Above 1200 Sq/FT PNW High Desert Shop

[gsuty17]

Hey! Now that my garage is pretty much functional, I figured I'd really throw a wrench in things and build a shop. Probably can't afford to complete it to the level I want right off the bat, but things aren't getting cheaper and I had to drive a stake in the ground and figured now is as good a time as any.

Shop is 48x48 with 18 foot eves, and I'm adding 16ft lean-tos on both the North and South side.


Placement is kind of tricky, but between missing the water line I have buried, staying uphill of the septic so I can tie into that, and not wanting my shop right next to the road it ended up where it is. Knock on wood I had drone photos from when we built the house so I know where all my burials are.


Rough idea of what I want the interior to look like- Full length loft down the south side with bathroom and office under it, and the remainder under it for machine tools, etc. Lift and work bench in the main bay, and room to work on big stuff in the north bay.

 

[gsuty17]

Trusses were dropped off last week and holes should be completed today!

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

You're going to have a nice shop when it's all said and done.

 

[MacTexas]

Following

 

[slodat]

That drone shot with the holes is really cool!

What part of the high desert are you in? I’m by one of the dams..

 

[gsuty17]

I'm in Central Oregon, near Bend. It's a nice area, but pricing on stuff has gone OFF. THE. RAILS. I wasn't joking when I said I had to drive a stake in the ground and purchase this kit when I did, or else I never could have.

 

[gsuty17]

Finally stood poles up!

 

[gsuty17]

Got trusses on! Planning on the not too distant future- anybody have any input on asphalt vs concrete under the lean-tos? I presume asphalt is cheaper, but I haven’t checked yet. I’m going to pave the driveway and up to the shop, but am not 100% on what to do under the lean-to’s.

 

[Packard V8]

anybody have any input on asphalt vs concrFWIW, an acquaintance with a high desert place felt he would be OK with just gravel and so far, so good.ete under the lean-tos? I presume asphalt is cheaper, but I haven’t checked yet. I’m going to pave the driveway and up to the shop, but am not 100% on what to do under the lean-to’s.

FWIW, an acquaintance with a high desert place felt he would be OK with just gravel and so far, so good.

jack vines

 

[gsuty17]

Making progress! As soon as the shear wall inspection is complete the vapor barrier and tin can go up on the front wall, and then the last of the floor base gravel can go in. After that the plan is to trench and install plumbing & electrical conduit and finally concrete! It's wild I can fit a truck and trailer in there...in four different bays!

 

[gsuty17]

Alright, final grade on the gravel is complete on the interior and concrete is going in as soon as I finish my under slab plumbing work. Here is a pic of my layout as I have planned it. Pretty simple- toilet, shower, and a sink on each side of the wall. Not shown will be the PEX coming in for the water supply, but that is implied.

Are there any other features I should be planning on before I button this up and cover it all in concrete? I had considered adding a floor drain in the main portion of the shop, but I don't want it going to septic and honestly I would really much rather have a DEAD flat floor instead of any slope to a drain.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[TurnipTruck]

If you are heating with a high efficiency furnace, I would add a condensate drain to sewer.
One of my biggest regrets on my build, but it was an afterthought when I got a great deal on a furnace.
Your AC or water heater psv may also need a drain.

 

[Steve from Socal]

I would add plumbing to a hose bib near a door, maybe water to the other lean to? It is easy to run pipe even if you don't use the service right away. I would run a couple of big conduit to some far flung places as well.

 

[gsuty17]

My local power company (Pacific Power) is balking at my request for an aerial drop to the shop. They (a new guy...) said my meter needed to be "within 10ft of the front of the building on the side nearest the transformer." I hope they listen to reason, because I flat out won't do that. I think their intent is for power lines that are typically near the front of the building; I hope they use logic here but I'm nervous. One thing that's shocked me throughout this entire process is nothing is logical, it is all bureaucratic. It is infuriating.

 

[ericm]

Huh the existing aerial drop to my garage/apartment in Pacific Power land is about 30'. Of course they could have changed their rules since it was done.

Any reason you don't want to underground it? Will PP pay to run it to the meter?

The electrician is trying to get PP to run power out to shop we just broke ground for but it's been a month and a half and they still have not looked at it.

 

[gsuty17]

I live on a rock pile. Any type of trenching is obscenely difficult and almost always requires a rock hammer. Practically, it's difficult and fundamentally I don't want to as it's unnecessary given the proximity to the transformer.

I believe PP will cover the cost of the aerial connections, but not a buried connection.

These are the types of issues that makes things hard, that shouldn't have to be.

 

[slodat]

Are there any restrictions on the line crossing over the alley?

 

[gsuty17]

No. I called a buddy who works for them in a town a couple hours away, he said they'd have no problem with it. He said he'd put in a word from his end if they didn't see reason. He said the only reasonable objection they could have would be if they could get a truck back there, but he hadn't seen the pictures at that point.

 

[gsuty17]

Concrete comes Wednesday. I know there is no downside, but I’m running short on time. If I HAD to I could take a half day off tomorrow and add more. More rebar or is mesh adequate? I put rebar around the entire perimeter, around where my lift posts will go, around all my loft posts, and all the way across in a couple spots.

General use shop, but will occasionally have a diesel pusher in it.

 

[slodat]

What about a vapor barrier?

 

[gsuty17]

Never seen it done around here…high desert around Central Oregon. That’s not to say it isn’t done though.

 

[Balor]

Alright, final grade on the gravel is complete on the interior and concrete is going in as soon as I finish my under slab plumbing work. Here is a pic of my layout as I have planned it. Pretty simple- toilet, shower, and a sink on each side of the wall. Not shown will be the PEX coming in for the water supply, but that is implied.

Are there any other features I should be planning on before I button this up and cover it all in concrete? I had considered adding a floor drain in the main portion of the shop, but I don't want it going to septic and honestly I would really much rather have a DEAD flat floor instead of any slope to a drain.

Any thoughts or advice?

Leave access under the stairs for some type of storage or closet next to the toilet.

 

[zmotorsports]

Subscribed. Looking good thus far.

 

[gsuty17]

Leave access under the stairs for some type of storage or closet next to the toilet.

My plan was to add a little door there for just that. I actually went and measured water heaters the other day just to make sure I could get one in and out of the opening I'd have!

 

[STIBuilder]

Just landed on this thread, wow almost the same floor plan for my shop, following now. Also in the PNW

 

[Maxcustody]

Following along for this build.............................looks good so far.

 

[Jagmandave]

Looks great to me, I have shop envy!

I know what you mean about prices in Bend, my nephew lives there now and my bestie grew up there.....and how crowded Bend itself has gotten......

On the floor drain, do you get much snow? would that be a factor? Can you just run a drain to daylight?

 

[gsuty17]

I’m a hypocrite to say it but it’s crazy how many people are here now. I’ve been here 16 years now and the last 6 have seen really exponential growth. I couldn’t afford to move here now, not even close…bit that’s a whole different, far more depressing, conversation!

We get snow but not crazy amounts. Not so much that I won’t mind squeegeeing out the runoff a few times a year anyway. I ended up sacrificing the drain for a flat floor, hopefully I don’t regret it!

 

[gsuty17]

Concrete is in, cut, and blankets just came off!

I know less than nothing about concrete- when is it safe to drive on? It was poured eight (8) days ago, so I have to imagine it would be fine by now but I'm happy to wait whatever the 'optimal' time is. I'm sure I won't screw with it until spring but I need to narrow down the myriad of options for filling the saw cuts before I put down some type of floor coating.

Also, unrelated and clearly a sign of my poor planning- my plan was to ignore all good advise and do all my wiring inside the walls but I'm not sure if that's even an option since I didn't space my 2x6's off the posts enough for wire clearance. Is there still a good way to do this or has that ship sailed? Specifically not sure how to go around a corner with a fat post there. I suppose I could go straight up and then back down where I need to...

 

[rd65]

I believe I was told a few weeks before driving on it. I'm sure someone will chime in.
Are you covering your inside walls? My walls are laid out like yours with the horizontal 2x6s. I added a vertical 2x6 in the middle to support the horizontal boards. I figured they might sag over time and possibly cause leaks at the screws for metal sheathing. I covered my walls with 3/8 plywood, it was only a few cents more than OSB and looks much better IMO.

 

[Neerbeer]

Concrete will reach 40% of it's strength in 3 days. Or 99% in 28 days. You would be safe to drive on it now.

 

[gsuty17]

I believe I was told a few weeks before driving on it. I'm sure someone will chime in.
Are you covering your inside walls? My walls are laid out like yours with the horizontal 2x6s. I added a vertical 2x6 in the middle to support the horizontal boards. I figured they might sag over time and possibly cause leaks at the screws for metal sheathing. I covered my walls with 3/8 plywood, it was only a few cents more than OSB and looks much better IMO.

I think I’ll do a layer of osb and then drywall over that. Seems easier than adding a matrix of 2x’s to hang stuff on. I’ll be the first to admit drywall is excessive and unnecessary but I really want a finished space.

 

[gsuty17]

Meter base and panel are in. Need to pull the feeders in and call for an inspection soon. Doors are scheduled for install in a couple weeks! Excited to have lights and then HEAT!!!

Two questions-

I'm planning on putting up a REZNOR UDX200 propane unit heater- does anybody have any better/alternate recommendations? (Heated space will be 48x48x18, well insulated in central Oregon; about a week of -10 degrees annually)

and

Planning on shopping for a couple Liftmaster 8500 wall mount door openers on Black Friday. Anybody have any other recommendations there?

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

I have a 30 x 60 shop over on the west side of the mountain from you, we get down into the teens at times.
I went with infrared tube heater; I would do it again in a heartbeat and cannot recommend it enough.
I keep my shop around 66 degrees in the winter. I can open a big door and leave it open for as long as I want, and the shop still feels warm. Everything in the shop is radiating heat and the air warms very quickly. I have worked in big shops that are forced air heat, and I hated hearing the heater run for 30 - 60 trying to warm the shop back up after one of the big doors was opened. It's also much louder than infrared and you can feel the cold air that the forced air is trying to warm up.
Good luck on your quest.

https://northstock.com/re-verber-ray-ld3-30-50-tube-heater-50000-btuh-30-ft-2-stage/?srsltid=AfmBOooe9O6WdoT3KajUYF1TXjms-VGWodkaZ6PthoPgmSdbJZb2EMIECL8

 

[gsuty17]

I have a 30 x 60 shop over on the west side of the mountain from you, we get down into the teens at times.
I went with infrared tube heater; I would do it again in a heartbeat and cannot recommend it enough.
I keep my shop around 66 degrees in the winter. I can open a big door and leave it open for as long as I want, and the shop still feels warm. Everything in the shop is radiating heat and the air warms very quickly. I have worked in big shops that are forced air heat, and I hated hearing the heater run for 30 - 60 trying to warm the shop back up after one of the big doors was opened. It's also much louder than infrared and you can feel the cold air that the forced air is trying to warm up.
Good luck on your quest.

https://northstock.com/re-verber-ray-ld3-30-50-tube-heater-50000-btuh-30-ft-2-stage/?srsltid=AfmBOooe9O6WdoT3KajUYF1TXjms-VGWodkaZ6PthoPgmSdbJZb2EMIECL8

I hadn't considered those. We have them where I work, and they do an excellent job regionally but we are in a massive manufacturing environment too. You just have one 50,000btu unit, and it sounds like it does an adequate job for your 1800sqft?

 

[PhantomEB]

Awesome first read of this thread, there’s a little chunk of land 10 min out of town withe same layout as your shop, just missing the lean tos. Doesn’t have the seperate room either but I more of the kind that likes his shop to be open.

***** it’s 1.5…..

Alberta Desert here.

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

I just went online and grabbed the one that was made by the same company. I will get the correct BTU information when I go out to the shop today. I will report back!

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

Good information here.

Heating your garage, what's your setup.

So it's starting to get cold and I have a typical 2 car garage that is full of sh.... stuff. I'm weary of any gas solution but wonder what works for you. I have a Mr. Heater buddy in my shed but that doesn't really kick out any real heat to stay warm in a shed less likely a garage. Thanks for...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

The model is Re-Verber-Ray 2 stage HL2-30-100 made by Detroit Radiant Products.
Starts out at 100,000 BTU (hi) and switches to 65,000 BTU (low) when its maintaining temp.

https://www.reverberray.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LSHL2_HL2-Submittal-FORM.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOorikDDl3mvXheVihZ2PjOxfoFjf1IND9QxiW5Hg72jTmk2rWjuB

 

[gsuty17]

Electrical was approved, I have power to my panel, and doors have been installed! Working on my lighting layout now! I'm running the Lithonia CPRB high bay round LED lights and think I'll go with 16 of them. I think it's overkill, but I like the layout to keep shadows away from where I anticipate working. Anybody else use these lights?

Unfortunately, I made a MASSIVE assumption that bit me in the ***. I didn't consider the 18' eve height would only be the downhill side; I don't have the interior height I had planned on. The result is the ceiling height under my loft will only be 8', and that will yield just shy of 7' of loft ceiling height. Can't go back now... So, long story long, not running the high bay lights over the loft- it will get plain old 4ft LED strip lights.