My garage/workshop/machineshed/truck garage/b.s. area

[flusher]

Well Lighting is going to be a big concern, I was even thinking about some sky lights but I don't know about those yet. Thanks for the ideas, I'll take anything I can get)

So anybody who isn't sitting down should, and anybody that is taking a drink better set it down for a second.

I called general steel back yesterday, and they about floored me. I had talked to a regional dealer and he quoted me around $12/SF and I am thinking that that was for the building materials only. Then the guy at corporate told me "sure we can do anything you want basically. We can do it for roughly $35/sf installed." I was like *&@#!! I know labor is expensive and steel isn't getting any cheaper, but ***. SO, on that note, I told the fiance and she said basically said the same thing and that we can ,to quote her, "Build it ourselves." So not only did i get hammered with that price, I am gonna get to learn the fine art of learning to design foundations, steel erection, and all the rest of the nitty gritty for buildings.

I guess I should have seen this coming right?



Mr. Jimi,

I like what you did and I think I have some ideas stewing in the mess of cob webs I have going on.

wushaw
You answered one of my questions before I could even ask it. I was curious what kind of lighting scheme would be simple and bright enough to keep things from looking like a cave.

I hear you. I'm getting quotes on a simple metal hay shed (roof, poles, no sides), 24'x64'x12'H.

Got one bid for $23K (building only, not including concrete foundation posts) that shows $18K for material and $2.6K labor. My should-cost for material is about $9K using retail prices.

If I can't budge these builders off those material markups, I'll be building it myself.

 

[firefighter9208]

Hard to imagine something more fun then planning something like this.
I agree with some of the others that 14' clear height would be good. Mine is 12' and some of the hay wagons have been stacked to high to fit. Also I used to have a gooseneck horse trailer that wouldn't clear with a standard sized rooftop HVAC. I would make sure that at least one bay was long enough for your longest trailer with tow vehicle attached.
My "bridge crane" is home made, but I find it pretty handy for my car hobby.
The lean-to is handy for storage especially when implements are wet/snow covered/muddy. Keeps some of the dirt out of the barn.
Have fun!

RedNeckRacin,

The lean-to in picture #2 is the type I was talking about. Turn the building so the lean to is on the side away from the prevailing winds. Then you should have no problems with snow drifting in.

Chris

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Thanks for the advice guys, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.


Flusher,

I agree that the markup on materials is outrageous I mean supposedly I talked to general steel's corporate head quarters and he said he was going to give me a deal to cut out the middle man. I have a feeling though that someone isn't telling the truth somewhere. I am gonna have to run some rough calcs and pin him down to get some honest answers out of him.


Davkir

What did you use to come up with the sizing for it? I got a design sheet from my prof about a bridge crane in a steel mill but that is completely overkill since I don't even want an electric travel motor. They had me figuring shock factor and everything else under the sun haha I agree though that planning this is turning out to be alot of fun. I just keep cringing when I think about what I am going to end up paying for it.


wushaw

I know what you mean by cave, I have another friend with a 40X80 dungen.

I have four skylights that work very well but if I had to do it all over I would have the skylights installed on the vertical side of the south side of the building due to the leak potential or already have with skylights on the roof.

Without skylights of some kind you will need to use lights anytime you can't open up several doors.

The only time I ever need any light during the day with door closed is during heavy cloud cover which is not too often here.

Thats exactly what I wanted to hear ) I think that having the skylights would be a high initial cost but would pay off greatly since energy prices aren't going to be getting any cheaper from what I can see.

Chris,
thats not too bad of an idea. I was thinking that I wanted to bring everything in side but since you mentioned all the crap(pardon the pun) that comes along with it. Maybe it would be a better idea to just let it set outside?

Jim,
I'm sure I am going to need to run few things past everyone so I don't do something too stupid. )



I still would love to go steel but I think I am going to need some more funding even with two of us working. Anybody know of small business grants or agricultural grants? I mean I don't even need the money for a few years(emphasis on few >5) so time is not of the essence here. I just think that my big head is gonna get my wallet in serious trouble if i'm not careful )

 

[davkir]

Davkir

What did you use to come up with the sizing for it? I got a design sheet from my prof about a bridge crane in a steel mill but that is completely overkill since I don't even want an electric travel motor. They had me figuring shock factor and everything else under the sun haha I agree though that planning this is turning out to be alot of fun. I just keep cringing when I think about what I am going to end up paying for it.

I tried to think about all the ways I might use one. Including backing my trailer under it and unloading implements and car parts, pulling engines, flipping over chain harrows with out taking it off the tractor...etc. Mine is long enough to span a car body lengthwise and I have two chain hoists for it.
I estimated the max. load on center and a split load on both hoists and calculated the appropriate size beam.
(And then bought one the next size up!!!)

 

[RedNeckRacin]

davkir

Well I already have a load of 3 ton max that I could even remotely come up with but even that is prolly overkill. (I have a habit of doing that ) I already found out what my max shear, and moment forces would be but I didn't know if I needed any special considerations with the flanges. After all I never designed one before. I figured that a manufacturer would have a load rating for their trolley and a reccomended beam size but I haven't gotten that far yet. I think I did the calc for a 20' beam but that was just a rough guess. I'm still working on final dimensions and layout for what I think I am gonna need. But the calc I did seemed way way to simple ) Just drew some shear and moment diagrams.

cliffnotes: 6000lb bridge crane. Maybe overkill?

 

[RobS]

Honestly RNR, I'd lean towards skipping the bridge crane. Other than the cool factor, and fun design project, it may not be as useful as you'd think. If you have a tractor (that's why you're really here, right?) with forks you'll have 80% of it covered and forks will be much easier for moving materials and stuff around. Little wonder warehouses are loaded with pallet racks and fork trucks.

For the other 20%, you can improvise or go specialized. I had previously mentioned a twin post lift which is darn handy for car work but it can also be used for other lifting chores within it's limits. Hooks on your loader bucket can handle a lot too.

Naturally, your needs will differ but for me, I'd be tripping over a crane much more than I'd be using it. Food for thought anyway.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

RobS,

fair enough, I thought it would be pretty useful. And you are correct. I am here because of the tractor. (I don't own my own yet but I have driven my share) I definately plan on having pallet forks and hooks on the bucket. Ah well, see thats why I come to you guys ) You prolly just saved me a couple grand! Which is fine cause I need all the help I can get.


Anybody else have something they wish they would have included or something that was useful that they saw somewhere else?

 

[MrJimi]

And if you build a second floor like I have, you will have one. Mine is 16" tall 36# per foot beam

 

[getindirty]

I hope that your boss and girlfriend won't miss you, because once you build it you will never want to leave. Here is a planer it is kind of lame but it should/could help. Build as big as your wallet allows. You will find stuff to put in it. The ceilings should be as tall as you can afford to heat. I did a 40' wide with 6.5/12 pitch roof that gave me 16' wide by 7' high second floor. That was the largest truss that they could ship. Have fun.

FBiPlanner - design building floor plans online

 

[mjncad]

Red:

I'm hoping to build a 60 x 40 outbuilding on the property we purchased in December 2007. It will have three 20' bays along the 60' side with a minimum of two 12' wide doors in the end bay to drive in/drive out. I'm planning on one bay (400 sf) for a work shop office, bathroom with shower and a mechanical room. The rest will be used for shop space once the house is built. Yes the outbuilding will go up before the house.

I plan on using high mounted radiant tube heating in the shop area and depending on how high the eave turns out to be will determine whether I use high bay or low bay lighting with fluorescent task lighting at various machines and work areas. I may put high windows or translucent panels along the long walls for day lighting. I would prefer to avoid skylights to save on roof leak hassles. The office bathroom and mechanical room would use some sort of other heat that I haven't decided on yet.

I'd check with your county's building department before building a kitchenette of any kind as they may frown on it, since it gives the bureaucrats the notion the outbuilding is a residence. If you decide on a kitchenette, do it after all the final inspections and C.O. is issued.

As far as mezzanines are concerned, there are plenty of companies making them as kits that are rated up to 125# per square foot. A bridge crane would be cool; but a mobile gantry crane may serve your needs and be much cheaper.

I have a ton of links for steel buildings and pole barns. Feel free to PM me for a list of links.

Up the street from me is a guy who messes around with semi trucks for a hobby. His largest outbuilding is listed at just under 11,000 square feet on the tax records. I estimate it's at least 180 feet long.

Keep us informed of how your large building plans progress.