Just curious - Any one ever live in their shop?
- Thread starter Gttrucker
- Start date
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
I've never done it but I know people that have in the past and some who are doing it now.
Some do it while they are saving up to build their house and some live permanently in contained apartments.
Before I retired I built a shop in the hills and fit it out with temporary walls. The plan was to live in it while our main house was under construction. That plan changed and we sold the place. People who bought it lived in the shop for a couple of years before they moved into their final digs.
Some do it while they are saving up to build their house and some live permanently in contained apartments.
Before I retired I built a shop in the hills and fit it out with temporary walls. The plan was to live in it while our main house was under construction. That plan changed and we sold the place. People who bought it lived in the shop for a couple of years before they moved into their final digs.
Never have went past taking a nap out there. However, the wheels have turned on how to set it up if the need be.
I have a tenant that lives in the shop. It's not as bad as it sounds as its a mixed use facility - part office, part warehouse. He has a small kitchenette, bathroom with Shower. He lives upstairs in one of the office areas. The shop area is a separate area
It works well for him as well as the others in our small (8 unit complex). He's there at night and on the weekends and can watch for suspicious activity when we aren't there.
It works well for him as well as the others in our small (8 unit complex). He's there at night and on the weekends and can watch for suspicious activity when we aren't there.
Wildfire
Well-known member
Lived in our barn while we built the house. Wife and I moved in. Wife, 2 kids and I moved out 18 months later. 12x36 area with a full bath, beds and kitchenette. Not much else.
John in OH
Well-known member
This topic has been discussed NUMEROUS time here on GJ. Lots pros/cons and good advice available. Search around and you should be able to find many useful threads.
sberry
Banned
homebuilt burner
Well-known member
My brother lived in his for a couple of years. Pulled a 5th wheel camper inside and lived in that inside the shop.
Duker
Well-known member
Hopefully soon... trying to build a "Barndominium" in which the barn is the workshop.
*
*
txvwnut
Well-known member
If I was a single man I'd have living quarters in mine, of course it'd be a much bigger shop.
coljar
Well-known member
Now that is funny, but practical.
Outnumbered76
Active member
Damn, thought I had it at 9 years. Moved my camper into the tractor shed. 2x10's made a box 8 foot wide by 16 foot long in front of door and filled with sand. Just added a shower to the bathroom and lived it up.
Marctrees
Well-known member
I lived in MN in a 20x60' walled off portion of a larger Cabinet shop,in a converted RV School bus I had put over 2,000 hrs into a few years before.w Wife and two 11 yr olds, in kids own seperated "Office" BR, for about 6 months, while my Son and I built a 304 '76 CJ5 from BARE frame up.
Picture a motorhome pulled into that "garage", seperated room for kids, work area all around.
It was my daily driver for 11 yrs, even w 36" tires.
We used the bathroom in the RV, and every 2 wks, had to macerate pump it through the wall into the Cab shop into their bathroom toilet.
They REALLY did not like that, quite ripe.
Wife gone after 27 yrs, Thank God, jeep gone, kids doing good. Lars
Picture a motorhome pulled into that "garage", seperated room for kids, work area all around.
It was my daily driver for 11 yrs, even w 36" tires.
We used the bathroom in the RV, and every 2 wks, had to macerate pump it through the wall into the Cab shop into their bathroom toilet.
They REALLY did not like that, quite ripe.
Wife gone after 27 yrs, Thank God, jeep gone, kids doing good. Lars
Last edited:
Marctrees
Well-known member
If I had $ to start over, I would build a 1500' sq shop plus 500 ft sq home within combo,2000, NO question.
Absolutely ya, for sure, bigtime.
That would be my Heaven. Marc
Absolutely ya, for sure, bigtime.
That would be my Heaven. Marc
Last edited:
Marctrees
Well-known member
And I do have a Beautiful Spanish partner, 8 yrs now, that would be totally there w me.
Life is good, even where we are. Marc
Life is good, even where we are. Marc
coljar
Well-known member
I will tell you, my wife has said, now that the kids have long left the nest, she wishes we had a garage with a house attached.
gnpenning
Well-known member
Know several that are.
My next place will be a shop with living quarters. Small living space with more shop.
My next place will be a shop with living quarters. Small living space with more shop.
My fantasy garage / shop would have me living in it - well, above it.
Work area on the lower level, balcony overlooking the shop in man cave style (bar, sofa's etc) then real living area behind a partition, which has an outlook over incredible views...... but I digress.
However, like a lot of people on here I would guess it is just the wife and kids that would stop this in reality.
Originally got the idea a long while back from the "Taxi" series of films (the original French one's not the awful remake with Queen Latifa in it!).
Work area on the lower level, balcony overlooking the shop in man cave style (bar, sofa's etc) then real living area behind a partition, which has an outlook over incredible views...... but I digress.
However, like a lot of people on here I would guess it is just the wife and kids that would stop this in reality.
Originally got the idea a long while back from the "Taxi" series of films (the original French one's not the awful remake with Queen Latifa in it!).
Know Wosad
Banned
- Joined
- May 15, 2016
- Messages
- 811
78-82.Automotive machine shop.Day and night.NHRA freaks. No thanks. I'm a workaholic. 2 am now....ordering countersinks from Cripe and Zoro for the biz and BS'ing here(already slept)
I like a castle with a good shop attached but like being able to drive away leaving "work/work"- behind.
My home shop is balls to the wall but everything here belongs to us.Home projects.No customer stuff ever. Don't even drop it off here for me to take it in.NOOP. Seeya in town.
Time for some coffee.
I like a castle with a good shop attached but like being able to drive away leaving "work/work"- behind.
My home shop is balls to the wall but everything here belongs to us.Home projects.No customer stuff ever. Don't even drop it off here for me to take it in.NOOP. Seeya in town.
Time for some coffee.
Coolabah
Well-known member
I am not posting this to offend ( surely hope I do not !) but do we want a forum of lurkers ?
"Search around and you should be able to find many useful threads"- yeh well ,lets just use this forum as a WIKI !!! Great information 5 years ago !!!
I occasionally have resurected a thread in this and other forums and it doesn't take long for someone to say - "oh probably responding to no-one still alive here" or similar...and usually correct...
Lets give the benefit of the doubt... lets assume previous threads did not answer OP's question. Also , many people have already replied to THIS thread- proving with numbers an interest "today" for "this post "
Last edited:
I know a couple people who lived in either a shop or an RV on their property while they built their homes. I would do it in a second. My wife however says living with 3 kids in a small add on to the shop while building a home isn't going to fly. Again if it were me or if my wife were on board with the idea we would be doing it already.
MushCreek
Well-known member
I built our barn first, then lived in there for a couple years while I built the house. The loft is 900 square feet, and I tried to convince my wife that we could save a lot of money just living up there- no go.
Seppala
Well-known member
I was doing a carpentry job inside an old row house on East 53rd St., just east of 3rd. Ave. in NYC. In the house next door a carpenter rented the entire third floor and turned it into a open shop space with no interior walls. He framed out and sheet rocked a 12'x12'x8' "cube" to sleep in.
coljar
Well-known member
Yes, something I've thought, too. If we don't revisit topics, this forum, as others, will die.
Ol'WhiteCap
Well-known member
I've never lived in one myself. But I know of two.
A relative built a 30x75'ish pole barn. With parking on one end, reloading area in the middle, and two bedroom house on the other end. Walk around deck outside. They lived there 4-5 years while building there retirement house. Keeping the pole barn as a guesthouse.
The other a single pilot, that referbs airplanes as a hobby. Built a hanger and landing strip. Got the CO from the county for it. Then put in living quarters. His taxes are only $400 a year.
A relative built a 30x75'ish pole barn. With parking on one end, reloading area in the middle, and two bedroom house on the other end. Walk around deck outside. They lived there 4-5 years while building there retirement house. Keeping the pole barn as a guesthouse.
The other a single pilot, that referbs airplanes as a hobby. Built a hanger and landing strip. Got the CO from the county for it. Then put in living quarters. His taxes are only $400 a year.
Would be great to have the option! Not sure i would want to permanently but to have the option to 'live in' whilst working on a project for a few weeks/months would be great. Love the idea of parking a camper van in your garage and using that.
sberry
Banned
It is super practical and very convenient.
Weird Tolkienish Figure
Well-known member
Anyone ever lived in their air compressor? Seems to me to be a much more impressive feat.
My Old Tools
Well-known member
10 years. 30x80x10 metal building on 11.2 acres. Framed a 38x30 two bedroom one bath apartment in one end. Building was insulated when built. Apartment was insulated again when framed. 3 ton heat pump kept it cozy year around for about $120 a month (just the apartment). It is up for sale now. Greenville, Tx.
jarhead
Well-known member
Take a look at Morton and Cleary, they have some nice examples of buildings people live in.
I have already convinced my wife to do so in a couple of years when I retire. I am in the design stages in ketchup now.
Joe
I have already convinced my wife to do so in a couple of years when I retire. I am in the design stages in ketchup now.
Joe
Ilikeike
ALLIANCE MEMBER
My freind has a nice loft with small kitchen over his shop.
I think it's pretty cool.
But unless you're finding your woman on farmers only. com you obviously can not be too concerned with bringing dates home,
or having the family over for a nice Thanksgiving dinner.
I think it's pretty cool.
But unless you're finding your woman on farmers only. com you obviously can not be too concerned with bringing dates home,
or having the family over for a nice Thanksgiving dinner.
Last edited:
sberry
Banned
I brought dates home all the time, some thought it was neat. I steam their car off and park it inside.
Last edited:
Whoa! I didn't look for 1 day and there are 34 responses ha ha
I wond up living in mine for 2 years. Wasn't in the plan, but it worked out ok and I decided I like it. I would make better quality and more permanent improvements before doing it again, but I liked it.
And I really liked walking out of my living space and being at work. No commute, no hassle, and I found I could work at any odd hours I liked.
If I'm at home, I'm not likely to drive to a shop, but if I'm there I'll often work evenings and sometimes late if I feel like it. Definately has some plusses and changes your lifestyle (less tv, more active)
I wond up living in mine for 2 years. Wasn't in the plan, but it worked out ok and I decided I like it. I would make better quality and more permanent improvements before doing it again, but I liked it.
And I really liked walking out of my living space and being at work. No commute, no hassle, and I found I could work at any odd hours I liked.
If I'm at home, I'm not likely to drive to a shop, but if I'm there I'll often work evenings and sometimes late if I feel like it. Definately has some plusses and changes your lifestyle (less tv, more active)
@fos373
Mine also had an office area i converted to half office and half living space.
I was renting, the landlord had no problem with it, and he also liked me being there evenings and weekends. When I first started there were scrappers coming around every few nights and taking stuff. I quickly ran them off and all the tenents (5 of them) were glad to have me there.
When their alarms went off on occasion they would call me and ask me to take a look so they didn't have to run down ha ha
Mine also had an office area i converted to half office and half living space.
I was renting, the landlord had no problem with it, and he also liked me being there evenings and weekends. When I first started there were scrappers coming around every few nights and taking stuff. I quickly ran them off and all the tenents (5 of them) were glad to have me there.
When their alarms went off on occasion they would call me and ask me to take a look so they didn't have to run down ha ha
go4donuts
Well-known member
Someone I know did that. He and his wife bought an acreage and started by building a shop with a temporary home built inside. They lived in the shop while building their dream house. Life's little problems dragged out the completion of the house and now it's fifteen years on, the house still isn't livable, he and his wife have split, she and her lawyers are fixing to **** him...and he's still living in the shop. He can't do any more work on the house because he doesn't have the money (because of the divorce), and is not even sure the house will be his in a few months (because of the divorce).
Last edited:
John in OH
Well-known member
Man! You guys can be brutal!!
I wasn't trying to be a smart *** or cut the OP short. He asked a perfectly reasonable question, but IMHO his actual question is rather vague regarding what he actually wants to learn. Taken literally, his question could have been answered with simple "yes" or "no" answers. But I certainly assumed he wanted more useful responses.
He has made only 44 postings so I also assumed he is relatively new to the GJ forum and my intent was to point out that there is a wealth of information related to garage apartments in DOZENS of previous threads. Most much newer than 5 years .... the latest one I remember seeing was June 8, 2016 (http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=331067). And for the OP's question, these previous responses aren't "time" related regardless if they are 5 years or 5 days, they are as relevant today as they were when posted.
These previous threads are chock full of good info regarding experiences, circumstances, sizes of apartments, layouts, pros, cons, design suggestions, building issues, code issues, safety considerations, electrical/sanitary issues, liability concerns, taxes, property value impacts, etc. etc. and the list goes on and on. There is no conceivable way all this great info can be repeated in direct response to the OP's question.
My intent was to encourage him to dig deeper into previous threads for more info. It was certainly not to discourage others from responding directly to his present question with their experience or observations.
Lighten up, guys.
Last edited: