Need shop advice

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Need shop advice

otus · Addicted!

Hi Todd, I built my shop 7 years ago. It's 28x32 2x6 constr. On a full foundation with 12 foot ceiling and one insulated 11x12 bay door. I'm in B.C. and I can tell you that at that time it cost me 60 grand. I did the excavation and backfill, all the siding and soffits, inside boarding with osb, insulation, lighting, sealing and paint myself. A couple of things.. I should have made it "deeper" for sure ,meaning instead of 28 feet I should have gone at least 35. The height is ok but I should have gone at least 2 more feet..Like a boat...2 footitis!lol. I went electric for heat as I did not want to deal with wood any more as many do around here.I own a 580 case backhoe and can get it in and close the door...and/or two vehicles if I shuffle stuff around.I do not have a hoist but I'm thinking one of those scissor lift styles would work...no posts. Personally I like the "warmth" of stick framing having worked in many shops throughout my career. Can't quote on today's prices but what I would say is that if you can afford it make it the size you truly want! My 2 cents...cheers

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Thanks! Good advice there.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

When I built our's on the farm, it was going to be 40'. I measured my truck and trailer, almost 42'. We built a 42' shop and when I backed the trailer in to it was touching the back wall, the overhead door rubbed on the front license plate bracket on the way down.

Make sure you plan ahead for what you want to put in their. 40' will take in 2 cars but barely with a bench at the end if they are old B bodies.

bjburnout · Uber Guru

We lucked out when moving here - the place we bought had an attached 35 x 43 with 12 ft ceiling,all clear.

Even has a wash bay for winter clean up.

Brought my Rotary hoist from a shop I had closed and recently bought another 4 poster for storage.

Size is perfect, the only thing I would've done had I built it was put in floor heating, Buddy south

in Bayfield has it and is it ever sweet.

2017 Camaro on hoist.jpg

Tesla 5.jpg

-- Edited by bjburnout on Saturday 16th of March 2019 05:21:56 PM

-- Edited by bjburnout on Saturday 16th of March 2019 05:23:27 PM

Mike Ward MB · Addicted!

I built my shop about 15 years ago so my building cost is a moot point today. I wanted to build it myself so I stayed conventional with a structural widened edge concrete floor with in floor heating and 2x6 wall construction. I was limited to 1200 sq ft which leads most to a 30x40 building but I decided to forfeit a few square feet and built mine 28x42. Turned out to be a good decision for how I use the building. With my hoist in the centre rear it has to be forward of the back wall to enable access around it. There is room either side of the hoist for full size cars and my son can comfortably park his ¾ ton truck in front of it.

My only error was building 10 foot walls and not using a scissor truss or engineering a raised area for over the hoist. It actually didnt occur to me that I would eventually buy a hoist. The 10 foot ceiling limits my capability for stacking vehicles for storage but at five foot nine I can get my cars high enough to work under comfortably. 11 feet would be better, 12 feet would be ideal.

-- Edited by Mike Ward MB on Saturday 16th of March 2019 07:00:44 PM

-- Edited by Mike Ward MB on Saturday 16th of March 2019 07:01:54 PM

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

As mentioned, floor heat isn't even optional, it's mandatory. I absolutely love it.

pontiax · Poncho Master!

Carl Stevenson wrote:
As mentioned, floor heat isn't even optional, it's mandatory. I absolutely love it.

X2 , after 20 years of in floor heat, i couldnt think of any other way to heat my shop. Note i use electric heater to recoup the heated air after the door gets opened, more cost effective than to lose floor heat to warm up the air.

Lemans64 · Poncho Master!

Mine is 2x6 construction, but only had build 3 walls so cost cannot be compareable. was only a reno. Bigger is better.
But allowable room is a factor in mine.

timbuk · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

do you have building codes there for a shop

hawkeye5766 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

timbuk wrote:
do you have building codes there for a shop

Building codes? biggrin Mines just a big chicken coop! wink Good to see you went large Todd. 30 deep will fit an RV,Truck/camper. 10' doors at the min for hoist bay. 40 wide..,,so what will your bays be? 3x12 and a small side work area or 2 15'bays with 10' area? 4x10 bays etc etc. or are you going 2x15x40?

-- Edited by hawkeye5766 on Sunday 17th of March 2019 02:20:52 AM

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

30x40 with no interior supports is way roomier than the same space with interior partitions or supports. I just sold my place and had a 30 x 52 post and beam type with a loft for storage. I had a 20x30 work area, a 10x30 space for firewood, lawn mower, snowblower, a work bench with a chop saw for woodwork, and. 12x30 space for old car or boat storage.
If you have a 63 Parisienne size car, you need the 12 foot width.

If you do a frame off, you need the 20 ft of width for tool boxes, drill press, to take things apart and sit the parts some where, and to use an engine lift, the 30 ft is needed, and a nice smooth floor for rolling heavy things around.

Build what you need room for now and add 30-50%. Itll be full in no time no matter how full you make it.

Im trying to decide what to build myself for a house and garage with a limited budget, is PEI cheap these days?

Don

mfleury · Poncho Master!

before we brought north of sault st marie we looked around told the wife I wanted a big garage

we found this place small house but a big garage its 24 by 48 by 10 ft high good size foe me made from 2 by 6

coming from a 1400 square foot home to 1000 square foot home all the furniture and other stuff in my big garage maybe some day I,ll get the whole garge back.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

PEI real estate has been rising steadily for the last couple of years. Apparently there is a waiting list of people looking for properties with acreage in my area (eastern PEI). Looks like we bought just in time.

I'm actually going to be meeting with a rep from Eascan Buildings ( based in Truro) on Tuesday to discuss a building project with work so I'm going to pick his brain on the cost for a steel building for me.

DonSSDD wrote:
30x40 with no interior supports is way roomier than the same space with interior partitions or supports. I just sold my place and had a 30 x 52 post and beam type with a loft for storage. I had a 20x30 work area, a 10x30 space for firewood, lawn mower, snowblower, a work bench with a chop saw for woodwork, and. 12x30 space for old car or boat storage.
If you have a 63 Parisienne size car, you need the 12 foot width.

If you do a frame off, you need the 20 ft of width for tool boxes, drill press, to take things apart and sit the parts some where, and to use an engine lift, the 30 ft is needed, and a nice smooth floor for rolling heavy things around.

Build what you need room for now and add 30-50%. Itll be full in no time no matter how full you make it.

Im trying to decide what to build myself for a house and garage with a limited budget, is PEI cheap these days?

Don

jmont64 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Something to consider between steel and what I call conventional build is finishing the inside. My brother has a couple large very nice metal buildings but are just used for storage. Conventional is easy to insulate walls and ceiling plus either dry walling or plywooding. Also for wiring or mounting air lines or whatever it is much easier than fastening to the metal frame. You either have to spray insulate which is expensive or build another wall inside.
Lots of different metal ones but I've seen a couple fail in BC because they weren't designed quite strong enough for the snow load. Completely crumpled with a wet snow. I like the framed wall and trusses. It also gives you many options like small mezzanine sections or vaulted section and a flat ceiling or skylights or whatever.

norontcan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

It'll never be big enough.
Sure like the idea of in floor heating, especially when it's really cold outside.
I have a 24 x 44 steel frame and clading but it's basically just storage

DonSSDD · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Just reading a 1970 Hemmings, has plans for a 28x34 garage, with storage loft. The add says, build it for $1,000. Now thats US dollars so not as cheap as you think.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

lol.

Yams · Veteran Member

I'd go 32' deep by however big you're allowed. Lots of space in front and behind to work on a vehicle even with a bench at the end.
2x6 Wood framing, strapped 2' O/C horizontally with 2x4, house wrapped, then cover with steel siding. 12' walls for lift (or scissor truss with lower wall), standard batt insulation, and 1/2" plywood throughout interior (can hang things wherever you want this way instead of trying to find a stud with drywall). Put in a heat pump and your off to the races! I've even built a few of the solar pop can air heaters too (made mine with black gutter downspout) and basically heated the garage for 75-80% of the winter at 20-22 degrees. Cost about $300 to build them. Free heat is always better!

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I'm going to build those pop can heaters for my small workshop and will use a couple for the new one.

Yams · Veteran Member

They're pretty easy to make after you get your measurements figured out. I hooked mine up with an in-line blower (same as in 4" round duct lines) and had it inside the shop instead of in the heater itself. worked excellent. Heat pump ran to keep the chill off at night, but the shop stayed nice and toasty all winter. I think my total bill for heat and electricity all winter (November to April) was around $300-$350. Not bad for a 24x24 with 11' ceilings and two 10x10 garage doors

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

It's amazing how well those heaters work. I watched a video where a fellow was testing one in -10c temps and the heat coming out was something like 120c.

dcneric · Poncho Master!

My friend put up a 40x32x12 two years ago. All in was $46,000. He farmed out the laying of concrete, electrical and tin roof.

He did the grade work, forms, rebar, pex-pipe for the infloor, framing, sheeting, insulation, interior boarding and exterior vinyl siding.

In the overall cost, pex-pipe is pretty cheap. For 1/2 it should be about $0.50 per ft and 1ft of pipe for every square ft. Whether you intend in using in floor or not going the extra mile now is easier than knock the floor out in 5 years cause laying on the concrete is too cold.

Ive only done 3 floors personally. However where I work we are the manufacturers rep for pex, boilers, manifolds, pumps etc. and provide the technical know how and layout drawings from small residential to commercial and industrial projects. So if you have any questions feel free to pm me.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Thanks Eric. Pretty much everyone I talk to says the same thing- get in floor heating!

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I'm getting quotes on a steel building and then will compare with traditional frame and timber frame construction.

Tower Steel Buildings quoted $27400 delivered plus tax for this 30x40X14 building. This includes engineered drawings, all nuts and bolts, exterior steel and has a 40 year warranty against rust (I assume perforation)

I have requested changes as I want two 10x12 openings on the "long" side instead of the ends. The man door will remain on the end. I don't want any windows.