Building a new Shop

[mstetar]

im starting to look into everything that its gonna take to build my dream shop, because its just one of those things you should never half a$$

but anyways i want to hear everyones thoughts on pre-fab steel buildings Vs. traditional pole barn type building, i know i want tin roof and siding for sure but other than that i dont know

as of now im thinking it will be about 50'x80' or atleast thats what i want... another thing im curious about if anyone has any knowledge as to how much its gonna cost me to run electricity to where i want this because its probably about a half mile to the nearest pole, i know the power company pays the first 150 feet but after that i dont know. thanks in advance i wanna hear some ideas!

 

[mstetar]

using Google Earth i measured the distance from the proposed spot to the nearest pole as roughly .35 miles, thats a lot of power line!

 

[aschumacher]

Maybe you want to get a BIG used military generator. Gotta figure a utility pole every 100-150 feet...and wire, and transformers(maybe). Your talking a high-voltage feeder for that distance.

 

[fcurrier]

Matt: The best way to figure out the cost to run electricity to your new shop is -- call your local power company and talk to them. Their input should be free. I'm not really trying to be a smarta$$, but there's a lot of factors involved that can't be answered long distance. Here, on a run like that, there used to be the option of paying a certain amount per month on a 5 year contract. It's been awhile since I've dealt with it.

 

[mstetar]

yes, i know i need to contact them i was just wondering if anyone else had dealt with that in recent years, the real kicker is maybe 400ft from the pole starts woods that i refuse to clear so i assume the lines would have to be burried, im alright with making a large investment in that tho because i plan on building a house close to the shop after some time

 

[jbaker]

Matt every where is different but here in Northern ILL

I built a my home in the country three years ago and was told by Com Ed my first pole and 150' of wire from the pole to house was no charge anything after that would cost.
After there pole and 150' I was still 200' to my house underground.

So I got my own used pole had it sunk in at the 150' mark and then trenched from there to the house and ran my own line from my pole to house.

it was alot cheaper doing it my self from the pole than having Com Ed run it.

 

[mstetar]

thats what i figgured, i would trench it myself but i didn't know if the power companies would actually let the homeowner run the power

 

[jbaker]

Matt they don,t seem to care after the meter, so let them run as far as they will for no cost and terminate at a meter for them to read.

then rent a trencher, get a spools of correct wire and run it yourself. I thought it would be harder than it was.

 

[lhinds]

At my power co.The customer installs a 2.5 inch conduit 30 inches deep with a junction every 300 to 600 ft. all the way to the meter point and the power co. puts wire and transformer in. cost to the customer is 2.50 per ft. We also allowed the customer to use the same ditch for telephone, tv cable ect. If building this line allows them to serve other properties beyond yours,then we would run yours at a minimum charge like 15.00 per month for 36 mos.

 

[mstetar]

thanks for input on the power guys, now any ideas on the building?

 

[dfrisk]

MATT - If your running both a shop and a house with this power service I wouldn't go with less than 200A 220V service. I have that to my house and ran wire to a 100A subpanel in my shop. Wish now I had more spaces for breakers.... and a bigger shop too. Mine is only 24 X 36.

DON T. put in hot water in-floor heat. For your heated shop area that's what I'd use too. You're not going to heat the whole 50X80 shop are you?

I looked at pole barn style buildings when I built my shop 15-16 yrs ago and a pre-fab studded "garage" was WAY cheaper because it included the concrete floor. Easier to insulate and heat too. But I doubt you can get them that big. I'd quote several companies, Morton, Cleary, WICKS, etc and ask other people in the building trades who they would recommend, there's many other regional co's that make darn fine buildings too.

I'd also build the building tall, like 12-14 ft sidewalls, then you can put a loft over your shop area to keep light & heat in plus add floor space.

 

[vthomley]

Matt, I had a Cleary 30x40 building built, 10' or 12' walls. Gable Truss' with a bonus room that is or will be 9'x40' its 5' something high at the edges and 7' in the middle. I love it!

I could have built it bigger but I figured then I'd just fill it with more ~things~

I do not have in floor heat, however if I were to do it again I would!

My upstairs bonus room is currently under construction, I have a floor on 24 of the 40 feet, some day it will be all done. I have a stairway going up there, some day will be on hinges to raise it up out of my way for more floor space, and electric winch lifting it will be the plan. I do have a electric winch on a trolley to lift things up the this upper level, I currently have 5 Cub Cadet motors sitting on a bench up there.

In the back corner I have a 10x14 room that's insulated that I can use in the winter.

In the middle in the back of my shed I have a Dog Door for Coco my Chocolate Lab. This dog door has proved to be handy when someone locked the shed with the keys inside, luckily the dog door was not locked...

I have 2 utility doors one on the front that I use all the time, one on the side of my building. This one comes in handy when I'm in the back yard and need to go into the shed. I have 1 12x10 roll up garage door in the front. I have 4 windows around the building and 1 window on each end up in the peaks, for a total of 6 windows. Both utility doors have windows and there's windows in my roll up garage door - I guess I liked windows at the time I ordered it...I'm guessing the sales guy was happy.

There are many days that I wish it was bigger but some day I'll spend a week cleaning and organizing it and I'll have tons of room.

I know I have a lot of some days...but at least I have a plan.

2 things I would change for next time are the in floor heating for at least a part of it and I'd make the wall taller to fit a 2 post lift, travel trailer, etc...

I do plan to have it cleaned and organized by May 1st

 

[kmcconaughey]

Vince,

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

I do plan to have it cleaned and organized by May 1st<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

<font size="-1">Would this be for a graduation party?</font>

 

[dtanner]

Dennis Frisk

I don`t care how long you build a work shop , in floor heat is the best heat. just set the slab on and cover each edge with insulation. A simple probe to get the slab tempt you need to keep that area nice.The local electric company now gets 12% more for power.

But my total electric bill from last year went down $160.00 + $ . $10.00 a day I know I will have for a total bill for house and shop ,, till they want more money lol

 

[vthomley]

Kraig, I'm typing this thinking I don't have any good pics here at work....knowing I'd get your response!

Yes there is a graduation party in late May so I set a May 1st deadline...so it hopefully gets done by May 15-20th...

Here is the only pic I have, a pic of the attic truss', bonus room, etc.

 

[dtanner]

Vincent Thomley

Very nice shop that will make. I would spray the foam in it all around about 1" or so thick.. just to cut down on sweat and drafts. Air changes will be slower and sweat Will have no affect on iron parts . I can leave sandblasted parts sit for months here and see no rust.My shop has fridge,water, and a good drain. Internet and cable tv.My 10' 11" height is good but not for a hoist for my truck. I had a buy for a cable hoist for $1200.00 that would lift all I wanted.Wife said no , our friend will be here to work on there cars . )I had to keep her happy LOL

If I ever get chance to build another shop IT won`t be this small

 

[proessler]

I put up 30x40x11H shop like Vince, but 6" walls stick built since I attached it to my 2 car attached garage. Limited by zoning for lot size/setback. 6" insulated walls & 12" in ceiling, better insulated than house. Use modine Hot Dawg for heat, but would have used in floor heat if I was in shop every day in winter. Like Denny, have 200 amp to house & 100amp sub panel to shop. With 240V in 3 corners & 120V about every 8-10' & 2 ceiling fans to move air. #1 Son is electrical contractor!

Access with Overhead door which is 18x11 & 40" door from garage. Plywood walls & ceiling sprayed white.

 

[dfrisk]

PAUL - My shop hasn't got quite as much insulation as your shop, walls are 2X4 studs so 3-1/2 inches in walls, 6" in ceiling plus I doubled some of it since I had a couple extra bundles of the thicker rolls of insulation.

It's amazing how much more comfortable it is to work in now. Stays cooler in summer, warmer in winter. With the cold temps we had a week or two ago it never froze in my shop. And in summer as long as I keep it shut up it never gets over 75-80 degrees inside no matter how hot it is. Best investment I made short of the electrical in the shop.

When I had Best-Built in Marshall, WI build the building I had them quote 10 ft sidewalls instead of the 8 ft walls I have. Added 25% to the cost so I passed on them. IMO it should have been more like 10-15%. I wasn't making the building Bigger, just taller, Roof trusses, sheeting, & shingles didn't increase.

If money grew on trees I'd have a 24X24 ground level addition put on the back for "cold storage" for the two bigger Farmalls. That would make it 24W X 60L and the back section would be 10 ft tall. With the cost of materials now the addition would cost more than I paid for the original building!

 

[kmcconaughey]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

If money grew on trees...<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

<font size="-1">I'd have pursued agriculture as a vocation.</font>

 

[mstetar]

infloor heat for the entire shop is a definate, i am going to be heating it with an outdoor wood burner, i fuggure thats the cheapest way to heat, a shop that size and a house plus thats a cheap way to do the infloor heat? correct? as for insulation.... i have no idea lol im not gonna short cut it tho i can tell you that. i figgure on 14foot to teh bottom of the rafters that way i would have more storage space up stairs than i could ever need (theoretically) as for doors i was figguring one 10ft door on toward the back of the long wall, and two 15ft doors on the front short wall one man door in the two and another beside the 10 footer. anyone got any ideas on lighting? how would you let sunlight in? (im not real keen on windows) and what kind of artificial lighting do i want?