I don't plan to install a lift. I just need enough room to be able to put my truck up on jack stands.
Congrats! It’s easy to plan for what you think you want. The trick is to add options for what you don’t foresee.
Raise the roof for jack stands, what, 3 ft +/-? So what’s the extra cost for lift clearance? Putting in 6ft extension vs. 3ft extension should be minimal extra time and cost.
What about a double truss you could put a chain fall for whatever? Extra conduit, extra air line? Exhaust fan? An outlet or two up there? All this stuff is a cheap addition while you’re doing it.
I built mine (27x45) from scratch. I made it 9’ 10” inside so I didn’t have to go to 2x6 framing. Biggest regrets are not making it just 2ft wider, putting it 2ft further away from neighbors fence (I park on the side) and not raising the roof over at least 20ft of length for a lift on one side, and an upstairs storage spot and doghouse w/TV on the other side.
Another thought, when I did mine, I had a barn-raising party with my wear-a-suit-every-day friends who barely knew what a hammer was. In advance, I had a couple buddies help frame the walls on the ground, and made the trusses from chalk-line outlines on the slab I poured myself, 1/2” plywood truss plates screwed and glued. I had two buddies who were a little capable, and one Saturday, I invited a dozen friends (accountants, nurses, etc.). I got JR’s barbecue catering, and a 1/2 keg for the after party.
The walls, trusses, roof plywood went up in 4 hours. 75% of the vinyl siding went on and about 1/2 of the roof shingles. Everything is crooked by an inch or more, nothing you can see. In one spot a guy used 11 nails bent in every direction to hold a truss down, but nails are cheap and now I have better reception.
So, it cost me the materials only. If you ask any of those friends to this day, it was the best party day they had in their lives, they had a blast, and actually built something real they could see and put their hands on, show off. After 20 years it was still chatter at the Christmas party. Building those friendships was far better than getting it dead straight!
My point: Once you get settled, have a couple brainstorming/brain destroying parties for vision and options. After that, there’ll be enough damage you’ll have to rebuild it anyway, and then get all the visionaries together to get it done!
When that day comes, Mr. Phelps, I disavow any knowledge....
A few years ago on a rare snow day in Atlanta....