Southern VA lot - What to do

[two_bit_score]

That building would make a real nice shop!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Hopefully the county will approve.
Mowed lot again today. Saw a nice buck that ran before I could get pic with phone, but my game cam got it.

 

[civilian]

On that photo you showed, think about framing that gable wall as shown, but fill it in with studs and cover outside and inside to match adjacent. That way, if you convert to a shop later, all you have to do is cut it open and not worry about installing headers for the big doors. Jon

 

[buckeyefarmer]

On that photo you showed, think about framing that gable wall as shown, but fill it in with studs and cover outside and inside to match adjacent. That way, if you convert to a shop later, all you have to do is cut it open and not worry about installing headers for the big doors. Jon

Definitely will frame for future garage door.

 

[ning]

On that photo you showed, think about framing that gable wall as shown, but fill it in with studs and cover outside and inside to match adjacent. That way, if you convert to a shop later, all you have to do is cut it open and not worry about installing headers for the big doors. Jon

A+

When we built way back when, we had a big room that our sons shared; we'd framed in a doorway and had it laid out to work well as it was - one long room with closets at either end - and then a few years later split it into two separate bedrooms when they actually wanted their own space. I'm a big proponent of thinking ahead to how you want things now and also how you're likely to want it later.

Don't forget to route the electric wires up and around the future big doors spots!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

With my current house, I planned on adding the garage later so I stubbed out footers and walls from my basement to tie them together

When I built garage I put new footer and wall 5 ft from the old, and made a small basement with access from the garage.
You can see the old and new.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

So I have 2 price quotes. Here's the gist of them.

quote 1: $X
24x36x10
porch 6x36x8 w/ metal ceiling
3 ply 2x6 posts
4/12 pitch 24" oc truss
2 man doors, 36" 9lite composite
10 3x5 windows
12" overhangs
bubble vapor barrier.
sturdi-wall brackets
stamped drawings
No concrete or foundation included

Quote2: $X+24K
24x32x10
porch 10x32x8 with metal ceiling
4x6 poles treated, 8' oc
8/12 pitch 24" oc truss
2 man doors 36" Fiberglass
8 3x5 Pella windows
Ceiling liner access door
12" overhangs
R21 in walls
bubble vapor barrier
R38 Ceiling with Ceiling liner panels
Standard pole foundation
stamped drawings
gutters and downspouts

quote 2 concrete: 15K
4" 3500psi concrete including porch
sealer
4" stone base
R10 floor insulation, 24" perimeter insulation.

I was expecting quote 2 to be lower than quote1 from previous quotes from them. Was surprised at the larger amount, but it does include insulation and ceiling panel, but smaller building. Quote 1 advised spray foam insulation to meet blower test.
I've asked quote 2 to meet 24x36x10 with 8 ft porch.

I'm going to get quote from a 3rd local place that sells barn kits (I bought my 30x48x12 from them several years ago for $10K). they also have some builders they work with.

There's another place I want to get a quote from also.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I got a quote for the material for the build, 24x36x10 with 8x36x8 porch. $16K delivered to site. Quite a markup for the labor from the other 2, especially quote 2. Wonder if the Amish crew from PA that did work for me before would go to VA? I could put them up in hotel for a couple nights and still probably save $10k. Something to think about.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

today i took the laser level and staked out a 24 x 36 area in my side yard, marked with blocks for visual, and I put pins in the ground with marker tape. It looks small, but then I go in my 24 x 28 ft garage, and I think of what 8 feet added to it would look like, and it looks like a nice cabin. my camper is 8 x 25, so about 4.5 times the camper space.

 

[3Ts]

I’m switching back to more of a smaller cabin approach. Got feelers out on a 24x(32-36)x10 cabin with a couple pole barn builders, that have done residential.
Similar to this without garage doors, on a slab.
Might just do metal ceiling with blown in insulation, and tongue and groove wood interior walls.
Then if we decide to move there, will build a larger house later and could use this as a shop. View attachment 810522

My wife & I built our "cabin" 10 years ago while we were in our early 60s. It is 24x36x10 with a 4/12 pitch roof and a shallower pitch over the porch. It looks just like your photo without the garage doors. It is an open plan in that it has no interior walls except for the bathroom, so maybe more appropriate to call it a studio apartment. Full kitchen and full bath. We lived in a camper for a year while we built it. With us doing the work we have it very well insulated. 2x6 walls with spray foam and 3/4" foam sheet on exterior with an air gap then the siding over that (google for rain screen). We installed an 18k BTU air conditioner which was much smaller than the HVAC companies wanted to install. My calculations indicated a 12k to 15k unit would be sufficient, but I was concerned about going to small. We insulated it better than required and it shows in our reduced electric bill.
My point on this is that these are not that hard to build and you will get a better built building than from someone else.

Think about future expansion and provide for electrical, water, & sewer stubs for future buildings. I have a half bath in the barn along with a washing machine for clothes that my wife doesn't want in her machine. Also a yard light that can be switched from any building.