new construction barn/woodshop

brenthenze · 02-28-2008, 07:22 PM

Hey all,

I'd posted a message a couple years ago (hard to believe) about a new shop project. Well, I'm one of those "slow planners." But the time has come--this summer, come **** or high water, I'm gonna build the darn thing!

Unfortunately, I have also gone from being reasonably fit and healthy (a few short months ago) to now having some back problems that'll make some of the construction difficult. So...I wonder if anyone from Eastern North Carolina has worked with area contractors who'd be interested in an outbuilding project. The Greenville/Farmville area (where I am) is growing so quickly that there are lots of construction crews working on houses. Is there such thing as a "barn" specialist?

I have a pretty particular idea what I'm looking to build--I even have some architectural drawings. (I'm basically copying a friend's three-bay English-style horse barn.) And I'd like to do as much of the work myself as possible (or at least, myself plus a "crew" of two or three friends)--I can't afford to have the whole thing built professionally. But I'm frankly anxious about by ability to do some of the bigger stuff: the bigger beams, the trusses, and even putting up the sheathing.

Has anyone (a) had any experience "sharing" the work with a professional crew, or (b) had experience doing the general contracting on a semi-big outbuilding project, but hiring out bits and pieces of the work?

jtodd71 · 02-28-2008, 07:43 PM

I worked on a framing crew that consisted of me and 2 other guys for 3 years we were always able to do about anything

junquecol · 02-28-2008, 10:53 PM

There is a place in Raleigh that does nothing but garages. I think their name is Carolina Custom Builders. They might not go to your area, but could recommend some one. In the last "Tools" issue of FWW there was an article on building a shop. Author said he got a much better deal using a garage builder. www.carolinacustombuilders.com

brenthenze · 02-29-2008, 12:54 PM

Thanks for both of these comments--and I'll definitely check out Carolina Custom Builders, though I wonder if a garage (or at least an "off the shelf" garage) would be sturdy enough for lumber storage and tools (especially the second floor).

I was looking at the website for Barn Pros (barnpros.com)--a company that primarily builds kits for horse barns. This company mostly uses pole barn-style construction rather than stick framing. Anyone have a shop in a pole barn? Seems like there'd be some advantages: you don't need a slab (each floor "hangs" from poles that are set on concrete footings, and the construction looks like it's pretty straightforward. (This design also seems to use a lot less material.) But I wonder about how one would insulate this style of building. There are no studs, so it seems like roll insulation wouldn't work (unless you add studs, in which case, you might as well have stick-framed to begin with).

I'm still going back and forth on the foundation, actually--block vs. slab vs. post and piers. I'd want to be able to insulate the "shop" part of the barn (about 2/3 of the whole thing, but I'll leave one bay uninsulated to use as a regular drive-in garage (for car, lawnmower, etc.)

Keye · 02-29-2008, 01:32 PM

We are going to make an offer on a property this weekend that has a 32x32 aluminum siding building. It is a pole guilding. I have been staying up at night trying to figure out the best way to turn this into my new shop.

I think you and I are going through the same thought process. If we end up buying this place I will have to work on the old wooden barn first. It needs horse stalls. After that I will start on the SHOP.

If all this comes to pass I will contact you and maybe we can help each other out a little.

Mike Wilkins · 02-29-2008, 05:09 PM

There is a firm in and around Greenville called The Barn King. I was unable to find his number in the book. But I ocassionally see the guy at my gym.
Next time I see him I will get his card and call you. I suspect a check at one of the local building suppliers can find you a company. I would try Garris Evans in Greenville. I think they cater mostly to the local builders and someone there should have a suggestion. They are on 14th Street near the RR tracks.
Good luck.

gator · 02-29-2008, 05:35 PM

You might find this site interesting, at least for ideas.

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

George

junquecol · 02-29-2008, 11:52 PM

Be sure to think about putting rigid insulation under slab, and some PEX pipe in the slab for radiant heat. You could hang a couple of solar panels to heat the water, and supplement, when needed, with a gas water heater.

brenthenze · 03-01-2008, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by Mike Wilkins

There is a firm in and around Greenville called The Barn King. I was unable to find his number in the book. But I ocassionally see the guy at my gym.

Thanks, Mike--if you happen to see the guy around, I'd appreciate having his #. And I'll check with the folks at Garris Evans too--that's a good idea. I'd thought about asking at the contractor desk at Lowes, but Garris Evans is an even better bet.

brenthenze · 03-01-2008, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by halfblind

We are going to make an offer on a property this weekend that has a 32x32 aluminum siding building. It is a pole guilding. I have been staying up at night trying to figure out the best way to turn this into my new shop.

I think you and I are going through the same thought process. If we end up buying this place I will have to work on the old wooden barn first. It needs horse stalls. After that I will start on the SHOP.

If all this comes to pass I will contact you and maybe we can help each other out a little.

Works for me--sounds like you're in a pretty good position, though--two buildings to work on! Space, glorious space....

brenthenze · 03-01-2008, 07:50 PM

Thanks, George--I think I'd seen this site way back when, but I'd forgotten about it. I like the gambrel-style barns--I'd initially ruled that out because the truss construction seemed too complicated, but the more I look at it, the more I'm changing my mind about that (particularly if I decide I need to get pros to do the roof). A gambrel-style barn with attached shed wings would look something like the English-style three-bay design that I've been favoring.

And I have to say, I love the idea of just ordering a stack of blueprints!

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