First Things First

[seafari25]

Dave I hear ya on the no time to finish projects. I've been building my garage for a few years now, in between travelling 10 months of the year. I'm at about the same stage as you although I havn't started electrical yet. It sucks tripping over an extension cord running from the house all the time anyway that's a great looking shop and notice I called mine a garage...8' doors over here. I know you guys like the 12' doors and might make fun but I'll be mostly tinkering on the old plymouth in there, and small boats. Looking forward to your 25 project.

Ken you said 31000? I'll say that's cheap. Mine's less than half the size and I already have 27000 into mine and did everything myself, except the foundation, and still have a long way to go. Of course, I'm talking Can.funds

Nice shops boys
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And ya if I did it again, I would've used plywood on the front side of the roof. It was a few months before I got the shingles and besides, I hear that OSB will swell, even if it doesn't get wet before you put the shingles on. Live and learn. Hey I'm just a railroader not Norm Abrams

[Blue_Heron]

An extension cord from the house wasn't an option for me. It's over 300', and the voltage drop would be a problem.

With the exception of finishing the slab and installing the roll-up door, I did all the work myself with the help of a friend who's willing to work for steak dinners and cocktails. Scavenging the fixtures and equipment saved me a pile of $$. I'll have around $15K into it when it's done, but it's small, 720sf enclosed, 1200sf overall. The pole barn was purchased as a kit and is engineered for 110 mph wind load as is the roll-up door. If I were closer to the coast as Ken is, I think I would have gone with reinforced masonry construction too.

Dave

[uncleboo]

Nice work! I see nothing wrong with dumpster diving, (as long as you don't find any bodies). My wife hates for me to go to the trash dump. Seems I come back with more than I took! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] However, I always put it to good use.

[jeff6645]

I went with my dad to the dump one time and we can back with a fully functional commercial printing press and several cases of new nut and bolts... been hooked ever sense.

[Blue_Heron]

Power company came out and set the meter today. I got the Powah.

[BigLew]

Hey Blue Heron;

If you look in the northern sky tonight and see green lights, kinda like the Northern Lights, you'll know it is me and my green envy. Nice shop!!

Did you say what the shop dimensions are and the "porch area" as well? I'd be interested to know. - BL.

[NoBones]

Power company came out and set the meter today. I got the Powah.

Capt. Chuck and Skippertee thank you Dave for keeping that FPL pension check coming every month!

See ya, Ken

[Blue_Heron]

BigLew,
The shop is 24 x 30, the "porch" is 24 x 20.

Ken,
I haven't sent FPL a check since I left Lauderdale 16 years ago. We way out in the woods now, Central Florida Electric Coop. But they don't generate any power, just buy it from the big boys, so some of that power bill may make it to those FPL pensions.

Dave

[seafari25]

There's such great pride in accomplishing a project like that, doing it yourself, when you've never done something like that before. I didn't mention before but I also had my garage doors installed and did have some help to errect my walls. I wish I had some help putting the trusses up. The first 2 were the hardest.

Glad to hear you got the powah...I'll be Rolling the compressor to the house and running the welder off the dryer plug for a while yet

[Fr. Frank]

I've got complete plans for a frame 30'x38' Cracker style "Carriage House"; 2 story, with a compact 3br/2ba upstairs, and below a 12' ceiling 4 car garage/workshop, with two 16'Wx 10'H doors. That'll get the Camper and Seafari inside, and give me an 18'x10' workshop area in front of the vehicle parking area.

By complete plans, I mean even with complete materials list right down to the nails, screws, lumber, texture and paint. I paid $6k to have the plans drawn up in '05.

I've asked four construction companies to bid on building it over the past month. Prices quoted were $97K, $104K, $177K and $310K. The $310K price includes $49K to frame the house. That's $21.50 per square foot. The $97K price includes $14.8K to frame it in, or $6.50 sq.ft. So next I called some guys I know who are framing carpenters, and asked what the going rate was for house framing, and they are currently being paid between $6 and $9 sq.ft. by the contractors here in Citrus County.

I wish I was healthy enough to build it myself.