My New House & Workshop

[Jim Oaks]

Plan B would be a building where my Ranger is that connected to the old building some how.

 

[franklin2]

That building does not look like it's in very good condition. Maybe tearing it down would be the best way to go. You could rent a small track hoe with a thumb and tear it down yourself. Get a dumpster rented and on site. Nothing is easy is it?

 

[Jim Oaks]

I think it's in better shape than it looks. Needs some cosmetic TLC.

Another option would be tearing it down and building a new building on the slab, but tearing it down and hauling it away wouldn't be cheap either.

I feel like adding on to this building with a metal building would be a better idea. I'm trying to find a pick of a block building with a metal building addition.

I called a company to come out tomorrow and give me a quote for a metal building. They also do metal roofs. It will be interesting to see what they suggest.

I called another metal building company today, but they haven't called me back. I saw this on their site:

 

[Rick W]

@Jim Oaks

It makes a difference if it’s rafters or trusses, so...

More questions:

1. Any inside posts?
2. How high inside to stipple ceiling?
3. How high to top of block (if different)?
4. Could you cut a 4” hole in the stipple (or pull out a light box out or??) and stick your phone up and get a few pics maybe
5. Can you get me a broader pic from across the street of all of it w/whole house?

Humor me, I’m blue-skying here to give you some options.

With every respect, what most folks do wrong is work without a design and plan worrying about the budget which is based on the paycheck/bankroll instead of what they’d like to do. Ends with a compromise that doesn’t meet their goals. I know roughly what each option might cost, so if we can zero in on that a little, then we can do a better sketch, and then I could help you on how to hire labor or a contractor and get it done.

If I can be so bold, if you stick with block and framing, and compliment the house in the process, it doesn’t cost any more and you could dramatically improve your property and chances of getting laid. Let me say it backwards: if you humor me by looking at some options and then we end up with a metal building, you’ll know for sure that that is the right option! (& oh, Oops, ignore the “laid” part).

& BTW, you owe me nothing, I enjoy this stuff like most of you enjoy the Ranger stuff. Happy to help, spread it around!

Oh, and I like the airbags on the blue Ranger, but aren’t they supposed to be on top of the wheels?

 

[Rick W]

Corner lot, way cool. One additional thought: if you demo the existing block and roof, the slab and foundation may not be approved for new construction (actually probably won’t) and the new slab and foundation will explode the budget. Raising the roof is a “remodel.”

Ditto, attaching a new building to the old building could bring the existing building under the current code, and dollars go up.

Most of what I’m suggesting isn’t very difficult, just labor intensive and tedious. Let’s get a plan and design, and then figure out how to do it whether you work alone or with a contractor.

 

[pjtoledo]

I asked about gaining ceiling height from the trusses. I asked about the various ways to accomplish it.

It's been hard to get anyone to come out. One guy was so booked he couldn't even come out to give me a quote for 6-months.

I've contacted (2) metal building builders for more quotes. $24k for a 20x22 building seems high.

get rid of the buckeye accent?

wow, haven't priced any building lately.

 

[Rick W]

My 2cents, easiest, least expensive option:

First, if you demo or build a new building, I’m pretty sure you’ll have problems with your current and grandfathered setbacks. You have a double lot, that’s what the dashed line on the plat is, so you can play with setbacks. But you can only do it once so you have to be careful what you propose to the city.

I think you are much better off modifying the existing building like this:

2 separate projects:

P-1: Take window and door out of street wall and put in 16x7 double garage door with a header across whole front. Probably won’t even require a permit. Putting in a double is pennies more than a single.
P-2: take off 30’ of roof and wall facing house. Frame new higher wall with 16x7 and 8w x 10h garage doors, windows overhead. Frame 2x6 stub wall on alley wall block with windows. Reframe new, higher roof. See paving detail: pour new concrete (or bricks or blocks) and stain existing and new to match. Don’t pave up to 10ft high door -only occasional use for swapping engines and such.

You’ll have to run a couple cross beams to support the new higher walls that span the width. Use cleaned up mobile home frames (steel), or junior I beams, not wood. cheap!

Minimal demo and minimal construction for tremendous access, better height, better light, etc.

When you finish the outside of the new wall, use the same siding as the house. If you have a few extra bucks, put that siding on the wall facing the street and for 2ft down each side. you can make 2-3 fake columns on the long wall facing the house and around the existing side door and cover those columns with the same siding. It will make it all blend with the house and raise your property value and increase your chances of -oh, I forgot, forget that last part...

The current wall board ceiling may be a fire stop for your local fire code. Never tell anyone about welding or using torch!! I built mine without it. Great storage and removes claustrophobic ceiling.

if you can remove the wall board over existing section without violating code, it will dramatically affect the feel and spaciousness.

& it may sound silly, but buy a bunch of the 6-inch tall baby bushes, and line the outline with them. By the time you can afford the big bushes you want, they’ll grow taller!

Happy to help you with details and how to find and hire a contractor (including contracts) whatever you decide.

Good luck, God bless!

 

[Rick W]

Oh, and lien waivers with every single step and payment, not negotiable, and insurance naming you additional insured in advance, doesn’t cost anything, but you have to ask for it!

 

[Rick W]

& one last thought before bed time, you can make your own trusses with 2x4s, plywood and wood glue: see the ugly ones in my garage. Legal and cheap!

 

[Rick W]

Last thought on Ambien:
2 days demo,
2 days frame if trusses are ready
2 days siding and shingles
Plus paving and door installation

sweet dreams!!

 

[Jim Oaks]

Damn. That's a lot of info.

I asked my realtor if I could put up a 10-foot privacy fence. She said I can do anything I want here. I get the sense that I may not even need a permit to do any work. I'd obviously check first.

I like the idea of the garage doors on the side facing the house, but I don't think it would be deep enough to get my Ranger in and walk around it.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Also I asked about just doing the front half of the building. $35,000.

 

[Rick W]

If you raise just the middle, it saves a ton of work. If you’re worried about depth, when you take down the wall, bump it out 4-6ft. You’d have to add a little foundation, but you can do that before demo.I think you could do what I showed for $15-20. Again, assuming contractors are all the same and honest is like trusting your realtor.

& NEVER believe a realtor!!!

Can’t sleep :-(

 

[Jim Oaks]

If I could get it built for $15-20 I'd be in. I'm still recovering from the quote for $50.

I like the rendering idea with the bay in the middle on the side. I'd want one door that was taller than 7' though to get a lifted truck in and out.

 

[Rick W]

Bump out wall, fake columns