My MEDIUM sized shop

I've had big shops, and I've had small shops.  They both have their advantages and disadvantages.   Too small means not enough space to get stuff done.  Too big means clutter will accumulate, and there still won't be enough space.  Maintenance is harder (because bigger).  Plus, a TON of space will be dedicated to crap.  I really liked my tiny wood shop, but I couldn't do anything with cars at all, and I had to precut plywood outside.

Now I'm starting to consider retirement, and I want a shop that fits my needs.  I have 2 primary uses- cars and woodworking.  Those 2 activities don't get along.  Oil in my woodworking finishes is terrible.  Sawdust in my engines is worse.  Cars take much more space than woodworking projects.  I figure a car project needs approximately 3X the size of the car.  Most woodworking projects will fit on top of a large workbench.

My PRIMARY need is to have a space I enjoy being in, that enables a few projects, and allows me to relax with fun hobby projects (not stress about undone crap that needs doing).  My PRIMARY use will be woodworking projects, with occasional car stuff.

Having sorted that out, I also want to keep my costs down.  I don't want to build the Garage Mahal.  I want a simple (but nice) hobby shop.

After considering my options, I decided to build a hybrid pole barn.  It's the right combination of cost and space, plus I really like the look of the steel trusses combined with the wood posts.

Here's the basic shell:

But that's getting ahead of the story...

My starting point was a really crappy little garage.  I tried everything I could to use it well.  I considered additions, expansions, raising the roof.  Bottom line was the building was too small for anything I wanted, and much too crappy.

The roof was low, the width was narrow, the lean-to was falling off, the approach was steep and badly broken.  The construction was poor to begin with, and time had not been kind.  The final straw was when I noticed how badly cracked the floor was.

I had a solution.

I hired a local pole barn builder.  I decided this was for pleasure, not for stress.  It was NOT gonna be a DIY project.  I was gonna pay someone to make a little time.

He got it up in a day.

Unfortunately, the wait in-between the progress was always the biggest problem.

Looking forward to this!

I keep my woodworking/electronics in a different building than the metal/car stuff. I'll be interested to see what you end up with. Also, I want you to quantify dimensions :)

One of the problems with the original garage was the space behind it.  It was 17' off the fence line, and only needed to be 5'.  The second problem was the elevation was too low, and water came off the neighbor's lot and washed into the building.

I needed to reconsider the grade, reclaim the wasted space, adjust the elevation, and still remember that the original approach was too steep.

So, after the shell was standing, we had to do some adjustments to the grade.  We cut a swale across the rear between the building and the fence line, and continued the swale around the side of the building.  That will rout the majority of the water around, but I wanted a little more insurance.  So I formed a curb around the back to be poured as a monolithic pour with the slab. That will enable me to adjust the grade a bit higher without water running into the building.

Since this will primarily be a woodworking shop, I don't plan on a 2 post lift.  I have a scissor lift, and a set of quick jacks. But I make much too much noise about slab thickness whenever there is a conversation about 2 post lifts, so I had to at least make an effort for a possible future lift (if I ever change my mind).

If I ever have a 2 post, the choice will be BendPak’s GrandPrix Series GP-7.  So I laid out for that, and thickened the slab.

The pier footing at the outside edge is for a column that will support a storage loft.

Watching with interest...  we will be moving when my wife retires at the end of the year, and if I can't find a house with an appropriate shop, I will need to build one.  Really looking forward to no longer having to use a 20x20 residential garage as my 'shop'!

This shop is 28x36, with an additional 12x28 storage loft.  10' high at the lowest point.

I like garage builds.  Lookin good so far!

Don't like being vain, but design is important to me.  I don't want this to look like a basic agricultural shed.

I recessed the floor 3' away from the front of the pole barn.  This will leave the front poles and the first metal truss as part of the EXTERIOR look, not just the interior.  More on that later...

Today was concrete pour day!  Yipee!!

And Voila!  Finished floor.

Recessing the front wall gave me 3 more feet of run, which helped a little with the grade issue.  I also extended the approach ramp much further so it wasn't as steep.  It's still steeper than a wheelchair ramp, but tolerable.

Slick finish slab, with light broom finish on the approach ramp.

Did you buy the trusses and materials then find someone to erect it? Or did you purchase the package from the builder?

What did the labor for erecting the pole barn cost vs. the cost of the materials? I only ask because I'm in the middle of trying to build a 40x60 shop and the prices that I've been quoted for just a 40x60 pole barn (steel truss, 6x6 post, purlins and roofing) have been quite expensive. Labor for install has been about double what the materials cost. I've had multiple estimates of $40,000 total installed for a 40x60 open pole barn with dirt floor. Materials for 40x60 are around $12-13,000 so they're estimating around $27-28,000 in labor.

Construction technique question... Those posts are NOT standard 6x6's you can buy at Home Depot.  They are a higher level of treatment designed for full ground contact structural members.  UC-4B pressure treated.  They are sunk 4' in the ground, and embedded in concrete.

The pole barn cost me $8600 all inclusive.  I upgraded the metal to a thicker gauge, and ordered a custom finish on it.  I could have bought the materials for $5200, but like I said this was not about increasing my stress levels.  I was happy to pay others to do this part.  Concrete was $4800 including my curb at the rear.

In reply to untchabl :

Those numbers are high.  I think I could build that for you for under $30K.

I can buy those trusses direct from the manufacturer, and have a lot of labor resources.

congrats SVreX, that's gonna be nice!

That's all for now. 

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks man!  I'm pretty excited about it!

The shops I've built in the past were for my work.  This one is for ME!

The next few steps will be more DIY

Looking great!  And I'm looking for inspriration.  Hopefully I have need to build a shop in the next year or so, but mine will be for small manufacturing/CNCs..

SV reX said:

Concrete was $4800 including my curb at the rear.

Wow, that pour would cost nearly double that here in AZ.

In reply to Rodan :

...which is why I like living in the South!

Interesting how you are building it. I really like those trusses!