Finally time to pull the trigger . . . starting on the New (much anticipated) SHOP - Build

[conv67bdere]

Should have done this years ago, but I kept putting it off . . . and I'm tired of waiting, so the time has come for me to get started on building my new shop ! !

But . . . there are a few "obstacles" that I'll have to contend with . . . and I had to figure out a way to make this plan work, and I FINALLY ca up with a plausible solution and plan . . .

Where I WANT the new shop to be located, due to "best" location, is right where they planted a small 2 car garage sized shop (where I've been attempting to do my "Mad Scientist Build" on my 67 Belvedere convertible . . . and the style of the shop, that I've always wanted is a traditional BARN style building . . . like this one that I drive past every day on my way to work . . .

The size, that I've finally decided on is . . . the center section will be 26' x 50', and it will have (2) offshoots of 12' - for a total of 50' x 50' on the bottom and another 26' x 50' on the second floor (that'll be for the wood shop).

So the plan . . . Need to build (1) on the offshoots first, so that I can get all the existing stuff OUT of my current shop, and stored out of the weather. Then, take down the existing garage (might take it down and move it - don't know yet) and then build the center section and the other offshoot . . .

And the work started last weekend with (2) fig trees that were growing next to the existing shop and need to be move (one never know when they just "might" be in need of a good fig leaf . . . ). So they got relocated . . .

Dug up the first one, and have it ready to be moved . . .

This darn cart has been a lifesaver for me with all of my projects . . .

One moved, one more to go . . .

Carted and ready to be moved . . .

And their new location on the property - have no idea if they'll survive the transplant, but they sure could not stay where they were . . .

One project done . . . now onto bigger and better things . . .

Oh boy . . . here we go . . .

Here's the design that was done on SketchUP . . . kinda . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

This weekend was spent working on digging the footings for the shop . . .

This was my efforts on Saturday . . . after laying out the stakes and lines . . . Starting is the hardest part . . .

Progress on the footings . . .

Got a good chunk of it done . . . and I'm feeling it too . . . UGH . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

Forgot to mention . . . that rain hit Saturday night, which caused me to stop my progress . . .
and I woke in the morning to this . . . water in my footings . . . not going to let that stop me . . .

And never give up an opportunity to allow the water to help you figure out level ! !
Which is exactly what I did . . . used the water level to figure out how deep the trench needed to be dug . . .

Had to take a little time-out to weld up my shovel . . . cracked it while doing the digging . . .

BTW - the 12' section went considerably faster than the 50' sections . . . DUH ! !
Made to turns, and I'm on the way back . . .

This is what I got done for the day . . . and I'm feeling it in every muscle . . . more work this week (I hope) . . .

That's my partner in crime, Titus, he's an 11+ year old Great Dane that is always by my side when ever I'm outside . . .
And YES, 11+ for a Great Dane is very OLD ! ! !

 

[dadsbee]

Man, I wish we could hand dig shallow footings up here.. vs 5' down.

 

[diesel_lv]

That would take a month to dig by shovel where I live. Ground is nothing but rock/boulders n caliche, which is basically natural concrete.

 

[davek]

I think with the prices of lumber I would hold off but thats me Im cheap. A sheet of plywood here went from $8 to $32 to me thats crazy. My friend bought land and are holding out on building their house because of the increase of prices on lumber. Have fun building and Yep I will be jealous when your finished.

 

[eldubb440]

that is awesome! I absolutely LOVED building my shop; and adding on and improving it over the years....... ENJOY!

 

[Ironbuilt]

Congratulations Larry!! That looks like a lot of work and I am super jealous.

 

[ruffcut]

7/16 OSB or 1/2 CDX ply here is 38 a sheet right now. Don't think I'll be building much right now. Had hoped to attach a 2 stall garage to existing but too expensive at this time! ruffcut

 

[Kern Dog]

What the heck happened to lumber prices? Some blame supply chain hiccups but it seems that would have reared it's effects last summer, not just recently.

 

[PRND21]

Nothing like a good shop to keep you from going insane. At least in my case, anyway. Good luck with your project, looks like great plan.

 

[metaldad]

looks like a great project.
hand digging? you trying to kill yourself?
prefect excuse to buy a small excavator.

 

[hunt2elk]

Hope you can get going on your new shop Larry. But like others have stated, lumber prices are sky high right now.

 

[conv67bdere]

Yeah, I'm working on a plan but it figures the prices would put me on hold . . . Argh !

Story of my life . . .

At least I may get the pad poured and ready - these lumber prices are stupid crazy . . .

If I get this first part done, it could help me to get the rest of the pads done . . . At least be ready to build "maybe when" the prices come back down to something a bit more civilized . . .

Go figure . . . Ugh . . .

 

[Big Bad Dad]

Has anybody checked the cost of building a cinder block building vs wood stud walls lately? I have began to think about doing another garage, but WOW on lumber prices!

 

[747mopar]

Yeah, I'm working on a plan but it figures the prices would put me on hold . . . Argh !

Story of my life . . .

At least I may get the pad poured and ready - these lumber prices are stupid crazy . . .

If I get this first part done, it could help me to get the rest of the pads done . . . At least be ready to build "maybe when" the prices come back down to something a bit more civilized . . .

Go figure . . . Ugh . . .

You figure out how to get it down there and I'll hook you up with some popular.

That would take a month to dig by shovel where I live. Ground is nothing but rock/boulders n caliche, which is basically natural concrete.

Tell me about it! This isn't the first time I've seen guys on here digging these perfectly straight clean footings and it makes me sick... and only a foot deep! I would have pulled half a dozen 24" sandstones out in that stretch not counting the hundreds of small ones, at 4' like we have to go.. no way, I'm renting a backhoe.


Looking good Sasquatch, your long overdo for a bigger garage.

 

[747mopar]

Has anybody checked the cost of building a cinder block building vs wood stud walls lately? I have began to think about doing another garage, but WOW on lumber prices!

I don't know about cinder block but when I built our house 20 years ago concrete was $50 per yd, it's now somewhere around $110. Used to cost $700 for 2 tandem axle loads of #57 limestone for the driveway, now it's around $1,200!!

 

[Moparmann]

Congratulations on starting your shop! I experienced somewhat the same thing when I built mine some years ago. I had a roughly 8x8' storage/tool shed that I had EVERYTHINHG crammed into, and I wanted something bigger. A good friend of mine suggested that I build something big enough to work on my car in, and so my plans mutated; what started out as a 24' x 24', finally came to be 24' x 32'. The small shed HAD to remain in place, until the new one was built. Unlike you, I had to cut a couple of trees and a lot of other 'issues' which make a long and entertaining story, but one TOO long to type out, LOL!! Suffice it to day, the glow of completion couldn't be beat, as a matter of fact, I had to see cars parked in it right away! Good luck on your project, and be sure to get a LARGE bottle of Alleve/Tylenol/Advil, or whatever pain reliever, 'cause you're gonna need it!!

 

[Ceedawg]

Two things I’d do over, REMOVE all trees 75ft from my building, all the dead limbs fall on the roof, one went thru and had to patch. Have a good water supply for sink and toilet. I guess a third, concrete pad around front of building out 30ft

 

[Ceedawg]

7/16 OSB or 1/2 CDX ply here is 38 a sheet right now. Don't think I'll be building much right now. Had hoped to attach a 2 stall garage to existing but too expensive at this time! ruffcut

When I did mine in 07 it was $4.32 a sheet. Did an addition in 13 it was $9.80 I put it off thinking it would come down (after a hurricane) it hasn’t lol