If you had about $30,000 for a shop

[Gary Fowler]

A friend of mine in Baytown Texas tell me that he has priced out all the materials to build a 24 x 40 garage on concrete slab. He poured the slab last year for $4000. The wood frame materials will cost $11,000 for exterior walls,roof, one mandoor and two 10 foot roll up doors. He figures to hire local help to assist him to put up the structure on hourly basis and He will do the electrical himself as he is an electrician. He already has the material to insulate the building and seal the inside with plywood that he got for free, so that cost would be extra to someone building from scratch. (Why cant I ever find anything for free)
His cost is much less than mine for contracted work. I just finished a dried in 14 x 30 addition added to my existing shop (3 walls only) with galvalume roofing and insulated 10 foot garage door with electric opener & 32" mandoor but no interior insulation, finishing or electrical (I wired it myself for about $60 worth of material). With 6" slab in the 14x30 and additional outside wash down slab of 14 x 18 the final cost was $8300. The concrete cost my contractor $82 per cubic yard and he layed and finished it himself with one carpenter and a little help from me. Labor in Houston area is readily available on hourly rate, but in Bismarck, not so much, so you pretty much have to use a contractor or do it all yourself.

 

[dfkrug]

In my part of the world, you definitely have to apply a fire stop for code. It's not that the foam is overly flammable, it's that the gases will drop you VERY fast.

What if you built a barn?

In the US, the standard for the smoke rating is red oak, and the
EPS has a higher smoke-developed quantity, but a LOWER toxicity index.
These ratings had to be stamped on the ICBO-rated products.

Generally, in the US, any ICF room attached to a house (incl basement,
garage, or crawl space) needs fire protection. Usually 1/2" gypsum
drywall. Some jurisdictions don't know or care, however.

A cost analysis vs. wood frame or steel frame needs to look at a lot
of variables, not just the cost of a 2x4 DF vs. one ICF. When I built,
I considered a "quick" panelized wood garage-like structure, and a steel
frame kit, but doing it myself with ICFs actually saved a bit of money.
I wanted insulation so it does not get too hot inside, and I wanted to
have a supported ridge beam for my hoist/trolley. A ridge beam
essentially required using simple rafters, rather than trusses. Cheap
and easy to lift into place.

Since the walls are concrete, the back wall can retain 4 feet of earth;
a framed building would have required a separate rewall or a LOT more
grading.

As for hydronic heating, REDNECK is correct: the thermal mass makes
it take a long time to heat up and cool down. I have a thermal probe inside
my wall, and it takes a good 2-3 days for them to get close to
ambient temp, even with the door and window open all day.

 

[timswi]

You got a good deal. Now days you would have $3000 in just the concrete not including the labor.

Chris

Yeah concrete is more now..I used about 22 yards..I think is was right around 100 per yard, but I didn't really care at the time.

 

[kiotiken]

What if you built a barn?

Very good question, I have no idea. Maybe it's different if there are no living quarters in there, I'll have to look into when I finally get to the planning phase of my shop.

 

[Wnc3]

40 x 60 x 14 is a nice size. Just finished it.
Just the structure was about 21 k but once we added over hang on the long walls and end walls, full insulation, and vents it was 27 k.
That is no foundation and no labor and no electrical.
I have been trying to get this done for 5 yrs for 30 k. And finally just went for and are way over that. But I just wanted clear span and quality and fast construction once we started.
There are a lot of good suggestions here.
Here are mine:
all concrete floor
Clear span
Minimum 14' eave height.(you can add a porch or lean to later)
If you do a pole barn, prep the cocrete to support the post when they rot off.
( they will rot, I don't care what they say)

If I had to do over I might go 40 x 80

 

[varmint]

This is a great thread! Lots of experience being reported, and things to consider. I did epoxy the slab when we built our shop 10 years ago, and I am perfectly happy with how easy it cleans up. Sure, it can be slippery when wet, but when paint or oil gets spilled, no problem. As for the radiant heat, the advice is good... I would love radiant heat IF I were spending a lot of regular work time in the shop, otherwise, the time lag is as they have said. You could just lay PEX tubing before you pour the slab, as insurance, for not too much extra cost- it isn't rocket science to size the tubing, as long as you get enough of it and big enough for your runs. I would put my money into insulating the slab, with at least 2" of Dow board for 4' min. all around the perimeter, even more if possible, because you can't go back later when you have cold feet. Hopefully, you will get years of good service from your building, so do it right when you can.