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Well, we bought a new house recently and are getting settled in. This house doesn’t have a shop, so now I need to get one built. We bought the lot next to the house and I’m trying to find contractors to get something built.
I would appreciate any advice you getting a shop built. Here are my current plans.
I’m looking at a 30X40 shop with the 40’ side facing the road.
I’m thinking 2 or 3 garage doors. Would 3 be too much, should I go with 10X10 doors or something smaller? I want to have a lift at some point soon as well.
I have received one concrete quote and hopefully another guy will be out this weekend to hear my plans. The first guy would have a 12” extra all around the building with a footing of 2 feet wide 18 inches thick with 6 inch floor.
I’m leaning toward a metal building because of the cost of lumber and the spans will allow for a lower side wall and higher center for the lift. Wood would most likely require trusses that are the same height as the side wall preventing me from having the extra height inside
It seems there are a ton of vendors out there. I wonder If some are just resellers of a main vendor.
My wife wants to be sure it looks nice and not like a cheap building. I will detail my progress as we go.
Here is the lot I’m working with. The driveway will go between the rocks on the left and the tree. I will remove that tree as well.
Well, we bought a new house recently and are getting settled in. This house doesn’t have a shop, so now I need to get one built. We bought the lot next to the house and I’m trying to find contractors to get something built.
I would appreciate any advice you getting a shop built.
Just thought you'd like to know, I am available for adoption.
I always wanted to be able to run engines in the winter with the garage doors closed, so be sure to have those vent pipes like they used in Shop class installed. Nome Sayin'?
I have 10x10 doors on the long side of a 25'x40' shop, and the trusses run perpendicular to the long side so there is added height inside of about 15 usable feet. Another thing: If you have critters like termites or carpenter ants in the area you'll want 18" stem walls above grade.
Have you checked your local codes or requirements. Sometimes neighborhoods get all Hissy about metal buildings. My city was against me building 3 car garage with regular siding and roof. At the time they thought it was to big and at some point in time I may have wanted to work out of it. Eventually built it and 40 years later I have never worked out of it. I have a 30X40 pole building out back and that was okayed I believe because I bought it through the local in town lumber yard and they agreed to get me the building permit. I can squeeze 7 cars into it but it's tight. One huge mistake I made was on height, we have an rv and the 10 foot overhead door is about 18 inches to low. Had I known I would ever have an rv it wouldn't have cost that much more to have it built higher with a taller door. Sometimes I wish I would have went 50X30 but now realize that would just be more room to accumulate crap. Good Luck.
I think my wife will be more particular than my neighbors or the city. I will probably need to have a faux brick or stone wainscot on the front. She is also requiring lights on the front as well.
Before we bought the house, we had the city give us some guidance. Their big issue was the shop needed to be on the property line between my house and the lot next door that we bought with it. They didn't want us to be able to sell a lot with a shop on it separately. I haven't filled out the paperwork for a building permit. While there are no shops in the circular road that we live on, there are some out buildings around. Most are the cheap storage building you can get. I do need to drive around a bit more and see what else is out there.
36’x90’ Back half of the building is 2 story with a large room upstairs. We did a deck off the back. Side has a 16’x16’ slider door and a 14’x16’ overhead door 2 front doors 10x14 Side walls are 16’
If I understand you correctly you are thinking what I call a thick lip slab. I recently added another 12 x 24 bay to my barn/shop that I built 26 years ago. I like rebar in my thick lip slabs. I think that you are going beyond the amount of concrete in the thick lip. That said, I have the rebar. I did all of the work except pouring and polishing the slab. The comment from one of the guys taht did the pad was "are you planning on driving a tank in here". My slab is 6".
This is the same floor and wall construction detail as my original barn/shop. Never a crack in the floor. Fiberglass added to the concrete mix both then and now. I happen to like board and baton outside.
I would use a roll up door uses less of the ceiling , unless you build a very large shop, my door is 14 x 12’ and tall walls will help Out side Trailer is a little over 10’ tall walls are 12’6”
the ceiling is vaulted 19’ at peak
The zoning and permitting was my first thought Also, make certain there is no "stealth" or inactive HOA that may have rules against such type building. Any HOA should have been noted in any paperwork you signed during the closing. That looks like a very nice area and I am certain most residents want to keep it that way. Even though I have 3+ acres and it is nearly impossible to see my detached garage, I had to match the house in appearance and building materials. Make certain you can remove a healthy tree that size. You are right, that many of the buildings you linked to are manufacturers and the local contractors erect them. If I were building today, I would have minimum of 12' door height on at least one door. Ten foot width is minimal IMO. I would opt for a couple ten foot doors vs three eight foot doors. I would do no concrete work till I had plans in hand for the building; a general contractor can get that work done more economically than you can, just negotiate. When I poured the outside pad and drive to my detached garage, the builder saved me a quarter per square foot on concrete and I SWAG it is a better job. Just one old man's opinion. Sounds like a great project. Congratulations and have fun.
Roll up door at back of shop is 8’ tall the trailer is 10’ hi door can still be opened This pic shows about 1/2 of my shop that ladder at back wall is 10’
Hey Joe, I'm excited for you. Getting to build something that you have control over is a great experience. I have had 4 pole sheds built over my short life (60) LOL If they are allowed per code, I see nothing wrong with them. A few tips and ideas for you to consider. I like the 4' wainscot around the bottom and an overhang for the roof. Even though my current building doesn't have an overhang. You might also consider having the roof insulated. Metal buildings tend to sweat and then drip water because of the condensation. As far as the concrete, 4 - 5 inches with rebar or wire would be adequate in my opinion. Just make sure you seal it before you put all your toys in it! Here is a picture of my shop. It is 30X40 including the open bay for our horse trailer. So the shop is actually 30X30. The overhead door is 10X20. Sidewalls are 12'. Make sure you have a plan if you're going to put a lift in. I am not sure how much head room you will need with one of those. Bottom line......a basic building is pretty reasonably priced. When you start adding the extras is when it all adds up. Anyway if you need any advice along the way don't hesitate to contact me. Good luck!
I am 26x40 feet, very similar to your plans. I am happy with that size, but I I had a "do over" I'd add a few feet to the depth. So your 30 x 40 is spot on in my book. The 26 foot depth is a tight squeeze if try to pull my F250 Crew Cab Short bed in for work. It can be done , but its tight.
12 foot ceilings if you can (what I have). 10 will do in a pinch but then you need one of those lifts with the cable tray across the floor.
Doors, I have 2 doors, each 9 wide by 8 tall. Don't go less than this. The 9 wide matches the lift opening and I need 8 tall to fit the F250 or my tractor with a sun shade on the roll bar.
Layout: The two doors are set off to one side and arranged to line up with the lift posts. The space between the doors is wide enough to "mask" the post and I was able to put a compressed air manifold there.
I have 12x12 doors on my work barn. 14' ceiling works fine with my lift. Just about everything will fit in a 12' door other than the backhoe I used to have. I think 5" minimum concrete to anchor your lift? You might actually thicken the concrete at the lift anchor points?
