Who's had a barn / shop built - lessons learned?

[milner351]

I'm looking at putting up an addition to the shop - a "lean to" style single pitch roof, roughly 26 x 30 x 12+ onto one wall of the existing gambrel two story barn. Due to dealing with what's already there, with it's relatively short side wall height of 9ft, I need an addition with 12ft+ interior ceiling height to put in the 2 post lift.

Hansens buildings came in with quite the high priced quote not including labor, and they have no recommended contractors in my area.

I've gotten another quote for a different layout from D&L buildings out of Northern Indiana - I believe they are Mennonites, they do have phone and fax, their prices are reasonable but they're not the easiest to communicate with.

I've filled out some info on Carter and Morton building sites without a reply. There is a Carter store not far away - I will talk to them, Menards, Lowes, and the Depot are all in the area as well - but so far I've not heard the best reviews on their "preferred contractors".

It's a big enough job, and I'm busy enough that I'd prefer to have this built, insulated and lined, and then inspected, then finish out the interior from there (wiring, lights, fans, shelves, etc) That will be more than enough to keep me busy.

Suggestions? Horror story's? Recommendations?

[DanStokes]

My shop is from Kentucky Steel Truss Buildings. I'm very impressed with the building but my bro and I assembled most of it with a local gang hired to do the sheeting so I have no clue about contractors. Sounds like a great addition!

Dan

[Bob Holmes]

Thoroughly check out whomever you decide to contract with. We had made deposits on the order of $35k on the barn and then the vendor went dark...Only after constant pestering, and threats to drive up to their plant did we finally get a promise to get the barn "kit" put on a truck and sent down to us. They went BK a couple of weeks later.

A good friend of mine lost on the order of $70K when the SIPs broker they went through for their kit home took off. He then got in trouble when he signed a contract with a contractor under the belief that he had signed an Maximum Agreed Price contract. Nope, said right on the top that it was a cost plus contract. Doesn't matter what the guy tells you, it matters what the paperwork says.

[cobra]

i had a good experiance with Steel Post on my building, but that's no help to you, as they are here in Florida.
see if you can find referals/people that have used the company you are looking at.

[silver_bullet]

with going 26X30 footprint, I'd look into an independent, freestanding building... less guesswork, and easier than a tie-in... I added on to mine, because of local building codes would not allow another building...


Exterior framework of 14X20 addition

exterior shot of sheeting

Interior wall removed with headers boxed forming a "box beam" and 4x4 gussets... 4.5 feet of snow on it and didn't sag or leak! (knock on wood) we will be finishing the floor as money allows making it an 18 X 20 shop area...

[SuperBuickGuy]

I went with Russians, they know 'stout' in their buildings, ships and wives.

[STINEY]

Inspection....yuck.

I don't have much to add that you don't already know.

Did you ever check on trusses with the same exterior profile, but with higher clearance inside for the lift? I'm curious what is possible there.

If it were mine I would be looking to continue the roof ridge lines longitudinally, with a cutout for a higher door (if needed)

Basically just stretching the building visually.

[Huskinhano]

I have to get the block wall on my barn fixed. My property slopes so 3 sides of my barn's foundation is exposed. The front has soil piled up with a ramp going in. The PO never put proper drainage in along with planting a chestnut tree about 10' away. So now the block on the front wall, about 60' is caving in. I can get an excavating contractor no problem, Mason? Forget about it. Well I actually did get one contractor and only one contractor. I feel your pain.

[DanStokes]

Inspection....yuck.


Did you ever check on trusses with the same exterior profile, but with higher clearance inside for the lift? I'm curious what is possible there.

Methinks Stiney is suggesting scissor trusses. That's what I used over the hoist in the shop in Ann Arbor. Worked gret but you do have to pay attention to where you put the car prior to lifting (at least in the A2 shop).

Dan

[rightpedal]

The big mfg of steal buildings and pole barns are not the way to go with this. They tend to price odd additions (no matter how normal) high. The big issue for them is the need for an engineers stamp on the drawing for the connection/attachment point of the two structures. It brings up a liability and a time problem that adds dollars.

Did you have a realtor when you bought the place. The good ones always have a contractor on call. Another place to try is the lumber yard. Don't talk to the front desk people. Go straight to the pro sales in the back. They are best caught really early 6:00 ish. You are ordering enough material that they will take the time to talk to you. They will usually be straight with you about the builders they supply and don't mind giving out numbers. 20,000.00 in material puts $400.00 in their pocket.

You might be better off playing contractor on this one. The best way to find good subs is ask the guy next scheduled. Want a good finisher...ask a painter, want a good drywaller...ask a finisher, want a good framer ask....drywaller, roofer, siding guy. This method does require some weeding out, but I find it reliable and how i got most of my subs.

Do you have workable drawings? I don't mean pro blueprints just basic drawings that show existing, proposed, and elevations. It shows the contractor you have a plan and is easier to conseptualise. May also want some photos of the site.

I will add more later
Steve

[oletrux4evr]

If you've got time for some research, google 'used buildings'.........there are tons of buildings that were ordered yet not delivered that are available at really good prices..............

[STINEY]

Methinks Stiney is suggesting scissor trusses. That's what I used over the hoist in the shop in Ann Arbor. Worked gret but you do have to pay attention to where you put the car prior to lifting (at least in the A2 shop).

Dan

Something akin to that Dan. I'm no professional so I haven't always picked all the correct terminology, but yeah.



Sorry John, all I had was this one picture I had already screwed with. Are scissor trusses available in this roof style? If so how much additional clearance would they yield?




See how the overhead doors are on the short 9' sidewalls? A larger door "could" be accomodated with a "notch" formed into the overhang.....not much but gaining 1' would go a long ways.....maybe more than 1' is possible?


Make the building "longer" with some of these?




Its just wood, anything is possible. The cost is the tricky part......and appearance. We must keep SWSAT content after all.

[STINEY]

Okay forget all that for a moment.

Fresh page and thoughts here.



Is the issue more of the "extra space with taller ceiling" or merely "taller ceiling"?

Is that brickwork structural or ornamental? What is the foundation built like is what I am getting at here.

Bear with me now.....give it some thought.......would raising the whole building and adding height between the foundation and sills accomplish the intended goals?

We have actually done that in the past, it is really not as hard or expensive as it sounds.

Its called adding a "cripple wall" check out this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CPs8F2Qn94

[milner351]

More space and taller space is the order of the day. I may even extend the lean to with a lean to that's another unheated space with sloped ceiling that comes down to 8ft or so - gravel floor - good place to store tractor, splitter, tiller, etc.... winter boat storage, etc.

Gambrel trusses are expensive for multiple reasons:
1. they use a lot of material to build
2. they use a lot of material to roof over
3. they are very expensive to transport due to their size (some companies sell them in three pieces for plate joining on site - but that also adds $$$)

Brick is ornamental as far as I can tell - in an attempt to match up with the brick / board-batten house. Whomever built that building had more money than brains.

I've come full circle back to my first thought of the "lean to" (or single pitch) design mostly because any other connection method be it a traditional 6/12 pitch with 3/12 pitch scissor to provide inside height for hoist, or a scissor or "cathedral" gambrel truss - I'm forced to deal with the 9ft 6in sidewall height of the existing building.

If I make the addition narrower to fit inside the gambrel eave overhang (come in three T1-11 gaps from each side = 2ft on the picture) to a 26ft width I can make my new wall height whatever I want - and the half truss can go way up on the gable end covering up the two windows, then I'll side over the remaining T1-11 with whatever the addition is sided with so it looks uniform. I hope to use standing seam steel on the new roof - do it once and be done FOREVER. No corrugated steel roof neoprene washers to fail... otherwise I'll do shingles to match existing. That will require stronger trusses.... I'm OK with that.

I do intend to support the new trusses on the existing wall with some posts.... not just attach them to the existing wall.

I will go see the guys at the local Carter lumber - hopefully this Saturday morning - they are good to deal with - they helped me with some projects in past - they probably know a good contractor. Then I'll have to find a good excavator and concrete guy, as you can see the land slopes away from the existing building pretty good, I'll have to bring in some fill.
Township requires a rat-wall / footer so the posts will have to go in that trench or bolt on top of that footer, then pour the floor inside it.

Thanks for the suggestions - keep them coming?

Does anyone know anything about D&L steel barns out of Northern Indiana? They have come up with the best price quotes so far (including labor) but they've only quoted stand alone buildings (they suggested to build a stand alone building, connected with a breezeway to the existing.... not the look we're after)

[STINEY]

Maybe ask them to quote a stand-alone building - - with only 3 walls sided, and built really, really close to an existing structure?

Should be no extra work on their end, actually less with 1/4 of the siding. That savings should cover any minor labor inconviences.