My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build

ultrarunner · Aug 12, 2018

Construction has been flat out crazy... no other way to describe it.

My Deck and retaining wall project had some omissions in Olympia... the revised bid is 95k plus tax and 50% down to start or they will get back to me next year...

I really want to forget the entire thing but I have a tenant with a lease at the property.

What I don't understand a choice 10 acre parcel next to me with 2 old homes sold for $400k... and I am supposed to be happy the contractor can fit me in for a deck and retaining wall for 100k???

Never heard of 50% down... not even legal in California... generally 10% down with progress payments... at least here.

downsizingnow48 · Aug 12, 2018

Cost of concrete problem - can you do footings under the posts and do the slab later?

woodlandfarms · Aug 12, 2018

I have to say as bummed as I am about this nightmare of finding a contractor, I am happy for those who are skilled and getting calls. I have a few friends who lost everything in the downturn and for the first time in a long time I see a smile on their face. That said, they better get my shop up soon....

Down, I am indeed thinking of doing the peir method. It may be my only choice. I did not know you could do a steel building on piers. I thought it had to be a lighter weight building. What I am gathering, though, is that while this method will not save me money, it will get my building up and dry before the rains come, and concrete will slow down and I can get someone up in November or December.

4570Man · Aug 12, 2018

woodlandfarms said:
Well this project has taken a heck of a turn. Not sure where to start. My neighbor came up to break ground on my shop, Got a half dozen trees pulled and then has been working steady 7 days a week for the past 3 weeks. So ground breaking is at a dead stop. On top of this my concrete guy called, he has another huge job and cannot fit me in until next year. I have found another but these guys are all slammed. Crazy busy.

On top of this, I am having HUGE building dilemas. So the guy I was going to buy the steel building from made a couple of mistakes in the design. When I caught them, I was given a new quote and the price went up.. a big up. This happened last week. I contacted another supplier of the building and he is now scrambling for the gig. He knows what he is doing and is working up a quote.

But, and here is where it gets really messed up. My neighbor who builds these huge buildings called me on Friday "How would you like a 80X120 building for half the price of your 45X68?" I am like WTF. He says he knows a guy who ordered an 80X120X20 high for a grow operation and they did not get their grow certificate. now the investors want to dissolve the deal and they are selling off asets. One of the assets was this building. Just delivered, sitting on pallets. Now while I woul LOVE LOVE LOVE an 80X120 I cannot afford the concrete. But my neighbor says, "You can split the building in half and sell one half to someone else" My other neighbor has been looking for an 80X60 so he is totally in on buying it. We have no idea the design, all of this is going to come in the next 48 hours. For all I know the building may have been sold. and I will be back to square one....

Assuming putting up a building that size is even remotely practical there’s no way I’d sell it. I’d concentrate what you can afford and build a wall at that point, and gravel the rest. The wall was to make heating more practical, beside that I’m not a fan of building walls in garages. My grandpa has a 60x80 building with gravel in the whole thing and it’s still way nicer than no building at all. And construction is the same way here. Any already built houses under 200k are selling in a couple days of listing.

EddieWalker · Aug 13, 2018

woodlandfarms said:
... My neighbor who builds these huge buildings called me on Friday "How would you like a 80X120 building for half the price of your 45X68?" I am like WTF. He says he knows a guy who ordered an 80X120X20 high for a grow operation and they did not get their grow certificate. now the investors want to dissolve the deal and they are selling off asets. One of the assets was this building. Just delivered, sitting on pallets. Now while I woul LOVE LOVE LOVE an 80X120 I cannot afford the concrete. But my neighbor says, "You can split the building in half and sell one half to someone else" My other neighbor has been looking for an 80X60 so he is totally in on buying it. We have no idea the design, all of this is going to come in the next 48 hours. For all I know the building may have been sold. and I will be back to square one....

I think this is an amazing deal. The 80 foot width is a bit intimidating, but nothing serious. Since you want all four sides of the building, selling half of it doesn't make any sense. Figure out how big you can go, and then only use the materials that you need. When you are completely done, then sell what's left over.

plowhog · Aug 13, 2018

woodlandfarms said:
My neighbor ... "How would you like a 80X120 building for half the price ... a guy who ordered an 80X120X20 ... Just delivered, sitting on pallets.

I don't know anything about your neighbor, but this tracks almost perfectly with one of the oldest and longest running scams in the steel building industry. "We had a customer cancel his order for a building just about your size, and you can now get it for a HUGE discount." I would be very wary.

I do know someone who bought a building under similar circumstances. When they went to put it together they found two things: 1) a lot of parts were missing, and 2) the manufacturer was out of business and if they wanted to complete the building they had to figure out how to make their own parts.

Good luck to you but I would be wary. You want a building, not a headache.

woodlandfarms · Aug 13, 2018

Thanks Plowhog. Absolutely, was already sold that gimmick from someone else. No, the guy who is the "middleman" is my neiggbor and friend. He is also only a building erector, not a salesman If this goes through he will head over and make sure it is all there. load it personally onto the semi and get it to us. But yeah, I really do appreciate you bringing up your concern.

ovrszd · Aug 13, 2018

downsizingnow48 said:
Cost of concrete problem - can you do footings under the posts and do the slab later?

My first shop was two years old when I poured concrete. Money issue. It sucked getting it in there, but it's doable.

plowhog · Aug 13, 2018

Maybe the building could be a good deal since you have local/inside knowledge about it. Couple of thoughts:

1. I purchased a large steel building within the last year, from a reputable company. To my surprise, during building erection, we discovered numerous missing parts. That fouled the construction schedule until the missing parts could be received. I should have required my builder to inventory the parts prior to construction and if I did that it would have avoided some gritty problems. So in your case, I would really scrutinize the building (with your neighbor) to make sure it is complete. My missing parts were provided at no charge since it was a short shipment problem. Not sure how that would work in this circumstance since you would not be the original purchaser.
2. During erection and before signing off on the final inspection, the building inspector wanted to see all the building drawings and engineering, and he made sure they were all stamped by a licensed engineer in my state (which they were.) He actually found one missing support piece-- which I had shipped to me and installed just in time to get a final signoff. If you buy a complete building package but then only erect part of it, I'm not sure how it would work since the engineer approves the completed design, not necessarily partial designs.

Anyway, good luck with it. I'm sure you will get great enjoyment when you finally get a building up and are able to get the productive benefits from it!!