DREAM SHOPS!!!!!

[kountryscape]

I'VE BEEN BUILDING MY DREAM SHOP THIS WINTER, AND GOT TO THINKING THAT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING TO ASK YOU GUYS ON THE FORUM. MY SHOP IS A OLDER 36X64 MORTON BUILDING MOSTLY GRAVEL BASE SOME CONCRETE. I PLAN TO HAVE A MODINE HEATER OR MYBE A CORN STOVE? AND TO CONCRETE A 16 X 24 AREA TO MAKE THE SHOP NICE TO WORK IN. THE WORK AREA THAT IM GOING TO HEAT IS 24X24 WITH A 8X8 OFFICE AND 8X16 STORAGE ROOM, ON THE SIDE. THE REST OF THE BUILDING WILL STAY GRAVEL FOR STORAGE FOR TRACTORS AND TRUCKS ETC.

WHAT KIND OF IDEAS HAVE YOU USED TO MAKE YOUR SHOP WORK BETTER STORAGE,HEAT,OFFICE WORK BENCH, SPECIAL TOOLS OR HOIST ETC. ANY IDEAS!!!

SORRY THIS IS IN ALL CAPS DIDN'T NO IT TELL I WAS ALL DONE.

THANKS
JARRETT W. MORGAN
COUNTRYSCAPE
LANDSCAPING & GREENHOUSE
"BUILDING YOUR IMAGINATION"

[Runner]

Jarrett, with all that space, where will the clubhouse area be? :)

[scottb]

IM looking at a 30' by 45' Morton building and I hope to build it tall enough for some loft storage. And of course a leantoo off the back side for my tractor or truck. Guess Ill have to keep dreaming.

[Eric ELM]

I don't have a big fancy work shop, but I did help my life long friend build a shop that I have my welder at and I have access to at any time. He built a pole barn 24 by 60 and made 20 x 24 of it into a heated shop and the rest is for other vehicles. I did all of the electrical and he did the plumbing. It has a 12'ceiling with storage over the back part of it and a stairway going up. Under this storage is a forced air furnace, a bath room and office. We built a work bench along the one side with a grinder and a vise on it with storage bins on both ends to finish out this wall. The welder is next to the service entrance door and it has a 10 by 10 overhead door too. He put a big ceiling fan up to blow the hotter air down and it is all insulated and drywalled. It has a ceiling hand chain hoist for doing heavy lifting jobs and also a floor drain in the area for washing things inside.

Maybe something here will give you some ideas. It is a nice shop to work out of, especially when it's cold.

[kountryscape]

THE CLUBHOUSE WILL BE ANYWHERE I AM . THE PLANS INCLUDE A REFRIGERATOR,TV AND STEREO. SO THE PARTY COULD BE ANY TIME. HEY HAS ANYONE CHECKED OUT http://www.MORTONBUILDINGS.COM YET COOL SITE YOU CAN EVEN DESIGN YOUR BUILDING ON THERE. THIS IS WHAT WINTER IS FOR ,DREAMING


JARRETT W. MORGAN
COUNTRYSCAPE

HEY DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY WEB SITES ON SHOP DESIGNS OR IDEAS! THANKS

[kountryscape]

Sounds like a nice shop . i wanted a drain in the floor but theres isnt a good place for it to drain. idea for you guys i came up with a while ago . a giant shower curtain that encompasses your truck with four foot of space around it. so when you pressure wash the trucks the over spray doesnt land on your workbench or tools, just an idea.

jarrett morgan
countryscape

[bob]

Jarrett, Would you please turn the "caps lock" off. It's easier to read in lower case letters.

[Eric ELM]

kountryscape:
What we did was run a line out and hooked it into the septic we needed for the bath room. If you are in an area where you can get away with this, put a line out to a dry well. Just dig a big hole and fill it with gravel. If the drain doesn't get used much, a small dry well would work fine.
Just an idea.
Eric

[jaclawn]

Give me an unlimited budget, and I would have an awesome shop.

About 10 K square feet should do. The building would have 20' ceilings, and 20' garage doors all along one of the long sides.

The two end bays would be mechanics bays, one with a lift, and the other with a pit. Tool boxes ans benches could line the wall near this area. Also, the parts inventory could be shelved in this area as well.

My next area would be for trucks and trailers to park, still loaded, and attached. It would be designed so that nothing would have to be moved in order to get anything else out.

The other area would be for miscellenaeous equipment storage.

I would also have an are for storage of pallets of material.

An office and locker room and loung area would also be included.

A car port on one side of the building could provide semi protected storage space for items like snowplows.

Across the parking lot would be bins for storge of bulk materials.

All this in a fenced in, concrete lot.

Ok, so who wants to loan me the half million to build this?

[Greenkeepers]

We just got the shell of our Brand new shop done. It's a 30x60 pole building. 2 Garage doors on the front one 9x9 and one 8x9 and a man door on the side. We're going to cement the whole thing this spring and put a drain down the center. The whole back wall is going to be a workbench and area for the welders, air compressor, and all the goodies. We are going to run auxiliary air lines throughout so that we don't have to stretch hoses across the floor all over. And we're going to have a tv, radio, phone and probably a wash sink (w/ hot water) and a bathroom. We're insulating the whole thing and putting plywood over all the walls. The rafters are going to be used for storage space as well... It is going to be heated by a wood burning furnace with duct work run down the center of the ceiling blowing down. Oh yeah we're going to make some kind of alarm on it so no one can get in.

THats about it, I think.....

[tjg]

Getting everything ready right now, just got off the phone w/a builder,to build a 30x60x12 high, w/1 16x10 overhead door on one end offset and on the other end is a 12x10 overhead offset to line up w/the front door planing on putting the doors 3' from the wall (side). We will do the concrete work to save about $3000.00 and use that for other
things like the gravel. Quote was for $8650.00 plus about a $1000.00 for the doors. There is going to be a walk thru door. Give me any ideas you have because now is the time. Thanks for any ideas.

[mmorgan]

Don't just think about what will work today, think about tomorrow. As your business grows, your needs for a building will as well. Plumb Air lines down both walls with plenty of access. Do the same with electricity. Have more than enough lighting. Also consider white steel for the inside. Morton makes a perforated steel interior to cut down on noise reflection. Also, the white will reflect a lot of light to help eliminate shadows. If you work under equipment on a regular basis, consider florescent lighting on the walls about 6 feet up. Sounds nuts, but it is great. If you plan on spending any time at all here, have a restroom and a large chemical safe sink. Consider radiant heat. It is efficient and is not noisy like forced air.
My cousin who farms just built a 60 x 120 "living room". These ideas come from his shop and they work. The most important thing is to think about future use as well as todays.

[kountryscape]

hey how about heat, radiant floor heat does it get cold i ok. dont know your on the line.

dream shops tried the morton cal. that dream shop of 10,000 sq. ft. was about $ 83,000 with 6 sliding doors 2 walking doors,4 windows,4 cupolas. no concrete floor or fence .

idea insulation r-35 ceiling r-19 in the outside walls and r-11 in interior walls.

what about drive thru doors in one side park the truck and trailer and pull out the other . no employees backing truck trailer combos in the new shop less damage.

door openers on all the doors you'll look like the fire dept. in the morning with every thing rolling.

just a thought a concrete cont. i know has a motel ice maker in the shop saves a alot of time at conv. store every morning not a bad idea for guy with crews going out!

jarrett morgan
countryscape

[kountryscape]

hey how about heat, radiant floor heat does it get cold i ok. dont know your on the line.

dream shops tried the morton cal. that dream shop of 10,000 sq. ft. was about $ 83,000 with 6 sliding doors 2 walking doors,4 windows,4 cupolas. no concrete floor or fence .

idea insulation r-35 ceiling r-19 in the outside walls and r-11 in interior walls.

what about drive thru doors in one side park the truck and trailer and pull out the other . no employees backing truck trailer combos in the new shop less damage.

door openers on all the doors you'll look like the fire dept. in the morning with every thing rolling.

just a thought a concrete cont. i know has a motel ice maker in the shop saves a alot of time at conv. store every morning not a bad idea for guys with crews going out!

jarrett morgan
countryscape

[Davis TLC]

I'm still dreaming of my new shop. Maybe one of these days. I'd like one at least 30 x 40 or 50, drive thru doors on both ends. Nice concrete floor and heated for winter time. Enough room for all my equipment and anymore I might buy later. Plus be able to store my supplies.

[kountryscape]

Hi guys was wondering if anyone has interior doors or curtains to divide the heated from the unheated areas. thought of bi fold doors or sliders , insulated curtain wall? opening 12 foot high 16 foot wide.

countryscape

[Greenkeepers]

Just make sure your doors are wide enough... I wish mine would have been 10 instead of 9.

[SLSNursery]

Jaclawn - Half a million isn't enough dough!

http://members.aol.com/slsnursery/truxshop.jpg

[HOMER]

OK, who's shop is this--------------really?

[MWM]

Phil,
That is one nice looking shop! Are there overhead doors opposite the ones shown? Any chance of scanning inside pictures as well? Does this house office space as well as shop? How does your company handle green waste? Do you have a local recycling center that is used? Or do you have an onsite "compost area"? In my former life I was a wife that why I ask all the questions.

[SLSNursery]

Jaclawn - Half a million isn't enough dough!

http://members.aol.com/slsnursery/truxshop.jpg

The footprint is 80x125, Inside the small windows at the front of the building is a poured concrete (future clubhouse) 20x80 mezznine. Under the mezzanine are offices a full kitchen, laundry area, locker room, bathroom, and electrical room. The shop makes up the rest of the building, and is divided by an insulated double 5/8" sheetrock wall. This way the office areas can be heated separately than the shop. I didn't opt for radiant heat for this building, but might on the next one (I want to do a geothermal exchange with my compost pile!).

We use 1/2 the building for sales, 1/2 for shop and trucks. In between all of the overhead doors are pallet racks for fertilizer, grass seed, etc. 3 or 4 pallets high to the 23 foot peak.

The overheads are 14w x 16h - still not big enough at times! There are four more on the opposite side so the building is pass through - leave the trucks hooked up for the next day. The icemaker is a great addition. The guys load up coolers everyday, and we always have ice for parties, etc.

Definitely put air and water where you want it when you plan the building out. We put water at all four corners outside and all along the back wall inside for shop use. There is also a water heater at the back of the shop for the slop sink and pressure washer. One bay with a huge floor drain that connects to an oil water separator.

At the very far end (left side of picture) the building extends about 6-8' beyond the door. This is where the work benches and tools are. We put pallet rack all along that wall too, to store machines during the off season. The work bench areas are under the bottom bays of the racking.

Ideas -

Tool cribs - a necessity if you have workers. We will be fencing some areas in this season.

Alternative heat - I like the wood stove idea, especially with the price of Fuel (natural gas). The building is all zoned, and well insulated, but once you get warm, its hard to turn off the heat.

Skylights - definitely work well. They are integral to the standing seam roof, and most of the time we don't need lights on. I have each bay on a different switch otherwise.

Electricity - 3 phase power. You never know when you'll need it. We need a backup power generator just in case.

Space - you can never have enough. Build so that the areas at the end of the building can be extended. This one is clear span, and can be lengthened with ease.

Design - If you are serious, work with an architect, who will help you figure out what you want and need, and how it can be built within zoning and construction requirements. Then, GC the job during the winter time to save money.

Budget and dream - where do they meet? Why not build the building of you dreams now. Make a business plan, and find some tenants so you can defray the cost of property ownership and construction. If you can rent out a few thousand square feet of a nicely appointed shop, maybe someone else can help pay your mortgage. I had a partner, but that isn't working out very well now, since he has been MIA for almost a year. This building is a little more equipped than I need, but I had the partner making half the decisions at the time. However, it is designed with the long term in mind. And when we stay over during winter storms its not so bad.


Jaclawn - these bins are opposite of the building. You should come up to visit sometime. I will share my ideas with you. Good and bad.

http://members.aol.com/slsnursery/bins.jpg

[paul]

Ok Phil one day I'll have all my equipment in the shop so I can take a picture like that too :)




It's not likely to happen but I'll try.

[eslawns]

Nice shop Phil.

If I were looking to heat a large shop, I'd go with a radiant gas setup. We had this in a warehouse I used to manage. We were a distributor, so we got them much cheaper than we sold them, but they still weren't very expensive compared to the alternatives. They were pretty efficient also.

I'd also see about some kind of security cage. It might help you keep better control of parts or inventory, if you have any.

Take advantage of vertical storage space. Lots of ways to do it. Check out material handling catalogs to see what suits you the best.

[zipp669]

pretty neat ideas.
..after putting up & outgrowing & doing everything wrong on a 30x56 i have just put up a 42 x 81 x14. one end has a 16x12 oh door, other end is 18x12, both are centered.
.along one side will have a 81x10' loft.
GUYS, i didnt put tin on the ceiling, i got a fabric put up kinda like a tarp, tin was going to cost $1800 for tin only & got this put up for $1500..it has nailers etc & a strap run every foot for support. blew cellulose insulation in it & worked great, 10" to settle to 8 gives r-19 value. Will insulate all walls, 6".
I got a heatronics 32' radiant heater, the only way to go...I did check on floor heat, way too expensive.
Will have a stool, slop sink, shower & hot water. Also floor drain to a rock pit.
Am going to eventually cement the whole thing but just to do a 42x45 5" thick was going to run $6000. going to do enuf right under & around the heater for now & finish it in sections. also going to put 2" styrofoam under floor & trench around building about 18" so radiant heat wont escape or you can grow tulips year round if you dont. also cut cement down to 4" & tons of rebar & do it myself.
will not put a wall up..Is a waste of space. Is in my one i have sold & no room. will be putting up a tarp for a temporary wall in the winter for heating purposes.
am going to run air lines all around along with alot of outlets.
also light on the wall sounds good.
is still just a shell guys so if any more suggestions..give me a shout b4 i get too far.

[SLSNursery]

Es Lawns - what is Gas radiant heat. I thought that radiant heat was embedded in the concrete. I have Reznor gas hot air heaters at all four corners of the shop. Because of fuel prices I was going to shut the heat off for the winter, but we've been plowing a lot, so there is money coming in to cover the costs. I am working on the cage idea, and plan to tape out an area on the floor for equipment in need of repair, sort of a holding pen.

Homer- It'll be all mine someday.

Paul - this isn't all the stuff. We keep the loaders in the yard to service customers and handle materials. At least every Saturday (if I am lucky!) the trucks get washed so we took a picture. The chipper and hydroseeder stay at the shop for rentals to landscapers. We don't do a lot of municipal or large site jobs, so the machines do come home a lot of the time though. I just wanted to have some pictures to remember these good old days.

[Davis TLC]

Real great setup there Phil. Looks like you got everything covered there. Like the idea of using the concrete barriers on your bins.

[Guido]

Thats an unreal shop!! I defenitly need to come check it out when I come home on leave in the summer.


PAUL - From what I've always read in your posts on the landscape forum, you seem to have a pretty nice setup too. I'd be intrested in seeing the inside of you trailers and your place too.

[cat320]

phil very ,very nice shop!!!! would love to have one like that and the land around it too.would love to see any more pics that you have of it .

[cat320]

I also wanted to ad that any one looking to build a metal frame building they are not all created equal as i am finding out..I want to erect a 36X30 with 10' eves i can get it for around 10k plus the wood girts.I would install the building my self they are pretty easy unless it's like phils. then you would need a crane and more help.

[eslawns]

Phil, it's mounted in the ceiling. There's a gas fired tube like the one in a water heater, and a reflective shield above it which radiates heat down to the people below it. I haven't worked in that industry since '94, so there may be something more efficient now, but at the time it was head and shoulders above forced air systems. The name of the mfg. of the units we sold was Perfection/Schwank. I think I spelled that right. I looked up their website:

http://www.perfectionschwank.com/

Let the rest of us know if you decide to go this way.

[jason2]

Currently don't have a shop, but plan on having one again in the next year. For me the most important part of a shop besides space is floor heat. I've worked in shops with and without floor heat. There is nothing worse than driving a snow covered vehicle into a shop without floor heat and than crawling underneath to work on it.

Another drawback to working in a shop without floor heat in the winter, is the amount of water that ends up on the floor. Granted not such a big deal if you have a good floor drain. But if you are consistently running vehicles in and out you will always seem to get an abundance of water, floor drain on not.

Next on my list is an abundance of air fittings, with a big two stage compressor. You can never have enough air.