Building

[Blue_Runner]

In nymack's bored at home thread I mentioned I have plenty of projects to do on my V but really would like to have a good place to do them. You may have heard me mention before that I want to build a workshop. Well I'm about ready to start but 2 things are holding me up.

The first is whether to build a metal building (slab foundation) or a wood frame building (block foundation). Maybe you guys can help me decide. The metal building seems to have a ton of advantages over wood. For example:

1) Goes up faster
2) Cheaper
3) Wide open all the way, by design
4) commercial grade, sturdy as HE!! and there isn't a carpenter bee this side of the Mississippi that could hurt it.
5) I would not have to do a thing building-wise! (probably the best advantage)
6) Low low maintenance

The major disadvantage I see and keep hearing is that it will not look right sitting next to my house. I have a wooden house shaped like a barn. It has wood siding.

The other thing holding me up is clearing trees where the building will be. I have a tremendous amount of work to do including moving things that are on the building site, cutting down many many trees etc. I could have someone come in and do it all for me but would rather save the $ and do it myself. They would have to haul off so many loads of trees it would break me quick. I plan on stacking the wood and burning the limbs. A little hot right now here in nc.

So anyway, I'm open for advice! Wood or metal? What would you do? HELP!

p.s. I'm thinking 36' x 40' w/ 12' side walls, insulated w/ 1 big garage door 10' x 16' on the short side. Plenty of room for my V and a workshop.

[Bygracealone]

Blue, as for whether or not the metal building would look right next to your house, I'm certain that you can make the exterior of the metal building look however you want.

We're about to buy a metal building for our place of worship and we have a ton of options as to what we want the exterior to look like. So, I'm pretty sure you can make it look right.

I would opt for the metal building if I were you.

Just my two cents...

[willy]

If you got the choice Shane, put the metal one up. Seen a couple around here, they are not that common by me. The ease of maintenance alone makes it very appealing and they have some designs where it fits in among homes much better.

the open space of them really makes me smile

[chumbucket]

I've seen some online that unless you were standing next to it, you'd never know it was a metal building. With all the work ahead of you in land clearing, do you really want to invest the time and labor into building a wood framed structure? I'd probably consider a nice metal building myself.

[randlemanboater]

I'd go metal, you can get it any color to compliment your house.

If you have enough trees and they are good for lumber, someone will come cut em for free in exchange for the wood.

[Blue_Runner]

I knew you guys would steer me in the right direction!!!! I've been leaning metal all along...its just everyone in my circle is making me doubt it. My dad has one (metal) going up right now. The frame is up and he is waiting on the insulation to come in so it can be finished. Hopefully it'll be finished soon and I can see more how it will look on the outside. I got an estimate for the building itself from the same place dad got his. It sounded pretty good but it doesn't include labor, cement, or doors etc. but the nice thing is I can figure all that based on dad's project.

P.S. Dad just called while I was typing and his insulation is in. His guy is coming next week to finish the install! His is 40 x 40, 12' side walls w/ 2 10 x 10 garage doors. I can't wait to see it. Should be able to play basketball in it! :oh::party:

[Blue_Runner]

If you have enough trees and they are good for lumber, someone will come cut em for free in exchange for the wood.

Thought about that too Randle. Not really good trees for lumber. Mostly small pines, cedars, small hardwoods. Flyfishin's dad has a sawmill and he once offered to give me a contact for a fella who chips wood for making particle board type stuff. I may look into that to save on my labor.

THANKS GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

[reelapeelin]

Put a floor drain inside where you gonna park the boat for indoor clean up of that purdy lil 21'...it'll come in REEL handy cleanin' out that new bait-tank this winter...


...oh and be sure to put walk-door so no have to raise roll-up everytime ya wanna get in/out...

[Blue_Runner]

Reel, I'm not sure about the drain. I'll have to see what the extra cost is...seems there would be extra cost in finishing the concrete to angle toward the drain. I'll definitely ask. On the doors, yeah there will be doors on at least 2 sides, maybe 3. The garage door may even be an 18 footer. I think with 10' height I can get my boat in there with the enclosure on, which is what I want. Thinking on down the road if I were to add a taller enclosure and/or hardtop I may even go with something more than 10' high to accomodate whatever the future may hold. I'm gonna have to see about costs first and foremost. Great thoughts.

Keep em comin!
:nice:

[lumberslinger178]

Blue dont forget wood is wonderful........

medal is cost effective but dont forget you have to look at it everyday.

Make it match your house,build a second floor loft with a woodstove in it to burn all those trees your gonna cut down while your watching that big screen tv and playing pool on the pool table in that new man cave....haha

Thats just me.....

sotta like this

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n285/lumberslinger178/DSC05393.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n285/lumberslinger178/DSC06420.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n285/lumberslinger178/DSC06421.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n285/lumberslinger178/DSC06449.jpg

:beer:

[spareparts]

I knew a guy that had a 10,000 sq ft metal building as his house. The front end was finsihed with something that looked like white siding,even had traditional looking windows and shutters. It was two levels with a game room on one end adn his bedroom on the other. About a third of the way back, he planted those tall skinny Christmas trees about 10 deep to hide the back two thirds. Driving by, you would never give it anotehr thought, it looked liek any otehr plain white house.The back part of the house was all shop, blue metal siding, open from one end to the other, had one nig roll up door one the end. When he came home from work, the rear door was electric, he just hit the remote, drove in, parked beside the washer and dryer and walked into the kitchen. Soem of teh things he did to save money was he installed all his own insulation, not that hard of a job, but he was able to do it at his own pace after the building was up inside without worry of weather. He also did all his own plumbing for the shop, not that hard to do, especially when everything is open adn easy to get to. He pulled his own wireing and had an elctrician finish the hook ups. One of the neatest thing he did was after he ran all the drains for the floor(had four I think), he laid out pipe going back and forth from one end of the shop to the otehr so, when they poured teh concrete, it was all incased in the floor, when it was finished, he had the pipes plumbed to a pump that circulated antifreeze mixture thru the pipes, up to the roof thru a solar radiator and back down, during the winter, iot was just enough to keep the concrete warm, that with radiant heaters was all he needed during the winter time to work in the shop.

[nymack66]

Wow looking at your plan for this project gets my blood flowing, I am sure Metal or Wood you will have a workshop you will enjoy and love..
I like Skool's idea on the drain ..
Good luck and be sure to post pictures on the project.

[Blue_Runner]

Blue dont forget wood is wonderful........

medal is cost effective but dont forget you have to look at it everyday.

Make it match your house,build a second floor loft with a woodstove in it to burn all those trees your gonna cut down while your watching that big screen tv and playing pool on the pool table in that new man cave....haha

Thats just me.....

Leave it to Slinger!!! MJ - ban this guy!!

[Blue_Runner]

Spare, I know of a guy that did that too. You could have a whole lotta house for the money.

[randlemanboater]

I changed my vote!

[Blue_Runner]

MJ - ban him too!! :booty: