Storing Utility Trailer??

[denverdave66]

Almost everywhere I see people have their trailer's outside in all the weather, snow, rain etc. What is everyone's advice on that? I would like to put it inside but I don't have anything that big to put it in? I thought about putting up one of those carports and put sides on it but dang got over $2,000 in my trailer now I am going to have to spend another $1,000+ for a carport to keep it in? I told my wife we got a 14 yr old boy and a 12 yr old and one of these days they will be 16 and need to park there cars and they are NOT using my garage I told her maybe we just need to build a pole barn and able to park 2 cars, a trailer and my spare truck in. She thought I was crazy!

 

[daugen]

Amen. I had to almost entirely repaint my 14' trailer after only two years. Boy the oem paint sure was thin, and it looked like they didn't use primer either. But it looked nice going out the door...
The worst part was underneath, the cross members had a layer of rust on them and I don't live anywhere near salt water either or use it in the winter. So I wonder if putting a tarp on the whole thing would help, as that might keep moisture in.

Not sure the weather hurts the wood decking that much as long as it drains off ok; sure wouldn't want two feet of snow laying on it.
Sure hope someone has a great idea here, many of us are in the same position. The trailers are basically unattractive too and I while I can hide mine behind a barn, and i do put boards under the tires for storage, every Spring
I just cringe when I look at it. And then go to work on it again. Drew

 

[two_bit_score]

Just build the pole barn Dave. You'll find plenty of needs for it anyway. You'll never regret it.


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[WD40]

Just build the pole barn Dave. You'll find plenty of needs for it anyway. You'll never regret it.


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X2, you will have it full in no time.
Doug

 

[texasjohn]

The time is right to build that barn...you have the need and the extra labor...you'll find the money somewhere...build it as big as possible, it'll fill up not only with trailers and cars and equipment and...

Best reason....the kids will LEARN a lot...about how to work as a team and how to build stuff.

 

[Pops15]

Build the pole barn.....but don't waste it storing the trailer in it.
The trailer will be fine outside if you park it on a couple of planks so the tires aren't in the mud. Cover the tires, and if it has a wood deck keep it treated.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Build an enclosed pole barn and build it minimum of double the size that you think you need and even then it will be too small in a few years. I built a 30x 52 and it got too small in 2 years. Added a leanto enclosure 14x30 on the back this year to get my boat out of the original shop so I would have room to park my truck. Built an extra large garage on the new house but ended up parking wifes car and 2 UTVs in it instead of my truck so I had to rearrange my shop. I dont think you can ever build too large of a garage/shop/barn/storage shed etc. They always seem to fill up in short order.

 

[gumshu]

Just build the pole barn Dave. You'll find plenty of needs for it anyway. You'll never regret it.


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Absolutely! As big as you can build it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I agree with the pole barn. I have a 52x44 and its great but I wish it was twice as big. The biggest mistake me and my neighbor made when building our barns was height. His barn is 30x60 and 10 tall. Mine is 52x44 and 12 tall and neither one of them are tall enough now. We both said we would never own something that tall. Well I bought a boat that is 13'6" on the trailer. He bought a camper, dump truck, and back hoe and not a single one will fit in the barn.

Now, we are good examples on trailers. We both got ours about the same time. His is a year older and sits outside. Mine is a 2004 and sits in the barn. I am on my second set of tires and they are perfect. He is on his third set and will probably need a set this year or next. We have painted his trailer once and replace the deck boards. It needs paint again. Mine has needed nothing. Long story short, keeping it under cover just like a car or anything else makes a big difference.

Chris

 

[s219]

It's a trailer, not a Ferrari! Heck, I don't even park my tow vehicle indoors!

If I had extra space to store my new 7x16 trailer indoors, sure, why not. But I'd have a hard time justifying building something specifically for it.

At least in the case of my older 4x8 trailer, it's been outdoors 24/7 since 2006, and still looks fine to me. The black paint has faded, but that has zero effect on the functionality, and I can't say that "looks" matter to me in the case of a trailer.

 

[KennyG]

My trailers are junk, but I still like to park them in the pole barn, especially in the winter. Since I'm not using them I just pile them full of the stuff I've got in the building (lawn equipment, deck furniture, pool accessories, etc) and that way I'm not losing space.

 

[denverdave66]

I looked at a 30'x40'10' I don't ever plan on owning a dump truck, backhoe or a camper (we never go camping). So I think 10' will be high enough, I was planning on putting 3 garage doors 9x8 in it. It was an QSI built building by the Amish. Built with a 6/12 pitch roof, 2 windows, walk in entry door, 3 garage doors, Microfoil insulation,, wainscoting and concrete floor they wanted $23,000!!! I thought that was pretty expensive. I have no idea if that is a good price or not. I wouldn't mind having it a 30'x50'x10' but I don't know if I could afford that but I don't want to be like 5 years from now saying dang I wish I would have built it bigger.

 

[bp fick]

Everything last longer when stored in a shed or barn.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I looked at a 30'x40'10' I don't ever plan on owning a dump truck, backhoe or a camper (we never go camping). So I think 10' will be high enough, I was planning on putting 3 garage doors 9x8 in it. It was an QSI built building by the Amish. Built with a 6/12 pitch roof, 2 windows, walk in entry door, 3 garage doors, Microfoil insulation,, wainscoting and concrete floor they wanted $23,000!!! I thought that was pretty expensive. I have no idea if that is a good price or not. I wouldn't mind having it a 30'x50'x10' but I don't know if I could afford that but I don't want to be like 5 years from now saying dang I wish I would have built it bigger.

Thats a good price. With concrete, water, and electric I had $35,000 in my 32x52 back in 03. It was not big enough so last sping we blew out the back wall and added 12' more to make it 44 deep. Part of my barn is shop, 16x20.

Chris

 

[denverdave66]

That price does not include water, or electric. Just the building and the concrete. I must have the ground leveled and 3" of rock then they come in and build.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I looked at a 30'x40'10' I don't ever plan on owning a dump truck, backhoe or a camper (we never go camping). So I think 10' will be high enough, I was planning on putting 3 garage doors 9x8 in it. It was an QSI built building by the Amish. Built with a 6/12 pitch roof, 2 windows, walk in entry door, 3 garage doors, Microfoil insulation,, wainscoting and concrete floor they wanted $23,000!!! I thought that was pretty expensive. I have no idea if that is a good price or not. I wouldn't mind having it a 30'x50'x10' but I don't know if I could afford that but I don't want to be like 5 years from now saying dang I wish I would have built it bigger.

That doesnt sound like a bad price. My shop is concrete floor on 1020 {30x30 main shop and 10x12 bathroom}square feet with 1560 feet under roof. Fully wired with 100 amp electrical, 10 ea 4 foot fluorescent lights, fully insulated and walls and ceiling sealed with 3/8" plywood, attic is floored and lighted, one 10 x 8 foot insulated garage door and one 16 foot x 8 foot. It cost me $25K about 4 years ago.
I would recommend not going with any drive thru garage door less than 10 foot. With an 8 foot door, you would need to swing your truck mirrors in to "comfortable" drive in a full sized truck. Since my shop is 30 feet wide, a 16 and a 10 fit just right with 2 feet in middle and one foot of wall on each side. Some building codes might require more side width than that due to wind / snow loading so check that out before you decide on the width.
My addition due to lack of space last year was 14 wide by 30 deep leanto on the back of the existing building. No insulation, no wiring, just a concrete slab and outside parking slab 14x18 and it was $10,500 built by the same contractor who built my shop. Both or them are solid wood construction with galvulume roofing with 9'8" walls. I used 9 foot 2x4 studs and put in a course of CMU blocks around the wall perimeter{2 courses on the leantoo}

 

[Pops15]

I looked at a 30'x40'10' I don't ever plan on owning a dump truck, backhoe or a camper (we never go camping). So I think 10' will be high enough, I was planning on putting 3 garage doors 9x8 in it. It was an QSI built building by the Amish. Built with a 6/12 pitch roof, 2 windows, walk in entry door, 3 garage doors, Microfoil insulation,, wainscoting and concrete floor they wanted $23,000!!! I thought that was pretty expensive. I have no idea if that is a good price or not. I wouldn't mind having it a 30'x50'x10' but I don't know if I could afford that but I don't want to be like 5 years from now saying dang I wish I would have built it bigger.

That's a pretty fair price!
But now you see why most trailers are stored outside.
If you figure the cost per square foot times the square footage your trailer will take, you're looking at roughly 1 1/2 times the value of the trailer for the space it will occupy. That doesn't count the site work, heating and electrical systems (and the cost to run them), increased property taxes, building permit fees. You'll have to decide if the reduced maintenance is worth the expense to you.
That's not saying you shouldn't put up a building. Maybe you need to look into a cheap equipment shed.....lower pitched roof, no windows, gravel floor, or maybe only a partial concrete floor, one big sliding door rather than 3 overhead doors, no insulation. Of maybe a Quonset type shed. They're not much to look at but they're cheap. You can get easy to assemble Quonset kits that you and a few buddies could put up in a few weekends.

 

[clemsonfor]

around here you can get those double carports for like $700 installed. You will be able to spark a smaller vehicle and a 16 ft trailer under it. An 18fter will have the tounge nad maybe some hanging out but most will be covered.

 

[Tomtint]

I have never......ever...heard anyone say they built their garage to big.

 

[Combustix]

Build the garage then build a car port on the side for the trailer