tropical garage?

[nadogail]

$.02 worth from me, use concrete filled Sonotubes for the pillars to elevate and level the containers. Have steel embedded in the concrete that the containers can be welded to.

As was previously mentioned, air space under the containers will allow a low level cross breeze in your shop.

Because the containers will be out side of your roof pillars they will not be part of your structure. After your building has its final inspection, chain link fence might be installed completing the perimeter. If you do this, please remember to fence between the floor of the containers and the ground to keep crawlers out.

 

[bad_idea]

I have done a fair amount of modifications to conex boxes working in the ship repair industry. We use them as mobile work shops to be taken to the pier and also long term storage at the shop. It isn't cheap or easy to modify conex boxes, in comparison to stick building a structure. Making it look pretty for the wife isn't going to happen. They are also 8' wide on the outside dimension, not exactly spacious. Stud the inside to insulate and run electrical, now the space is only 7' wide.

 

[Jon_E]

Google "shipping container roof system" images - you'll get a lot of good ideas. Contractors are starting to use these up here in the northeast for cheap storage and a covered area to service their equipment.

 

[no1steelsmith]

The sonotube idea was covered in previous posts, as deck pier stabilizers (rock filled instead of concrete) similar idea just different environment. Schools of thought vary. Zoning/building standards have multiple views and will endorse either system if you can carry a convincing argument. Yes the cardboard tubes do degrade when buried in sand. However, if the sand/soil is compacted around the sonotubes the enclosed rock has no where to go and has the added benefit of passively allowing water through the columb of crushed rock (which is confined by the compacted sand/dirt surrounding it. The other option of using concrete is a mixed bag here. Concrete is stable in columb in almost all cases, I've even seen it used as pillars for piers out into the ocean. Over time the exposure to salt-water environment rots the enclosed rebar and the pillar it destroyed from within as the rust on the rebar grows/expands much like ice can split a pipe. Since I am only a few feet above sea level this is a salt environment, just not in liquid form (at least not most of the time). In periods of drought the salt builds up in what passes for soil here, it comes from the high humidity, fog and wind-blown sea water that is our daily environment. When it rains the sandy soil is suddenly saturated with an extremely high salt content liquid. Steel in contact with the ground becomes rust. Rebar incased in concrete takes longer but, suffers the same fate. The concrete columbs do degrade over time. Rock columbs? Nothing to degrade ... Rock migration after the cardboard degrades? Only if the compacted soil surrounding the columb is disturbed.
Having the containers 18" above grade as described in previous posts is the way I intend to go. Here we use a manufactured composite lattice pattern that comes in 24" x 8' lengths and has a woodgrain pattern to allow air circulation under mobile homes while keeping out the 'critters'. I'll use that to enclose the underbelly of the containers as well as access under the twin deck structures next to the slab/retaining wall.

 

[no1steelsmith]

Since I currently live full-time in an 8' wide motor home with all of the furniture and stuff you normally find in a motor home, working out of a 7' wide container with twin 16' wide overhead doors installed down the inside wall facing the deck and then slab, I fail to see this as confining. I'll probably at some time add twin RV awnings to work under which would cover the wood deck, almost completely. Again, plenty of room ...
Some of you are bent in a 'No you can't do that' direction. The reality is people do this all of the time with greater or lesser success all around the world. If I do get my chance to 'build' again, I will do so. However, after the financial disaster of '08 it will be on a cash basis, no mortgage, no paper held against any deed I hold title to. I'm too old to go through that again and since that was all caused by greed on Wall Street, I no longer trust banks at all. I use them to conduct business as we all must do but, I fully realize that it is just a long sustained game of musical chairs and the banks have reserved chairs while we do not.

 

[shortykorte]

Check out the photo gallery at bigtopshelters.com

They probably have exactly what you are looking for made to your specs.

 

[no1steelsmith]

Way cool fabric enclosures! Thanks for the link, dunno if it's within my budget but, I'd like to think so!

 

[nadogail]

Regarding the synthetic lattice under the containers, will it keep out the two legged varmints?

IMHO, they are the worst kind.

 

[no1steelsmith]

The lattice is designed to keep out cats, skunks/possums and other animals of that size. I think it would also dissuade squirrels from moving in under a mobile home.
Two leggeds trying to get under a mobile home, here that is dissuaded via a more aggressive approach and in Texas would be somewhat rare.
As I mentioned, I live in an RV resort, 55 and up. Residents here are mostly armed. It is a relatively polite society.
With the new 'open carry' law, I think incidents of two-legged invaders (at least where I call home) will be minimal.

 

[shortykorte]

The lattice is designed to keep out cats, skunks/possums and other animals of that size. I think it would also dissuade squirrels from moving in under a mobile home.
Two leggeds trying to get under a mobile home, here that is dissuaded via a more aggressive approach and in Texas would be somewhat rare.
As I mentioned, I live in an RV resort, 55 and up. Residents here are mostly armed. It is a relatively polite society.
With the new 'open carry' law, I think incidents of two-legged invaders (at least where I call home) will be minimal.

Sounds like a good place to live!

 

[NUTTSGT]

I was going to suggest a monitor style pole building. The center bay would be tall enough to work on an RV and allow ventilation of the warm air. One side could be used as a work area and the other side could be enclosed for a small laundry area (small RV park correct ? ) and possibly a general store area.

I believe you are beyond that idea though.

 

[no1steelsmith]

Thanks for the insight and suggestions. I do realize where I live and the situation I am in is not the 'norm' for most people. At this point, I am just gathering information so that I can make an informed decision.
Thank you for your input.

 

[MagnumForce]

That difference between where you are in Michigan and where I am on the Gulf Coast is where things get lost in translation. By that I mean, a large part of the year I am enveloped in Gulf of Mexico breezes. Gulf of Mexico temperatures are in the mid to upper 80 degree range! We're talking about ambient temperatures/conditions that are akin to walking around wearing a really warm/wet blanket. As soon as you walk outside your glasses fog up! If you work outside, your clothes are soaked in sweat as soon as you start and don't dry out.
I have worked inside of shops exposed to outdoor ambient air, on those days when it is relatively cool, it can be so humid inside you get misted on. Days with a breeze you don't want anything to slow down that air circulation! Metal buildings rust out in an amazingly short time.

3 months out of the year it's just like that in Michigan.

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

 

[no1steelsmith]

My condolences for anyone who has to contend with weather/working conditions like these! Lol
To continue, as was advised by GJ contributors, I have begun looking at the option of a fabric covered tubing structure such as supplied by 'Bigtop', 'Clearspan', and 'Farmtek'. Got my first lead on 'Farmtek' and followed up with the other two. It looks like they all offer a version of a domed structure using ISO containers as walls/foundations down both sides. The big difference between my concept and theirs, They use the containers mounted outbound of the domed wall. If mounted with the domed walls covering the ISO tops, it sheds water, a key issue here. Doing a build like that, here, would be a really good answer for me. $-prices for their offerings are in-line with my budget projections.
Thank you everyone for getting me to reconsider the available options for my possible future build!
no1steelsmith

 

[nadogail]

Please keep us posted as to what you get built.

Some of us actually travel.

 

[no1steelsmith]

Thanks for your interest!

 

[no1steelsmith]

I've maybe come up with a variation on the ISO container?
As a long time fabricator and relatively recent convert to RV service tech, I have thought about trading the ISO's for some sort of RV? I've long been a fan of Airstream trailers because of their construction/design. However, Airstream is not the only aircraft constructed trailer if you go back to just after WWII. I have found the Spartan Manor's appeal to me (they were constructed in the 1950's).
So, I'm sure purests will find my idea of using a rather rare Spartan Manor as a storage container appalling! Lol However, I have found a 'donor' locally (by donor, I mean a trailer carcass). My best guess would be that it is a 1957 Spartan Manor, maybe 40 feet long? That's the good part! The bad part is it has a 'patch' on one side from roof to floor and possibly 6' wide? The patch looks just awful! Non-matching metal (maybe galvanized)? Raised like roofing material! Lol It does look weather-tite, screwed on and caulked? The rest of it's not too bad, could be straightened and polished, then it would look pretty good. The patch could be repaired but, it would be a 'labor of Love' (many hours) to make it back to original! The patch is right in the middle of the left side.
My idea is; remove the added sheetmetal (the patch) and widen the opening to maybe 8' wide? Fabricate double doors for easy access, which would allow me to roll my HF 56" upper/lower tool box in and out. I doubt the birch interior has survived, I'd probably just replace it all with sheet aluminum powdercoated white. I'd then renovate the interior as a work place environment. I know the SM would be more appealing than an ISO container, especially if I did polish it out.

 

[Nexussian]

A friend recently had a shop / garage built in Ennis. We consulted him about a garage build in Phoenix. His best suggestion was to talk to local contractors and building companies as they will be familiar with not only the required codes in your area, but the construction difficulties typical in your area as well.

Yes, he also had many suggestions besides construction (parking apron in front of shop, LED exterior lights, roof extension for covered storage/parking, storage loft inside, etc ...).