Shops

[summitgroundskeeping]

How many of you guys have your own dedicated shops. I have one the size of a large bathroom or small bedroom in the back of my garage. Tons of tool, extra parts, C&H air compressor, and radio. Do you guys have like pole barns, seprate shops and stuff? And how many of you guys have your shops and offices separate from your homes? I'd love to see pics.

I got curious because one of ours friends LCO's has tons of buildings, shops, offices, nusuries and stuff.

[MATTHEW]

I have a 24x24 shop that I rent out ,everything fits nicely (except trucks) It is next door to my home so there is no drive time.

[Fine Lines Lawn]

I have a 1500 square foot shop and office in an office park.

[stslawncare]

hey you guys got pics? there are a few spots close by that have shops, one in particular that a friend owns the property might see if i can rent a garage. right now i use my own garage but family needs it for storage and such, they aint crazy about having my trailer and such in there, i doubt they will like it when i bring the rest of my equip home either.
Scottie

[tjg]

:blob4: Summit I just had one built this spring it is a 30 x 60,before they poured the floor we ran the plumbing for a restroom. It was built in April, and over Labor Day weekend we built the office and restroom it ended up being a 7x10 restroom and 13x10 office. If I can get pictures on here I would, I will try.

[eslawns]

I have a shed (8x12) in the yard. This year I put in a second door and a wall to divide it in half, with one half being my office, the other for storage. It has A/C and heat, but it's not finished yet. I still need to run a phone line and finish the drywall, trim and floor. Having the office at the house is not the same as having it in the house. So far this way is much better. Esp. since my wife doesn't have a reason to gripe about me tracking grass in the house.

My shop is my garage. This winter I will be adding on a 9x20 addition to it. I'd build a new garage but we have some stupid zoning rule that would mean moving it over 3 feet from where it is, meaning the corner would be in my pool. I'm trying to get a waiver, but... we'll see.

I looked at renting a place in a business park, but the only places where I would feel safe leaving all my stuff wanted too much for rent. Most wanted $5M in renter's insurance because of storing gas and a few said that I couldn't keep mowers or other gasoline powered stuff at all.

[ron]

I have two houses
one is for us the other one is for my equipment .... works very well no small children to mux up my stuff plus its a safe haven for me myself and I...

[lawnboy82]

My shop is about 1500 sq. ft. its under a deli. I barter off about 500 dollars a month for the rent. Its got electric, and has the lines for phones if I ever want it. 1 garage door, security, etc. There is a big drop off which I dump things in such as rocks, clippings, leaves, etc. There is enough room for my trailer and a truck or two or three. When I do the barter work for the owners they give me lunch.

[wriken]

I have a 30x40, built this year, all but cement is done and some electric. Also during building stage decided to put a 10' overhand on, will park Kubota and its additions, plus misc equipment. Park 1 vehicle and ztr's and future wb's. will put office in soon. Going to heat it also with outside wood stove, the kind that circulates water thru a air-handler system.

[grassyfras]

I saw one shop that was out of a rental storgae place. That might be an idea.

[AltaLawnCare]

I have a single bay with overhang. I park the trailer under the overhang when I'm not using it.

My 1970 Mustang convertable is in a million pieces inside the main part of my shop, but I still have room to work on the mowers at the front end of it.:cool:

[Ssouth]

I currently use a 20 x 30 storage garage with no power or water. But beginning Oct. 1 we will be moving into a new 40 x 45. The building is new and owner is goint to put in two 12' bay doors, flouresent lighting, a hand sink, electrical outlets where I want them, and also give me a key to the wash bay that is located at the end of the building. I'm so excited to have water and power. No more bringing equipment home to wash and my wife will no longer have to deal with the blade grinder being left in our laundry room floor.

[trimmasters]

We rent a 5,000 Sq. Ft. shop. Ther is also finished ofices that are about 12x24 Out back is about a 10,000 Sq. Ft. Courtyard where we keep most of the trucks. right acrost the street from or back door is a 2 acker lot we will be fencing in this winter for trucks-trailers, materials ect. The rent you ask? I think its a steal at $1200

[Fantasy Lawns]

http://home.cfl.rr.com/theleven/Front.jpg

has 2 car lifts, large back yard which I rent out storage space n rent the home out .....in comm zone

[kris]

Sorry you can't see much at all of the shop in this pic(behind the trailer)... It is a large greenhouse , converted to a shop / 3 offices and a consultation room for customers. These are for our Landscape/ Maintenance division. There are 6 other offices in another part of the property.
It has a large overhead door to accommodate our dump trucks etc
This shop has been great... you can imagine how great the light is. We hardly ever use artifical light. It also heats up quickly and in the summer the offices stay cool ( if you keep the doors closed) because we insulated . It has a concret floor with drain for pressure washing, welder, compressor,drill press numerous work benches etc.
It is a real pleasure to do winter maintenance in this shop.

[Runner]

Nice setup, Kris. Oh by the way, how do you like that truck? I'm looking at one just like it with interest. It's a '98. I'm not quite so fortunate. I'm using a 24x40 garage at my parents house that we built about 20 years ago. The place is secure, and the rent is right, though. I've also built a carport on the side to park my good truck under. It's really nice to just be able to back the trailer right in and leave everything loaded right up. The only bad thing is, is that I'm going to have to give that up here, shortly.:( I've really become spoiled with it.

[kris]

Originally posted by Runner
. Oh by the way, how do you like that truck

The truck in the pic is a 93 with 348,000km on it... it's been and still is a good truck ... it has a fairly easy life now, it does not plow and never carries alot of weight anymore.

[vipermanz]

i have a 25x10 workshop with phone lines,electrical,water,heating,ac, the only catch is the laundry room is at the end of it:)

[Richard Martin]

I have a 16X24 shop. AC, heat, water, bath, phone, cable TV etc. I also just picked up the materials to build a 8X12 storage shed. It should be done by this weekend.

[GrassChopper]

That almost looks like it is next to the Merritt Island Airport.

Is that the Cone Road area?

[Fantasy Lawns]

hey that's pretty good ......hit right on the head:->

[rixtag]

I have a 6.5x10 that is completely mobile. Its got places to store equip, gas, fertilizer and and if I were to get in trouble with the wife it could, with some tweakin', be quite comfortable...it's called a trailer and it's all I have. LOL

:D :D

Rick

[Grass_Slayer]

im feelin the 6x10 thing only mine is a 6x16 i know im such a showboat. we do have a shop behind the house about 16x24 but its full of workbenches a tablesaw a lathe a big as$ toolbox my trail will just barely go through the door so it usually gets to stay outside. the boat has to stay on the other side of the shed(the only other part that is covered.:D

[1MajorTom]

Is this a good idea to be posting pictures of where our shops are when the exact location can be figured out? I'm not singling out the few pics that were posted. I just mean anyone in general who might be thinking of posting pics.

Any lurker out there can be viewing this, check out your profile and your posts to see what kind of equipment you have. If they like what you have, who knows, they might just come and take it from you.

Of course I understand we all carry insurance, but do we really want to go through the hassles of insurance claims and being without equipment until new machines can be bought?

Just my views.

[GrassChopper]

Yea, you are right! Someone may come steal my stuff!

Now that you mention it, I may take the following precautions:

1) If I am mowing and another LCO drives by, I will jump off the mower and pretend it's not mine. That way they won't know to follow me and steal it.

2) I will mount surveillance cameras on my truck.

3) I will take a hammer to my nice looking equipment to make it look less desirable. Maybe a little mud thrown in for good measure.

4) No name or phone numbers on my truck. They can track me down that way. Or tap my phone and steal prospective clients.

5) Disguise my shop as a septic company. No one breaks into a septic company.

6) Cancel my business license. It has my address on it.

7) Hire an Israeli soldier to stand guard over my stuff while I work.

8) Make the following additions to my shop: Guard dogs, razor wire fence with electricity, mines planted in the grass, seismic sensors, gps locators placed on the mowers, retina recognition to gain entry.


After all that, I will only have to charge $300.00 per cut!!!

[kris]

1MajorTom... Oh ya I forgot to mention... our shop is alarmed, video , and a guard dog.
4 bobcats have been stolen in this area over the past month... What we used to leave parked outside now comes into the shop at night... Like anything though... if someone really wants your stuff ... they will get it... we just try and make it as hard as possible.

[bubble boy]

I don't think posting pics presents a real breach of ones security. sure it could lead to theft in theory, but so could a lot of things we all do daily.

still, jodi is just looking out for everyone here. im glad someone is and we should be thankful to her, not posting sarcastic replys.:)

[DanG]

I have a 2 car garage in one of the cemetery's that i store my stuff at.

But i'm running out of room inside already and might have to put up a fenced in area outside for the stuff I don't use all the time.

Only bad thing is that there's no electric to it,so had to go out and buy a generator to run my compressor and the lights.

Have had one bad thing happen there so far, My brother went to pick up a piece of equipment one morning and found a bum inside sleeping.
He had gotten in through a window,which needless to say has been repaired.

Dan G.

[Fantasy Lawns]

we have 6" fence with barb wire ....... little 120 lb puppy .......live on site personnel ......motion lights ......keep the keys out of the mowers .....use rhino tongue locks on the trailers ....some other "hi tech' stuff :->

[lawnboy82]

Theeleven- that really is a small dog, its not a real dog until it's at least 150 lbs, and has carbide teeth. :rolleyes:

[Fine Lines Lawn]

This pic is horrible. Looks like shopping for a good digi-cam continues.

[Eric ELM]

Nice picture of the PT Cruiser Bill. I'm guessing that must be yours. I'm also guessing you must have another entrance to your shop since you can't get your Choppers through those doors. :)

[Fine Lines Lawn]

You're right Eric.
Waiting for the afternoon sun to get better lighting.

[TFL]

24 by 12 with shed on the front to park trailer under. Has grinders drill press full stock of crftsman tools and just about everything else you could ever need. its in my back yard

[dlandscaping]

i have a 20*8 garage a 10*10 garage one has tools and electric the other some electric on good days, a 14*10 shed with ramps and racks for trimmers and blowers a loft for bags and hedgetrimmers, a 10*10 garage for my snowblowers and back up walkbehind. all are rent free. one garage i do the lawn cheap so free rent, another i my grandparents who i do work at the acre+ cape house (all done with 21 due to location 2hrs+ away) and i have a buddy who owns a shop that lets me use it anytime i now have a key for it and it is heated with every tool i would ever need and electric as well as phone and jacks for oil changes and blades. i store machines there as well. i have to many machines but all seem to get used every year

[vipermanz]

i have 3 guard dogs that bark at leaves falling! so i guess they are set on sensitive!:)

[Superior LC Inc]

We built a 32x44 stick built garage with plumbing etc. two years ago. It seemed hugh, but now just two years later I have to pull equipment out to change spark plugs. My advice... bulid, buy, rent as large a building as you can. If you do it right your business will grow. By the way it is in my backyard, that way I get to see the kids once in a while.

[Indiana]

IT'S A MIRACLE!!

I can finally say I am going to have a shop. We worked on it this past weekend and got the trusses up. Just put some boards on for the stripping and then some commercial steel.

At least it's a roof, this winter I will start to close it in.