Advice on first new build

[GabeC]

Hello all! I'm new to the site, so thank you in advance for any input!
I just pulled the trigger on a 54'x92'x16' Goodon pole building.
Building going up in April, concrete soon after if money allows.
I plan on finishing the last 30' into living/mechanical/office area with a mezzanine above.
8 3x3 sliding windows, one 14'wide 15' high Findoor on the end wall.
A 6" thick slab with floor heat.

I have lots of questions, but will try to limit to the most pertinent.

Is there anything you guys wish that you would have included in your post frame shell? ie: backing for ceiling fans, wiring for future, wish you would have left the building up a little higher or lower to make dirt work easier for concrete?

Any lessons learned on site prep?
I just plan on hiring a maintainer to come in and get the black dirt off and flatten an area 25' bigger than the building, then 6" of class 5 after the building is up so the concrete guys have something to work with.

 

[78SC4X4]

You didn't mention vapor barrier. I would install before sheeting the building to prevent wind intrusion and condensation on the interior.

 

[GabeC]

Goodon says they put a vapor barrier on the inside... do you think there would be any benefit to putting house wrap on the outside as well?

 

[78SC4X4]

I guess I am assuming metal siding. You want the vapor barrier between the inside space and the metal siding to prevent the inside warm moist air from condensing on the inside of the sheet metal.

 

[Broken_Hammer]

Over kill 20 amp outlets and big doors.

 

[493mike]

Buy the best quality overhead doors you can afford. My insulated residential 10x10 doors are rusting out from the inside (poor prep before foam?) at 20 years of age. I ran 2x6 PT at floor level, placed 2x6 steel studs 24" OC, 5/8 sheet rock on the 2x6 PT up to the inside truss carrier, and trimmed top and bottom with 3/4" 1/4 round. Cuts down on DW finishing. Now I luckily obtained all the 8" fiberglass batts to do the entire shop for free but, it heats quite easily. 4' OC receptacles 44" above floor (above bench tops). Don't forget welder receptacles in a couple spots and power for hoists, ceiling fans, motion detector lamps (auto on/off for quick trips into the shop with out using the main lighting), and any out door lighting you desire. I also had small over hanging roofs placed over the service door/s (sensor controlled lamps) so I could unlock in the rain more comfortably.
That's enough for now!
Mike

 

[glentre]

Suggest you make sure your contractor never gets ahead of you on payments (you paid him more than the worth of the labor or materials he supplied when you paid him) and that you have a comprehensive set of plans and written specifications so he understands exactly what he is expected to do. Your idea of what the final build will look like and his may be completely different unless everything is in writing. This is not to say the contractor is a crook but he needs to know everything you expect of him and agree to that by signing your plan and specs before starting.

Glen

 

[dcg9381]

uld have included in your post frame shell? ie: backing for ceiling fans, wiring for future, wish you would have left the building up a little higher or lower to make dirt work easier for concrete?

Run 300% more conduit than you need. Mine has 2" and 3" conduit in each corner (building egress). I'd recommend running 1.25" conduit UNDER the slab in 3-4 places... This allows you to get electrical (or PEX) from one side to the other without going around the walls or against the ceiling.

IF you're a guy that uses air tools - same thing...

If you're going to do plumbing drain, I like to have extras. Same thing on PEX ingress.. You can run pex through electrical PVC conduit as sleeves.



Site prep is pretty site dependent. Our slab was elevated just a bit. Pay attention to the way water runs off your lot. Having an elevated slab makes things easier. Doesn't need to be much.

 

[nadogail]

Based on my limited knowledge and experience, it will take longer and cost more than you planned.

 

[GabeC]

Thanks guys! That's all great advice!
dcg9381, I will plan on running a few conduits under the slab from the mechanical room out to the shop area.
I'm curious what you mean by using 2" and 3" for building egress.... like for getting water or power into the building without having to punch through the tin and insulation?
What were your thoughts on doing that in all four corners? Did you just cap it and leave it buried outside?
Broken_Hammer, I will be running conduit on the surface, so adding lots of double duplex outlets is for sure on my list.
493mike, did you install a lift? anything to prep for in the slab for that?
I will eventually have one, but don't know where to locate it just yet. I wonder if a thermal imaging camera would show where floor heat lines are located when it comes time to drill anchors in for the lift?
glentre, great advice there! I will make sure they have incentive ($$$) to come back if things are not completed as agreed upon!

 

[toyotadriver]

Figure how many outlets you want.....then double them. I really like the idea of double outlet boxes at least wherever you think you’ll have your workbenches but if I did my shop all over again, I’d have double outlet boxes everywhere instead of my singles.

240v outlets everywhere. I’d do at least three on each side of your long walls....more if you plan on having many 240v tools. Put in a 200 amp box even if you don’t need that much power just so you have enough breaker space.

You live in North Dakota? That’s gonna be expensive to heat! Over insulate everything. I’m a huge fan of rigid foam on the exterior to help keep the frame warm.

 

[GabeC]

I AM a little afraid of what the heat bill is going to be!
it is -22 right now and is supposed to be cold all week...
I am also trying to decide between propane and electric boilers.
Propane is 99 cents a gallon and electric is 3.8 cents per KWh so propane is a little less, but not by too much. And being an electrician by trade, I am a little more comfortable with electric boilers.
I don't have any 220v tools right now, but maybe the future lift or hot water pressure washer?

 

[dcg9381]

I'm curious what you mean by using 2" and 3" for building egress.... like for getting water or power into the building without having to punch through the tin and insulation?
What were your thoughts on doing that in all four corners? Did you just cap it and leave it buried outside?

Yes, 2" and 3" 90 degree electrical sweeps in the corners. Every corner. They "egress" to outside and you just put a plumbing cap on them and leave them buried. Take photos, as you'll forget.

You can feed PEX, low voltage, high voltage, pretty much whatever you want through these.. code says they can't be used for drains (they'd work just fine).

If you know where your plumbing drain is (if you have plumbing) then put a plumbing drain in also.

1.25" electrical sweeps across slab, at least 4 of them. And decide what you might want to go "under" your drive too...


I framed OSB walls, so I can really go back and add whatever I want (just unscrew 4x8 panels). But you'll need power on both sides of the barn.. I'd just do a sub-panel on each side.


My roll up doors stink - they rattle like hell when windy. Consider decent doors, especially in your climate.

 

[250]

How do you get electricity at 3.8c KWH?!?

 

[slodat]

How do you get electricity at 3.8c KWH?!?

I pay $0.04/kWh. Location location location!

 

[GabeC]

Yup, it is off peak rates for heat and because of all the oil activity and revenue it has generated, the utility company sometimes gives an 80% discount!
pretty sweat deal! I hope they still do it once in a while after the building is up!
It is -30 today, and no snow to insulate the ground, so the build might get pushed further into spring depending on how long it takes the frost to come out of the ground.