Frequently Asked Questions

A clear-span mezzanine is an elevated steel platform that spans the full width of a structure without any interior support columns. This creates maximum usable space below the mezzanine — ideal for parking vehicles, storing equipment, or maintaining an open floor plan. The steel beams and connections are engineered to carry the full load to the perimeter columns. See our clear-span vs. column-supported comparison guide for the full breakdown.

Our mezzanines are custom-engineered for your specific load requirements. Our standard load rating is 150+ PSF (pounds per square foot), suitable for general storage, foot traffic, vehicles, and equipment. For heavier vehicles, dense storage, or specialized equipment, our structures can be engineered with additional structural reinforcement to handle even higher capacities. Every project receives PE-stamped structural engineering drawings. See our mezzanine load ratings guide for a full explanation of what PSF means and what drives it.

You will require a minimum height of 9 feet of clearance to fit the lift and raise it to a height to work under, but for a comfortable, standard commercial-garage clearance, you will require 14 to 16 feet of clearance. That accounts for the lift's platform height, the raised vehicle's height, and headroom for the tallest point of the vehicle plus a safety margin. The exact number depends on your specific lift model and the vehicles you're lifting. See our blog post on mezzanine height for a four-post lift for the full breakdown.

Absolutely. Many of our clients use mezzanines as elevated offices, creative studios, or loft workspaces inside their shops, garages, or warehouses. We can integrate finished flooring, drywall, electrical, HVAC, and even plumbing to create a fully functional workspace above your main floor area. It's one of the most efficient ways to add usable square footage without expanding your building's footprint — whether you call the finished result a garage mezzanine, a garage condo, a garage suite, or a man cave loft.

Yes. Tell us your vision for the space — how you want to use it, the look you're going for, and any special features you have in mind — and we'll design and engineer around it. As part of that process, we'll flag anything in your vision that could be structurally or code problematic before it becomes a costly surprise, and we'll point out places where a small change or upgrade could take the finished space beyond what you originally pictured.

A car collection viewing deck is an elevated steel platform — typically built along the perimeter or across the center of a large garage — that lets you walk above your vehicles and view the entire collection from an elevated vantage point. We integrate custom railings, LED lighting, lounge areas, and display signage. It transforms a garage into a showroom experience.

We offer several decking options depending on your use case: bar grate (ideal for ventilation and fire suppression), B-decking with laminate (durable surface for industrial use), composite decking (for finished loft spaces), plywood with finished flooring (for offices and living areas), and concrete-filled metal decking for maximum load capacity. We'll recommend the best option based on your specific needs.

A barndominium lounge is a steel-framed living or entertainment space built inside a metal building or barn structure. These spaces combine industrial steel framing — exposed I-beams and open-truss ceilings — with refined finishes like hardwood floors, custom railings, and modern fixtures. We build mezzanine-level lofts, lounges, bedrooms, and offices within barndominiums, giving you the open feel of a barn with the comfort of a custom home.

Yes. Most of our mezzanine projects are installed inside existing buildings — garages, warehouses, shops, and barndominiums. We evaluate the existing structure, pour new footings if needed, and engineer the mezzanine to work within your building's dimensions and load capabilities. We also assess ceiling height to ensure adequate clearance both above and below the platform.

Yes. DOM Contracting is an independent contractor that has built custom steel mezzanines and car collection viewing decks for individual unit owners inside Toy Barn locations including Toy Barn Old Town Scottsdale, Toy Barn North Scottsdale, Toy Barn Scottsdale Airpark, Toy Barn Scottsdale (Helm), Toy Barn Dove Valley, Toy Barn Lone Mountain, Toy Barn Lone Mountain North, Toy Barn Chandler Airpark, and Toy Barn Peakview. DOM Contracting is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Toy Barn.

Inside a Toy Barn unit, DOM Contracting can build a custom steel mezzanine for overhead storage, an elevated car collection viewing deck so you can walk above your vehicles, custom steel railings and staircases, lounge and seating areas on the upper level, LED lighting systems, and display signage. Every build is custom-designed to your unit dimensions and collection size.

We handle a full range of residential and commercial renovation work, including kitchen and bathroom remodels, room additions, flooring, drywall, painting, structural modifications, commercial build-outs, office renovations, retail fit-outs, and tenant improvements. We also specialize in incorporating exposed steel elements and mezzanine levels into renovation projects.

Yes. We serve both residential and commercial clients. On the residential side, we handle everything from kitchen remodels to full-home renovations. On the commercial side, we do office build-outs, warehouse improvements, retail spaces, and tenant improvements. Our steel mezzanine and loft workspace services apply to both residential and commercial properties.

In many cases, yes. We evaluate the existing structure to determine feasibility, assess ceiling height and structural capacity, and design a solution that works within your space. Adding a steel mezzanine or loft level is one of the most cost-effective ways to gain square footage without building an addition or expanding your footprint.

Yes. We build custom detached garages, hobby shops, and outbuildings designed for car enthusiasts, woodworkers, fabricators, and small business owners. Options include steel or wood framing, mezzanine levels, epoxy floors, climate control, and custom electrical layouts. Many clients combine a garage build with a mezzanine or loft workspace above.

Yes. We do slab pours, footings for steel columns, epoxy floor coatings, and foundation work for both new construction and existing structure upgrades. Properly engineered footings are critical for steel mezzanine installations, and we handle this work in-house to ensure structural integrity from the ground up.