestimating between 14 and 16 feet. I am going 40 feet long and 15 feet high.

The less I use on the RV port the more I can have in my new shop. Suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

[stmccormick]

If you want to be able to open all the slides without having the RV in the exact perfect location, I suggest 16'. Even then, you'll need to make sure you're not too far to one side or the other. I have 18' shed and with the slides out, I have at 3' + to spare on my 2016 HJ. Sorry I don't have it on location or I'd take an exact width measurement for you. If no one else has that info, I can get it for you in a week or so.

[Boudreaux]

I don't have a Seneca but a Greyhawk MV (class C).
I just completed a building to house the MV. I went with two roll up doors to accommodate storage of stuff as well.

The build is 28' wide, 38' long, 16' tall, two doors 12' wide for the coach and 10' wide for other stuff. The coach is officially 32' long.

The coach door is a 12' roll up door because the MV is 8'-4" wide.

I placed the coach dead in the middle of the building door to assure the mirrors will clear equally. Then painted a high-vis orange strip on the cement floor along the lower edge of the coach on the driver's side(easily seen from the rearview mirror).

Following the line on the floor (by looking in the rearview mirror on the driver's side) assures me that both mirrors have ample clearance to back the coach into the building without threat of hitting the mirrors on the building.

I then placed the coach into the building with 2' of clearance from the wall to the rear wall of the coach. I placed an 8'x 4"x4" cut in half behind the rear tires, anchored into the cement floor to stop the coach from hitting the wall.

This setup allows me to back the coach into the building unassisted (if need be).

With the coach in the building (as a test) I opened the slides (on the driver's side, no slides on the passenger's side) and noticed there would ample room if the build was only 17' wide.


I hope this helps you in some way.

[Mark S]

I didn't even think about the slides. I was thinking about door and compartments. The right side will have columns and hopefully slide can go between columns. You got me thinking, thanks.

[rgolding]

16 feet will allow you to open all the compartments. Some of them stick out under the slides. Go for it.

[BigJohnD]

20 x 50 is the optimal size garage in my opinion. Garage door opening 12' wide x 14' tall at a minimum to allow for the biggest rig. I've had a fifth wheel just clear the door by inches with those specs. 50' deep to allow for the longest rig. This is the minimum I've built in the past. Never cut yourself short or you'll regret it down the road if and when you change rigs. You want to be able to get it in easy, open all slides, work on it, use it while stored etc. Spend money now, save aggravation later.

[Mark S]

I think the optimal garage size 100 x 200 or larger, however that will never happen I am thinking of a 16 W x 40 L x 15' high garage for my metal CNC shop. Currently working from a 10 x 30 shed so that will be a nice upgrade. On the side I will add a 14-16' wide RV port under the same roof but open on 3 sides. The support columns and wall will be the limiting factors.

I am trying to find the right balance for the shop, RV port and cost. Each foot of width adds 40 square feet which adds about $1,600 at $40 per square foot. I convinced the DW I needed this so I would not need to buy a RV cover for $500. After 43 years she doesn't even shake her head anymore.

[LSA376]

The RV stall in my garage is 16 x 40, wish i built it 20' wide. Was perfect for the last coach however; although the slides can open the compartment doors hit the walls. Go 20!

[BrentJ]

I'd think very hard about the 40' length. We store ours in a 16'x40' RV garage attached to our house. We cannot open the hood since it tilts forward and it barely fits anyways. The 37' does not refer to overall length as we are 39'+. I have shelves along both slides so I cannot fully open the doors and the slide outs are completely out of the question. I agree with go bigger or you will regret it statement.


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[Mark S]

Since this will be an open carport, opening the hood should not be a problem. I am putting a 2' overhang all around so the cover will actually be 18 x 44. The 4th side will be the garage wall. I just have to watch out for the support columns on the open side.

[Fishman417]

I don't know what kind of approach you will have to the entrance of the overhang but when I built mine it was initially 15' wide and I would park my 5th wheel under it, later I expanded it by 10 more feet. I have to pull up along the left side of the building and back it up so I could park it under the overhang on the right side of the 30' x 40' building. Since then, we have purchased a 2016 Seneca 37HJ and glad I put in the additional cover. Also use the extra cover to park the tow dolly and the pickup under. You can always find something to put under the cover to help protect it from the elements.

[Mark S]

I will have a RV carport attached to CBS building. It will have a block wall on one side and concrete support columns on the other side with 16 feet between the wall and columns. The bottom of the tie beam will be 15 feet high.

I do not plan on ever putting the Seneca in the building but I am trying to make the shop just big enough in case I need to for some reason.

I would attach a photo of the plan but I can't seem to figure out how to do it.

[Mark S]

It's finally done, stucooed, painted, rain gutters and sun shade material on the west side. Meets all the south Florida wind codes, which only probably doubled the cost. The plans changed multiple times from conception. It took a while but it's done!

And just in time for our brutal winter cold front. It's supposed to get down to 48 degrees Saturday morning before it goes back to the 70s. Do I need to winterize? Lol

Sorry to all my more northern friends here. This is the one time a year I can brag about our weather.

[Les7h]

Mine is 20 X 60 & could be a little smaller but the extra room allows more stuff
No floor but my cost was $5400.00 in West Texas - check with several different builders & check references & read reviews ( you have to be careful when saving $$$ )
I have water, sewer and 50 amp power - so no hunting dump stations on the way home

[jschulz1720]

Looks awesome!! So jealous!! We have snow on the ground today.

[Jagiven]

Nice, does not look to be attached to the garage. So what's the final specs? Are you still building the new machine shop?

[Mark S]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

Nice, does not look to be attached to the garage. So what's the final specs? Are you still building the new machine shop?

Roof is 44' X 22'. Bottom of tie beam is 15'6". The interior width between the columns is 16' and the columns are 12' apart, so I can open all compartments and slides. I put 70% block sunshade on the west side which keeps it shaded and cool. The bottom of the trusses are high enough to walk backwards on the RV roof and and hit my head on every other truss as I forget to duck the 4" or so.

The shop building got nixed as the building would have overwhelmed my yard. So the "Seneport" is free standing. That plus meeting the south Florida wind code added considerably to the cost.

My shop will remain in the existing 12x30 metal building.

Overall I am a happy camper with how things turned out.

[memphis02]

Just finished my storage building, earlier this summer. I highly recommend 12 x 14 rollup and did 50' for plenty of room, front and back.