Help building my dream

[chetsstm3]

Hi Gang,

My name's Dave and I am new to this forum. I wanted to introduce myself and ask for some advice on building my dream car barn.

I have been a car fanatic (especially European marques) my entire life. Recently I was able to acquire a few acres adjacent to my home and plan on building a metal garage to store my growing collection as well as a fun place to hang out. I have been working with a friend who constructs higher end metal buildings and we have come up with a 58x100 design that will accommodate up to 20 cars without adding lifts. Neither of us have much experience with this so I am looking to learn from others on what to do and what not to do. I really want it to look as good as possible but will likely need to proceed in stages to keep costs manageable. One of the benefits of going with a metal building is that it will be a very well insulated and solid structure that I can skin with whatever I want down the road. I don't even know what specifically to ask for but I appreciate any help or ideas...pictures would be great!

Thanks,
Dave

 

[slice]

1) that big a building requires a huge slab = big dollars
2) smaller foot print with 4 post lifts. Less dollars
Look around and do some searching. You'll find more than you will ever need here.

 

[Cypherian]

1) that big a building requires a huge slab = big dollars
2) smaller foot print with 4 post lifts. Less dollars
Look around and do some searching. You'll find more than you will ever need here.

This not only more then you will ever need but more then you even knew you wanted till you see it :}

Cypher

 

[x98boardwell]

A bit of inside advice.

Some metal fabricators will have buildings that were ordered and then they didn't need or someone cancelled. If they had a 40x80 and you could buy at a 30% discount it may be worth considering that or even something larger if the building they have in house and are "stuck with" they would sell at a significant amount less. Keep an eye out for those and when you call a business ask what they have from previous jobs or cancelled jobs where both of you could help each other out a bit.

On another note, the previous posters are correct.. that cement will cost $$$. If you wanted to go smaller you could save the money and purchase 4 posts lifts for storage purposes with the extra cash.

Just a thought. Good luck and sounds like a fun project!!!

 

[lakeroadster]

Welcome to the site Dave.

I'd suggest you use the Search function above to look at other members garages, you'll learn a lot from that exercise.

It's always cheaper to build towards the heavens. A 58 x 50 x 14 ft wall building will be between 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost of a 58 x 100.

Are you a DIY kind of guy or a turn key type?

Wood frame vs steel frame really has very little impact on "well insulated and solid structure". Both are engineering factors that are designed into the project.

 

[rburke65]

Buildings that were ordered and then cancelled.....ya.......I've got a bridge I want to sell you. Don't believe that for a second....

 

[boomer12831]

Welcome Dave, I'm not to far from you. I can pm you one of the best concrete guys around for the floor. I went with frost walls and not the Alaskan type. A friend ( who is a so called concrete expert ) went with an Alaskan pour and it is cracked. I went with a stick built but it's much smaller. Let me know if I can help, Ed

 

[cidermill]

Hi Dave, be sure to check with your local building department to see if there are any heighth or square foot restrictions. also get an idea of what the taxes will be. that size might be taxed as commercial. remember you live in NY land of taxs!

 

[Richard Cranium]

Welcome to the group, When you build be sure to post lots of photos

 

[Steve from Socal]

If you want to build that size DO IT, one thing to consider, eave height. Build as tall as you can. At some point you may want an office or mezzanine, Pallet racks etc.

If you want to side it with something to make it look less like a metal shed how about EIFS? http://building.dow.com/en-us/solutions/wall-systems/exterior-insulation-and-finish-systems

Steve

 

[matt_i]

The concrete work is going to be as much if not more than the actual cost of the metal structure. Your friend should (hopefully) have some idea of how to proceed.

Biggest thing would be the layout for "traffic" and how many cars are runners and how many are expected to be "in progress". For 20 cars a model to look at might be how a service dealership works as they have to work with some of the above issues. On the opposite side is a way to balance security and the number of doors. I don't know if this is remote or if you intend to live next to it...

 

[chetsstm3]

Thanks for all of the replies and welcomes so far. I knew getting into this that the floor was going to be one of the larger expenses but I own a concrete plant so I'm not too worried about that one. I'm really looking for tweaks at this point like the Steve in SoCal's comment about adding extra height for down the road. I'm also looking for "decorating" ideas. I haven't found many pictures so far of spaces this size that are my style or if they are, they are multi million dollar structures holding multi, multi million dollar cars. Thanks again for all of the help!

 

[sberry]

I understand this perfectly and concrete is actually cheaper to raise a foot than steel . Build a 4 ft wall and put an 8 ft puilding on top. I see you have calculated 6K ft and that is a good figure but since you are fuggin around go to 75 or 80 wide. (even 60 is an even number) or 120 long.
My storage can is 60x100 and I got what I got and there had to be a limit but ideally would have been wide for simple angle parking and if one has any shelves etc which are really useful 60 wide is conservative.
If I had to do this one over would scrape it up to do 70x100 with 30 ft lean.

 

[sberry]

I actually framed for 3 doors in the front and there is a 14 in the back. I might put some windows up hi but today wouldn't add a back door and only the single in the front. You can see in pic 3 the truck has since been turned out of the sun and weather, duh. I didn't even finish the door, it simply plugged the hole and didn't put one in the center either, the walk door is still crated, this works perfect with motion lights etc. I only have occasional humidity issue in the spring, I could control some but not all and stuff back inside not such an issue but not having to fug with doors is priceless.
This is not really collector car storage but some of the geometry applies as well as the scale. I have about half a dozen cars I have parked inside in the winter for un interrupted movement, could get another half a dozen if I did it without 2 much double moves

 

[Stuart in MN]

You should define what you'll be doing with the cars in the building - will you be doing major restoration work or light maintenance? It will help determine what features to include.

 

[sberry]

80x100 for 1/3 of them buried. If I owned the plant, really knew people or was hi diy would certainly make a leap too small to too big for relatively small money. I had a bud who didn't do a couple deals like he should have. People don't seem to think a thing about 50K for a new car but piss their pants when I suggest adding another 800 sg ft and the whole thing cost less than the fuggin car aint worth squat in 5 years.

 

[sberry]

A building like this is worth every penny to toss an extra 50 large in to especially since at that point the most of it transfers directly in to materials. Cost 200 to build a small building and 250 to build big.
Some of the costs are fixed and the same as 30x40 so there is a differential on scale, for 20% cost can get 30% more space, every time you stack or use shelves it lowers some cost.
If I owned concrete plant could get real creative and really do something nice.
Might be worth it to pay someone or even 2 to plan, a bit like interior designer etc. Both for cost savings and convenience, even collateral cost like fire safety, snow as it relates to insurance may be a factor.
This would be a benefit of a pre engineered building (both my farm buildings are) but follow the type of code ratings for intended use makes a huge difference.

 

[gnpenning]

Since you own plant have you considered ICF's ? I'm sure you have delivered mud to some. I live in a ICF home both basement and main floor. I love it. My next place will be ICF as well. For your location the insulation will be a benefit along with it being very quite. You can side it as you wish. Go with in floor heating and you should be a happy camper. The walls should go up very fast just a big Lego kit as you may already know.

BTW way welcome to the site.

 

[atch]

I have only one suggestion: make your building as large or larger than you estimate you could ever need and do it now rather than realizing you need to add on later. I have 30x60 and wish I could have 58x100. If I had 58x100 I probably would wish I had 75x150.

 

[sberry]

There gets to a point its a problem to work in, feels like a warehouse. Its harder too heat and light, longer to walk. I really had a reason for some space and made it work for several schemes. If the climate is a problem I want some drain to clear wet vehicles and a space can be converted to paint. Most of my features could be scaled down for use in smaller buildings.

 

[sberry]

I have only one suggestion: make your building as large or larger than you estimate you could ever need and do it now rather than realizing you need to add on later. I have 30x60 and wish I could have 58x100. If I had 58x100 I probably would wish I had 75x150.

This is a place to stretch your guts out is right. You think 30x60 is small it can get worse. I have worked in a fair amount of buildings. I really could cross the threshold at 40 x 60 and maybe 50x60 and might add a side door to allow for seasonal work outside.
Mine isn't a hobby shop and is mostly worth maintaining a bit of extra space for due to the fact I can change speeds at any moment. Smaller would allow for more comfort and more light and reduce some walking.
It happens, I have some projects in the works, I try to keep it to a minimum and use my space to cope or fire fight so to speak. I went out of the way to add 8k ft to keep 6 clean and usable at most any time for anything.

 

[Roberts210]

You are planning a very big shop. Can you afford to heat it all winter?

Also the price of concrete varies widely depending on where you are. I built a house in Mo. and the concrete for the foundation cost half what it would have cost in Cal. (where I had lived for 30 years). So call your local ready-mix place and ask how much a cubic yard they charge.

 

[Kevin54]

You are planning a very big shop. Can you afford to heat it all winter?

Also the price of concrete varies widely depending on where you are. I built a house in Mo. and the concrete for the foundation cost half what it would have cost in Cal. (where I had lived for 30 years). So call your local ready-mix place and ask how much a cubic yard they charge.

People really need to read all of the replies at times...... The OP owns a concrete plant, so he's not worried about the concrete too much.

I knew getting into this that the floor was going to be one of the larger expenses but I own a concrete plant so I'm not too worried about that one