Been thinking on a mega cheap garage

[tcianci]

I have been kicking around the possibility of building another building on the property for car storage/ workshop area. The problem is I'm really cheap.
I have been thinking about those ugly-*** clear span steel arch buildings. Every site/ manufacturer I find online refers to them as an "A" style building. The basic building is this... each clear span arch consists of 7 separate pieces bolted together: a vertical side panel, a radius panel that makes the transition from the sidewall to the roof, a sloped roof section, a peak section, another roof section another radius panel and finishing up with another side
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZnV3m4Vx500

OK so now you know the type of building I'm talking about. They are selling these on ebay for less than 3k for a 30 x 20 15 unit.

Here's my idea: Put up one of these buildings and then lay plywood on the roof, do some framing to bury the radiused transition from walls to roof and then attach Hardie plank or vinyl directly to the sidewalls. I could assemble a building like this with a clear span of 20 ft for 2900 bucks and then take the curse off it with the hardieplank and roof shingles. I'm thinking I could also add purlins to the roof deck on the outside and spray foam the deck before adding the plywood and insulate the ceiling that way. I guess it's possible to do the same with the outside of the vertical walls too and then just have the bare steel interior.

 

[bigbubba]

I know where there is a used 30X30 like that stacked up with all the bolts and instructions.It belongs to my wife's grandpa and he will not sell it! I've tried since i met him in '97,He says he is going to put it up and make it a library for the church association he runs. Never gonna happen.

 

[Riverside]

Presumably you don't have to deal with a building inspector in your location(?). I'm not sure if I'm picturing the insulation right, but it sounds like you would have variable thickness insulation. Anyway, its an innovative thought. I'm curious what others will say.

 

[tcianci]

Why would my post make you think that I do not have to deal with a building inspector and yes the insulation would be of varying thickness but all in all it would have an average R value depending on the average thickness of the foam.

 

[Ryf]

if you don't want the look of that building I wouldn't go that way. get a regular carport roof close it in yourself by framing it and puting siding on it. any way to properly attach hardiboard etc to it is going to punch holes through the only thing keeping water out, no bueno.

 

[tcianci]

if you don't want the look of that building I wouldn't go that way. get a regular carport roof close it in yourself by framing it and puting siding on it. any way to properly attach hardiboard etc to it is going to punch holes through the only thing keeping water out, no bueno.

Would you care to explain that statement about punching holes in the only thing that's keeping the water out?

 

[GYPSY400]

I agree, those buildings are ugly! And you have a decent idea to make it look better.. Problem is: your adding a lot of weight to the structure that its not meant to have. Also, they are a pain to assemble, I bet building a stick framed building would be faster.
Then there is the interior.. If you want flat walls to erect shelving and what not, you will still have to build stud walls. Steel buildings have a good purpose, but I think it's limited to storage in industrial or remote locations.

 

[Riverside]

Why would my post make you think that I do not have to deal with a building inspector

If a building inspector has to approve your structure, I assume that an engineer will need to approve your approach. While the metal building may be engineered, it is not engineered for the approach you described (extra weight of siding and roofing, etc.). If you have to pay to have an engineer assess the modifications, you will probably loose any cost advantage. Still, I think you have an interesting idea, maybe you can make it work.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Why not leave the building as is, but build a larger facade like old west buildings to hide the roof and give the builing some character? Facade could be taller and wider than building.

 

[kbs2244]

I am with gypsy with the concern about weight.
I would check the specifications for roof load.
There may even be different models for different parts of the country.

 

[rsanter]

I have thought about the same thing, but I was thinking of using one of the carports that have the more standard roofline, add a couple feet of height to the support pipes and then frame the walls with 2x4 and ext plywood sheathing

Bob

 

[MoparTrucks]

Why not leave the building as is, but build a larger facade like old west buildings to hide the roof and give the builing some character? Facade could be taller and wider than building.

I think Jeff here has a great idea. I actually thought that guy had a pretty slick little building there and I wouldnt mind having it. But a facade like an old time garage (you know, a big square false front where you presumably would have put a "Joe's Garage" sign over the garage door) would be pretty easy and it would be pretty cool IMO.

 

[CRXPilot]

I think Jeff here has a great idea. I actually thought that guy had a pretty slick little building there and I wouldnt mind having it. But a facade like an old time garage (you know, a big square false front where you presumably would have put a "Joe's Garage" sign over the garage door) would be pretty easy and it would be pretty cool IMO.

These guys have it pegged. 13 second google image find;

 

[MoparTrucks]

Bingo

 

[Riverside]

Do you consider all metal buildings ugly, or just the Quonset-type buildings (including the "A style)? If not, you might consider using metal siding and roofing instead of hardie plank and shingles. I think it would be lighter and cheaper.

In effect, your idea turns the A style metal building into the frame for a building. I'm not sure it would be cheaper than other forms of framing. Of course there are a lot of "still on pallet" A style buildings on CraigsList (from regrettable rushed purchases), so you might find a great deal on one.

 

[tcianci]

OK plan B... This is even cheaper! There is lightweight roofing like fiberglass panels for the roof to be covered over with but then it hit me that I could bury the transition from wall to roof plane by ordering the building with longer roof panels. That way, the plane of the roof could extend past the vertical walls and I could sidewall up to the underside of the roof. This would not add extra weight to the roof structure, take the curse off of the transition from wall to roof and negate the necessity to spend extra money on roofing material or labor. The void formed between the backside of the sidewall material and the underside of the roof deck would make a great chase for long, horizontal ducts for heat or AC and running power and compressed air.

 

[tcianci]

Do you consider all metal buildings ugly, or just the Quonset-type buildings (including the "A style)? If not, you might consider using metal siding and roofing instead of hardie plank and shingles. I think it would be lighter and cheaper.

In effect, your idea turns the A style metal building into the frame for a building. I'm not sure it would be cheaper than other forms of framing. Of course there are a lot of "still on pallet" A style buildings on CraigsList (from regrettable rushed purchases), so you might find a great deal on one.

Although I originally wanted to frame a structure to carry roofing, If you read my post above that negates the need for additional roofing, I'm not turning this into a frame style building. You are correct in pointing out that essentially framing a building around this building would be a waste of money. But with just constructing it with overhanging roof panels and sidewall material attached directly to the metal building (no additional studs or framing), I believe that an extremely inexpensive and not half bad looking building would result.

Right now I'm looking at one of these buildings on ebay from the manufacturer for under 3k and that's a 20 x 30 x 12. I'm guessing with longer roof panels and freight I could have a building on my site in about the 4K range. The site work would likely be more than that simply because my code requirements here are for a full footing/stemwall system for anything over 400 sq. ft.

The facade idea looks fine from the front but for the way this building would be located, it's quite visible and despite the low cost and functionality, these buildings look like ****.

 

[40cpe]

But with just constructing it with overhanging roof panels and sidewall material attached directly to the metal building (no additional studs or framing), I believe that an extremely inexpensive and not half bad looking building would result.

I can't visualize how a longer roof panel would remove the rounded transition from wall to roof and eliminate some sort of framing at the top of the side walls to support your Hardi-Plank

Also, those building are measured to the outside walls dimensions and the corrugations will intrude on the usable interior space. My neighbor has one and it is a nightmare to attach anything to the sidewalls unless you frame it out and lose even more space.

 

[Riverside]

Your plan B seems more promising. The less you have to alter the original engineered structure, the better. I would think that it would be easy for the manufacturer to supply extra-long roof panels (and adjust the engineering, if necessary). You will still have a rounded peak; maybe that's OK (aesthetically). It will be tricky enclosing the gaps where the siding meets the roof, due to the corrugations, but you can figure something out. You should probably speak with your local zoning office before going too far. A lot of people have ordered these buildings, then discovered that they were not allowed in their areas.

 

[tcianci]

Your plan B seems more promising. The less you have to alter the original engineered structure, the better. I would think that it would be easy for the manufacturer to supply extra-long roof panels (and adjust the engineering, if necessary). You will still have a rounded peak; maybe that's OK (aesthetically). It will be tricky enclosing the gaps where the siding meets the roof, due to the corrugations, but you can figure something out. You should probably speak with your local zoning office before going too far. A lot of people have ordered these buildings, then discovered that they were not allowed in their areas.

I'm a contractor up here in MA so I'm aware of what I need to do as far as zoning, permitting, etc. And you're right, some areas have restrictions on what type of buildings can be used. In the next town over from me, they just put one of these things up and it's not 20 feet off the sidewalk in a total residential area. And we're not talking a small one either....it looks like total ****!

 

[Riverside]

I certainly agree with you about the aesthetics of this type of building. I prefer conventional Quonset buildings to the A style, but I understand that the straight walls are more practical for many uses. Anyone following this thread might also be interested in another way to conceal a corrugated metal building -- make it an earth sheltered building:
http://www.americansheltertechnologies.com/s_c_earth_covered.html
(It isn't cheap though.)