So what would you have done different with your new shop?

[woodlandfarms]

Wondering what people would do differently now that they have a shop up.

I am working through plumbing and wiring, and as it is all in a slab, wondering what I should do. Do I throw in some pex for future heating (we are pretty temperate, seldom below freezing in the winter but cold concrete is cold concrete).

I am mulling over drains in the shop floor. But I do not have the money to slope any concrete.

I am taking a third of the shop for a woodshop. I am thinking of putting a vaccume system in the concrete as well as the walls. Something to sweep into or placed under the table saw and the wood turner.

What else? LED lights in the floor? Different kind of windows?

 

[sixdogs]

Vapor barrier and foam under the concrete to keep it warm and prevent concrete sweating in cold or damp. Roll up doors.

 

[mapper]

Dust collection is a must for a wood shop. Before I installed mine an afternoon of sanding would result in nosebleeds from the dust irritation. With dust collection on all machinery and a down draft sanding station I rarely have to even brush off my clothes before going into the house after a day in the shop. Much better for your health, wood dust can be toxic and carcinogenic.
Try to isolate the blower in a different room to cut down on the noise, same with a stationary compressor.

 

[mrmikey]

Vapor barrier and foam under the concrete to keep it warm and prevent concrete sweating in cold or damp.

yup, wish I had.
My garage is only 8'high, wish now I had gone 10' high, I've got a 7' x 9' roll up door, should have gone 1' wider. One thing I did do that I was glad I did was put receptacles in the ceiling for lighting rather than hard wire them in. That way I could move them around to get the best light. Use 4' LED tubes, I recently converted all mine to LED, wish I had done it years ago.
I also went with 12ga wiring so I've got 20A plugs instead of the conventional 15A.............Mike

 

[sixdogs]

Also, double the size you plan on and if you have to, leave that half unfinished for a while. You don't think that's necessary and won't until you build smaller and wait five years to need the space. Ask around.

 

[plowhog]

Not sure of your design, but I stubbed out utilities (power, water, sewer, phone) to the exterior of the slab. So if I want any of that outside the building it is already there.

 

[grsthegreat]

I would have gone higher and larger. 30 x 40 and only 11 foot tall turned out to be too small. I also wish i went with plywood roof sheeting and didnt use the crappy insulated vapor barrier. That stuff is falling apart. The last thing is i wish i insulated walls BEFORE i built my shelves and filled shop

 

[flingwing1969]

I would have gone higher and larger. 30 x 40 and only 11 foot tall turned out to be too small. I also wish i went with plywood roof sheeting and didnt use the crappy insulated vapor barrier. That stuff is falling apart. The last thing is i wish i insulated walls BEFORE i built my shelves and filled shop

Always go UP when you can - it adds very little to the cost vs adding square footage and you can put in 2nd floor storage. Also ALWAYS put in ceiling insulation on a metal sheathed building - even if you don't intend to heat it, the original owner of the shop I have did not and I pay the price with condensation drips. I will be insulating but the cost of post-construction insulating is many times that of doing it before the roofing goes on.

 

[mopardude318]

I wish I didn't dig out so much dirt when I was prepping the site for my 26x30. I ended up needing about 80 yards of base rock, which was an extra $2000.. and it took me 2 extra days of rental time for the jumping jack and plate vibrator ($500) and another days labor from a friend of mine. I gave him a $100 bucks.

 

[Rustyiron]

I The last thing is i wish i insulated walls BEFORE i built my shelves and filled shop

I was going to add; finish the interior wall/ceiling to the extent you plan to PRIOR to moving in all your chit! :thumbsup:

I now have 16' ceilings & walls that need to be finished, the foam is in the walls but now "closing" the interior wall's & ceiling is much easier than dealing with all of my crap that now is in the way.