>I have had three bids on my "dream garage,"...the following are my specs
>that I gave to the builders:
>
>30' X 40'
>12' walls (to accommodate the lift I plan to install)
>shingle roof w/ 16" overhang all around+ fascia
>steel ceiling inside (white)
>3 windows, double pane for insulation properties
>hole in wall for air conditioner :-)
>1 16' garage type insulated door
>1 entrance door w/ window
>Building fully insulated for winter use
>4" cement slab, except where my lift is going to be placed...has to be 6" there
>
>All of the bids range between $12,200 and $14,500, complete.
>
>It gets pretty cold here (MIchigan) so the insulation thing is big with me
>and while metal buildings would logically seem to be colder, I have been
>assured that with proper insulation they're as warm as a conventional
>structure.
Provided they're *heated*, they're as warm as a conventional building.
I have a 40' x 60' insulated shop, and while the temperature inside
probably doesn't vary more than 10 degrees on any given day,
the temperature inside probably hovers around the median outside
temperature for the day. Dave Williams did a fairly comprehensive
collection of articles on shop heating a few months ago. You might
want to see if you can get them, again.
>Either of you guys have any ideas of what I may have forgotten in my specs?
>Oh, btw, I'll do the elec myself.
Plumbing. If nothing else, at least begin with stubbed plumbing in
the floor. Having a sink or a couple sinks is a good idea. The
on-demand water heaters are almost ideally suited to shop use. Having
a toilet will avoid unpleasant trips through the Michigan winter back
to the house.
A second man door allows multiple paths of egress, and if placed
properly, will allow you to get a breeze through until you have the
air conditioner installed.
And after having them in my shop, something I can't recommend strongly
enough are skylights and windows. My shop just has a bunch of
translucent fibreglass panels in the roof, you can decide what works
best for you. But being able to work in entirely natural, unfocused
light is great.
andy
banta@abingdon.sun.com
|