Building a Shop

T

Tim Mcculla

Tim McCulla
I'm building a shop to house my equipment and trucks.

Any of you have experience in prefab buildings? What type would you suggest?

I've looked at: all metal Commercial style, hybrid - Metal truss with wood frame, stick built (traditional wood framing) and Pole buildings.

They all have thier advantages and disadvantages (depending on the salesman you are talking to) and no building is perfect I know. I was just hoping you guys would share your own experience.

I'm Looking to have something to keep my stuff out of the weather, a warm dry place to work on my stuff when it breaks and not be an eye soar in five years (my wife is not nearly as thrilled about having a shop as I am).


Thanks, Tim
 
Thats because your wife is trying to convince you there are better things SHE can use the money for.

Ignore her or better yet build a laundry room there too and then convert the one in the house into a sitting room for her.

You know, one of those with a table, mirror and stool where they can sit for hours putting their faces together.
 
Around here pole building is the way to go, cost is right, and they last forever...

When I had a house I built my garage for 6500.00 that was 24x30 and it was nice... but that went with the house keeper...

Matt
 
I used to build Pole barns, in my mind that is the way to go, they go up quick, look good and are a lot more affordable than the other alternatives, IMO.

Are you building it yourself?

Gav
 
No, I'm not building it myself if I go with the pole barn.

I was going to build it, but with the price they give intalled - it is almost foolish to build myself.

They have a bunch of upgrades - no way I can do them all and stay under budget. Is there any options when you where building that made good sense and others that were dumb?

Thanks for all your input - Tim

P.S. Jon, Thanks for the advise. But, do you really think I want to have my wife in MY Shop? Why do you think I'm building it? LOL
 
I never really came across any dumb options, that I can remember. Every one we built was for a different purpose, wether it was a horse barn, a private garage at a recidence or a work shop. My main advice would be to figure out what you want to do/store etc init and then what you hope to do/store etc init down the road. Plan it out carefully so you know what you want, instead of the salesman saleing you stuff you don't need. Lastly IMO go with overhead garage doors or the larger roll up kind, you'll end up hateing it if you go with large barn type doors!

Gav
 
Dont forget about heating. You dont want something that has real high ceilings.
 
Marks right, sorry Tim, I live on the gulf coast and only think about heating about 30 or so days a year, I see your in NJ, so it might be an important issue!

Gav
 
Up here in cold country, we all go with the rediant heat that looks like duct work all around the edges... they have shields around the duct work and pull real good heat... cheap to install and the most cost effective when you run...

Matt
 
Is that "cheap" to be installed by yourself or someone else?
 
Nothing is cheap today, not expensive maybe, but not cheap...

I am a do it yourself, I look at it 3 ways, the right way, the wrong way, and my way...

Matt
 
height

Thanks Mark and Matt,

The size is going to be 30 by 40 with 12 eves. The 12 foot eve is the min. because I need an 11 foot door to get my one box truck in. I plan on insulating and covering the inside - I will do this myself before next season. As far as heat, I have a good friend in that business - He did mention that radiant style heat but also maybe a furnace for when that huge door opens and cools down the place.

I'm going nuts trying to draw the line on options. Example, my roofer says I should have it shingled instead of metal roofing - that requires twice as many trusses, 1/2" ply and timberline shingles - $2000 more. I talk to the mason you could get away with 3" of rock and a "4 slab but I would recommend a "6 slab - it is only $700 more. Then there are overhangs, gutters, doors, windows, better grade metal, the list goes on and on.

oh well, its fun.
 
Go with a metal roof, they last 40 years and does not cost half more than a roof...

Matt
 
Hello Tim,

I have not built a shop, always rented. My current primary space is 30 x 64. Concrete floor with insulated walls and ceiling. Overhead door is 14' high 12' wide.

We use localized heat for our equipment, storeroom, bathroom. Infra red Lp heaters in the back of trucks while on the road, small 110 electrics when in the shop. Lp or electric heat for storeroom (chemicals). If we are working in the shop we use a K1 turbo heater. It can heat up this space fairly quick.

The roof also has skylights. Many times coming in during the day for a short time, don't need to turn on the lights! We made our storeroom by using 2 x 12's. The walls are shelves and we lined them with 4 ml plastic. Used 3/4" plywood for the roof. It is easy to keep this area above freezeing with a small heater.

We have an electric opener for the overhead door. Also have remotes so we don't need to get out of the truck when coming and going.

Since we have a bathroom, we set up a fill line to our trucks so we can fill our tanks while doing other things around the shop.

This is a picture of the back wall of my shop and the outside of the storeroom.

Maybe I've given you some more ideas.

Dave Olson
 

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Tim, IMO just go with the whole metal package, sideing, roof and trim, I can't really blame your roofer for trying to sale you the shingle roof, thats how he makes his money!!!

Gav

PS What would you ever need a six inch slab for?
 
Dave,
Is your storage area from one of those storage centers that seemed to have sprung up all over the place??

There are a ton of them over here. You can rent anywhere from a closet size space to large garage size spaces with there own seperate garage doors and lights/heat. Alot of Landscapers along with people who need to store personal items between house moves rent these type spaces.

If I had to guess a garage the size of what you have there would cost at least $600/month here if not more.

Do you also have access to this storage space at anytime such as in the middle of the nite/morning?
 
I guess it comes down to wether you have the space, if you do then you could build a pole barn for less than a years rent!

Gav
 
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