Building, shop, barn? Ideas?

catscratch

catscratch

Well-Known Member
I finally have some money set aside and am ready to build or buy a shop. After quite a bit of research I think I might have it figured out, but want ideas from someone outside of my own head first (experience goes a long ways).

Important things:
Dry storage for tools with a floor for welders and toolboxes on rollers.
Covered storage for machinery and vehicles.

Here is what I have in plan:

40ft shipping container delivered for - $2500
40ft lean-to on each side (I can build for total of $2000)
Gravel and misc - $1000

This gives me 320sqft of weatherproof and lockable storage for tools.
Eight 10ft parking stalls for vehicles, tractors, generator, log splitter, etc.


The site has rock up to the surface that goes 6ft deep (drilling for posts is not feasible).

Anyone see a flaw or have a better idea of how should approach this?
 
The 2 biggest problem with shipping containers are:

1. Only 7'9" wide on the inside. So basically you can only store stuff along one side of the container to leave enough aisle space to actually get to and remove stuff that's back in the container. Also this seriously limits the utility as a workspace inside.

2. Without added ventilation they get dreadfully hot. I mean like as in hot enough to warp plastic and damage stuff. In Kansas where you get considerably hotter than we do here, I would almost certainly think the inside of the containers could get to 150 degrees. If you do go forward with the plan, I would want the whole cointainer painted white, add vents and a solar powered vent fan, and put styro foil backed side up on the inside celing to limit heat transfer.

The price per square foot is pretty good, if you can live with the limited versatility of the width.

Grouse
 
I can live with the heat as long as it doesn't ruin stuff, and like you said, it can probably be mitigated some with vents. I really don't plan on working IN it a lot, just keep stuff safe and secure. We have a storage container at work that I use a lot. If it wasn't for personal experience with a 8ft wide structure I would have never thought it would be wide enough. What I've found though is creative mounting on one side and 40ft turns into a pretty good amount of work space.
I hadn't thought of a solar powered fan. Good idea.
 
As long as you're framilliar and can live with the disadvantages, I'd say the plan is solid. Pretty low cost per square foot of space. Also, you can't beat the security of storage containers. As long as you get one with the boxed lock protection so the locks aren't exposed to be easily cut, this is as secure as I'd think anything can get in a remote location.

I was thinking of this kid of fan. Expensive, but I'd think in Kansas heat it'd be worth it.

Grouse
 
What can you build a 20ft by 24ft garage for? I would think $5500.00 would get you somewhere.......

A permanent structure like a garage would also be better then a container in terms of resale...,
 
Have no experience with shipping containers but I sure do like a lean-to on each side. We have a ten ft' lean-to on a 64 ft. length of barn and it is the cheapest most ACCESSIBLE storage we have for equipment. If I ever build another barn it will have a lean-to on each length built in at the beginning. Note as you we live here so security is not much of an issue.
 
The lean-to's are much more important to me than the interior space. A 20x24 garage would probably fit my tools and two cars, but for the same price I think I could gain 6 more parking spots.
The look is a concern. I don't think shipping container's are attractive. I just haven't figured out how to cover 8 vehicles and secure my tools for less than $6k like this would with a barn or garage.
 
I would look into a pole barn style building with a lean-to attached. If you could build it yourself you would be under or right at your budget with a much better quality product.
 
Bowhunter said:
I would look into a pole barn style building with a lean-to attached. If you could build it yourself you would be under or right at your budget with a much better quality product.
Click to expand...

I'm looking at polebarns, but without the ability to dig holes I'm at a loss as to how to make one work. I could do a floating slab but that adds significant cost...
 
I am not sure how well a 40 foot lean to would work on each side since a container is not very tall. I am thinking about buying 2 of the 20ft containers and using the roof from a 20 foot carport in between.
 
Rickey said:
I am not sure how well a 40 foot lean to would work on each side since a container is not very tall. I am thinking about buying 2 of the 20ft containers and using the roof from a 20 foot carport in between.
Click to expand...

10ft tall and setting on either a gravel pad, railroad ties, or large truck rims will bring the container's height to 11ft. No snow loads to worry about so pitch isn't a factor so long as it drains. If I build the lean-to's from steel pipe (probably 2 7/8 oil field pipe as it's common here) then there will be plenty of strength. I figure the opening for the lean-to's will be 10ft tall. Everything I have will fit under 10ft.

For me I would rather have two lean-to's than a single roof in the center. Double the cost for two containers and I only see fitting 4 vehicles under the center roof (two from each end) instead of the 8 the lean-to's would park. Would be a sweet set-up but not ideal for my needs. Do you already have the carport roof? That would make a difference on how appealing it would be...
 
lakngulf said:
Are u gonna weld inside the box?
Click to expand...

Do you mean like fabrication type work in the shop? If so then no, I only like to weld outside. The risk of fire and fumes (poor ventilation in almost any building) keeps me outside when I weld. I tend to only use the drill press and bench grinder inside, everything else gets taken outside to a slab and sawhorses to get worked on. The container is almost strictly for storage.
 
No I don't have the roof. I will see if I can pick one up on craigslist. I saw one a few days ago I should have bought. The wife had backed into the side and crushed it. It would have been perfect. I am not positive I will do this. It's just a thought that has been bouncing around in that hollow space for a little while. I also understand what you mean about the space with lean to. The space I would like to put this would limit me to 20 foot containers. If the pitch of your 40 foot lean to would not matter then I say go for it. It will make a good how to thread for sure.
 
I am getting ready to build a shop on our 80 but it will be a pole barn type shop with a lean off. Last one we built was around $12K and was 30 x 40 12 ft tall with 3 overhead doors, 1 walk in door and 1 window and 8" of concrete. The roof was also insulated to help with summer heat. The next one will be 30 x 50... Sorry I don't know anything about shipping containers other than they are really secure....
 
We have a storage container on our property and its great for storage, too narrow to really set up a workshop in, plus no windows or ventilation. But it stands up to the weather and is securable as hell, so thats a plus.
 
OkieKubota said:
I am getting ready to build a shop on our 80 but it will be a pole barn type shop with a lean off. Last one we built was around $12K and was 30 x 40 12 ft tall with 3 overhead doors, 1 walk in door and 1 window and 8" of concrete. The roof was also insulated to help with summer heat. The next one will be 30 x 50... Sorry I don't know anything about shipping containers other than they are really secure....
Click to expand...

Okie, I'd love to know what your 30x50 would cost. Up here in NY, things are stupid expensive. 2 years ago, we had a bid for a 40x60x14 tall. The gravel and concrete alone were 14k. All in with 3 garage doors and a walkin was 52k. I declined. Does anyone have experience with these metal buildings? They are far cheaper--I just fear getting what I paid for down the road. They can enclose these and add garage doors.
https://store.alansfactoryoutlet.co...-metal-buildings-p/32x41-vertical-carport.htm
 
Elkaddict said:
Okie, I'd love to know what your 30x50 would cost. Up here in NY, things are stupid expensive. 2 years ago, we had a bid for a 40x60x14 tall. The gravel and concrete alone were 14k. All in with 3 garage doors and a walkin was 52k. I declined. Does anyone have experience with these metal buildings? They are far cheaper--I just fear getting what I paid for down the road. They can enclose these and add garage doors.
https://store.alansfactoryoutlet.co...-metal-buildings-p/32x41-vertical-carport.htm
Click to expand...
Looking that over I am seeing the worth if they pour the concrete, otherwise that's a bunch of money for a carport...we could build a pole barn in 30 x 50 without concrete for that...

I had a friend just build a 40 x 60 with two lean offs, extra thick concrete for a lift, 14 feet tall, fully insulated, 3 garage doors, 1 walk in and 2 Windows and wired for right around $20k.

Different part of the country with lots of competition in the pole barn arena...
 
buckdeer1 said:
QSI buildings is popular over here word is they are very affordable might look at them if interested
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I found a website for them but no prices on it. I'll will give them a call sometime and see if they can make what I want. Thanks.

Okie, those seem like great prices on polebarns! I might have to start shopping across the state line to see if someone would be willing to do something up here in KS.
 
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