Just lookin for some ideas for saving money on my shop which is in the planning stages. I live in North Carolina and want a shop aprox. 30'x40' Like to have metal sides and concrete floor. As for the rest, whether it is stick built or steel frames, I am going for which will be cheaper, but I will do all the inside or finnishing work myself. Can anybody provide feedback on cost and hints or regrets that will be helpfull in my planning for my Man Cave. Thanks to all, Mike
pricing the shop
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Rio_Grande
Platinum Member
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Hey Mike, I have about 13000 in mine built by a contractor. 30x40 metal siddes pole building with a concrete floor. I did the floor but the price is includes in the above.
One thing I would cation you on. Many of the dealers out there dont use industry standard centers. One problem I had was the trusses set at 5 foot spacing. I will waste a huge amount of OSB when I put the ceiling in. the addition of 1 more truss would have put them on 4 foot centers. Truss cost like 40.00
Make sure you nail everything down when you make the deal... I had never paid anyone to build anything. I built my other shop. So I fell into a few pitfalls. If you can do the grade work and backfilling yourself that will save plenty. They wanted 2500 for that. I rented a track loader and paid to have the gravel hauled in and was just over 1000.00 in real cost.
One thing I would cation you on. Many of the dealers out there dont use industry standard centers. One problem I had was the trusses set at 5 foot spacing. I will waste a huge amount of OSB when I put the ceiling in. the addition of 1 more truss would have put them on 4 foot centers. Truss cost like 40.00
Make sure you nail everything down when you make the deal... I had never paid anyone to build anything. I built my other shop. So I fell into a few pitfalls. If you can do the grade work and backfilling yourself that will save plenty. They wanted 2500 for that. I rented a track loader and paid to have the gravel hauled in and was just over 1000.00 in real cost.
nickel plate
Veteran Member
Hello Mike,
I am not a metal fabricator so I built my 32'x40' shop out of wood. Had the slab poured and then in my spare time built all the walls on the floor, then had a Saturday barbecue/wall standing party. Great fun and only took a few hours. Some of the "guests" who knew nothing about framing went away with the beginnings of a new skill.
If you have any non-bearing interior walls, consider framing at 24" o.c. 100 foot of walls will have 25 or so less studs. I always stick to 16"o.c. but it can be done.
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when i was looking into building my building. my insurance man said wood frame is cheaper to insure.
reason given. if you have a fire and it's steel frame. the fire dept won't go in . they can't tell what has been heat stressed and maybe calapse. wood frame they are more likely to go in and fight fire.
reason given. if you have a fire and it's steel frame. the fire dept won't go in . they can't tell what has been heat stressed and maybe calapse. wood frame they are more likely to go in and fight fire.
MrDig
New member
Hey Nickel_Plate,
Nice shop. I've been thinking of a new shop building myself, something similar would work well for me. Did you use plans available on the net?
nickel plate
Veteran Member
MrDig,
Being employed around the trades, I designed and drew up the plans (seventeen sheets) myself-no CAD or other drafting software-just pencil, paper and a scale. It passed through our building department without any re-draws.
The two side garage doors are 7'-6" and the center is 12'-0".
And yes, that is an old Bell "Princess" phone on my plan table. It has since been replaced when we updated the house phones.
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SCOOBY14B
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Really...that's the biggest load of hogwash I've ever heard. Lightweight wood trusses are just as dangerous or MORE dangerous than metal. You're lucky if wood trusses have a metal stamped gusset plate with 3/8" metal tabs into the wood. Now they're starting to glue the gusset plates on.
The decision to enter a structure will depend on the fire load, occupancy, and fire involvement. I've been a career firefighter in metro Atlanta for 17 years. If I were to arrive at any shop, barn, etc that had measurable involvement and is unoccupied...my crew is staying outside. Contents are insured, if they are not...not my problem. I'm not going to go tell a wife that one of my guys died trying to save a tractor.
Back on topic...good luck in building and post some progress pics.
