Building a Shop

If you have the budget, consider a shop long enough to get the truck and trailer in together. My shop is 50' long so I can't get both in together much less drop the trailer inside and work on it. Be kinda nice to be able to pull the whole unit in if only to park for the night.
With a farming background you already know the utilities required.
I really like the floor drain idea. BUT,, could any environment issues crop up concerning the runoff? (pun intended)
Like others have posted, extensive research now is mandatory to prevent problems later = no regrets.
I envy you in the task ahead, just something so exciting in planning out a building/shop.
One suggestion, when you pour the slab consider it for expanding the building later.

Take the time now to research so you don't say ; "wished I woulda .........."
BOL and please keep us posted. I personally love this kinda stuff.

 

I wonder if any of you guys are familiar with American Steel Span Buildings? They are air-craft hanger style with galvanized steel. Looks like a cost effective and also simple DIY shop option.

 

You can get the building put up fairly cheap. When you start talking about doors, insulation, concrete, and electrical, that's where the money is.

Lots of people are going with in-floor heat these days. I've just got a wood stove in my shop.

 

I have worked in a shop with in floor heat, it was nice for sure. For the expense I'm happy with my Stove. Course Arkansas winters are mild compared to the north country. I'm a wood stove person myself. We get the kiln dried rejects and trimmings from the mill for almost nothing.

 

I had a 60x60 built last year. 16' tall and 6 14x14 roll up doors. It's still too small. lol

 

Figured ya like this.

 

a longer narrower building makes sense to me like klleetrucking says. Truck and trailer, or tandem park some tractors.

Some of the steel building companies have calculators on their website where you can calculate the cost of the building minus the side-work which I assume you'll be doing yourself. The calculators are nice as you can see how much more it would cost with different options (insulation, more doors, roof pitches, etc).

I was contemplating building one and was told not to do a floor drain as suddenly you're subject to a ton of rules (waste water reclamation), better to just grade it slightly if you're gonna do some washing. That may just be Massachusetts rules, I dunno.

Steel does seem to be the way to go.

 

The last shop I worked at had a heated floor. Was nice in the winter for sure.

 

ive considered something like these tho it's a ways off. a floor would be good and of course thought out.

 

I love container buildings.... I've had a few plans knocking around in my brain for a long while.