Newbie unknowledgable shop build up...

[Pdaddy]

My wife and I are about to build a new house and a shop to go with. I know NOTHING about this stuff. I do have a fairly detailed estimate from a guy in our club that works for USA bldgs on a 40 x 60. Im looking to be around the 30K all said and done. Any advice ? I really dont want to go over 30K on this deal. Im going to minimize doors to 2 10foot rollups and one regular entry door. I do want to put skylights in because there wont be any windows. (for burglary protection as much as anything else.)

Side note I found a 10K 2 pole lift for 2k , someone bought it new and never installed it. Its a Bend Pak I believe . Is this a good find ?

Thanks for any suggestions, comments or knowledge. I AM NOT a builder nor do I have ANY knowledge of this kind of thing. I dont have much time to learn before this happens either. Perk test was done on the land and finance stuff was faxed in this morning :eek:

If interested once this gets going Ill start a thread and keep it updated. Ive looked through some of the others threads on here and Man there are some real dream shops that have been done ! Hope mine keeps me happy forever, thats the goal. :laughing:

[guidolyons]

The bend pak sounds like a good deal. I think they are about $3K new...but I would search around a bit...some 2 post lifts start @$2200ish

Now post some pics of the new shop so we are all jealous. The steel buildings for a shop are probably the best bang for the buck.

[Pdaddy]

Yea I was thinking my biggest saving and the nice part about this lift is its local to were I live, I could just go pick it up and not have to sweat shipping and such. 2k and a done deal ya know. I think the guy mentioned he paid around 2400 for it new, dont know about shipping and such. Im not sure if I want to do a lift or not. Id like to but I really have to stay tight budget wise and I dont know what extra money I will be lookin at if I build around installing a lift. Electricity to it, does the foundation of the structure need to be different... all that stuff Im ignorant of. :laughing:

[Jeepaholik]

I would jump on that lift for that price...and its local. Lifts can be very expensive to ship. Sounds like you found yourself a deal

[guidolyons]

Also make sure the concrete guys know you will have a lift so they can pour it thicker where the lift will be. Sounds like a good deal :smokin:

[ironpig70]

personally i don't like the 40 x 60 buildings for some reason every shop i've been in has this weird dead space in the center. now 40 x 60 = 2400. so with that in mind is it possible to go 30 x 80= 2400. its the same size and same amount of concrete. for me i like a long narrow building and i'd section off it every 20' or so(just in theroy) you know first bay is fabbing, second bay welding, and so forth. just a thought.

[Pdaddy]

I havent dead set myself on a 40x60 to be honest, We are renting one now and I just went from that on size. Its way more than I need for just myself but Im going to be in this house/ shop forever so Im tryin to give myself room to grow, this is more than plenty I think. I have got all the figures and such already on a 40x 60 as mentioned Im not certain what other size option there are in kit form. I just want a metal building for simplicity and ease of erection.

1. I need two tall roll up doors minimum to allow large tire rigs in.
2. If I get this lift, Ill need room for that.
3. I want ample space for tube bender, welding table engine hoist, drill press, air compressor and storage of other larger items without having to move shit around everytime I want to fab something up.

Reality is 40x60 is WAY more than I really need, and Im really torn between going that large or doing more on the house. I would just hate to build a shop that I felt crapmed in later down the road... Ill be at this location indefinately. Thoughts? What size building do you think could work with my needs ? I really must have at least room for 2 rigs comfortably and all the equipment and such.

[ironpig70]

i looked at 30x60, 30x70 and 30x80 all steel and all 14' at the eaves so yes a big tired rig would fit. the doors i'd use would be 14' wide x 12' tall. my idea was to break down the shop and use 1 bay per activity.

so an 80 wide shop would have 4 20' sections and at one end its dirty and the other is clean:D

so i'd have a welding/fabbing/ machine area
welder, bender, chop saw, mill, lathe, press

next would be the hoist bay, hoist center in the middle of the bay

next an open bay

and lastly an office/parts room and bath room i'd only make this area 10 foot deep so with the other 10 feet maybe use it for cleaner stuff or give 10 feet to the other areas of the shop. this idea is to keep the dirty stuff and like stuff grouped together.

[Travis Waldher]

so an 80 wide shop would have 4 20' sections and at one end its dirty and the other is clean:D


Nice idea... I just don't see it working.

You'll have a project in the dirty bay, then need to do some other dirty work, but wait.. you have soemthing else going on in the second dirtiest bay...

Next thing you know, your doing dirty work in one of your cleaner bays.

[ironpig70]

Nice idea... I just don't see it working.

You'll have a project in the dirty bay, then need to do some other dirty work, but wait.. you have soemthing else going on in the second dirtiest bay...

Next thing you know, your doing dirty work in one of your cleaner bays.



nope doesn't work that way. all your hard tools(non hand stuff) is at one end so if you need to weld or use the mill you have to stay at that end. thats the thing i like is to have all your "production" at one end. so you can cut the tubing,bend it, notch it and weld it all in one area:D when i get my shop you'll see:D

[crapzuk]

I just sold my house and am on the hunt for some land to build a shop on as well, so I'll be peeping in on this thread...

I was on the 40x60 kick also, but now that I think about it, it makes good sense to go 30x80... I'll look into that.

By the way P, if you end up not being able to get that lift, let me know. I'll get it and put it in my shop, you know you'll be able to use it wheneva.

[Pdaddy]

Im going to get a pic of the land we are going to build on, Im also stumped on the best "spot" to put everything. I stumbled upon a company somewhat local to me that does steel framed homes and buildings and Ive kind looked at that a bit. I can get a 1500"ish sq ft home framed out and delivered to me with a 30x30 shop frame structure as well for around $19K I just have no idea what it would cost me to have that finished out though... need to talk to some contractors.