a question for the Builders on here.

[elkliver]

Friend of mine wants to build a shop and like all of us is looking for most cost effective way to do it. Say roughly a 30x30. Maybe 12- 14 foot ceiling? Or at least high enough in the middle to fit a lift. we've been kicking ideas around. Pole Barn, stick built, Metal prefab Kit. etc. Ideally the answer would allow for it to be finished in stages to stagger the expense but not sure that makes sense. For example, if you went the pole barn route, could you get poles in and roof on and come back later to wall it in, pour a concrete floor, etc. The concern with that is having the posts warp and bow if you left it set for awhile without finishing.
So, any suggestions from the group on the most cost effective way to proceed? I have heard that some of the Kits are very affordable but not sure that's true or even which ones to look at. Any suggestions from the group?

 

[Bubblehide]

Presuming he is going to pour a slab, do the grading (if needed) ground plumbing and electrical first. If electrical is comming in from poles, set a pole close to the planned shop location, and install temporary power. I would make sure I had both 110/120, and 220/240. He will want water, and will likely want a bathroom in the shop (these are not necessarily needs, but he will want this at some point). I would have a damless shower in the bathroom, as simple as having a sloped floor and a center drain. I would also plan for inside and exterior drains. Other than shower sink and toilet, inside drains might not be necessary, but can be a benifical feature. Prefab metal shops are likely the cheapest way to go. However, he might want the shop insluted. If he does want it to be insluted, or part of it insluated, he will need to consider that also.

If he plans to use the shop for a buisness, there will be regulations to consider, depending on the specific use. Pole buildings can be nice, but he may also want to consider I beam construction, as once vertical beams and ridges are set, the rest is pretty straight forward. The same can be done with wood beams on a slab with treated wood floor plates. However, if he plans on building it over time, appropriate metal would handle weather exposure best. The typical redish I beam builds will typically be standing and servicable long after your friend passes. Wood requires maintenance, and is subject to insect damage, water damage, dry rot...

 

[grfox92]

If he plans on finishing the interior of the shop, do not do a pole barn. I never understood why people do this, you are spending more to accommodate insulation and drywall ect.

Pour a slab with a footer around the perimeter and conventionally frame it with 2x6. Everything from doors and windows to insulation and drywall will be easier.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

 

[Scout01]

Currently building a pole barn myself. I went 40x48x15. Came in a kit and got it assembled in a few months. I went this route due to being zoned agricultural, a bit cheaper…

 

[ben h]

For the size you're looking at, I think the cheapest/easiest will be conventional wood frame, with trusses. For larger (40'+) structures, I think I'd look at alternatives like pole type construction, or steel structures.

 

[Wrench]

Be aware that you gain shear strength from the walls. If you live in a high wind area you'll need to adress that. Poles are fast and easy to build some usable mezzanine space....but beyond that are a pain for wire and insulation.

Prefab steel is really quick....but you'll need a way to hoist and a way to connect....so what you saved you'll spend on equipment rent.

 

[squirrel]

Many ways to skin this kitty but so many variables on deciding between quality and cost. Do you want the cheapest shop, or the nicest? And oh so many little steps along the way.

Any time you bury wood it is a temporary thing, if you are 70 years old it may be permanent but only to you. If you want to last use concrete till above the dirt.

Do you want a concrete floor or will gravel be ok?

Running and hot water? Power? Heat? Cool?

If you go with the lesser of all these options it is going to be A TON cheaper than if you choose the Cadillac approach to each one.

I just did one @ 40x80 and chose most of the upper end options including an apt in the barn. Chose the expensive route but did it all myself which saved a ton. Everyone tends to see their idea of a shop as the "best and only " way but from a bare bones pole barn to a nice working shop is a huge span in money and time spent in the building of it.

And the cost of materials in our current economy is incredibly volatile. OSB has been crazy for the last 3 yrs @ $6-$55-$11-$22... who knows what it will be next trip to HDepot.

 

[87TT]

I had 40x40 shop built eight years ago. Conventional framing, 16 foot walls, drywalled and insulated, three roll up doors with openers and slab floor. I did the electric and ran water and drain myself. it is sheeted and metal roof and siding. It cost me around $55,000. I added two mezzanines on each side and the RV goes in the center. Insulated is the only way to go.
I will say, go bigger than you think and don't cheap out too much.
Two years ago I inherited a couple of antique cars and now needed more space, I had a second 40x40 shop built by the same guy only with 12 foot walls. The cost was almost double and I am sure it is more now. You will never regret going bigger or better.

 

[TaperPin]

There’s a reason 99.97% of residential construction is a slab, stick built walls and trusses. If there was a 1% savings to doing it another way, ALL residential construction would switch to that. Most “outside the box” thinkers should tattoo that on a forearm. That was true 30 years ago when I started working on custom homes, and has never changed.

 

[riversidejeep]

Currently building a pole barn myself. I went 40x48x15. Came in a kit and got it assembled in a few months. I went this route due to being zoned agricultural, a bit cheaper…View attachment 731717View attachment 731718View attachment 731719

The heck with the shop, I want to know about the hops, what variety ?? I went by some hop farms in Oregon and couldn't believe the size of the cones ! My home grown stuff doesn't compare . I was growing Cascade, Centinal, Goldings and really wanted Saaz but they would never do anything so I gave up.

 

[elkliver]

Currently building a pole barn myself. I went 40x48x15. Came in a kit and got it assembled in a few months. I went this route due to being zoned agricultural, a bit cheaper…View attachment 731717View attachment 731718View attachment 731719

Thats a GREAT looking shop!

 

[doc holiday13]

Post Frame construction. It will go up the fastest. even if you don't have money for the full pad, you can have the stem wall poured and pour a pad after the roof and walls go on.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

@cnelk

 

[MNGrouser]

When I bought my house it came with a pole shed. there was a half-assed wooden floor "shop in the back that was uninsulated. Due to the uneven floor and the need for insulation and heat ~6 months out of the year in my location it was unworkable. I gutted what was there and poured a slab with in-floor heat. Then built on top of it. As others have said, a pole building is not your best option but it worked better than nothing for me. Especially in my frost heavy location poles sometimes move. Go bigger than you think you need and good luck!

 

[cnelk]

There's guys who stick build houses and guys who build post frame buildings - rarely do they do both.

 

[Scout01]

The heck with the shop, I want to know about the hops, what variety ?? I went by some hop farms in Oregon and couldn't believe the size of the cones ! My home grown stuff doesn't compare . I was growing Cascade, Centinal, Goldings and really wanted Saaz but they would never do anything so I gave up.

I honestly could not tell you! The privacy is nice having hops on all 4 sides of the property.

 

[Sooner]

We just had a 30x40 with 12foot walls built a few weeks ago. It's a stick frame on a slab. Has one man door and two 12x12 roll up doors. Also has a 12x20 lean to and insulation. It cost us 31k. I was going to go pole barn, but he did this for 400$ over the pole barn cost.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I have a 36X36 pole barn, but 12X24 of it is for my firewood/lawn mower/log splitter storage. It still isn't big enough. If you have or are going to have a need for large toy storage (boat, truck camper, utility trailer, etc.) my only suggestion would be to go a bit larger than planned, if there's room. Mine was here when we bought the place so I have no metrics on cost, but the concrete floor is nice. As someone else mentioned, run a 220 service to it. And if you're anywhere that gets cold in the winter, run water underground and have a convenient shutoff.

 

[87TT]

When I had my first shop built 8 years ago, my neighbor had almost the same shop built but a pole barn vs mt stick frame. Both were 40x40 with 16 foot walls and metal siding and roof. The cost was about the same but his wasn't insulated or drywalled.

 

[Beendare]

I’ve seen too many posts in the ground rot- treated, tarred, whatever, they can fail.

I think the decision hinges on whether you want a lift. If so, its nice to have an I beam with a winch mounted on a trolly and that benefits from a steel framed building.

Balloon framing with dimensional lumber on a slab with trusses is the easiest, just make sure to sheet it and add strongwall sections to keep it torsionally strong.