Slick 60's

Well, I have a garage/shop at home. A 30' wide x 40' deep garage. It has an 11'x22' partitioned off area that holds Dianne's car and the bikes, air compressor, grill, kid's old stuff, etc. The remaining 11'x18' and the 19'x40' piece are mine to fill. It is full. We raced out of it for 25 years.

I also have a 40'x40' shop 5 miles out of town that a friend owns. I pay him a token $150/month to rent it. That's where we kept the race stuff. Now it has the '62 uni and the Maverick, all the fabrication tools, welders, metal brakes, etc. I just found out this week he has entertained an offer to sell a piece of ground off his farm and the shop I'm in is part of the deal. I basically have till the end of the year to re-locate. PANIC SETS IN!

He is looking at/considering building a new cold storage building to hold his dozen or so cars, restored pulling tractors, semi, pickups and tractors. We're talking about a nice big building here, something on the order of a 60'x150'. In addition to that, he's considering building a 40'x80' shop and "museum" attached to it that I could move into. Similar to the size of the shop he rents me now. Not sure I want to stay out there.

instead of staying out there, I am considering just putting a 24' wide x 28' long addition on the back of my current 30'x40' garage. I have all kinds of land behind my garage. It would let me move my model car and magazine collections out of the house (that's the part Dianne is excited about). It would also give me an "assembly area" for project cars that would be cleaner than the regular garage is. Basically keep the existing garage as a fab area and the new garage as an assembly/hobby area. The new building would be attached to the existing one and could be accessed thru the existing garage or a new entry out the back side. Would also give us a nice little secluded patio area off the back side to "hang out" at that would be more secluded than our current patio is at the house. Spent the last couple days drawing plans, getting quotes and material costs.

Might be putting the uni and Maverick on the back burner for a while. Never a dull moment. Might be a blessing in disguise but it's a pain in the butt right now. Sorry for the long rant, had to vent a little after finding out I am loosing my shop.

SPark

You and Grits have the right idea IMO. With any amount of foresight, I would have done likewise!
Paul

All I can say is that if you can, go larger. You know that you will fill that up and want it to be bigger.
Make the addition larger, partition off part of it and when you run out of room, open up the next section.

Kevin

I think that no matter the size of the shop it needs to be 100% yours. I am having to relocate myself after my father decided to start charging outrages rent. So the moral of the story for me is no "partners". If I can't build it for myself then I refuse to do it. IMHO

unifarmer wrote:I think that no matter the size of the shop it needs to be 100% yours. I am having to relocate myself after my father decided to start charging outrages rent. So the moral of the story for me is no "partners". If I can't build it for myself then I refuse to do it. IMHO

I was going to say pretty much the same thing. I don't like to be at the mercy of the whims of others. Getting YOUR stuff on YOUR property will be for the better.

The worst part as it is now, is tools. Half of what I need is always at the other shop!

After doing some maintenance on the '66 today in my home shop, and having to run to the other shop to get my wiring tools, I think the decision is made. I really want all my tools, and my projects, in one building.

Dianne is all for it as it would get me home. She's always worried about me working at the rural shop alone, getting hurt, and nobody knowing it. I always call when I get hurt! She is also excited about getting a 45 year collection of car magazines and books out of the house. They take up a lot of room and she likes the idea of getting that room back. Same for the model building stuff. It can all live in the new addition, along with a clean area for 1 vehicle.

Looks like the process may begin. Went to Mr. Menards' big building yesterday to talk real dollars. Have a concrete guy coming end of this week to do some other work, plan to talk him into the floor work while he's here. When it starts, I'll post pics!

SPark

While you are making plans to build a shop, I hit you with a thought. If you are building a metal shop, tin comes 3 ft. wide most times. 3 goes in to 40, does not come out, go ahead and make it 42' if you have the land. Same with the 28 ft. 29 ft will only cost a few dollars more!.. Leonard

The existing 30' wide, 40' deep garage/shop is normal wood, vinyl siding, asphalt shingle construction. The new one will the same type building and be 24' wide so I can get the eaves under the old construction (to nail sheeting and shingles), don't want to try to match the old and new roof. I have a brand new (year old) roof and half the siding (due to a hail storm) on the existing garage so I don't really want to tear up any of that. I'm going at least 28' deep but hoping to work it into 32' deep if money works out right. Not doing a steel building, it wouldn't look right with any of the other buildings on my property.

Thanks for the comments, though.
SPark

Meeting with the concrete guy tomorrow. Looks like we will end up with a 26' wide x 32' long addition. It will also have an additional 6' x 10' "blister" on the end for a garden shed. In addition to that, an additional 6' on the south end will be a brick patio with an old school corrugated tin roof.

The 26' x'20' area immediately adjacent to the existing garage will be new work space and connect to the old garage with a 9' wide tri-fold door (use 1 panel for normal access, open it all up to get cars thru). Then there will be a dividing wall across the 26' dimension with a simple access door into the remaining area. The remaining 26' x 12' will be the area for my model car collection, magazine collection and a "lounge" area to relax in, fridge, tunes, hang out, etc.

Think I've jumped thru all the hoops to do it but I'm sure something will pop up. I'm kind of at the mercy of the concrete guys at this point to get things rolling.

SPark

Steve thats awesome happy for you getting some new space .


Rick

Hearing stories of giant buildings makes me weep

I've spent the last 2 days doing dirt work. Ready for the concrete! They are supposed to be here next Wednesday to pour the floor. Tore off the old vinyl siding where the 2 buildings meet. Going forward!

SPark

Dirtwork is roughed in, contractor called and will be here tomorrow to form concrete. Plan on a Wednesday concrete pour.





SPark

You know it won't be big enough. It never is. Just kidding, sort of.
Keep us posted on the progress.

Looks like a nice sized addition! I always proceeded with the "go bigger" mantra; after receiving my tax bill for the shop, I'm rethinking that idea.
I know I'm not likely to significantly reduce inventory; maybe I need to specialize in Isettas and Metropolitans!
Paul

So, I'm assuming we're going to be seeing some concrete pouring and finishing pictures come Wednesday night?

Pull the tree out before you build. It will be in the way. Then you'll have to take it down in pieces. Seen it done way to many times. Including an apartment building across the street from us. Taking all the trees down now.

Forms in place, pour scheduled for 7:00 AM tomorrow morning.






Been waiting for tree guys for a week, apparently nobody needs the work. One finally showed up today and can't be here for another week, at least. Another still hasn't shown up for his Saturday appointment. Hmmmm. The tree has been the sore spot. They all claim they can do whatever I want. Around here, they all take them down in pieces with bucket trucks anyway, that's pretty much normal. It isn't as bad as it appears in the pics. There is actually only 1 big branch and 2 smaller ones that cause the problems.

SPark

Steve check with your local Sparkies My lectrician runs his bucket truck doing tree's when he doesnt need it for parking lot lights and such .


Rick

rickairmedic wrote:Steve check with your local Sparkies My lectrician runs his bucket truck doing tree's when he doesnt need it for parking lot lights and such . Rick

Hey, that's a good idea. I could use a bucket truck to replace some lights on my dock and to run electrical wire and light to the top of a telephone pole in the middle of our back yard. I'll have to check out the local electricians as well as the tree trimmers to see if one could be rented on maybe a Sunday.

Can't wait to see the finished pad tomorrow night.