Anybody here build their own free-standing shop themselves?

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
20,978
I know you're out there...just can't remember who....:foot:


As a part-time architect, I get asked this question by other knifemakers somewhat frequently actually...

But having never done it myself...I'm at a loss for a good proper estimation.

I know each project is different....and a forging shop is going to be built different than a straight stock-removal shop.


But, regardless....I still would like to hear what you guys spent on your free-standing shop....building products only (not counting land, tooling...or any specialties)

Also, let me know how much of the work you did yourself.


Thanks for the help, guys!!

Hopefully I can get this put together into a spreadsheet and get some rough figures for other knifemakers.

:thumbup:

Dan
 
My two building 30 x 40's are ten years old and they we built by my wife and myself.
they were pole building one 11 ft to the square, and 9 ' to the square.
all the lumber ant as well as rafter cost $7200 for the 9' one and 9000 for the 11'
this one had internal walls both have concrete floors and tin skins.
this included electric.
vern
 
My last shop building was 50 x 100 with 16' walls, electric, slab and all was 45,000. That was about 7 years ago. We did none of the work. All subcontracted out. (Steel Building)

Ps: Not Knife shop, Gutter Manufacturing:D
 
My 36'x48' metal building, insulated with ceiling, concrete slab and electrical cost me around $20,000, 9 years ago. Had some help with the trusses, roofing metal and concrete but my wife and I did most of the work.
 
Mine is a 28' by 30 ' framed shop. I put it on a floating slab for the foundation. I lined the inside with steel linner panel, and the outside with log siding to match the house. Total cost $8,800.00. I did all the work mtself.:thumbup:
 
10'x16' built by myself and a friend for around $1000. But that was 13 yrs ago when lumber was actualy affordable. It's just your basic 2x6 floor joist, 2x4 frame and truss with T-111 siding and comp roofing. That was before I was into knifemaking and is too small but it will have to do until I can save enough pennies for a bigger one.

My friends all have much bigger shops but don't do anything in them except change thier oil in them twice a year. That and pile alot of crap in them.
 
My current (and hopefully my last) forging shop is 20'X48'X 12' eves, with a 10' "porch" at one end. 2 walk through doors, 3 windows, and 1, 10'x10' overhead door. It is a steel building, with web trusses. The kit was special ordered to my dimensions from a company in Oregon call Web Steel.
Monolithic concrete (8 1/2 sack mix, with fiber mesh)foundation/floor, 6" thick on one end to 12" thick on the end where most of the heavy machines sit. In the slab,hot water, radiant heat, R-19 insulation throughout, with steel covered ceiling, and wafer board interior walls. By the time everything was said and done, total cost was $15,000. (this was just over 5 years ago)
All the work was done by myself, my wife, and a few friends.

My Finish shop is a separate 24'X24' "stick frame" building that was already on the property when we purchased it. It was unfinished, so I jacked up the structure, poured a 4" slab under it, then finished the interior. Total cost on that "rehab" was approx. $4,000. As with the forging shop, all work was accomplished by some friends and I.
 
Sorry If i am hijacking this thread but... I am gearing up to start building a shop this summer. I was planning on building it 30 x 40 with a loft for finish work. My question for you guys is do you think 9 foot ceilings are to low? I do forging and realize that a higher ceiling would be safer but I dont want to have to heat a space that I am not using.

Thanks
 
Daniel, my forge shop is 12x16x9 feet.I prolly have $400 bucks in 4x6 posts and 2x4 purlines. The rest I scavenged. The trusses and roofing I traded for a week of haymaking and the steel sides were a welding trade.
 
My shop is 30 x 50. Pole and steel construction with 4" concrete slab. An Amish carpentry crew had it ready to go in less than 3 days. I watched them build it. Does that count? Total cost was $14,500. I did the shop wiring for my part of the deal. It's my do-everything-in place to get away from the cares of the world.

K
 
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