The "before I'm too old" shop build

[Randyre]

Well, after almost 20 years on jonesing for a shop the build has begun.

I have taken my friends advice and built bigger than I needed and now it even seems too small

I'm building a 40x40 with a 35x70 in a L shape. The 40ft is the man cave/arcade/theater and the 35x70 is the shop/garage.

My biggest hurdle in the design is that the space need is partially on a hill almost 9 feet off grade, and I have a well on the uphill side wasting almost 20ft on prime flat ground.

I'm going to do a pole barn with wall/footers to make up the grade, going to level as much as possible first. Maybe 5-6 feet.

40x40 will have 9ft walls and 35x70 will have 14ft

6ft porch along the 40ft section and 18" gables and soffits.

The other hurdle is the fact that I'll be putting solar on the south facing side of the 70ft, which also required me to orient the building in a way the did not allow me to maximize the flat ground which will necessitate even more concrete work, Arghh.

here's the plan, construction should start today! !!

 

[DavidR8]

Wow!
Definitely following this thread!


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[wallster]

Very cool! Congratulations! Funny title but that's the truth, I worked out of a one car attached garage for most of my life until I was old enough to (afford to) build my garage. I bet that's a pretty common scenario.

Wally

 

[harley jim]

Yep exactly my scenario, old man big shop

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[Randyre]

Isn't that the truth. Young enough with tons of energy and no means to accomplish my dreams, now getting older with the means and quickly loosing the gumption.

 

[fourbyford]

That will be a great space!! Will definitely follow this build!
...D

 

[6SpeedBowtie]

Loving the concept. Subscribing to see this bad boy come to life.

 

[harley jim]

Isn't that the truth. Young enough with tons of energy and no means to accomplish my dreams, now getting older with the means and quickly loosing the gumption.

I spend my days putting up shelves and getting my old stuff out of boxes to put on them. I am still threatening one more truck build!!!

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[Randyre]

Yep exactly my scenario, old man big shop

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Very cool! Congratulations! Funny title but that's the truth, I worked out of a one car attached garage for most of my life until I was old enough to (afford to) build my garage. I bet that's a pretty common scenario.

Wally

Loving the concept. Subscribing to see this bad boy come to life.

Thanks, I'll try and keep it updated

 

[Randyre]

So they started already but I'm behind on posting pictures.

 

[Randyre]

Also went to work and came home and trusses were already set, so missed the "during" pictures of that.

 

[Randyre]

Try and catch up on photos and postsposting photos.

 

[Randyre]

Trusses installed

 

[Kevkx125]

Looks like it is going to be one heck of a shop!! Congratulations on the build good luck and enjoy.

 

[Randyre]

Concrete walls started. Walls are so I can fill with gravel to bring up to grade. I'm almost 7ft off grade on one end. We graded down almost 5 feet on the uphill side, but any more and water from the hill behind would flood the shop and the shop would be too far below the roof line of the existing house. We couldn't move any farther back away from the downslope due to the water well one direction and the need for the south facing roof to clear the trees for solar panels. It is what it is, but its going to take over a hundred tons of gravel fill.

 

[Randyre]

Concrete forms …

 

[Randyre]

Wall base for driveway edge

 

[gutted72]

This looks interesting, good luck and I'm going to be following

 

[isb cornbinder]

I can afford to do that and it was in our plans. Then suddenly and without warning my health started to fail and the dream garage went away also.
The shop I have is 865 SF and has everything I need, really. So I am thankful to be well enough to enjoy my life and shop time. I say, "Do it while you can." You will never know when everything will change.
My only wish is, I wish I had just a little more space.

 

[sbosecker]

Beautiful drawings! Good luck with the build.

Your title resonated with me. I had intended to build a shop over 20 years ago but various events kept that from happening. Just before I finally started my project a bit over 4 years ago I hesitated... I had just turned 60 and I wondered, "Is it too late for me to really use this building?" I decided to proceed and I really enjoy my shop. I hope I'll be able to continue to do so for many more years.

Best regards,

Scott

 

[MacTexas]

I need to follow this build, looks interesting.

 

[930dreamer]

Congrats on starting your shop build.

 

[Randyre]

Thanks all. I just turned 56, and luckily don't feel that old yet. this shop was this years "lifelong" birthday present. We moved from the NW to Missouri a year ago. My prior residence we stayed in for 24 years, but really never planned to stay that long, hence the "always" pushing a shop build to the back burner. the place we have now should be our last place and so the BUILD BEGAN. !!

 

[Randyre]

… My only wish is, I wish I had just a little more space.

I was always told by my friends to build larger than you think you need as you never have enough space, so I doubled the size I needed, and still had to cut back in size due to budget.

Now I'm glad I did as concrete is running me about 14K over the concrete budget. Plus my wife wanted another window and the dormer installed to make it look less "commercial". That ran me another 3k over budget.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I would have built bigger and taller but the city had limits. I went to the board of variance, in 1990, and was allowed to go from a tiny 400sf to the special allowance of 865sf and a maximum of 26' at the highest point. I was told that I got the last of the oversize permits. Because of the mega-house construction, in this area, the percentage of lot coverage allowed has reduced the max shop size to 20'X20'.
I made receint inquiries about changing trusses to raise the ceiling in the shop. I thought I might like and use a four post lift. I could put my '40 Ford up and play with my L110 IHC below. The price was $16,000 for the north half of the ceiling. I decided to step back and rethink my options.
This is an interesting and thought provoking thread.

 

[harley jim]

I built mine way bigger than my old shop and thought I had so much room. Silly me two additions later I am still out of room. New game plan is to get rid of half of the projects. No more building except maybe a lean to shed on the back.

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[Randyre]

One of our reasons for picking the area we now live is no permits and very low taxes.

Warning, Editorial content below

On Spoapbox

its my land and I want to be able to do what I want to do, regardless of consequence, its my right to do it right or be stupid, but regardless its should be my choice. I'm tired of governments telling us how to live our lives and what we should or shouldn't do, this is the USA dammit, not Soviet Russia.

I had to get a $300 permit just to lay new shingles down before we sold our last house. The county didn't care who did it, or how well it was done, not even an inspection process, just the permit to feed the coffers.


Off Soapbox

 

[Randyre]

More concrete :

 

[Randyre]

Metal showed up Sunday, waiting for the crew to get here today and start. Cant wait, its starting to look real.


Now to find a cheap place for 100-120 tons of fill. Hoping to find asphalt tailings, but so far no luck. Also no recycled concrete within 100 miles.

 

[UTCiv]

One of our reasons for picking the area we now live is no permits and very low taxes.

Warning, Editorial content below

On Spoapbox

its my land and I want to be able to do what I want to do, regardless of consequence, its my right to do it right or be stupid, but regardless its should be my choice. I'm tired of governments telling us how to live our lives and what we should or shouldn't do, this is the USA dammit, not Soviet Russia.

I had to get a $300 permit just to lay new shingles down before we sold our last house. The county didn't care who did it, or how well it was done, not even an inspection process, just the permit to feed the coffers.


Off Soapbox

I can relate. I live in the corner of a county that contains a large city. We're in a township outside of city limits, village limits, etc, but they wanted to treat my property as if I was going to have the same population density as anywhere in the county. (It's all woods and farms around us - a nice rural blend dotted with farms and single houses. My nearest neighbor is over 1000' away and behind 30+trees). When I added to my property by buying an old farmhouse that was adjacent, the county wanted it treated either as a second lot (and build a separate residence), build nothing on it (since it didn't have a residence), or combine it with my lot (but it was all in front of my house so, they didn't want me to build anything in front of my residence, which is 500' off the road!)

 

[Randyre]

So only got a little of the insulation up and some wainscoting and then the weather turned to ****, as well as we need to wait on a extendable forklift to become available at a local rental place.

 

[dw1]

Looks Great so far, keep the updates coming!!

 

[Paul_VR6]

You have a detail drawing of how the concrete wall is built?


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[losdudes]

I'm in on this build, should be great.

 

[Boosted1]

Nice plans and start thus far.

 

[harley jim]

Your shop is looking great Randy. I really like that it has some detail and design to it not just a big box. Just a thought since your kind of in tornado alley what about a storm shelter in that bank you have to fill. Just thinking out loud. I have an old one on my place that I am reworking.

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[Daniel Dudley]

Isn't that the truth. Young enough with tons of energy and no means to accomplish my dreams, now getting older with the means and quickly loosing the gumption.

You might get a second wind if you build it, or at least fill it up in good shape.

 

[Randyre]

Your shop is looking great Randy. I really like that it has some detail and design to it not just a big box. Just a thought since your kind of in tornado alley what about a storm shelter in that bank you have to fill. Just thinking out loud. I have an old one on my place that I am reworking.

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Interesting idea. We do have a basement in the house that I was going to make into a Gun/Safe/Shelter room, but if I can find a used one that fits that might not be a bad idea. Hast been a tornado within 30 miles since 1954, but still a great idea.

 

[Randyre]

You have a detail drawing of how the concrete wall is built?

I don't. we just eyeballed it and layed the base forms and poured, after it dried we placed the wall forms and poured.

 

[Randyre]

Weather was so bad last week we got the 4x4 offroad forklift stuck in the mud. Hopefully start again Monday.