Finally looking to purchase a building/shop to house the bus and other toys. Maybe a 30x50. I have looked at steel buildings with I-beam and also wood frame with steel covered walls. Any suggestions on dealers and approx. prices. Those that I looked at appeared to be built rather well and that's important down here!
BS
My shop is 28x50. Wood frame construction with metal roof and metal siding. It has a full length pit on one side and holds 2 coaches fairly comfortably.
I should have made it 60 ft. long to allow for a work area at the end. I kept the cost down by building it myself.
Iver.
Richard,
Why is this thread "Off Topic"?
Sounds pretty "On Topic" to me. It is about buses.
Just curious, that's all.
Paul
Ace, I don't know what you budget is but a panel building is strong, well insulated, & easy to put up. You can put windows and doors anywhere you like. They also will withstand hurricanes. Here is just one manufacturer:
http://www.valubuild.com/
There are others.
HTH,
TOM
Now I'm really not trying to make waves here but with all the recent topics about buses being moved to "off topic" including this one, can a REAL moderator step in and tell Richard when and what to move? It appears he lost his delete button and has learned to copy and paste!
If a bus building is off topic, can an explanation be given @$# to what IS?
Thank you!
BS
Best advice I can give is to build it as big as you can ;D - seems you could always use more room inside.
A friend once told me there are only two sizes - too small & way to small. :o
I'm planning on making mine as big as codes will allow - living in the city, big brother wants to be involved. :(
I too am puzzled as to why this got moved . . . .
It's a good subject too & I'm looking forward to hearing other ideas. 8)
I think Richard ment to move BS'a other topic [Hay Cliff]
Sorry Folks!
Nick-
Thanks Nick but question, isn't bluegrass and bussing somewhat related and aren't Cliff and I bus owners? Seems to me this is bus related! It isn't a joke like I have seen posted that DOES belong in OT. It merely is one bus nut letting another bus nut know he was near his home and maybe they could meet up for dinner and some outdoor pick listening one Saturday night, that's all!
If it needs to stay in OT, then so be it but personally, ah, nevermind!
BS
Ace,
When shopping for buildings for your bus, the first thing you should ask the mfg. is What is the design Wind Load of the building?
This will give you a good idea of how it will hold up in a hurricane. My 50x60' shop is certified for 130 mph WL, you should be higher then that in S Florida.
As Kyle said, go as big as you can afford. No matter how big, you will always fill it!
Good Luck
Nick-
Quote from: Blacksheep on May 18, 2008, 06:57:11 AM
Thanks Nick but question, isn't bluegrass and bussing somewhat related and aren't Cliff and I bus owners? Seems to me this is bus related! It isn't a joke like I have seen posted that DOES belong in OT. It merely is one bus nut letting another bus nut know he was near his home and maybe they could meet up for dinner and some outdoor pick listening one Saturday night, that's all!
If it needs to stay in OT, then so be it but personally, ah, nevermind!
BS
Humm, As like the "bus nut health" therad is off topic, it's just pointed twards a few members and may even qualify as a PM. ??
Nick-
I'm getting ready to build one. 40 X 60'.
JC
Nick,
Good point on the wind load consideration, as you and I had sustained gusts over 75 mph, just last Monday...
Hope you did not have any damage.
Gary,
Ace, I have a 40x60 x18 the prices on metal buildings have gone way up but I bought mine 4 years from Impact in San Antonio for 13k with the insulation, 2- 14ft roll up doors, 2 entry doors,6 sky lites and 3 roof vents check their webpage some time they have a sale most steel building manufactures engineer their building for your area and states require that. A metal building in the snow country will cost 20% more or less than one for the coast, the ones for high wind like where I live just have more screws.
here is a breakdown on some cost may or not apply to your area
Building only with doors $10 to $12 a square ft
labor from a contractor to erect $3 to $5 a square ft
slab depending on the price of concrete in your area ($100 cy where I live) $3 to $4 sf ft
electrail depending on what you want for lighting and services my cost was $7k
plumbing what ever you what my cost was $1500.00
plus the local area permit fees
I would check on the price of concrete blocks if I were you may be the best way if you can find some unemployed block layers
good luck with this project. another way is to check your area for a take down metal building a friend of mine bought 2 40x80x12 for $2500.00 each
Thanks guys! After checking out a lot of sites I found a neighbor who has a building I fell in love with! It's perfect for what I need and I will check out the company tomorrow. His building has been up for about 7 years and sustained no damage to date! I posted a picture after it was erected. It looks a lot different now with grass and shrubs not to mention concrete driveway from the road to the shop!
Getting excited IF I can afford it! I figure if the fuel doesn't come down, I might as well make the bus and other toys a little more comfortable!
BS
Blacksheep,
What is that strip about 18" below the roof line?
David
That is a skylight
Hi Ace,
It might be a good idea to ask the company to design overhangs on the eves and gable ends as well as gutters. It helps to eliminate water marks
down the steel siding. I had 18" overhangs designed into my building because my prior building didn't have any and looked bad after 10 years.
Good Luck
Nick-
Mr. Baa Blacksheep, Could you build that bldg big enough so I could bring my Eagle over to keep that Prevost company, LOL? Are we (The Flying Aces) ready to go camping???
Nick is that your business shop AND Bus shop?
Curious! Why the portable shelter over the bus?
Manny, sure if you want to split the cost! LOL
AND I'm more than ready to go camping! 2 weeks and counting every day that passes!
BS
Been researching the builder and found another model very similar to the first model but this one has the eaves Nick was referring to but doesn't have what I called skylights on the other model. They are actually called eave lights and they DID let in a lot of natural light!
Ace, since you've been in the 'Squire's' shop at our winter quarters the two items I was going to mention for being a must are the skylights and insulation. Can't imagine working in a steel building in FL in the summer without it...or the winter for that matter.
While you're at it...how about a pit for your friends to share with you? Since the water table is so low there now you probably wouldn't have to put that big a sump and pump in to keep it dry. Oh, it wouldn't have to be that special...not a 50 footer...if you only made it 10-15' long we could run our buses out the back door, turn them around and come back in to service the other end.
It would be nice to have plenty of outlets and compressed air in the pit though...and oil drain equipment because I can't lug those heavy 5 gallon pails anymore. ;)
Bob
Bob, looks like I may have to put a pit in ours when we build it! ;D
I had not really thought about putting one in, however it would be nice to be able to look under ours and anyone else's that comes through!
Not to hyjack your thread Ace, however thinking about a pit; am wondering if you could built it 6 feet wide WITH something like an inside side boards, (metal) that drops down once the bus is backed down the pit, except for the part over the rear wheels. That way you have more room to work on the steering, and other parts normally not accessible.
What do ya'll think?
Jack
Quote from: Blacksheep on May 18, 2008, 04:09:12 PM
Nick is that your business shop AND Bus shop?
Curious! Why the portable shelter over the bus?
Manny, sure if you want to split the cost! LOL
AND I'm more than ready to go camping! 2 weeks and counting every day that passes!
BS
Hi Ace,
I only wish I can keep my bus inside the shop all the time...
The busisness comes first, so when I need the bus inside, I have to move the fork lift and some pallets to the other side.
The shelter works very well. I call it the Bus Glove.. The covers usually last 2 years. It has survived 3 major storms to date!
Nick-
Ace,
I thought you had a concrete block building built. Was it for all of your other toys?
Didn't it work out for you or is this another adventure?
Paul
Paul yes I had a two car plus block garage built and it is full of a lot of what Susan calls junk but will become a nice shop/garage once it's cleaned out. It's still needs outside finishing like stucco and exterior lights but the new shop I want will be just for the bus, trailer, golf cart and machinery like welders, tools and boxes etc.!
BS
Another question regarding size! How do they measure the height of a given building? Is it the side wall or to the highest point of the peak?
BS
The side walls, for 14ft high doors doors you need a 16ft building a suggestion for you use a least a 12 ft wide door also if any way possible use one at each end for good air flow works here in sunny AZ 113 Sunday. Before you order your building check your local codes for the height limit on building and how many doors and what size you can have
If you choose 18' height, you have the option of putting a mezzanine in for some nice storage over your work benches. The extra height seems cooler too.
Dad had a Morton building put up - 50 x 75 x 18 ceiling. (Mom has already filled the mezzanine area :o ) He put in 12w x 14h doors & they ain't too wide or too tall! He also added windows to one side to make it look more residential & less commercial. Nice natural light source too.
YMMV
Ace
I have a 40x60 with 16' wall height and a 4"in12" pitch which makes it 22' at the peak.
I installed 2, 14'by14' roll up doors in one end with 6' between them, I needed the
width to be able to turn into the shop. I also have 1, 12'by14' on the side next to the
entrance end plus a 8'by8' on the other end. It is never too big.
Catskinner!
Sonnie & Patti Gray
72 0/5 Eagle 3406 Cat
Pottsboro, Tx
I've been looking at a bus building if my house ever sells. They can put a 14 foot door in a building with 14 foot sidewalls. It does require special trusses that are offset in the center.
I can't afford to live in a totally rural area where anything goes so I have been trying to figure out how to design a building that will fit into a somewhat suburban environment and not have 16 foot sidewalls if I can help it. (Lots are 1 acre minimum.)
Belfert, are talking about a 14ft roll up door I could see that with one of the cheaper garge type door but not with a good rollup
Couple of things. for wood frame/steel tin building.
1. If you have the translucent top part of the wall the sun lets in a lot of heat.
2. The cupola's on mine are decoration only at this part next summer I will be fixing that though.
3. Rain gutters are a good option to keep the water away from the wood posts.
4. Even in high heat area's insulation really helps for sweating problems.
5. The translucent top part supposedly only last 10 years before needing to be replaced.
6. Around here the wood trusses have a max of 60' but adding 20' loafers on the side really help.
FWIW
Skip
Yes, you can put a commercial type garage door in a building with 14 foot sidewalls. The trusses have to be manufactured with a step up in the center where the garage door goes. (This only works if building is wide enough for trusses to still have enough support.) Another option is laminated curved trusses that are very large and heavy, but can spaced much further apart and have a lot of clearance in the center. Starwood is one brand.
I would go with 16 foot sidewalls if at all possible, but zoning rules in some areas will not permit 16 foot sidewalls. Municipalities in the metro area where I live are getting stricter and stricter all the time on sizes of accessory structures like a bus garage. Stuff that was possible 10 years ago won't fly today. Most zoning codes prohibit pole barns on less than 5 acres and don't allow them period. (5 acres is cost prohibitive in unless you like a 50 mile commute to work.)
Belfert, we I think the are on the same page now you are talking about a wood frame building not a metal building
Hi Guy's,
I had roll up doors on my old shop and I will never have them again! No insulation value, and they leave gaps for pests and rodants to get in.
The new shop, I installed 2- commercial 12x14 Wayne Daltons that are insulated and have auto openers. What a Difference...
Good Luck
Nick-
Nick, they made a lot of improvements on the roll up doors mine are double wall insulated with rubber seals on the side, top and bottom and have I no problems with pests but I would like electric but it cost to much for a roll up door so I have the chain and it is no problem if the door is adjusted right 1 tug of the chain up to the top it goes same way coming down but I like remotes
Thats good to hear...
My old agway building was a nightmare just to hope that the door would roll up when we recieved delivery's..
Also got my fingers jammed in the side rail while rolling it up once.. :o That hurt!
Nick-
Ace Whatever steel building you go with it is well worth putting in the clear panels in the roof I have 4 clear panels in a 50 x 100 building and I never have the lights on during the day.
That's a very good looking bus Paso One!
Jack
Thanks Jack For a Fishbowl its not a bad bus ;) once I get the discoloration off the aluminum it will look better yet.
Quote from: Blacksheep on May 17, 2008, 08:27:56 PM
Finally looking to purchase a building/shop to house the bus and other toys. Maybe a 30x50. I have looked at steel buildings with I-beam and also wood frame with steel covered walls. Any suggestions on dealers and approx. prices. Those that I looked at appeared to be built rather well and that's important down here!
BS
I don't subscribe to the "bigger is better" adage. But in this case ... bigger IS better (IMHO). We built a 40'x60' polebarn structure and I DO wish we had made it 50'x70' ... OR 40'x70' at the very least. Have more room in front of and in back of a 40-foot bus would be nice. We also did do 14-foot + high entry doors, which are great.
Good luck with your building.
Check out Miracle Truss.... Lots of possibilities; pretty easy to put up. More expensive, perhaps than some, but they have a pretty good sale going on just now, I hear.
Call1800 521 0386. Ask for Justin Wheeler, ext332. Nothing charged for conversation, questions, etc. I am working with him for a POSSIBLE building down the line a bit. Not connected with them otherwise.
FWIW :)
RCB
We built a 36 X 56 Miracle Truss building. You can see the details at: http://home.earthlink.net/~garagebeltguy/ That is a pretty old site, but you can see the details.
I was able to place the beams myself and do all of the construction with the exception of the concrete mostly by myself :o. The design allows easy change of siding (rather than metal) to meet local requirements.
I had to go with 8 foot spacing on the beams to meet the 50 pounds per sq. foot snow load requirements of our county. It worked, as we had a 6 foot snow not long after I built the building ;D
Miracle Truss were great folks to work with. The engineering drawings/calculations that they furnish with the building met the very demanding requirements of our county building folks.
Because of the beam design, I was able to get a 14 foot door with 14 foot walls.
Jim
I've still got a nice home with a 40 x 60 shop, 24' pit, air compressor, etc. for sale in North Florida
Ace,
If you go with the skylights, make sure you get a warranty in writing on how long they will last without leaking. The sun breaks them down and they start to leak, at least mine did. It is nice to have the natural light, but if you have to replace them after 5-6 years (or 10-12 even) you will not be happy.
Jim
JimC you don't have that problem with clear carbon type only the fiberglass type
luvrbus,
If you click on my prev posted picture (enlarge) you will see a clear strip all the way down the side.
just above the loafers. My shop is the same way (clear top strip)
This is not fiber glass and was told I would need to replace that strip every 10 years.
Heavy hard plastic don't know carbon style from what I have.
FWIW
Skip
Skipn, mine are carbon like a greenhouse lifetime warranty
Luvrbus,
any brand names so I can start searching for suppliers?
Thanks
Skip
Skip n, the ones that came with my building I ordered from Texas came from Texas Green House 1-800-227-5447 the stuff is not cheap but I didn't want to get on the roof every so often and replace the sky lights the name of the products is called Polycarbonate comes 8 ft sheets made by GE have a good day
Skip a little more info on the panels that I have they are corrugated,UV protected , coated with silicone, light transmission is 87% and bronze in color also available in clear and opal plus special order colors and the smooth panels come in single ,double or triple wall I got this info from a label on a sheet that I had left over and it was made by US Global Resources not GE as I stated but it has a GE sticker on it
I have been planning since December '06 to build a bus garage, but I have been unable to sell my house thus far.
With the price of fuel I'm wondering if it is even worth building a bus garage as who knows how long I will be able to afford to fuel the bus.
Not sure I would use or ask for polycarbonate especially clear. Yes it's very tough stuff. I know! Our race car bodies are made from it. The problem is it scratches VERY easy! If you have leaves, tree limbs, and any dirt etc., blowing over the poly, better known as Lexan, you will soon loose your light from it turning dull!
BS
Actually mine are very dull looking ... They still seem to let a lot of daylight in.
luvrbus,
Thanks for the extra effort in checking brand and the options uv etc....didn't know,
Paso,
Marketing man........it's not scratched it is translucent :) or like my bus windows a frosted petina
Skip