Got a Price for Florida Workshop Building

[Chips O'Toole]

Today I went to a metal building place and priced a shop.

I already have a shop. Sadly, I have no place to put my tractors and utility cart. They used to be in the shop. Before it was a shop. Which is now full of tools.

I was thinking of putting up a building for the tractors, but then, based on the nature of existing structures and pavement on my property, I started thinking it might be better to put up a new shop and put the tractors back where they used to be.

I said I wanted 30 x 35 (imperial, for all you Canadians or whatever), 10-foot ceilings, one walk-in door, and one big garage door. I want a power opener. I asked for a 6" slab.

The building they offered was 29-gauge, which is not a lot thicker than foil. They say it's rated for 150 mph, which will never happen here. We get tropical storms on rare occasions, but that's about it. The ridges on the outer walls run horizontally. Vertical costs more.

With slab and installation, I was quoted $38,400. This does not include electric, insulation, an air conditioner, or pushing over several big oaks that would have to go.

I would say $50K is closer to the real figure, ready to move the tools in. Best I can hope for is to have it ready in 6 months, but it could be 10. The garage door is the single biggest delay.

How does this compare to other areas? I'm in Northern Florida.

I ran up against a bizarre law. If you go over something like 9,000 feet of covered ground, you have to have a variance. The irrational thing about the law is that the size of the property is irrelevant. If you have 3000 acres or 1 acre, you still have to get a variance. Something about managing rainwater. They told me I would definitely get a variance because my property is a working farm with an agricultural tax exemption, and I have a pond, which they also like. I wanted to fill the nasty thing in because of mosquitoes, but it looks like I'm stuck with it. Maybe things will change if zika comes back.

 

[Winegrower]

That’s only about $50/sq. ft. Seems fine to me. I just remodeled an existing storage building the same size, poured a new slab, but 4”. This ran about $40K.

 

[Bi11Hudson]

Some thoughts; I don't know the current Fla laws regarding outbuildings. Where I am, in Ala, I just build what I want and am not home to officials.

4 FOOT ON CENTER STEEL BUILDINGS INSTALLED * - farm & garden - by...

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bham.craigslist.org

is in S. Georgia, on hwy 84, not too far from the Florida line. The pictured building is probably too large for what you have in mind. I link to it just to illustrate my thoughts. You are a bit more down state, about as far as I've been was the Palatka (Putnam Co) area. I was mastered (electrician) in Putnam Co in the early '70s. A long time ago.

In the first place, at today's prices (which the link is) and expecting things to get worse as time goes on, perhaps a sand / gravel floor would suffice for the tractor and other stuff. Using as it is the other "shop" building for the shop since it already has a concrete slab. There are many different vendors for barns with varying side enclosures. The linked is toward the high end.

If I were to erect such a building, I would use a gravel floor. Home Depot sells a "footer??" block that has a recess in the top for a 4X4, actually 3-1/2 inches square. Cutting a 10-12 inch piece of 4X4 and shaping a cavity for the framing, soak it in roofing tar for an hour or so before setting. Birmingham has a frost line at 4 inches. I dug down about 10 inches (m/l) and put some Sakrete as a base, then set the footer blocks at 8 inches depth. Leveled and aligned then set the tar soaked timbers in place. The Sakrete was dampened and after a year isn't going anywhere. I would recommend a 48 inch (4 ft) spacing on the outer walls. Your's would depend on the framing supplied by the vendor, likely 6 feet, maybe 8 or more.

At this point, we would differ. I built using 1-1/4 EMT tubing and wooden framing. Bought the roofing material (22 Ga) myself and mounted with pop rivets and screws. You would use whatever the chosen vendor supplied. I was staying within my budget, much lower than what you are anticipating. It would be feasable to cut the vertical framing members a couple of inches and dig a small trench to bury the bottom of the siding. Line the trench with Sakrete to help against critters. . .

Tie downs or other anchors would be at your discretion. I used, the few I have, power line anchors with 1/4 inch cables across the inside of the framing. And those wraps for the ends of the cables. I don't remember the proper name for them, but they are used to plant guys for utility poles. Should be strong enough to withstand high winds.

Most vendors price the building as erected. With a few changes, erection costs would sky rocket. I would have the building delivered and do the erection myself. (If I could still walk!) And too, you know exactly what you had. And how to stress any modifications. I have investigated such buildimgs in the past in this area. The framing members and siding were lighter than what I used. But the framing was welded for long spans and the sheet metal sized to fit the truck delivering it. I don't propose you ignore the local laws, but there are work-arounds that might help.

.

 

[NCjeeper]

10 ft ceiling is pretty low. Lifting tall machines and you will be hitting the ceiling. I would go for at least 12ft.

 

[Martin W]

I said I wanted 30 x 35 (imperial, for all you Canadians or whatever),

If you go over something like 9,000 feet of covered ground, you have to have a variance.

This would be 1050 sq ft of covered ground. You should be good for no variance.

Seems reasonable in this day and age for cost.

I waited 7 months for my two new replacement roll up doors, and they showed up the wrong size and had to be altered on site. I couldn't wait more months for the right ones. Good thing is, you can't tell they were cut down.

If in the budget , I would also go with a 12' ceiling.
Cheers
Martin

 

[wachuko]

I just got a quote from these folks: https://mastergaragebuilders.com/

Let me just copy/paste their email reply… this is for a 30x30 x12’ in Ocala, FL. Received reply yesterday… They were recommended by a good friend that is in the construction business…

I want something like this… so it matches the house…and did not wanted a metal building…. I would have preferred walls out of cinder blocks…. As you do, I want 6” concrete slab as well…

Mr. Diaz,

Thank you for your interest in our buildings. 12' walls is the max we can do within our engineering so that's what I've priced below.

The price for the 30'x30'x12' Gable as described (built in Marion County) is $45,800 which includes the concrete monolithic slab, set up, labor, building permit, and tax. That price also includes 12'-2x6 walls, Hardie Board fiber cement siding (lap, stucco, or vertical) or vinyl siding, two 10'x10' steel overhead doors, one 36" entry door, 30 year architectural shingles and one 3x3 thermal pane window. Our buildings are engineered to the latest Florida Building Code as well.

Just to let you know, we are currently running at least 10 months out with our current backlog.

Mr. Diaz,

Because we pre-build the walls ahead of time we only build out of wood frame.

Our slab has footings around the perimeter that are 12" wide x20" deep and then it angles into 4" in the center. We can pour it 5-6” thick though and you would just pay for the additional yardage of concrete used.

We offer the Hardie stucco siding which is a pretty good match to most stucco homes. Because we don't use subcontractors we don't install the electric but that can be done by a licensed electrician after we get a final inspection on the building.

The next step would be for us to set up a time for me to come out and check your location. I would check the access and determine how much fill might be needed which is based on how level your location is.

Thanks,

 

[deakin]

i would definitely go much higher (mine is 16' and allows a mezzanine)

i think 6" slab is overkill. i have 5" now with 10k and 25k lifts. i previously had the 25k lift in an existing bldg with 4" (3.5 actual) floors with no footers for it and no issues. i also had floor pots for a frame machine and had no issues. i wouldn't build new though with a 4" slab doing that work

horizontal panels sounds like it is an enclosed carport (??)

 

[wachuko]

i would definitely go much higher (mine is 16' and allows a mezzanine)

i think 6" slab is overkill. i have 5" now with 10k and 25k lifts. i previously had the 25k lift in an existing bldg with 4" (3.5 actual) floors with no footers for it and no issues. i also had floor pots for a frame machine and had no issues. i wouldn't build new though with a 4" slab doing that work

horizontal panels sounds like it is an enclosed carport (??)

I am going with a 5" slab instead of 6"... got the same feedback from other friends as well... All I have right now is a Mini-Max two-post lift. My plan is to install a two-post asymmetric lift as well.

I only have a 1/2 acre lot... the shop will be close to the house and I really do not want it sticking out like a sore thumb... I also do not want it bigger because I do not want to take out any of the trees... there is a cleared area in the back corner that is perfect for this... anything larger and trees will have to come down. Wife likes her little enchanted forest .



Version 16... and now there is a version 17 without the driveway and 30'x30'x12'

The OP might have more property and a taller building for him might not be an issue. I agree, having a mezzanine would have been awesome...

 

[pontiac428]

Sounds like a screaming deal. My building is a little different having a 12' ceiling (priceless) and a second story loft, but my building footprint is under 900 sq. ft. I paid a little over 100k for the building only (no wire, insulation, or interior) and it took a year to complete. Build time was only about 3 weeks once scheduled. And that was before COVID. I got my final inspection during the first two weeks of the quarantine, so prices hadn't shot up yet. The manner of construction may be different, I'm on posts and got heavier steel, but wow what a deal for you. If you haven't been inside a building of the type you are looking at in a Florida summer, you may want to consider insulation. I insulated mine, and it keeps cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and no condensation. It took a lot of time to do because I had no studs to hang insulation between and attach sheeting to, and to be honest the job is only 75% complete (wife said get out of storage units before I finished the high-up spots, now the shop is packed), but I'm glad I did it when I did.

The building they offered was 29-gauge, which is not a lot thicker than foil. They say it's rated for 150 mph, which will never happen here. We get tropical storms on rare occasions, but that's about it. The ridges on the outer walls run horizontally. Vertical costs more.

Don't you guys get occasional late summer gusts in Florida?

 

[wachuko]

...Don't you guys get occasional late summer gusts in Florida?

Oh yeah... we have seen some nasty wind gusts in Ocala...