Building a Shop ... Cost of materials

**chabat** · 04-23-2007, 02:12 PM

This is most likely a dumb question... I need to build a shop. I already have an implement shed 12x33 that could be built onto and would kinda be a shame to tear down... Maybe I could build onto that... There is no time limit... And I would LIKE to build it myself... I need 1500 to 1800 Sq Ft. I also have limited footprint space, the ideal shape would be a max of 30-36' wide. Length I can go... I have been pricing metal buildings, and then people have told me you can get wood frame barns built cheaper. I may start another thread later after I have some plans... I am not asking whteher steel is better or stronger, or what is the easiest material to work with... I really like the lofted barn design. My art studio would be perfect in the 10x36 loft. The attachment shown is 36x36 with 10x36 loft $13,500 no concrete (turn key) and $22,500 with concrete and lean to turnkey. I have seen shops built any number of ways: Steel building kits, DIY Fabrication steel bldg, Wood Frame, Wood Pole Barns, and also I saw a welder's (man I knew) barn build from steel pipe (just the frame) and he used Wood for the purlins and roof purlins...

So on to the question...

Excluding labor, excluding concrete, excluding "free" materials (since I don't have any), excluding electrical work and so on, What is the least expensive building materials to use to build a home shop?

**dda52** · 04-23-2007, 02:43 PM

A lot of it will depend on your location. Some things are easier to get in some places as opposed to others. That said, around the San Antonio area, I am getting prices in the $8-12/sf range for a weld up building materials only in the 1300-1500sf range. The range is dependant on exactly what you are wanting and how you plan to build it. That range is for a standard rectangle, slightly sloped roof, plain old metal building with a clear span center. The way you would have to build the loft style, I would guess it to be near the middle or a little above the middle of that range...say 10 bucks and up. You get to use lighter structural members, but then you will use more of them as well. That is just a guess, too. I haven't priced one like that in a long time.

**chabat** · 04-23-2007, 02:52 PM

Don, I live in Normangee TX, 1/2 way between Houston and Dallas, near to Bryan/College Station...

Do you have any comment on whether steel is cheaper than wood per square foot?

I don't HAVE to build a loft style... I just like that

I priced a metal building like you said, steel frame, low slope, plain jane rectangle here in Bryan/College STation for $5 to $6 per square foot, that is a bolt up kit, and the $5-$6 does not include E-rection, of course...

**BillDaCatt** · 04-23-2007, 04:13 PM

Don't know if you plan on insulating your structure or not, but being in TX I'm assuming you will want to so you can add air conditioning. If so, once you include the cost of a concrete slab, insulation, interior sheathing, and electrical work - you are probably looking at $20-$25sqft.

My 24' x 36' shop/garage, by the time it was completed, was very close to $20,000.

And that was with me doing much of the work myself.

**84ZMike** · 04-23-2007, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by chabat

near to Bryan/College Station...

does not include E-rection, of course...

Living that close to BCS that should be no problem

...sorry I had to.....$5-$6 a sq ft. sounds like a dang good deal to me...
Mike

**chabat** · 04-23-2007, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by 84ZMike

Living that close to BCS that should be no problem

...sorry I had to.....$5-$6 a sq ft. sounds like a dang good deal to me...
Mike

Mike, funny thing... This site filtered the word e-rection..... LOL, but that is what the call putting a building up...

**chabat** · 04-23-2007, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by BillDaCatt

Don't know if you plan on insulating your structure or not, but being in TX I'm assuming you will want to so you can add air conditioning. If so, once you include the cost of a concrete slab, insulation, interior sheathing, and electrical work - you are probably looking at $20-$25sqft.

My 24' x 36' shop/garage, by the time it was completed, was very close to $20,000.

And that was with me doing much of the work myself.

Bill, I plan on framing out a small artists studio and wood shop inside. That will be ac/heat, but the rest will be storage and metal work area and uninsulated. I can't see air conditioning storage space.

**Zrexxer** · 04-23-2007, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by chabat

Mike, funny thing... This site filtered the word e-rection..... LOL, but that is what the call putting a building up...

Not to get too far off topic, but that reminded me... there used to be a red iron company here that called itself "MAMMOTH ERECTlONS..." We always got a chuckle out of that.

**dda52** · 04-23-2007, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by chabat

Don, I live in Normangee TX, 1/2 way between Houston and Dallas, near to Bryan/College Station...

Do you have any comment on whether steel is cheaper than wood per square foot?

I don't HAVE to build a loft style... I just like that

I priced a metal building like you said, steel frame, low slope, plain jane rectangle here in Bryan/College STation for $5 to $6 per square foot, that is a bolt up kit, and the $5-$6 does not include E-rection, of course...

No idea about wood. I just put up steel ones. I do know that wood will be expensive when you look at apples to apples. My building is 35x45 with a 16' eave and center clearspan. Doing the same out of wood would run quite a bit higher due to the spans and heights and loads. If you want to see the costs, just find a comparable wood kit around and compare. I don't know of any other way to do it. The lumber yards should have some kits/plans around.

$5-6 sounds cheap. I would be surprised if it included insulation. That is something you do want. Either Low E aka Bubble Wrap or std 3" fiberglass. The thing with kits is they give you a bare bones product and they charge extra for necessary things like doors and windows. They also don't allow for moving the doors from a single location, etc. But, if the design is something you want and like, then make sure it has everything else it would need like insul and doors and let er rip.

FWIW, they do have metal kits for the desigh you posted.

I prefer weld up buildings anyway. When I priced mine from Mueller, they wanted $16,500 for the package as a bolt up and around $11,500 for a weld up package. Weld ups will be cheaper material wise once you boil everything down to apples and apples. It costs money to have them engineer, fabricate the columns and precut and punch everything. With a weld up, you just get raw materials in standard lengths and you do all the work.

**Sberry** · 04-24-2007, 12:05 AM

Width is as important as length, 36 is a lot better than 30, probably not so important if you are not doing a lot of car stuff though.

**LeonS** · 04-24-2007, 10:02 AM

My bro(in Crockett) and two buds(Pearland) used Custom Structures out of Houston for their bldg., tis post frame wood construction, nominal sheeting, all three are 40'x30'x12'eave ht., erect time was pretty quick. I don't know if they offer a diy kit, but seems like one of these guys said they will construct a metal as well.

BIL purchased a 50'x40'x12' bolt-up kit from Mesco in Seguin several yrs ago went up easy by us three squareheads that had no experience. Main thing is squareness of the corner columns to start with otherwise your in trouble from then on. If you get a kit check all the mat'l. and verify quantity, nephew helped a friend erect a bolt-up last week and was short some bolting(which would no was to check ). SIL purchased a kit recently and was shorted the insul. and still waiting.
We have purchased seconds of sheet and red iron from Hurricaine Bldg. in Houston for some small projects. Seems that is by the lb.

Might check Metal Mart for a price, there is one in Bryan.
Good luck
L*S

http://www.customstructureshouston.com/index.html

http://www.metalmarts.com/locations.htm

http://www.mescobuildingsolutions.com/index.html

**chabat** · 04-25-2007, 11:27 AM

Don, or anyone else who wants to answer...

If you don't build from a kit, what cutting tools are used to cut the columns (The I-Beams)?

Also, did you arc weld or mig weld?

**dda52** · 04-25-2007, 11:55 AM

I used a torch on my column and beams. I recently did a metal building for a customer that I only used my Milwaukee 8" metal saw on the whole thing. The torch never came out once during the framing.

Sure was faster, but without help, it would have been more difficult. I use the same saw on the purlins and sheets on all of the buildings. I sure don't know how I ever got along without that saw.

As to the welding, I did both buildings with a combination of flux core and sticks. I goofed up some column cuts on mine...still not sure how I did that.

So to fill the huge gaps, I used 1/16 flux core and the rest were done with 7018's...a mixture of 3/32 and 1/8. The purlins and clips were all done with 6010's...1/8 for the clips and 3/32 for the purlins. I can do it all with either process. It is just easier to stick weld some of the up high stuff. I will primarily go with sticks once the columns are set. I use the wire feeder to burn down the heavy beads on the columns. Goes faster that way.

**chabat** · 04-26-2007, 01:17 PM

How dry does the ground have to be before a cement truck can drive on it.?..

I am ready to pour a slab in my implement shed. The truck would have to drive in my back yard to get to the pour.... But there is access. I plan on pouring a load which for that truck is 8 yards.