Suggestions on 24x30 2 story

[blakec123]

Hi All,

Bio: Electrical engineer, serial hobbyist, 56 years old, 2 grown daughters, wife of 34 years.

I was all excited about detached 24x30 metal building from Quicken Steel before seeing posts here showing a nightmare, and I thought I would drop back and solicit feedback/opinions/options.

I have 2 options on the table:
1) Tuffshed Barn Roof 2 story no stairs - full mezzanine - I build the outside stairs to the 2nd floor. Not crazy about barn roofs, but practical for max space/cost
2) 2 story metal building shallow pitch roof with full mezzanine

Location: Huntsville AL, reasonably flat 1 acre lot (4' drop end to end that would need to be levelled). White Brick main house, shingle roof, no HOA. 10' sewer easement along the back fence. Plenty of foliage separation from the neighbors. Software guy on one side that seems cool. 80 YO lady on the other who doesn't get out much. Back is a wall of scrub trees.

Budget: up to 80K$ for the foundation and shell

Wishlist:

• 2 story 24x30 to 24x36
  • Top Floor - 2 rooms, wife's sewing room, my electronics lab (soldering stations, light pick and place robot, 220v light oven)
  • Bottom Floor - 1 large open woodshop - no path from bottom to top to minimize dust migration. External staircase(s) I will build
• 1 man door bottom floor, 2 man doors top floor, Ample windows top floor, 1 window bottom floor, 1 rollup door insulated 7x10ish
• Concrete Floor, I will finish with some sort of Epoxy or Polyaspartic coating. Codes require 15"x15" from edge footer and 4" over grade with 2 #4 rebar 4000lb mix, vapor barrier. I plan on fiber additive if not too expensive
• Will run electrical myself from my main panel after an upgraded panel, as well as water, ethernet and sewer hopefully in the same trench to code. I will leave water and sewer for next year - just run the lines to the structure
• I want whoever supplies the building to erect it - I have no interest in building the shell either metal or stick frame and want to avoid finger pointing especially if a metal building.
• Ultimately I will insulate myself if stick frame and have a metal building supplied with fiberglass blanket insulation if metal. I plan to have sheetrock done by a pro (or painted plywood walls downstairs I can do myself).
• Roof can be metal or shingle
• I would like it to not be too much of an eyesore. Most metal buildings are functional but not the prettiest in the world so I am struggling to spec a metal building I can stand to look at. Eaves and lots of Windows seem to help. I am interested in different metal cladding options. Barn roofs I am not crazy about the looks - but seems to be a good space/cost option - would rather have a true 2 story.
• Permitting: I am on the fence, I have talked to 4 local Gov agencies and everything seems reasonably straightforward to get the shell up with electrical run (but complicated). I will bite it off myself and most of the manufacturers seem to prefer I do the permits.

Questions for the Forum:

• Recommendations on 2 story stick built prefab builders that could ship to the south that would take ownership of the assembly
• Recommendations on 2 story metal builders that could assemble in Alabama with their crew or take ownership of the assembly

Super appreciative of @hellspcangel911 for his post below. I was rushing headlong into exactly his situation:

Building my dream turns into a nightmare – A QUICKEN STEEL Structure

Hi All, Some of you may have seen my posts over the years on my quest to build a barn. Its taken a long time between zoning changes, variance approvals, blasting ledge and finally changing the location of the build to meet new setback requirements. Along the way we have figured out exactly...

www.garagejournal.com

Concept 1: - Metal 24x30:



Concept 2: Tuffshed (end windows not shown) 24x36:



Look forward to whatever anyone wants to throw my way as far as advice.

 

[nadogail]

Welcome to the Forum from Southwestern California. Best wishes for success with your project. A dozen doughnuts may buy you an Informational meeting with your local building office and over coffee you might gain some important local knowledge.

My alternative suggestion would be to take some doughnuts to your local full service Lumber Yard. They know who their customers are and how much they can be trusted.

 

[blakec123]

Welcome to the Forum from Southwestern California. Best wishes for success with your project. A dozen doughnuts may buy you an Informational meeting with your local building office and over coffee you might gain some important local knowledge.

My alternative suggestion would be to take some doughnuts to your local full service Lumber Yard. They know who their customers are and how much they can be trusted.

Thanks Nadogail. Good info... My local permitting office(s) were all very nice and informative (even when delivering bad news). I plan to haunt them before making any moves.

 

[Mikes shop]

Hello Blakec123,
I am in the process of building on a 24’x24’ shop. On the concrete, code required 12” x 12” footings with rebar re- enforcing. I did add the fiber mesh into the concrete per recommendation from concrete guy. I did not use wire mesh, as unless it is held up on chairs, it usually gets pushed back down near the stone. I know it supposed to be pulled up into approx. center of pour, but as Pour is going on it’s getting stepped on.
I had a curb put in all in the same pour. The curb in the back of building is 6” above the floor, and 4” at the overhe door. The allows for a 2” pitch from back to front for water to drain, if you are doing A wash down.
You had mentioned sewer, so don’t know if thats for toilet room alone or you are having a floor drain. If floor drain then your floor pitch would be different. My building will be for storage for small boat and also work shop area. All wood, stick built gable roof with 5/12 roof pitch and shingles. Max height for out building is 15’ as I am in western suburbs of Illinois little over 1/2 acre lot. I framed it, but had shingles done by roofer friend. I did a number of roofs years ago, no more. Going to put in 100 amp panel sub-fed from house. Then I am covered for compressor, welder, and of course refrigerator for refreshments, etc. ( retired electrician here ) you may want to look at 3000 wiremold raceway for a run of power near you work bench. You’re probably familiar with it. You can place you devices ( receptacles) anywhere along the channel and then cut cover to close up. Nice thing is that you can move or add additional devices anywhere in that channel In the future. I may insulate but would go with some OSB or plywood and paint, as drywall could get beat up by work shop area. At least in my case.
overhead door: purchased insulated door with borrowed lights ( insulated glass) in top panel of door for natural light. Door a little costly but if you’re going to heat it, probably worth it. Also used the lift master shaft jack door operator. This mounts to either Side Of the door and drive the shaft of the door. need about 18” of clearance to side wall. Comes with light and safety feature. Also, a.c powered but uses a d.c. mortor and comes with back up battery in case of power outage. Still has emerg. Door release, but no overhead track and motor in the middle of garage.
If outside stairs from second floor, consider a canopy type roof over it. maybe metal if that’s you style of building.
You probably don’t need it,as I am thinking snow, ice on stairs in the winter, but your location is probably not an issue. Sorry for the long winded ideas, but thought some of this might help with you project. Good luck with your project.