Any oppos build a big ass shop?

"Mid Engine" (jdlogan2006)
10/16/2019 at 19:04 • Filed to: None

Looks like I finally have the cash to build a shop, it’s a life long dream. The shop will be 60' by 40' with four garage doors and a normal steel access door (plus a four post lift). I’ve done some homework online, but would like some inputs. Where did you get your shop from? What materials did you use? What did it cost you ($/sq ft)? My budget is $50k

DISCUSSION (13)

MM54 > Mid Engine
10/16/2019 at 19:23

I am still in the plotting/schem ing/determining budget stage, but it won’t be 60x40 for sure. Probably closer to 24x40 if it even happens.

Mid Engine > MM54
10/16/2019 at 19:28

I found out that the cost is n ot linear, in fact the bigger the shop the lower the cost per sq ft. Since I have 7.2 acres I’m not restricted in any way in terms of how big it can be.

MM54 > Mid Engine
10/16/2019 at 19:32

It definitely scales favorably, but the gross cost still goes up :)

I also have 1/14 the land to work with. My biggest hurdle to committing to saving to build is that I can’t convince myself it’s worth doing where I live now. It’s a nice house and a good area but I often think I’d be much happier further away from people with more land .

VincentMalamute-Kim > Mid Engine
10/16/2019 at 19:41

I bought a house two years ago because it had a 60x40 shop. I actually feel a bit squeezed. Storing one or two cars , a Transit, a forklift, garden tractor, lots of crap, and seeing if woodworking might be a possible future hobby. A touch larger would be nice.

Why a four post lift? I had a four-post in my last shop and am planning on a two post in this one.

The Snowman > Mid Engine
10/16/2019 at 19:58

50k seems kinda tight depending on the cost of the concrete. I was right around 30k for 25x40 steel building with one big roll up and one man door. The building is not a 1-1 price to scale but the concrete is close to 1-1. That price was me doing all the electric myself as well.

Mid Engine > The Snowman
10/16/2019 at 20:05

I’ll do my own electrical as well, I do need them to clear/ prep the ground (including cutting down three very tall trees), pour the cement pad, then assemble the building.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Mid Engine
10/16/2019 at 20:07

Hope that $50k isnt including the real estate haha . That might get you a patch of dirt 300 miles to the north out in the desert around here MAYBE. Definitely on my list of dreams to build my own workspace for cars though. Would be an excellent thing to have.

66P1800inpieces > MM54
10/16/2019 at 20:16

That is a really good point. As of late my job is in flux (not sure yet if that is good or bad) and am having similar thoughts about lots of permanent things. I’m avoiding any real purchases thinking that will make it easier to m ove around, find future work and areas with a lower cost of living.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Mid Engine
10/16/2019 at 20:20

If you live somewhere cold, try to budget a couple grand for a commercial waste oil heater. Free heat for your shop and no more oil disposal fees.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Mid Engine
10/16/2019 at 21:09

I just built a 40x30 one,so half the size of you r s. No point in comparing prices since (a) I’m in a different country, and (b) I’m in an eart hquake and extreme wind zone, so to keep the gummint happy mine’s built so strong you could drop it f ro m orbit. Howe ve r useful thi ng s I learnt along the way:

I see in a comment there are trees to come out. Make damn sure they yank the stumps too, and pack it with well-tamped hardfi ll, or you’ll get sinkage and cracks over time.

Allow more pad depth aroun d the h oist area than the hoist manufacturers s pe cify, bec au se you need to allow for drilling the fixing holes without bursting through the bottom of the pad, or you’ll get rusted out bolts eve ntually. I put in a 15*10 area 8" deep in the centre of o ne bay (for a 2-poster not a 4-poster) . Also remember to allow adequate height at both ends of the lifted vehicle not just centre span !

Central poles rather than si ng le span cuts the cost significa n tly - especially given your span - but it heavily restricts space utilisation. May not matter given the size you have to play with though.

Look at commercial warehouse manufacturers as well as shed builders: as the space gets larger they become relatively more competitive, and th e quality’s a lot better . I actually got mine done by a commercial guy - both they and I were surprised their pricing was competitive given my shed’s not that large, but it was. Probably ca me down to the above-mentioned brick shithouse construction skewing the size vs co mpetitiveness math.

Especially if using steel construction, lining walls and roof with buil ding paper’s well worth the little extra it costs - surprisingly effective as insulation and prevents condensation dripping.

Mine’s got no through ventilation and full-span skylights, so I was concerned about heat in summer, but I’ve had roof spinners put in and they’ve been really effective at keepi ng it cool. Doesn’t get too cold in winter where I live though,so that might not be viable for you. The skylights were a great investment though - heaps of na tural lig ht for worki ng by.

When comparing quotes (and signi ng a contract) be careful about getting the details documented - there’s a lot of opportunities in a shed to cu t costs on material gauges, bracing, fixing frequency, etc, which aren’t that obvious up f ro nt but lead to leaks and other problems later.

Clown Shoe Pilot > Mid Engine
10/16/2019 at 22:27

I have a 24 x 40 shop w/ 12' ceiling. The building (built in 2016) was 24K w/ a single uninsulated garage door, a man door, and a 6' canister door. Mine is stick built (2x6 framing) with a metal roof. The concrete pad was another 8K I think? I then spent another 5-6K easy on electrical, insulation, and interior finish out.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Mid Engine
10/17/2019 at 10:31

Some dreams do come true. My 30' x 50' pole barn just got finished (friend of mine was the contractor) . Was right at $35k for the shop itself (rock pad, concrete slab, 14' walls (insulated) , 16' x 12' garage door in front, 10' x 12' in back, 2 entry doors, 4 windows, electric throughout (with 220) and 8x overhead LED lights).

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Mid Engine
10/17/2019 at 10:36

For a 40' span, steel may be just as cheap as wood (not 100% sure), but I think the delta would be less. For my 30' x 50' shop, the delta to steel was going to be 25% more.