Take home work

[Numbfingers]

Questions for other independent field mechanics out there: Do you have a shop that you operate out of? What size building do you have, how much work is performed inside, and is it sufficient? Is there a need for space to take in a customer's machine occasionally?
The reason I'm asking is I want to stay mobile and don't want a bunch of heavy traffic down my road along with an accumulation of machines. However, I'm looking to build a small shop as a base to house my service truck, supplies, and an area for component rebuild, minor fabrication, etc. I also have a customer or two that don't have shops to use when repairs are required to be done inside. All my customers until now are construction outfits so I'm not working on anything huge yet. I don't want to build unnecessary space for a shop that requires heat more than half the year, not to mention construction costs. Should I plan for receiving a customer's machine into my own shop or just make other arrangements as needed and keep it smaller? I plan on remaining a one man show, so no expansion necessary in the future.
I'm curious to know what other field mechanics are doing in regards to work at home.

 

[ohiofleet]

well i have never seen any job that cant be done outside that being said i just buil a 40 x64 pole barn to do work out of and park my truck its nice to have it at home but its a pain to cause you can never get away from it insted of siting down youm find your self going out and working

 

[thepumpguysc]

A 24x30-something metal building, w/ some lean-to's, set up on your level property is around 7 grand. Now factor in air and electric... and your looking at 10K..
A couple of 20.00 floor heaters and your in business.
ONLY YOU can decide if the money is right.
Ohiofleet>> THATS THE BEAUTY of having a shop at home.. you can go out and "tinker" anytime you want..
You don't have to drive 50 miles to put that last wheel on the loader, you were to tired to do lastnite..

 

[Numbfingers]

I appreciate the input, and I have been crunching the numbers for a 32x40x16 stick frame. Construction up here costs a good bit more than the lower 48 though. My dirt work will be about 5-6k(excavate poor soil and fill/compact gravel pad), footers about 5k, then lumber, trusses, and metal roofing are about another 10k just to get dried in without a slab. A mono slab instead of floating is about 11k. Metal building package for that size is about 35k. I've considered pole barns but with silty and clay soil conditions, and 42" frost depth (sometimes 6ft), I don't think that's a good idea. I could downsize, maybe I'm thinking too big for a one man show.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Here in S.Carolina all we have to worry about is rain and skeeters.. and you don't see anybody calling off of work for skeeters..
That's the 1st question I ask when the weather turns.. and I have to make a road call.. you got a building?? IF NOT, we set it up when the rain stops.
I can see where your building will require a lot of hoops to jump thru.. cost & conditions.
Price a metal bld. like I spec'd out. 24x30 something w, some lean to's.. no concrete.. you can ALWAYS pour it afterwards..
It'll be big enough to park your truck and enough room for some toys and a work shop, w crane, press, work table & compressor. and the outside cover, lean-to's for the occasional take home work.

 

[Numbfingers]

What size door(s) and ceiling height do you recommend?

 

[lantraxco]

32x40 is a tool shed, don't go any smaller. And don't ask me how I know, LMAO. :tong

 

[Junkyard]

Shops are like an aquarium. The fish grow to fit the size of it. Shops are the same. Mine is 50x90 with 4 16x16 doors, 20' sidewalls. Tons of electric throughout. There are days it's not enough and days it doesn't see much use at all. I would look at it as a convenience thing and let your budget dictate size and specs. I would say 90% of my work is field. Of course our weather concerns are night and day different!! You'd be amazed at the crap you'll collect and the people who drop stuff off for work unannounced if you have a home facility of any type. Happens to me quite often. I think it boils down to a balance of need and budget. If you do build try to plan for future expansion any way you can. My .02

Junkyard

 

[thepumpguysc]

The one's I'm looking at only offer 8 & 10ft doors for a metal "garage". You can get the side walls any height.

 

[Jonas302]

I don't know anybody that doesn't have a base workshop sure you can pull an engine outside but your not going to be in business long overhauling it in a gravel pit....
Size is whatever you can swing its going to be to small anyways(;

 

[alskdjfhg]

Im in the process of planning/building a shop right now. After Dad died I won't be able to build the 15,000 ft^2 shop with overhead cranes that he and I were planning by myself right now.

The current plan is for a timber framed 40x80 with 18' walls.

I've already spent $4600 on 40' of culvert, land clearing and one out of two permits.

I'm budgeting another $15,000 for doing the dirt work and hauling in crushed concrete for a yard/driveway.

Right now the quote for a turn key shell with 6" concrete is $48,000. That still leaves me to bring in power, run lights, wire the machine tools up, needing two 30' wide doors and misc permit fees.

And I'm expecting that price to go up a bit more as I investigate using Perma-Columns and adding insulation to the building.

Granted this is southeastern Texas where we have no frost or snow.

This is going to be a multi-role kinda shop, it'll have to act as a general fab shop, light to medium duty machine shop and farm maintenance shop. This is really just a staging shop that'll allow me to get the farm equipment fixed and maybe sell some of my surplus construction equipment.

Once things are kinda settled, I'll start building the real shop Dad and I were planning on doing. Even at 15,000 sqft it still wouldn't be big enough......

And then mabey try to expand the farm and bring the heavier machine tools online.

 

[Old Doug]

I would build a shop were you could get your truck inside and have room to work on a engine or something else that need to be pulled to work on. I had a 30x30 were i did live and it was great because i could easly heat it so some day i will build another that size .I would try to stay away from doing work at home but then agin i am burnt out. I dont know how long you have been at it but bring stuff home can lead to alot of hours.

 

[Numbfingers]

That's all I really want is a base to work out of, and some space to overhaul components. I would rather not have a ton of work waiting for me in the shop across the road, I have other things I want to spend my time on. I priced out a smaller 24x30 metal materials and insulation only package today, and it's 21k for 12' walls. For that much I could stick frame it, AND pour the slab this year. I'll look into maybe a 28x32. My house garage is 22x27 inside so I think a 24x30 might be a tad small. Keep the heating envelope small, and initial costs low, but position the building so it's easy to add onto if I want to later. I appreciate all the input.

 

[hosspuller]

Plus to a shop at home is zero commuting time. Each minute or hour spent traveling is less time living or working. Not to mention fuel and wear on a vehicle. One can't completely eliminate travel. But travel time is just like work time, you're not recharging your body.

If not getting enough living time vs work time, ( "a ton of work waiting for me in the shop ...") your business model needs a change. Set your work hours just like you would working for someone else.

In 30 years of working, a decade spent commuting to work convinced me of the true cost to body, spirit and wallet.

 

[FSERVICE]

a 24X30 is just way to small unless your service truck is a S10!!!! you can even open up the compartment doors & walk around the truck after you put a shelf up on the wall... yes I know cause I F*&&^$% up & built that exact size many years ago. it works great for heating & cooling but forget getting the truck in there & it sux when its cold going out to get cold tools outa the truck to work on something in the garage!!!! I will say 40X40 is the smallest I would go it still allows you room for the truck & a nice workarea to the side.. my shop now is 40X60 with 2 overhangs on each side 16' wide. I do 96% of field work still,but its nice not to have to scrape ice/snow off the truck before I leave in the mornings