Realizing a Life-long Dream Options

[pfreiburger]

This week the excavators started on something I have worked for over many years, a stand alone shop to work on my project cars. First it took many years and three changes of neighbors before I could buy the extra ½ acre I needed (our township determines the allowable size for out-buildings based on your property acreage). Then it took much of a year to get 21 signatures from surrounding land owners to get a building restriction on the land removed. After that Covid hit and material prices went through the roof, convincing me to hold off for a while. Finally, later this year I decided to go for it, as prices improved somewhat and realizing that next year could actually be worse. I was very lucky to find an enthusiastic contractor who could line up all the subs, so I pulled the trigger.

It’s going to be a three bay 39’x40’ shop, with a 12’ ceiling in the center to allow for a hoist in one stall, a nice sized shop area, 200@ electrical service, fully insulated, with water and heat. I am going to have to do a lot of my own finishing to hold the (already blown) budget down, but if the things that are on backorder (overhead doors, service doors, windows, roofing) arrive in time (6-8 weeks depending on what it is), I could be turning wrenches in December.

More to come as construction progresses.

[live free & drive]

I hope you are putting in radiant in floor heating. Even if you are not it would be smart to place PEX tubing in the concrete pour so you could do it later. The tubing is fairly cheap.

[mate914]

I hope you are putting in radiant in floor heating. Even if you are not it would be smart to place PEX tubing in the concrete pour so you could do it later. The tubing is fairly cheap.

100% correct. Pex tubing is cheap. I have radiant heat in my 200 year old house, My parents have also, in the pool room the floor is so warm.
If your bones are warm pain is less. I know pain daily.
Matt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif)

[KELTY360]

I hope you are putting in radiant in floor heating. Even if you are not it would be smart to place PEX tubing in the concrete pour so you could do it later. The tubing is fairly cheap.

100% correct. Pex tubing is cheap. I have radiant heat in my 200 year old house, My parents have also, in the pool room the floor is so warm.
If your bones are warm pain is less. I know pain daily.
Matt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif)

Radiant heat is that luxury that keeps on giving. Ranks right up there with a lift. Must feel great after navigating all the steps for approval and then finding a willing contractor...cause for a happy dance. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

My own two cents worth is install a motion sensor light on the inside, pointing at the entry door. That way you'll always have light coming or going. Also, IMO lighting is best placed around the perimeter of a bay, rather than down the middle.

Congratulations on living the dream! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[Gatornapper]

I am an EE and this is right-on advice - 2 - 8' double lamp strip lights down each side of each bay end-to-end with 2' or 3' between the ends. As I built mine in 2012, I used HO commercial lights that are extra bright and come on at 0 degrees. Today get LED lights.

A nice addition would be one more 8' light at end of bay where you will do most of your engine work, perpendicular to the lights between the bays, just past the front bumper so it will light the engine bay. Extra $$$ tho.

GN


My own two cents worth is install a motion sensor light on the inside, pointing at the entry door. That way you'll always have light coming or going. Also, IMO lighting is best placed around the perimeter of a bay, rather than down the middle.

[ctc911ctc]

As an EE to an EE I was at first sceptic as to the LED lights, then I found some 2x4's and centralized the power supply, (one supply could power 10+ panels and they provide one for every panel!) and put the whole shebang on RadioRA2 Lutron dimmer. Ahhhh.

Don't even think about incandescent, fluorescent, or any of the others....I have excellent light, warm color, even have a floor light (for the car when it is in the air) and there is no transformer buzzing, heat radiating.......very pleased with the results and the concept of LED.

I am an EE and this is right-on advice - 2 - 8' double lamp strip lights down each side of each bay end-to-end with 2' or 3' between the ends. As I built mine in 2012, I used HO commercial lights that are extra bright and come on at 0 degrees. Today get LED lights.

A nice addition would be one more 8' light at end of bay where you will do most of your engine work, perpendicular to the lights between the bays, just past the front bumper so it will light the engine bay. Extra $$$ tho.

GN


My own two cents worth is install a motion sensor light on the inside, pointing at the entry door. That way you'll always have light coming or going. Also, IMO lighting is best placed around the perimeter of a bay, rather than down the middle.