I have been thinking about your garage transformation.
I was remembering a huge table my folks had while we were growing up. Mom and Dad had been married in 1950, so this was their first kitchen table ... metal pedestal in the middle ... when the family started growing larger than the four sides could accomodate, we had a friend replace the top with a four by eight sheet of whatever, covered with counter topping. It isn't as high a platform as you want to work at capably, but it is a cost saving way of making the work stations for your new quilting room.
Take a pedestal of whatever counter height that is comfortable and top it with whatever ... if what is under it is cabinets or drawers ... it may or may not be a problem solver ... just something to think about, I guess.