From: Ron (rojoha@comcast.net)
Date: Sun Jan 11 2004 - 13:08:19 PST
Saint Deborah has given permission for the purchase of a BIG shop/garage
building- 40'x60' or so, two story, for storage and hiding of my collection
(M35A2, M1010, M715, 4 M38A1s, 2 M116 trailers, 2 M101CDN trailers and an
M105 trailer, plus parts and stuff). Oh yeah, her car is supposed to go in
there too so she doesn't need to scrape the windshield in the morning.
This led to investigation of the purchase of new dwelling over the
border in New Hampshire with an existing 38'x60' wooden building that met
the specs (with a 600 amp single phase service!), but the owner had cut half
of the second floor out with a chain saw and added a 15 foot door so he
could back his tractor and semi trailer inside. Unfortunately, it is not a
metal framed building so it's structural integrity is now toast. Plus she
didn't care for the mods the owner had pulled on the house. Unconventional
to say the least. He don't need no stinking building permits!
But we are continuing the search for a new dwelling with land that I can
put the BIG building on and/or has an existing barn/garage already on it.
She realizes we could fit a 40'x60' on our existing lot, but we won't be
talking to our neighbors any more afterward.
So, I am sure a few of you have traveled the big building road before
and can offer some recommendations. This needs to be semi attractive (at
least so far) to the neighbors. So how about sources for buildings you have
purchased to fill the need?
I will want to heat a part of it for shop use year round, the rest would
be unheated. What is the preferred method of heating for the shop part:
Gas/hot air, gas/infra red, salamanders or oil fired/hot air? Southern New
Hampshire area, so it WILL get cold.
Minimum electrical specs you folks feel is necessary or would be nice?
What about the concrete floor? How thick is recommended? How deep should
the soil prep be ( compaction, minimum gravel depth under slab)?
How about service lifts for the lighter vehicles?
Should the job be farmed out to an architect, or the building
manufacturer or a regular contractor?
Any books or online articles covering these types of things you have
come across?
Questions, questions.....
Any help would be appreciated, off list replies are fine.
TIA, Ron
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