What credentials if any do I need for this project?

[beenthere]

:welcome:

Sean
As well said, highly doubt you can put them in and then have them inspected.
You are well schooled if you have a BS in AE, but you could be in for some hard knocks from the real world if you proceed as outlined. There are many wanna-do-good and wanna-be-in-control enthusiasts in the public domain who lay in wait for someone to do as you plan. Think Gov't control in most places. Few remain that are not affected. The tax accessor wants his piece of the action, as do the enviros, the code enforcers, the county zoners, and the list goes on and on. Check it out first for your own sanity.

 

[Pops15]

Forget about designing and building it yourself. Contact companies that build storage units. They will not only design and build to local codes, they will know what sizes the units need to be and how much you should charge, and some will even teach you how to manage them. I know a contractor that wanted to build a storage complex. He got a quote from a company that specializes in storage units, then he priced material from a couple of local lumber yards. Turned out he could hire the job done cheaper than he could buy the material. At 55% occupancy he was turning a profit.

 

[lilranch2001]

Hi,
I'm new to the forums and I have a question which i can't seem to find any existing answers to on any google found contractor forums. Basically, my father would like to place a 10-15 unit personal storage building on some land we aren't using. I recently graduated with a B.S. in aerospace engineering with an emphasis on structural analysis so i know i am more than capable of designing, analyzing, and erecting the structure. My question is, what credentials or licenses would i need if any to legally erect this building which would be used for commercial purposes. Could i just erect this thing and have a building inspector come out to OK it and be fine? My fear is that we will start to fill this thing up or have it fully occupied and my father gets hit by some notice or lawsuit that we didn't take the proper steps when building it.

Thanks,
Sean

for a fairly "well educated" individual, it seems like a fairly "uneducated" question

 

[mjncad]

Bill C and Eddie Walker have given you the best advice of all the good advice provided.

Oh, and if your storage condos are planned for the 11-acres behind me, then I'm getting a voodoo doll of your tractor and stick pins into it.

 

[Just Bill]

Hello
Where ever you are at, find out what the rules are and play by them.
It will be a lot cheaper and faster to do it right the first time.
Zoning, building codes, and restrictions are in place for a reason.

 

[enephs]

I couldn't have asked for more helpful responses. Thank you everyone for your help, especially those who wrote lengthy responses.

for a fairly "well educated" individual, it seems like a fairly "uneducated" question

Thank you for your fairly "uneducated" response. I'm sorry my question offended you and your tractor.

 

[MikeD74T]

I couldn't have asked for more helpful responses. Thank you everyone for your help, especially those who wrote lengthy responses.

Thank you for your fairly "uneducated" response. I'm sorry my question offended you and your tractor.

Enephs, Doesn't pay to expose one's thin skin here. The lengthy answers offered good info but the answer you rejected, to 'do your research', was better than you perceived. Chances are your local authorities have only a small portion of the info you need to enter this market. Google "self storage building systems" and contact a few manufacturers. They have tons of information to support their product, from site planning, local regulations & applications advice, and most important financial advice re; how much to charge, how many units are enough or too many, traffic flow, market surveying,etc. Also drive around your area to see what your competition has & doesn't have. Self storage has saturated many areas to the point of operating below profit margins just to have any business at all. My best friend has 5 locations with www.trachte.com buildings. Trachte's advice all turned out to be accurate & their buildings were as advertized.
Oh, and welcome aboard. MikeD74T

 

[montyhp]

for a fairly "well educated" individual, it seems like a fairly "uneducated" question

That's a little harsh. We all ask questions that may seem uneducated at times. And no one really answered his real question. The answer to the question is, it depends on the jurisdiction where you live. If you live in my county, you could do it all yourself because there is absolutely no code compliance or enforcement.

Now whether you should is a different question. I am an EE (over 20 years). I wired my own shop, only after learning the code and looking over the shoulder of a licensed electrician on a job. Nothing I did in engineering school or in my job as microwave engineer prepared me for residental or industrial electrical. I also am not good at electronics, even though I got an A in the class. In a work situation, I would have to rely on a sure handed technician to put together anything I designed. (come to think of it I have never started up an RF transmitter, always let the technicians do that).

So I think I would take the advice and let the guys with the practical experience do the job (and be sure to look over their shoulders the whole way).

Montyhp

 

[doall]

I couldn't have asked for more helpful responses. Thank you everyone for your help, especially those who wrote lengthy responses.




Thank you for your fairly "uneducated" response. I'm sorry my question offended you and your tractor.

I like that enephs. I don't think its thin skin, I think its just giving it back.:thumbsup:

 

[bdeboer]

I'm with Eddie on the market research side of this. There was a boom in self storage several years back that may have saturated the existing market. With the down economy, I'm guessing many people aren't as willing or able to pay the rent now. If you know there is a local shortage where you are, that's different.

How about specialized storage aimed at people with a few bucks? Boats, RV's, antique autos, etc? Or check into becoming a PODS franchisee. I would do a lot of looking around at the business concept.
Dave.

Actually due to foreclosures in this area, some of them have waiting lists.

I am not sure if the getting paid for the storage part is any less difficult than residential rentals either. Although alot of them encourage the use of credit cards for automatic monthly billing.