Ok I am planning on building a shop, well I will have someone else build it. I need those of you that have done this to tell me the things you wish you would have done or did do. I would like a 30x40 minimum, and I would like a loft for storing things or to make it the hang out area with TV and such. How tall should I go? all metal or will post frame be fine? these are some of the questions. Thanks ahead of time!
I havent built one but go bigger than you would think you want. They fill up quick. Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk
We just completed a 40x60 on a property my father owns right outside of town last year. Went with 13' walls. 3 doors across the 40 ft front. Middle door gives plenty of space for a big RV if the future so calls for one. We opted out of the steel frame to save money. We didn't initially pour concrete for the floor, but did shortly after filling it up. Only advice I can offer is go ahead and pour concrete for the pad from the get go and save yourself the trouble. At the time of building it he had two boats, a camper, and a tractor with a few implements. I've since sold my boat opening up a significant chunk of the building for him. He now stores most of his tools/appliances for his rental house business out of that side now. The biggest thing with a building is plan it EXACTLY how you think you will need it, then expand it by 10x10 or even 10x20 and raise the ceilings a bit higher. Skimping up front to save a few thousand will cost you down the road being stuck with a building you don't like or one you must replace with something bigger.
I'd want a fireplace for heat and a nice set of benches. I'm in the planning stage of mine. I want to copy my father-in-laws. He's got a pretty nice set up.
If it's going to be a year round workshop and not just storage, consider in-slab radiant heating. EVERY shop owner on GarageJournal who DIDN'T do that, regrets it. :D My future garage will have in slab heating. I also recommend planning out sizes ahead of time and plan to make it much larger. I've never heard a guy say "I wish I had less space."
My garage is 32x32 with my "man cave" area and a work bench room in it..plenty of storage and room for 2 four wheelers my lawn mower my truck and my wifes jeep without it being to tight to walk around comfortably...the radiant floor heat is PRICELESS if you spend as much time out there as I do.....it is extrmely efficient and virtually no maintenance...we have it all throughout the house as well....its 16 degrees outside today and my thermostats are set at 62 in the house (if it wasnt for my wife they would be set about 55 to 60)....its almost 70 in there....set at 55 in the garage and its 60 in there....cant beat it Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
We just got done working in my buddies shop today putting the nailers in to insulate and tin the inside. Like others have said plan on what your gonna use it for then make it a little bigger. I can't remember what the dimensions are on this one but its more of a machine shed. I know its got 16 ft side walls for sure but don't wanna guess and say wrong on overall. Wanna say its 40x80 or maybe a tad bigger, with two walk doors, a 16' roll up, and 20-30' double slider. Like others have said if you plan on using it year round insulate is a most. It was around 35 degrees here today and we had it around 50-55 in shop using a small blower heater. Its some of radiant heater. Right now all it has it the stuff that looks like bubble wrap on side walls and roof. Idk if I'm sold on the heated floor but that may have something to do with we pour concrete in shops a lot with it and its kind of a pain on our end. Also unless your absolutly certain you'll never change anything in the shop or add anything you run the risk of fastening something down to floor and ruining the system. And definitely think about what fletch said. We'll be adding quite a few lights in this shop, no point in having a new shop if you gotta use a drop light to work on stuff. You'll always need on some but why get it all done an think "man I shoulda put a light there." Honestly its all up to what your planning on using it for.
These are all great ideas. My plans for the shop are mostly just using it as a place to work on stuff and have my own place away from the house. It will have sat TV, heat and insulation and lights. I have so much hunting gear and man stuff it would be nice to have it all in one place. Where im from when you are hanging out with friends it is always in the shop, when you have a party it is in the shop. So I guess it is going to be more of a man cave but with room to work on our 4x4's and boats and such. This is why I am really interested in a second level loft type set up, it would allow me to have a smaller space and it should be warmer up there in the winter.
