[Rambo_The_Dog]

Hi All!

I looked at a property yesterday that has me intrigued and scared at the same time!

3 combined lots of about 1/3+ acre, 1050sq ft house (nothing special here at all) but has a 2400sq ft shop!

The shop is an awesome space (60x40) less than 10 years old and in very nice cosmetic shape - but has no real wiring, no lighting, no heat, and no insulation in the walls (the roof is insulated).

The building has eletrical service to it - but the previous owner who died 3 years ago had started cobbing together an office or bathroom so the work is not permitted or very good for that matter!

Anyone have some ballparks on what it might cost to get the 2400 sq ft "storage space" functioning as a shop?

My gut is thinking it would be $7500-$15000 for electrical, insulation, sheet rock, paint, compressor, airlines, lighting and heat.

[OneMoreTime]

I would say closer to the 7500 figure myself..that drywall job is simple as it is just 4 walls and a lid.insulation well that you can put up yourself if inclined..

On the wiring a lighting circuit or 2 ..a utility circuit (20amp) for power tools..a compressor circuit..a welder circuit and there you go..

Pretty much a slam dunk kinda job as far as I can see fromwhat you wrote..

Sam

[low budget rodder]

Originally Posted by Rambo_The_Dog

Hi All!

I looked at a property yesterday that has me intrigued and scared at the same time!

3 combined lots of about 1/3+ acre, 1050sq ft house (nothing special here at all) but has a 2400sq ft shop!

The shop is an awesome space (60x40) less than 10 years old and in very nice cosmetic shape - but has no real wiring, no lighting, no heat, and no insulation in the walls (the roof is insulated).

My wife and I are building from scratch... with 3 acres and building a 48'x72'x16' at the eves with a 5/12 roof pitch (3,456 sqft footprint).

Is yours a 1 or 2 story?

I find that no matter how big your garage is, it will never be big enough!

Once we filled it with cars, we needed a 2nd floor for the parts (2nd floor cost $15,000)

Originally Posted by Rambo_The_Dog

The building has electrical service to it - but the previous owner who died 3 years ago had started cobbing together an office or bathroom so the work is not permitted or very good for that matter!

Anyone have some ballparks on what it might cost to get the 2400 sq ft "storage space" functioning as a shop?

My gut is thinking it would be $7500-$15000 for electrical, insulation, sheet rock, paint, compressor, airlines, lighting and heat.

The price of building materials suck right now, and I have a feeling that it is not getting better.

My wife and I are doing 90% of the work ourselves on our barn, so most numbers I am giving you are just materials.

Copper is expensive, so prepare to spend at least $1500 for electric wire, outlets and boxes. Lighting is approximately $10 per 4' 2-bulb fluorescent fixture.

If you are doing plumbing out there, add what you need to in copper, but you are looking about $21 per 10' section of 1/2" tube. You could use this for air but black iron is a little cheaper (about $16 per 10' section)

PEX tube for plumbing isn't so bad for water plumbing. The tool to crimp the ends is approx. $100 but the tube cost is less expensive. (do not use for air lines)

We are actually waiting on our material bids for insulation. This will vary based on where you live. In NY, it is recommended at least an R38 in the ceiling and an R19-R21 in the exterior walls. R13 runs $10.50 per roll R19 runs approx. $30 (to cover approx. 40sqft) Icyenine is very expensive (5 digit cost for our building) and blown in "dense pack cellulose" is the price we're waiting for.

As for heat, if you look… you could find a used waste oil burner for $1500-$5000 for a building that size. (New $5000 to $15,000 for that size building) and you can get oil from the local shops and auto part stores. My wife and I are doing radiant floor heat throughout the building. As for cost, since I am doing it all... about $14,000.

Sheet rock runs $11-15 per 4x8 sheet, paint $30 per 5 gallon pal, etc...

Remember, these numbers do not include wire nuts, nails, screws, staples, "mud" and tape for sheet rock, drill bits, saw blades, bathroom construction materials (if you are putting on in the shop), and your time.

Oh, a little 30gal craftsman air compressor - $250-$300 to a larger 60gal compressor ~$850 (you could probably get a better deal from harbor freight)

2 post car lift $2,500 - 4 post car lift $3,500 (we use our 4 post car lift as an elevator. When our pick-up is on the lift, the tailgate opens flat with the second floor. Perfect for unloading heavy or bulky things onto the 2nd floor)

If you would like to see pictures, you can goto my website at www.geocities.com/jjferrero and click on “Joe’s hobby” and then “Joe’s Garage”. The photos that are attached were during construction and before all of the vehicle made it to the barn.

If you have any “?”’s feel free to ask. If you would like to see more photos, let me know.

Best of luck!

~Joe Ferrero
Geneseo, NY

[robs ss]

Rambo, just another thought here.

A 40' X 60' shop would be really nice, but, a person should also keep in mind, is it to big.

Things to consider, heating or cooling a building that size, maybe a little smaller building if set up right would do what you want to do.

Maybe two buildings, heat and lights will add up in a hurry, you might say to yourself, well I'm only going out for a couple of hours, is it worth turning the heat up.

I think like a lot of others do, bigger is better, can't get big enough, but, those high ceilings for a lift, mega square feet, takes some cash to heat and cool.

Then you can partition off part of it for heat, but for all practical purposes, if you were going to do one, go for the right size first, then address fixing it up.

Just another thought here.

Rob

__________________
"There are questions to be answered, and answers to be questioned"

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[61bone]

I have a 40x60 Morton building. 10" i n the walls 20 in the ceiling I heat with a 5000 btu contained oil heater and cool with a 6000 btu window air conditioner. Even with them not running, it rarely gets below 45 dg in the shop or above 75 with a fan running. Natural ground heat does most of it. I have sheet steel inside with a vapor barrier. Top half is perforated to control sound. It doesn't reverberate in there.You will want a 200 amp service. Not cheap but it won't break the bank either. I use 400 watt metal halides for light 6 of them . Great light. Pretty cheap on the bay. All tolled about 10 Gs

[Beenaway2long]

I have a 30x40x12 pole barn. (and a 56x26 garage) I built it 100% myself, including central air. My cost 4 years ago was close to $30K for everything. Steel has tripled, Concrete has gone up 25%, lumber is up, and copper is through the roof. Maybe $40 now?? More?


As far as size... You can always partition off the areas you don't use, and SELL STORAGE to the unfortunate (No garage guys). Help recoup some costs... And you don't have to finish it all off either. Cold storage? Parts don't need to be heated. Just dry. Just don't make it the size you THINK you need. It will be too small by the time you are done. Guaranteed! I have 2656 sf. of garage space, and I need more room! Thinking of another 600 sf.

[Beenaway2long]

Joe-
Before settling on RIT, did you check Clarkson, WPI, Stevens, and Lehigh??
My daughter is looking at them now. For some reason, she hasn't expressed interest in RIT, nor RPI. So far its Lehigh, then WPI, then Clarkson. She wants to be a mechy. Ultimate goal would be to design rollercoasters in, I think she said Finland (?) She's also kicking around tying in the medical field with mechy. Sharp kid. Must take after the Milkman...LOL

[low budget rodder]

Originally Posted by Beenaway2long

Joe-
Before settling on RIT, did you check Clarkson, WPI, Stevens, and Lehigh??
My daughter is looking at them now. For some reason, she hasn't expressed interest in RIT, nor RPI. So far its Lehigh, then WPI, then Clarkson. She wants to be a mechy. Ultimate goal would be to design rollercoasters in, I think she said Finland (?) She's also kicking around tying in the medical field with mechy. Sharp kid. Must take after the Milkman...LOL

Actually, I did look around... Clarkson and the other schools are excellent schools. What I was looking at was costs. I didn't learn this until it was too late for me, but if you can get your child under a different mailing address before finishing high school, and have her be claimed as an "independent", then there are a LOT more scholorships available to her. Being a female into mechanical engineering, there are also more scholorships available to her.

Now, RIT can be considered an expensive school... however, Monroe community college has a 2+3 program where you go to MCC and get the core courses "out of the way" at a less expensive price and then transfer in to RIT at 3rd year status with an associates in engineering science.

When I got to RIT, I was also able to enter into the BS/MS program. Instead of taking basic elective courses, I could take grad courses and earn my MS at the same time without additional cost.

So all in all, I was able to earn 3 degrees for less then the price of one.

Best of luck!

~Joe Ferrero

[Beenaway2long]

Joe-
The different mailing address doesn't always work. I have a daughter in Fisher right now. They have so many "catch nets" thats its hardly worth trying. They ask questions such as "Is your daughter carried under your health insurance?" You say yes, YOU LOSE! They also want to see that you are NOT claiming your child on your previous years taxes. Heck, we can't even get ANY tuition aide.

[low budget rodder]

Ouch! tuition is expensive... maybe she can start out at a smaller school first and then transfer in to the larger school... save a couple of bucks.

If you (or any of the other guys / gals on here) ever make it out to Geneseo, NY, please look me up. There is a nice college here, a war plane museum, lots of historic land marks, near Letchworth state park and an hour away from Niagara falls!

Oh, and if anyone wants to "play hard", I have plenty of projects in various states of disrepair too!

Best of luck

Joe Ferrero
Geneseo, NY

[speede5]

One thing I have seen a bit is to not use drywall but OSB sheeting on the walls. It is alot tougher, you can screw things right to it costs about the same to paint. you'll never ding it up like drywall and the cost is pretty close. you can't do the seams smooth but it's a shop right. I might do my next shop with it, save the drywall for the house. I had drywall in my last garage and I was constantly wreaking the walls.

[oldcpecdr]

LOL Had to chime in on this one...car expert..well half....garage expert..well half again..college expert...YES!!!!...My fifth is graduating this year....Send her to WPI excellent school.. number two went there... OR Mass Maritime...number three graduated last year in Marine Engineering and the BUX are rolling in....maybe she will help buying that new garage for the old man...

[low budget rodder]

Hey Speede5, great idea! I was considering that when I was doing my garage, but since there will be an apartment on the second floor, I need to have an approved fire rated ceiling / wall with fire doors. If anyone is not going to have anyone living there, I would highly recommend it!

~J
NY