Author Topic: Building a shop  (Read 7132 times)

Offline m_fumich

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Building a shop
« on: February 13, 2019, 11:56:55 PM »
Now that we have a house with some land, I can make plans to build a shop. I want to build a 4 bay shop. Two for working on metal and 2 for wood. Initially I was thinking each bay would be 12x24 but that might be a bit small for working on a big car project. Now I’m thinking 15x30 for each bay. Any ideas? If I want to put in a frame lift, how high does the ceiling need to be? Any other suggestions would also be helpful.


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« Last Edit: February 14, 2019, 06:29:34 AM by m_fumich »

Offline gtermini

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2019, 10:10:04 AM »
It's easy to go back to a building and add length, but near impossible to add width or height. I wouldn't even consider going narrower than 40 or 50 and 14' eaves. Don't short change yourself with narrow and short doors either. The expense up front will save a lot of heartache down the road. If the budget is tight, frame out for the door in every bay, but sheet over the unnecessary ones. Then go back and pull siding and install the doors when funds allow.

Greyson

Offline stokester

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2019, 05:28:37 PM »
Good for you.  I had a shop put up on my lot which is all I could want except...

I would like the space for a lift and because you always fill the space provided, a larger shop.

Based on my experience it is important to know your local zoning laws, if applicable, and what is allowed.  Mine could not be larger than the main structure.  I also wanted it to look like it matched the house which made the design less-than-optimal for space but great for design/space considerations.

The things I would have done differently was after-the-fact.  You need to know the basic layout of the shop and the purpose to think about the number of outlets and power requirements.  There are never enough outlets in the right place!  Do you need 220v power for a compressor, welder or HVAC system?  I had power brought from the house for utility cost considerations but it required a new house main breaker panel to feed 220v to the garage at the best cost.   This allowed me to install a 220v AC unit upstairs and a compressor.  Lighting?  I would certainly go with LED fixtures for power savings and brighter lighting.

My shop, motorcycle/automotive first floor and electronics upstairs is something I'd always dreamed about while crawling under a car and laying on my back while servicing a motorcycle is a great place to work.  You will enjoy having a place out of the weather to work on your hobbies.
Nick
Yorktown, VA

Online jabberwoki

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2019, 05:59:22 PM »
Have the plan absolutely clear in your head before you pick up a pen or shovel.
Bigger is ALWAYS better except for eve height. I have a 12 ft eve and a 9000lb lift it works just fine and I and a partial 2nd floor as well.
The thing to do is to live and work in the shop in your mind going through all the activities you`ll be doing and draw out a floor plan in pencil so you can change it as the plan evolves. Visit other shops to get ideas.
Exciting time but DO NOT RUSH THE PROCESS.
Is the need enough? Or does the want suffice?

Offline muddy

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2019, 08:31:48 PM »
One thing.... No matter how big you build it, it'll never be big enough!

Oh, and heated floors!

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Offline m_fumich

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2019, 09:05:58 PM »
Each bay with be twice as deep as it is wide so what I need to determine is how wide it needs to be when working on a car or truck. So how wide is a full side truck with the doors open on both sides?


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Offline mdlbldrmatt135

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2019, 09:36:21 AM »
I think most are in the 7 to 7 1/2 foot wide range.... doors closed.   Not sure with the door open...

Offline m_fumich

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2019, 10:08:12 AM »
A full size ‘86 Chevy truck is 66” wide. I checked my Mazda 323 and each door adds 3’10” to the width when opened. I’m confident a mid-80’s Chevy truck could fit in a 15’ space with both doors open.

However, a ‘74 Cadillac El Dorado might not. It is 80” with and it’s got some BIG doors.

I am confident a 15’ wide bay will fit my needs. The benefit of building a 4 bay shop, with the intention of 2 being for metal (cars, trucks, motorcycles, and welding) and 2 for woodworking, is if I run out of space, I could build a 2nd building for the wood shop later and expand the auto shop to all 4 bays of the first building.


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Offline DeadNutz

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2019, 10:29:11 AM »
A friend who sold his place last year had a 60 x 90 metal building shop. He had 2 doors on each end high enough to drive his Peterbilt and trailers into the shop. He had a 4 post limousine lift at the far end that he kept his 32 Ford coupe on and kept it raised. He also had a 5th door on the close end and had a 2 post lift there. The ability to open doors at each end was nice and he drove his truck through the shop instead of backing in or out. I agree with going as wide as possible as it is much easier to add on length later if needed.

Our shop is 30 x 55 with a 16' ceiling with a 12' wide mezzanine in the rear for the wife's art studio. We built ours as an RV garage so it could be 10' from the house. It had to be stick built and match the house even though the 24-1/2' height dwarfs the single story house. I would have liked to go bigger but didn't want to put it elsewhere on the property due to blocking our view of the valley or mountains. So I kept it smaller and only blocked my neighbor's view. ;D

Offline m_fumich

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2019, 12:37:59 PM »
My dream garage would be 75x60 and look like a gambrel roof barn. The main isle would be 45’ wide and 60’ deep have a dividing wall in the middle so the auto shop would be at the front and the wood shop at the back giving each the equivalent of three 15x30 bays. The dividing wall would have a door in the center that would allow for any vehicle that came into the auto shop to drive all the way through if need be. There would be an additions 15’ to either side of the main isle the entire length of the building. That would be divided into rooms for a variety of uses. All would have inside access and some would have outside access as well. Some would be set up for things like working on electronics and others, with outside access, could be used to park a small tractor, my riding mower, a tiller, store all my yard maintenance tools, etc.

Here’s the best part. The entire loft would be finished out as a man cave. I’d have a function hay door on the front of the loft. That would make it possible to get things like a pool table up there with the help of a front loader.

We are WAY out in the country. I have one neighbor and the next nearest building is a church a mile away. The farmer that owns the land around my house has a big metal building sitting about 200’ from where I want to put my shop.



That drive is on his property. Everything to the left of the drive is mine.



I want to put my shop on the left side of this picture behind where the barbed wire fence is now. My driveway connects to his drive on the right just before the fence.


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Offline pep

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2019, 03:52:59 PM »
m_fumich,

New shop  ............ good for you !!! That's going to a fun, great project.....

 thumbs up !!

Pep
1776 ................... what happened!

Offline m_fumich

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2019, 04:01:26 PM »
I expect it will be another 18 months before I get to start construction unless a windfall comes my way.


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Offline nonhog

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2019, 11:16:23 PM »
 Good going on the wider bays.
Mine are 14' wide and I feel crowded.
Seriously consider your weather in the area you live and conditioning all or part of the shop.

Offline m_fumich

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2019, 11:21:19 PM »
The area where the shop is going is currently well shaded but AC will be part of the plan. Although I’m not sure I want to pay to cool a 30x30 space with a 12’ ceiling and a big honking door that lets all the cool air out every time I open it. Besides, few things are nicer than laying on a cool concrete floor on a hot day with a BIG shop fan blowing on you.


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Offline coolmercury

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Re: Building a shop
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2019, 06:24:25 PM »
Thought I would mention my present shop which is the fourth one I have built.  It may give you some ideas or not, but might get you thinking.  It is 70 by 32 feet (2240 sq. ft.) and filling up too fast.  It includes a man cave plus three bays.  Starting with the man cave it is 17 by 32 and has a full bath (the older you get the more you want a bathroom).  The man cave is finished inside with paneling.  Bay one is also 17 by 32 and is a wood shop.  Bay two is 16 by 32 and is work shop area with machines.  Bay three is 20 by 32 and set up for a lift.  All the ceilings are 10 foot except bay 3 which is 14 feet.

Standard insulated garage doors, bays 1 and 2 are 10 feet wide by 8 feet high and the bay 3 door is 12 by 12 feet.  This allows me to get a tractor inside.

Building is stick built with 5 inch concrete floors containing 2' by 2'  oc 3/8" rebar with 5 bag mix concrete.  Outside walls are barn metal attached to 1/2" chip board on 6" studs with 6" batt insulation and 1/2 " chipboard on the inside.  Roof is standard commercial truss with a 3/4 inch chipboard deck with barn metal.  Interior ceilings are barn metal with 14 inches of blown in insulation on top.  The metal ceilings are throughout. 

The man cave has heat and air while the others have heat as needed.  Most lighting is now LED.  Almost forgot the electric, I have 220 in all bays and each has a sub panel so I can make changes if I desire. 

Both the house and shop are also served by a large generac unit which is capable of supporting everything.