Knocking through a wall and adding bays can create more space. It does not automatically create better flow. Routine inspections, heavy repairs, body preparation, paint, clean customer work and long term projects place very different demands on the site.
A useful site plan starts with the work, the customer journey and the vehicle movement. The building and equipment should support that plan.
Map the whole vehicle journey
The plan needs to show where the vehicle arrives, waits, enters work, moves when blocked, receives supporting work and sits after completion. Yard space and shunting can constrain output as much as the workshop itself.
- Arrival and check in
- Work waiting area
- Bay allocation
- Parts and decision hold
- Body, clean and test flow
- Finished vehicle release
Give each area a clear purpose
Routine work should not be blocked by a long project. Dirty preparation should not contaminate clean paint or customer handover work. Parts and common tools should sit close to the people using them.
- Service and inspection
- Heavy repair and fabrication
- Body preparation and paint
- Clean PDI and customer work
- Tyres, wash and dirty work
- Controlled project and donor storage
Specify equipment after purpose
Once the bay purpose is clear, the right pits, lifts, lighting, air, fluids, diagnostics, extraction and tooling can be designed around it. This avoids buying useful equipment that never has the right home.
- Safe access and lifting
- Brake and diagnostic testing
- Air, power and fluid services
- Extraction and ventilation
- Tool control and storage
- Environmental and welfare controls