My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build

   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build #11  
A home assembled in a factory, set on wheels and pulled to your lot by a truck. Where would anyone get the idea to call that a trailer house? :confused3:

I remember people arguing about this many years ago. A lot of people have them today so they must be pretty good homes.
 
Last edited:
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build #12  
Subscribed...

Last weekend I was in Olympia meeting with contractors.

Still in sticker shock and timeline is pushed way out for all of them.

This is for replacing 1200 square feet of deck and consistently 65 to 80k range from those that bid... most said too busy and that was that.

I've built garages, additions, gutting homes to the studs, excavated basements, set concrete retaining walls, etc... so I have a little experience... distance is the real problem in that the project is in WA and I am in California.

Those that have kept costs to a bare bones minimum and not doing the work themselves find a advertised plan from an area builder and go without making any changes because the changes/deviation add up fast.

Carl, as you are finding out contractors up here are maxed out on work. One big problem that introduces delays is that subcontractors are short on help and are worse that the generals on time lines. It is all a big crap shoot for the general contractors to establish a time they can live with. This is also creating a quality problem as everyone is taking short cuts and the workers they can get have marginal qualifications. AHJ's inspectors are also so loaded they sign off w/o really looking at it; especially for contractor's they know.

The minute the word "custom" gets into the scenario the price goes up and interest goes down. Contractors are picking and choosing. Contractors know that owners wanting something outside their pre-concieved box tend to be picky and bird doggers, especially once they percieve they are not a construction novice. Sub division work is really ooming and they are cookie cutter jobs they build over and over. Start modifying a standard design and the same thing happens.

If I was 10 years younger I would solicet you to be your PM, sorry I am enjoying reirement. As you are not on site; I recommend you hire someone to represent you interest. Once it is covered it is too late to complain. The architect is the last guy you want to do that. I consider it to be a conflict of interest problem, especially if they pick the builders and subs.

Ron
 
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build #13  
Yup, you're dead on the mark. We're wrapping up the tail end of our house build and *every* single subcontractor was 2-4 weeks over/behind. Took what was supposed to be a ~4-6mo build into 12mo.

Haven't seen that much of an issue with permitting up in NW WA. Our framer was good but inspector was more than happy to fail the plumbing(2x), underfloor and footings(2x). So they may be trying to work fast but county is keeping them honest.
 
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build
  • Thread Starter
#14  
So to complicate matters I am in the midst of a movie in Toronto so at the moment I am managing from afar. My one neighbor, who is doing my ground work, has GC'd a number of government buldings. My other neighbor is one of the well known steel building erectors in the area.

So to all, I do get that it is easier to bid something you have done as opposed to something you have not done. Eddie, you are absolutely right and I came very close to just building a more conventional structure. And in the end you are going to be right, the lines of the building will be harder to see. Siding will be critical to the modern motif. I saw this the othr day, it was really an interesting idea for siding. But this quote is now at the price of normal pitched buildings.

Siding Idea.jpg

But taht would be for down the road, not for the immediate.

Thanks for the notes on structure issues. I can live with some of the adjustments that have been made on the plan but there are a couple of deal breakers I need to work with the building supplier on. The one big flag for me right now is that my plan was to put this on posts like a pole barn foundation. But as there are two sets of posts only 2 feet apart I am wondering if the foundation design will allow for posts. It feels like the red steel might come back into favor.

Yeah, there is a lot of construction going on. The story I get is that the downturn chased a lot of people out of the building trades, and there just is not a lot of qualified labor. On top of it, the current regime has curbed a lot of labor from coming across the border.

Well, crazy day today, showing the crew all of our locations... long brutal days this week.
 
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build #15  
Woodlandfarms,


I looking forward to following your progress and I like your aesthetic.

I don't know if you follow Frank Howard on YouTube (architect and woodworker)

Here is a video of him building his shop (very similar to your design):

Building The Woodshop - YouTube
 
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build #16  
A home assembled in a factory, set on wheels and pulled to your lot by a truck. Where would anyone get the idea to call that a trailer house? :confused3:

I remember people arguing about this many years ago. A lot of people have them today so they must be pretty good homes.


Here's my manufactured home. 1800 sq ft, 3BR, 2BA on a permanent foundation. Installed in 2005 on my 10 acre ranch.


Flagpole 1.JPGDSCF0118 (Medium).JPG
 
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build #17  
A home assembled in a factory, set on wheels and pulled to your lot by a truck. Where would anyone get the idea to call that a trailer house? :confused3:

I remember people arguing about this many years ago. A lot of people have them today so they must be pretty good homes.

I've lived in a Wausau (modular) house for 40 years. It's an excellent house. Very effective design. Very efficient structure.
 
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build
  • Thread Starter
#18  
Well, hit a roadblock today. got my plans for the shop and the concrete post requirements are a bit steep. One document said 12feet deep, the other 6 feet. I have an amazingly strong post hold digger so 6 foot is not an issue.. 12 is. My hope was that I don't have to put down concrete right away as it will cost me far too much...

I just got this from the building supplier.. Now he is saying 6 foot


Piers:

Sidewall Foundation Estimate

6' - 4" deep pier with diameter of 2' - 0". (2)-#4 reinforcing required, with the following additional
requirements: IN ADDITION TO ONE LAYER (HOOP) OF 6 X 6-W1.4 X W1.4 WIRE MESH

Endwall Foundation Estimate

5' - 0" deep pier with diameter of 2' - 0". (1)-#4 reinforcing required, with the following additional
requirements: IN ADDITION TO ONE LAYER (HOOP) OF 6 X 6-W1.4 X W1.4 WIRE MESH

Slab/Footing

Sidewall Foundation Estimate

4" slab with 1' - 8" deep and 1' - 6" wide thickened edge, with (1)-#4 reinforcing at the top of the
slab edge, and (1)-#4 reinforcing at the bottom of the slab edge

Endwall Foundation Estimate

4" slab with 1' - 6" deep and 1' - 0" wide thickened edge, with (1)-#4 reinforcing at the top of the
slab edge, and (1)-#4 reinforcing at the bottom of the slab edge


So what are people seeing as concrete costs? Up here it has been all over the place. The best price was 4 a square foot for a pole barn slab and 7 for a monolith pour. Thoughts?
 
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build #19  
Have you looked at Web Steel, out of Sandy, OR?

Web Steel Buildings

They have a rigid frame, shed roof, in their portfolio.
 
   / My (hopefully) Modern Shop Build
  • Thread Starter
#20  
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....
 
 
Top