Recent content by LightningBG

+1 Exactly what popped into my head when I read it.

When I bought my most recent house last summer, I pulled in one door, did a full u-turn and out the other door. I did it just because I could. My vehicle hasn't seen the inside of that garage since, but my wife's SUV stays in there. Not worth hearing her complain about scraping ice off in the...

Oh yeah, sorry. I do think you'd need to drop it down to 8 ft to squeeze it all in. I dont think you'd fit a 9' in there. Another thing to mention. You wont actually want much touching the steel wall supports. At least not supported by. I'm thinking you'll want to build a more or less...

Sounds like some nice cushy carpet and some slippers are going to be your best option. Getting radiant into that floor is going to be a very large task. Pretty much gut the entire basement.

Why is it you would suggest 2 pieces for the I joists above the 2nd level? Due to the deflection in the long span raising the short span? I'm familiar with that issue, but never seen a problem with regards to it. Or just easier to handle a 20 and a 10, vs a 30? 30s are readily available...

Would be great, especially on the main floor, but you're already squeezing that height in the 3rd level.

Is there a particular reason you want the smaller door perpendicular to the other doors? Would something like this work?

Well overall it's doable. You just need a little bit of time with a structural engineer. Need to figure out the beam size, post size and spacing, floor joist size and spacing. Also will need to figure out the footings for the posts and under that shop side wall. That wall is load bearing...

What are the chances of getting a building with a little bit higher side walls? That would help in a few different areas. Any idea what your snow load requirement is for the roof in NW Iowa?

Menards sells them around the midwest. About $1300 for a 15'x9'. Special order. Example (in a different size).

Another option while you're in the planning stages is to rotate which side gets used as living space. This would maximize the height for the third level (but may be slightly smaller.) This would take a whole lot of cost and complexity out of the build. And no posts in the shop side. Unless...

I don't think you'd be able to use the ridge at all for support, given that it's a steel building. I'm not even sure they have much of a ridge beam? If they did, that ridge beam would be 73' long. Now you could beef up the beam under the floor to have less posts. In theory it'd be possible...

Also, looking at that floor plan, I dont see how the steps up from the first to second level would work. It seems like you'd come up into the hallway and then have to squeeze through a tiny area to get back to the master?

Now, that's not to say there wont be challenges. The ones that come to mind immediately are: 1. how to attach the outside rim board that will be against the metal? 2. does the 3rd floor have enough height at the top of the stairs? 3. how to hang drywall or sheathing on the lid of the 3rd...

This is about what I'd shoot for given the goals and parameters.