Shop size... and why? Recommendations

[joeu235]

Mine is 40 x 60 with 14 walls. I would make it 16 foot walls if I did it again. If i need more space in the future, i plan on adding a lean to roof on the back side

 

[Barnbuilder]

Structure and floor I would figure about $25 sqft. I just priced out 60' wood trusses at $300ea.

 

[dstig1]

I did 32x80', 13' walls. 4/12 pitch, simple gable on the 32' end. The reason for 13' was i wanted to make sure I could fit a car lift in there. I have no RVs nor any desire to ever own one, and no need for any equipment larger than my L-series Kubota, so there are 2 doors on the gable end, 10x10' I went with the high lift door tracks so they aren't in my way (that lift again). i have a man door around the corner and one more garage door on the side way towards the back for occasional access to the rear shop. I divided it roughly 30' in front and 50' in back, with the front part being the "garage" where i park the tractor and truck and do car and metal work. Rear section is the wood shop. Slab is nominally 5" thick, but is thicker in spots as I was not the best grader... I did a frost protected foundation for the slab so there is insulation around the perimeter. I also insulated below the slab with R20 (2" XPS foam x2) as I put radiant tubing in the floor for heat, ran off a small on-demand water heater. Fully insulated and sheetrocked, painted white, truss roof with blown in insulation. As Eddie noted, I am boxed in from expanding as I am very limited on buildable sites on our land. The house got one, the shop got another and there is theoretically one more area you could build, but it is a lousy location, and that's all there is. I did what i could but could not go any bigger really. So far it has been fine, but organization has been critical - lots of shelves and some pallet racks. 200 A service and I did run water to it for a hose, but there was no way to reach the septic from the shop so no bathroom at all. That is my one huge regret. A toilet and sink would make it perfect, but there is no real way to make it happen. Wider would also be nicer but I do Ok with the width.

My $0.02

 

[marchanna]

You put up a fabric building with steel frame. That will cut down on the cost a lot and give you as much space as you need. Later on you can alway foam insulate the inside to give it permanent stability and reduce heating cost or sell it and build a conventional structure. I’m kinda in the same boat right now, I want an additional storage building/shop but I don’t want to spend the money. Fabric buildings are very cost effective.

 

[ustmd]

It doesn't matter how big you built it, next year it will be too small.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Mine is 40x60x15. Total under roof with lean-to and awning extension is 52x84. It gets full quick but I keep nearly everything tractor related in it. Used to keep the box blade and bucket or forks but the they are outside now. It痴 nice keeping everything out of the sun.

Brett

 

[finn1]

I built a 32’x54’ garage near the house a number of years ago. It has 13.5’ ceilings in the 24’x32’ area dedicated as shop space and 10’6” ceilings in the parking area.

I outgrew it so I bought a building down the road with a 48’x75’ footprint and 16’ ceilings. Part of the footprint included a 16’x60’lean to.

You guessed it; I outgrew it so I added a 12’x10’ door to the lean to last year, making it usable space.

Advice: Consider the ceiling height carefully. The 16’ ceilings are great, but I built my original garage / shop with the stepped ceiling and roof height in minimize heating requirements in spaces used only for parking.

Consider hvac requirements. Both of my buildings are set up for in floor heat, although only the larger one has the system installed. In floor heat is very expensive to run, based on my experience in a cold climate and well insulated building. The issue is that it is a 24/7 system, with slow response not well suited to setback strategies.

Comfortable, but inflexible.

Consider door location if you are in snow country. Gable end doors are preferred, especially with steel roofs.

Add plumbing for a bathroom, and consider a shower if you have messy hobbies. Allocate an area for a small kitchen and break area, which can be sealed from the shop with a door.

 

[mcfarmall]

16' sidewalls. I put 14 foot side walls and my camper was to tall because the doors could only be 12'. I know/think sooner or later you will get something taller especially running a farm.

With minimum 16' walls you can put a deck on a section if needed and both upper and lower will have 8' ceilings.

What Deere Dude said!! 16 foot sidewalls.

 

[ultrarunner]

My perfect shop is 40x96 with multiple roll-up doors... too bad it is not mine.

Picture 40x72 for equipment and a 40x24 for metal working and repair area... the large gable end door allows for a center isle which can be a real time saver in that any piece of equipment should be easy to get out with minimal effort and 40 wide is about the minimum to do this right.