Build a Shop/Home Pics, Ideas, Plans???

[Cat_Driver]

ears agho I built a 125'x100' metal building "shop/storage" building. At the time the cement slab cost more than the building, the building was 45K. I got that paid off and paid off the house, my plans are to build something inside the shop fo rthe wife and I to live in sorta like a loft, and rent out that house as monthly income.

My point is build bigger than you need and what seems like a lot of money today will seem like chump change down the road.

I went whole hog on everything wheh I set it up, 480 three phase power (just in case) water and electrcity throughout the building, air line all the way around including connection on all four corners of the building. I put in 2 fire hoses with all the goodies at both ends, and added fire sprinkler system up above.

A good well built building will outlive you, don't skimp, set it up from the get go the way you want it todat, but more mportant what you can imagime you will want to do in teh future. Example when the builder was getting ready to put the foundation I asked him to do a sewer hook up indise the building to the septic tank. I didn't even think of that till 20 years later when I want to put a full bathroom kitchen set up in there.

Dream big for the future, get stub out for future power, internet, lighting, cooling, water, solar, heat etc.

 

[dragoneggs]

Lots of variables. I too am thinking of expanding our living space and including a basement shop vs. expanding both the house and also the detached garage just to grow the shop. I like the idea of the shop being part of the living space from a heating perspective. I think long term it will be more convenient and energy efficient. Following along here.

 

[ovrszd]

FM504, very nice. I'm thinking a 50x90-ish. Maybe a one car garage entrance on the house end for Terry's car. My current shop is steel and I really like it. Also would do spray insulation. What's your heat source? Slab with a footing or piers? Thanks for anything further you can add!!!

 

[ovrszd]

ears agho I built a 125'x100' metal building "shop/storage" building. At the time the cement slab cost more than the building, the building was 45K. I got that paid off and paid off the house, my plans are to build something inside the shop fo rthe wife and I to live in sorta like a loft, and rent out that house as monthly income.

My point is build bigger than you need and what seems like a lot of money today will seem like chump change down the road.

I went whole hog on everything wheh I set it up, 480 three phase power (just in case) water and electrcity throughout the building, air line all the way around including connection on all four corners of the building. I put in 2 fire hoses with all the goodies at both ends, and added fire sprinkler system up above.

A good well built building will outlive you, don't skimp, set it up from the get go the way you want it todat, but more mportant what you can imagime you will want to do in teh future. Example when the builder was getting ready to put the foundation I asked him to do a sewer hook up indise the building to the septic tank. I didn't even think of that till 20 years later when I want to put a full bathroom kitchen set up in there.

Dream big for the future, get stub out for future power, internet, lighting, cooling, water, solar, heat etc.

I agree. That's how I ended up with $42K in my current 42x50 shop. It's every bit as comfortable to spend time in as our house.

 

[ovrszd]

Lots of variables. I too am thinking of expanding our living space and including a basement shop vs. expanding both the house and also the detached garage just to grow the shop. I like the idea of the shop being part of the living space from a heating perspective. I think long term it will be more convenient and energy efficient. Following along here.

Currently my shop is 150ft from my house. During the Winter months I wish it were connected. As I get older I think I want them more conveniently connected.

Flip side. And I don't mean this in a bad way, just men vs women. Now if the weather is bad I might spend all day in my shop with no visitors. Go to the house for lunch. Back to the shop for the rest of the day. I'm giving that up with this concept. That's also a concern in regards to living at the farm. Currently the two locations are 8 miles apart. The farm is my getaway. Very common in the Summer to spend 12 hours there with no human contact. By moving the residence there I am also compromising that.

 

[FM504]

FM504, very nice. I'm thinking a 50x90-ish. Maybe a one car garage entrance on the house end for Terry's car. My current shop is steel and I really like it. Also would do spray insulation. What's your heat source? Slab with a footing or piers? Thanks for anything further you can add!!!

Thank you...the slab has 3/4” sucker rod instead of rebar and each weld tab is on top of a 2’7/8” 6ft joint of oil field casing. So basically the entire weight of the steel structure is supported by the casing and not the slab itself. I’m no concrete guy but it seems extremely stout. My heat source is hvac heat pump. I’m in Texas so the shop is not heated or cooled, shop bathroom is but not the shop itself. Have several large windows that create a nice draft. If it gets to cold we have a kerosene blown heater.

I highly recommend a few inches of closed cell foam on the steel, it adds to the structural integrity as well as excellent insulating values. Open cell for all interior walls for sound proofing as well as exterior frame out...the frame on mine is 2x6 on 16” so I had 5-6” of space for open cell foam.

Go with roll up doors as opposed to garage doors to save on overhead space.

Ask any specifics and I’ll try to answer as best I can...

 

[Citydude]

I love the combination of the shop and home under one roof. They are called "shomes" here. A friend of mine built one years ago and it's spectacular.

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't personally have a house in a shop, but I have worked for several clients who do. Twice I've done all the work in creating a home inside an existing metal building, and the other clients, I do repairs and remodels for them. Some of the advantages are that all of them already had the metal building on the land when they bought it. They also don't pay taxes on their homes, it's a trick to keep it as a barn and not a home. I'm sure the tax people know it's a house, but proving it is another thing. I don't know all those details, I've just been told about it from the owners.

All of those buildings where metal walls and roof on concrete slabs. Both of the ones that I made into homes had plumbing run through the slab already, but in the wrong place for the final plan, so I had to move the drain lines.

At one time or another, all of my clients have told me that it was just temporary. Not one of them plan on staying in there forever. I think most plan on renting it out after building the house they really want. I don't think any of them ever will. They put too much money into those buildings already.

If it's just a way to save money, there is some advantage there to a certain point. If it's where you want to live out the rest of your life, build your buildings separate from each other and make each one the best that you can. You will have too many limitations doing both in one building. While we never plan on selling our land, life happens, we get old, we get sick, and sometimes, better opportunities come up. Everything we do to our land should improve the value. A house in a shop adds very little value to your land.

 

[ovrszd]

I don't personally have a house in a shop, but I have worked for several clients who do. Twice I've done all the work in creating a home inside an existing metal building, and the other clients, I do repairs and remodels for them. Some of the advantages are that all of them already had the metal building on the land when they bought it. They also don't pay taxes on their homes, it's a trick to keep it as a barn and not a home. I'm sure the tax people know it's a house, but proving it is another thing. I don't know all those details, I've just been told about it from the owners.

All of those buildings where metal walls and roof on concrete slabs. Both of the ones that I made into homes had plumbing run through the slab already, but in the wrong place for the final plan, so I had to move the drain lines.

At one time or another, all of my clients have told me that it was just temporary. Not one of them plan on staying in there forever. I think most plan on renting it out after building the house they really want. I don't think any of them ever will. They put too much money into those buildings already.

If it's just a way to save money, there is some advantage there to a certain point. If it's where you want to live out the rest of your life, build your buildings separate from each other and make each one the best that you can. You will have too many limitations doing both in one building. While we never plan on selling our land, life happens, we get old, we get sick, and sometimes, better opportunities come up. Everything we do to our land should improve the value. A house in a shop adds very little value to your land.

Good stuff Eddie. Was hoping you would join the conversation. I knew you had worked on at least one.

I bought our family farm. I'll never sell it. Whatever structure/structures I put there will be used past my life and my Son's lives at least. So I'm not so much worried about resale value. But I want logic value.

My biggest concern is odor and sound. I pretty much am in my shop all day during bad weather. I do a lot of welding, cutting, grinding metal. I would plan on a "mud room" with door at each end to help control the air exchange. No walk thru door directly connecting the house/shop. As FM504 offered, adding sound deadening insulation in the shared wall. But is that enough? I've never been in a shared structure. There's not any in my area that would compare to my uses. Several absentee land owners have them and only use the shop as a garage and the house as a hunting lodge.

Anything else you think of for or against please feel free to add. I'll not be offended by any logical advice. Thanks Eddie.

 

[cat fever]

Richard,

I think if you put a cement wall or cinder block wall with a framed and insulated wall on either side between the house and shop the noise would be a non issue. Smell would be a whole other issue, minimal air exchange is the only way I can see to accomplish that.

Look forward to the pictures.