Design my new shop!

kaiser715

kaiser715

Doing hard time
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Location
7, Pocket, NC
Looks like we are coming to a decision on a piece of land...so will hopefully be building by this time next year.

Budget says the shop can be up to 30x50' (maybe more, the more I DIY)

Basic thought is:

10' exterior walls.
Divider wall on long dimension at 18'-ish
Wall on the back side of the smaller section, making an 8'x18' storage room
...So would have 3 'rooms' 30x30', 18x21', 8x18' (larger is mechanical, middle is welding/mill/lathe, smaller is tool and parts storage)
Welding room kept somewhat fire-safe, sheetrock walls, no combustibles, etc

Storage trusses over 18' section, making a 10-12' by 18' attic for stuff that ought to be thrown out (pull down steps)

Outside roof pitch 6:12, scissor trusses over 30x30 section at 3:12 inside, making it almost 14' at the peak if I ever put in a lift.

12' door to the welding/machine area
16-18' garage door on the workshop area
one walk door

Whole thing insulated
Wall a/c or mini-split to serve the 18x20' welding/machine room. Heat only in the main shop

Air compressor in the storage room

What else?
 
Put some windows in the extra light will be nice. I assume your going to cover the ceilings with sheetrock, other wise I would say use tin with a clear plastic sheet every two or three pieces. It will add alot of light.
 
sky lights or other passive lighting up high to help with basic illumination during the day, I really dislike having to have the lights on on a bright sunny day.

over head ventilation, keep air moving on the hot days in the non AC area of the shop without having a huge fan in the way on the floor. I've you've ever been anywhere near a BIGASS FAN, you'll know what I mean.

perimeter drainage, and drains in floor that are in useful areas, pull pots in floor, you never know when you might want to pull something and need an anchor

keep the moths and beetles out at night, and other bugs during the day and still have air flow

air hose drop reel centrally located and ports along each wall and a box for access out the front of the building for air and power without having to open up the bay doors.
 
kaiser715 said:
Looks like we are coming to a decision on a piece of land...so will hopefully be building by this time next year.

Budget says the shop can be up to 30x50' (maybe more, the more I DIY)

Basic thought is:

10' exterior walls.
Divider wall on long dimension at 18'-ish
Wall on the back side of the smaller section, making an 8'x18' storage room
...So would have 3 'rooms' 30x30', 18x21', 8x18' (larger is mechanical, middle is welding/mill/lathe, smaller is tool and parts storage)
Welding room kept somewhat fire-safe, sheetrock walls, no combustibles, etc

Storage trusses over 18' section, making a 10-12' by 18' attic for stuff that ought to be thrown out (pull down steps)

Outside roof pitch 6:12, scissor trusses over 30x30 section at 3:12 inside, making it almost 14' at the peak if I ever put in a lift.

12' door to the welding/machine area
16-18' garage door on the workshop area
one walk door

Whole thing insulated
Wall a/c or mini-split to serve the 18x20' welding/machine room. Heat only in the main shop

Air compressor in the storage room

What else?
Click to expand...

Are we talking about architecture here? I actually need this too, I'm designing one myself. Or trying to, but I'm indecisive and have some strange layout issues on our property. It's fun though, I'll help anyway I can from going through the same process.

How did you figure out what size building you can afford without knowing what the building will be like? I don't understand how that would work; you're at the end of the iteration process without actually doing any iterations...
 
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Fabrik8 said:
How did you figure out what size building you can afford without knowing what the building will be like? I don't understand how that would work; you're at the end of the iteration process without actually doing any iterations...
Click to expand...

SWAG based on past building experience, along with a preliminary estimate from the guy that's going to do the house. And the powers that be (wife) told me shop can't be bigger than the house. ;)
 
kaiser715 said:
SWAG based on past building experience, along with a preliminary estimate from the guy that's going to do the house. And the powers that be (wife) told me shop can't be bigger than the house. ;)
Click to expand...

That makes sense, I was just thinking that the building must be fairly ordinary if you already have a budget locked down based on size.
 
Just in the interest of time, I'll probably hire out getting the shell up -- slab to shingles, along with minimal electric to get it signed off. Then I'll do the insulation, wiring, interior walls, wallboard, etc. That's what I did on my current shop (24'x24').

Ten years ago, I wouldn't have thought twice about setting the trusses, roofing it, etc....but that was ten years ago. I'm not as fast as I used to be.
 
Electrical. Don't skimp. 200-amp service. Make sure that the panel is a good panel(cutler-hammer ch-style, ITE/Siemens with a copper bus bar).
 
My thoughts are this....how much more would it really cost to go up?? Make it two story? ? I want to rebuild my shop (50x30) and I am kicking around the idea of two story. I have a small office in the shop now (electronic shop) witch would move up stairs but also could be a good place to keep parts and such that you really don't want full of saw dust, metal shavings ect. Maybe a nice big 10x10 lay out table up there to...just a thought! I have always heard it was cheaper and easier to go up then out?
 
krehel24 said:
My thoughts are this....how much more would it really cost to go up?? Make it two story? ? I want to rebuild my shop (50x30) and I am kicking around the idea of two story. I have a small office in the shop now (electronic shop) witch would move up stairs but also could be a good place to keep parts and such that you really don't want full of saw dust, metal shavings ect. Maybe a nice big 10x10 lay out table up there to...just a thought! I have always heard it was cheaper and easier to go up then out?
Click to expand...
This from what your saying your shop is going to be split up extended the wheels up to 14-16 ft and have the areas above every except the mechanics area as a second story. I'll take pics of the place I'm working at shop its what I'd like to have
 
Quick thoughts from my shop. I was in truss design and did my trusses. I built a much smaller building but did attic trusses and scissor trusses where the lift is, with 10' walls. I put stairs outside of the garage to access the attic. If you are storing much at all, you'll want a permanent set of stairs.

I have a mini split in my garage. They are expensive and it just crapped out on me, but fortunately is still under warranty. My vote would be for a 220V wall mounted AC unit. Much cheaper and you can throw it away and get another one should it cease to function.

If you can, I'd make the welding room a 'fab room' where you can make a huge mess and keep it isolated from the rest of the shop. Right now my entire shop is filthy from doing lots of grinding, welding, and mess making.

Oh, and I'm just curious- what method are you going to use to build the walls? 2x or pole type const? What kind of sheathing and exterior finish materials are you planning to use?
 
broncosbybart said:
Oh, and I'm just curious- what method are you going to use to build the walls? 2x or pole type const? What kind of sheathing and exterior finish materials are you planning to use?
Click to expand...

Probably a 2' brick stub wall, with 8' 2x4 wall on top. Definitely don't like vinyl siding...have had enough of that crap. House will be brick, with hardi on the gables...shop will be close enough to the house (100-150' the way it looks). Might do matching hardiplank on the shop so they visually go together.
 
That shit is going to be pricey.

I started out thinking wood frame, shingles, hardi... Now Im thinking I go down over the side of the hill a bit and do metal truss pole barn with tin roof and barn siding.
 
shawn said:
That shit is going to be pricey.

I started out thinking wood frame, shingles, hardi... Now Im thinking I go down over the side of the hill a bit and do metal truss pole barn with tin roof and barn siding.
Click to expand...
That's what I did because it was the cheapest way to go. Wood trusses are slightly cheaper than steel, but when I priced out everything else to hold it up, steel came out on top. Also, putting up 5 trusses over 40ft seemed easier than 21 trusses, and I got more clear height.
 
Yep. If things work out, about a half mile from your place. Would like to leave but older parents to care for.
 
Hardie should be cheaper by a few bucks. There's a competing cementitious lap siding company now, too. The name sounds Japanese.... But I don't remember what it is. That's what we used on our old house. Came in cheaper than Hardie.

But if you're going to do brick, don't do modular. Most of the cost is in labor, so laying a Norman (3 courses in 8 x 12" long), engineer (5 in 16" x 8 long) or Norwegian (5 in 16" x 12" long) is cheaper. For the quantities you'll need, you probably won't find a Norwegian, but you can probably find an engineer or Norman that you like that's regular stock.
 
Nice. I can help with some stuff if you need it don't be afraid to ask. I can run equipment if you need help grading etc.
 
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