Putting up a shop- Pole building or stick built?

[johnrv4]

I'm going to be putting up a shop at my house, and am kinda on the fence as far as what to construct it out of. The plan is to build a 30' x 50' with a 12' door. I plan on having a heated floor, and insulating the crap out of it. I've gotten opinions on what to construct it out of. Some people think that a stick built building with 2" Xx 6" walls and a shingled roof is the way to go, and others think a good steel- sided pole building that's insulated would be better. What do you guys think? I haven't started checking the cost difference yet, but have seen some nice Morton pole buildings that look sweet. What are the +'s and -'s of the different types of construction? Thanks in advance.

 

[SGibson]

you pretty much get what you pay for, a pole barn is much cheaper than stick built, I can't have one where I live because it's not zoned commercial, my dad can't have one where he lives because there "unsightly" they useally don't have the integrity of regular framing on a foundation const. but some I've seen were very nice, there are drawbacks to having a steel building and I heard some guys were taking a beating installing them on old contracts when steel went thru the roof pricewise.

 

[Champane Flight]

Try this

I just finnished my shop. I went steel through steelbuildings.com . I took a beating with the steel prices going up the way they did, but still paid less than stick built. It is a pretty cool site as they let you design and price your building on line. The delivery was flawless, except for the insulated door, which was shipped from the door factory in Denver. It was shipped to the wrong address even after I told them NOT to. Give em a try, at least check out their prices.

 

[MFalkinham]

I vote traditional wood frame using the metal ribbed siding. Best of both worlds, and stick building would be easier to finish off the inside walls than in a pole barn.



Another option is concrete block, which is what mine is made of (came with the house I bought). Labor intensive, but if you have a buddy who is a mason he might do it slowly in his spare time for cheap. Not the best for insulating unless you fill the blocks with foam pellets as you lay them. It is stronger than a brick s__thouse, though.



- Mike

 

[GFritsch]

I would build out of wood with a wood truss roof. I like wood for its ability to attach lumber racks, heavy shelving etc. 2x6 walls will give good r value when insulated. The floor radiant heat is a great way to go. Go overboard on electrical plugs and circuits if the shop will be used for woodworking/metal fabrications etc. .



If you go manufactured steel shop around for a good deal. Still have to build the foundation. Make sure the drawings are very clear on dimensions and anchor bolt layout unless local code will let you wedge anchor later.



Have fun building it,

Greg

 

[catoiler]

I went another route and bought 3 40' sea contaner's and put 1 across the back and 1 down each side then built a 2"x 2" truss roof across them. It has a height of 12' inside. it is 40' square inside and has the storage inside the 3 containers also. The front has 2 10' doors on rollers and each container has 4' sliding doors to the inside of the shop. All toll got about $6000. 00 in it.

 

[TPCDrafting]

With the heated floor, go with a stem wall perimeter. Insulate under the slab and the inside face of foundation wall. This will make the heat more cost effective. With a 12' door, build 14' side walls if you're doing flat bottom trusses. If you are in a high wind area, you might check with an engineer, 2x6 may deflect too much in 14'. Check your simpson catalog for lateral bracing in addition to OSB sheathing on the outside face. Have the walls completely braced off before you roll trusses. Brace the trusses together as you go and if you have extra help, have them putting on the appropriate hurricane straps as they go up. Put up all the trusses in one day, it's not that big. A guy down the street spent all summer framing 4 walls. Didn't put on any sheathing except one sheet width full height on the ends of the long walls. Then he and his buddys spent an entire day putting up about 10 (about 1/2) trusses. The winds kicked up that week and blew the whole thing down. Pretty expensive pile of firewood.

 

[johnrv4]

Thanks for all the ideas and the good advice. Keep 'em coming!!

 

[dslmacdown]

Originally posted by TPCDrafting

A guy down the street spent all summer framing 4 walls. Didn't put on any sheathing except one sheet width full height on the ends of the long walls. Then he and his buddys spent an entire day putting up about 10 (about 1/2) trusses. The winds kicked up that week and blew the whole thing down. Pretty expensive pile of firewood.

I was wondering what was up with that guy? First I see he builds four walls and then few weeks later only two walls are standing. Now he is slowly rebuilding, poor guy. :-laf :-laf



Chris

 

[TPCDrafting]

He had to buy all new trusses.

Last summer, he spent at least a month on forming the slab and come to find out it wasn't level. Had to start over on that too. He's a city fireman and all his fire man buddy's come out to help, but they don't seem to know anything about progress or carpentry.



Go figure, they all drive flower smokes. Everytime I leave with the truck, I leave them with a black haze. :-{}

 

[TPCDrafting]

Speaking of slab, John, you could do a monolithic pour. That is if the local building dept. allows them, the site is relatively flat and you won't be attaching it to any existing structure. This is more cost effective than stem walls on footings.

 

[daveshoe]

Best of both?

I builr a short pole wall with holes 4' deep and 2' out of the ground. Then capped it and built it stick walls on top of it

The areas where a slab went in were tied in to the slab with rebar thru the poles. At the time, stick was cheaper because of cheap plywood [OSB] prices. Exterior was vinyl siding. Building is 17 years old. size was 44x80 and material cost was 16800. It has an elevated shop floor with 3/4 plywood and polyurethane finish 48x28 and remainder of building is concrete storage area.

No, it is not big enough!

I almost always set the poles, tamp them in with gravel pack and then pour concrete right away before any of the frame is up . the skirt board is used to contain the concrete and provide the top elevation. If the truck slightly bunps one. you can always straighten it out when the 'crete is wet

Rule of thumb is that there is just about the same amount of wood [and cost] in a stick built and pole wall system. Savings is in the foundation. Look real close at all three systems . [Stud, steel frame , and pole , because vairable prices can favor one over the other.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

John,



Let me know when the 'barn raising' party is... I'd be glad to help out.



I'm not much help when it comes to the +/- of a particular building process... but I can swing a hammer and help out if you need it.



Matt

 

[kcv67]

I am in the process of building my shop . I decided 2x6 with steel siding because I went two story on one side and 17' on the other side with a 12'x14 door. I bought the steel before the big increase but I bought the lumber when it was pretty high. With a pole building or with steel I still would of had to frame in the second story so it was cheaper stick building it.

 

[PLaFrombois]

Let me know when your ready to start.

 

[johnrv4]

I should have some final ideas after the Oshkosh fly-in at the end of the month. There are a bunch of builders that have booths up there that I'll get some information and prices from. That was a great site Champane Flight. That site is very detailed and is giving me a pretty good idea where the costs are coming in. I don't know if this thing will get built this year for sure, but at least the driveway and site will be done for sure. Hopefully the building will be done also.

 

[Fireman Dave]

Yeah, John. Let us know if you need some labor. I might be able to bring some Amish down too. Besides, you know who'll be helping you use the new place.

 

[Hohn]

I've considered the Insulated Concrete Forms for a while now for a future house/shop. (ICF)



It's VERY strong, impervious to rot, very quiet, long lasting, and not much more expensive than a stick built.



Check out www.concretehomes.com





jlh

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Off topic...



I'm going to the Oshkosh fly-in as well... not sure which day I'll be there... but I'll be there!!



Matt

 

[Champane Flight]

Couple

Darn it, it will be a couple of years before I can make Oshkosh.