If you could start over...

[alfy84]

I'm a long time lurker, but first time poster. I'm working on plans for my shop/barn. I'm an overthinker but always looking for efficiency. I've just purchased 5 acres of land that is flat and open, so terrain is not an issue. The land is a couple miles from our current house. The main road is North/South to the land. Here are my goals...

48'x48' ish pole barn with full frost wall foundation. Within the shop I would like to put a 20'x20' space that includes a bathroom, kitchenette, and small hangout space. i would also like a porch on the East side, possibly wrapping to the South side. Seems easy, but here is my issue. Our future plans, 5-8 years after the shop build, could include an add on Barndo. I would like to utilize the 20'x20' section for our utility bathroom, turn the kitchenette into the laundry room, etc. I like the "idea" of having an open shop to the house I can open the door for the kids to play or just have a generally large garage area attached. I'm not a woodworker, metal worker, auto mech, etc. However, I tinker with all those to some extent, but not enough to worry about the shop being attached to the house and dirty. The shop part would hold the boat, small tractor, atv, etc. We do like to butcher, garden canning, etc. type of stuff.

How would you lay this building out? Would you not worry about attaching a future house and then just still have the Kitchenette/bathroom still in the shop and build the house and shop apart from each other? Would you lay it out like I described to utilize that space into the future house? If you could do it all over again, and you have a similar situation to me, what would you do?

 

[finn]

Stand alone shop. It’s cleaner, plus adding on to an existing structure is often more expensive than building a free standing structure.

Ditch the foundation, and go with an edge thickened insulated slab, with pex in place for future slab radiant heat.

I considered a barndominium at one time, but don’t really see the advantage after giving it a lot of thought, and wouldn’t want to share my tool and project workspace with a child’s playground. It’s not really safe, in my opinion, unless the kids are in their mid teens. Too much jagged metal, dirt, and grime, plus paints and solvents.

Plus, the barndominium restricts the possibility of having a basement under the house.

This isn’t likely a popular opinion here, but it’s something to consider.

 

[JuncleJohn]

I like an attached garage for parking and a detached building/garage for working and storage. Keeps the mess out of the living space.
Build your shop, then your house with an attached garage. I too like basements.

John

 

[NUTTSGT]

Have you checked with your local zoning to see if put up a bldg without having a residence ?

 

[nadogail]

I would have started with a bigger budget.

 

[Sumboodie]

Stand alone shop. It’s cleaner, plus adding on to an existing structure is often more expensive than building a free standing structure.

Ditch the foundation, and go with an edge thickened insulated slab, with pex in place for future slab radiant heat.

I considered a barndominium at one time, but don’t really see the advantage after giving it a lot of thought, and wouldn’t want to share my tool and project workspace with a child’s playground. It’s not really safe, in my opinion, unless the kids are in their mid teens. Too much jagged metal, dirt, and grime, plus paints and solvents.

Plus, the barndominium restricts the possibility of having a basement under the house.

This isn’t likely a popular opinion here, but it’s something to consider.

Only think the shed/house is less cost on "systems"... only need 1 boiler, 1 water heater, 1 roof, etc.

But otherwise... living in a shed *****. I know... been at it 4 years now. My bed is 10feet from my toolbox.

 

[Junkman]

Sometimes consulting with an architect is money well spent. Even placement on the lot is important as I have seen in the past. If I had moved my home foundation back from the road by 30 feet, it would have been easy digging instead of the hardpan that prevented the foundation from being in the ground as deeply as I wanted. I only realized this when it came time to install the septic system. I wanted the septic to be below the cellar floor, and the fellow who dug the cellar hole told me "not a chance". When they started the septic after the foundation was poured, they hit sandy gravel that you could dig to China and not hit a rock. There is a large amount of ledge outcropping all over the land, and I just picked a spot that looked flat.

 

[alfy84]

No zoning issues. I've heard the basement mentioned a few times now, and where we live, the wife really wants to continue having a basement. Septic, I've already figured out it will be an aeration system and the drain can be tied into an existing field tile line. I'm struggling with the feeling like I'm losing some efficiencies of being attached but at the end of the day, I can keep my "mancave" and shop on the cheap, I don't need an actual furnace, just a simple heater. As far as the budget, I'd love it to be bigger. However, I've also realized after my 40 years of life, I can keep saving, but sometimes the cost of building will outpace my savings so now is probably the best time...

 

[jsaw]

Depends on Your climate. When it is in the single digits with 30 mph wind It is nice to be able to go from the house to the shop without going out in the weather

 

[PWC Repair]

I'd make sure no full wall is due north......point a corner of the building that direction. Otherwise, it's ALWAYS shaded, mildew/algae/moss, snow takes forever to melt away.......I personally WILL NOT do that again!

 

[larry_g]

With your way of thinking I'd suggest that you design the building in its completed state, house/shop and all. Then you work backwards from that plan and build what you can at this point always considering the future additions and how they will connect in. This will help minimize rework and abandoned doors and windows in the common wall between the older and newer. Think out the plumbing and electrical for the final project so that it is sized for the final building, not just what will support the first stage.

Also have a talk with your banker so that you have financing in place for the extended plan.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[firebirdparts]

If you can't double the size of the building now, have a plan to double the size of the building.