Help with new shop construction

[Wes Billups]

I realize these questions have been asked in many different ways but I thought I would ask for everyone's input on my specific problems. My wife and I are getting ready to move to Marysville, OH and I am out house shopping this week. I have some more houses to look at but I did find one on 1 acre with room for a detached shop. I currently have a detached shop that is 20' x 40' and feel spoiled with all the space. In thinking about this property my only concern is the unknown cost of building a detached structure. The sight I'd put it on is approximately 50' from the house. My questions are below:

1. What would be a good cost estimate for having the electric, gas, and phone run from the house?

2. For those who have built a similar structure, what method did you use and what did it end up costing per square foot. I'm thinking something in the 24' x 32' range with two garage doors.

3. I've been considering the different methods for framing and wanted to get everyone's opinions. Pole building, traditional stick, and structural insulated panels. I got a quote on the SIP's and it came in at $13,000 for 10' walls, not including labor.

I've told my wife that I think we can easily build the shop for under $20,000. Please let me know your thoughts and any potential pitfalls that we should watch out for. My other options are to find a home with an unfinished basement and setup down there but I don't really like that idea due to there being very few walkouts in this area.

Thanks in advance for your help,
Wes Billups

P.S. I am always thinking of resale so this space has to be able to be converted into a garage if we ever sell therefore the floor will be concrete. If money allows I will put down a plywood floor over the concrete.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Wes,

My wife had a 24'x30', poured footing, wall and floor, 2x6 walls, 9'7" finished ceiling height stand alone shop built for me. It has hardiboard lap cementous siding, 30 year designer fiberglass shingles, 1- 10' insulated garage door, 1- 36" walk in door, 3 3'x4' insulated vinyl windows. The cost was $16,180 for the unfinished shell. I painted it. I installed a separate meter base and wired it for 200 amp 240 v service. I insulated it R-19 in the walls and had R-38 fiberglass blown into the ceiling. I covered the walls with 1/2" plywood and 5/8" sheetrock on the ceiling. I had natural gas plumbed into it and had a Lennox 75,000 btu furnace installed. I wired 8 240v - 30- amp outlets and 20+ 120 v outlets into to it. I've got $600 worth of flourescent lighting waiting to be installed. So far, I'm into to it somewhere between $23-25,000 total. It's nearly finished. I'm finishing the mudding of the sheet rock on the ceiling. A contractor built the empty shell and I had a heating contractor run the gas line, plumb the gas and install the heater. I did the rest of it myself. Everything is built to code or better. It's been a long road and I can finally see the end of it. Then I can start outfitting it with new equipment.

Good luck with you adventure!

[Frank Pellow]

Wes, there was a similar thread here recently where you should be able to pick up some relevent infromation. See: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=27821

I hope that you get to build a stand alone shop. I found it to be a great project ena enjoyed almost all of it.

[John Bailey]

Wes,

I'm building a 20x20 shop and doing everything myself including digging the foundation by hand and building my own trusses. The only thing I've had hired out is to increase my home's electric from 100 amp to 200 amp. I don't know where I stand on costs right now. I'm getting close to being finished. The last time I counted everything it was about $4,300. The electric cost $800. I was hoping to get the whole thing done for around $5,000. It would appear I'll be around $8,000. I'm sure this is the very low end as I've done everything myself, scavanged as much as I could, and bought wood on sale most of the time. If you do as I've done, your costs should be about double as your building is about twice the size.

John