Your advice on a new outbuilding?

[knuckledragger]

My wife and I have just bought a home + 4 acres. The home was in the middle of a remodel, so there is work to be done before we move in. On the property, there is a 30x30 slab poured with 4x4 posts up and 2 roll up doors already framed in. By all estimates, we could finish it out for around $3500, but I could build a small 10x12 shed for about 1/3 of that. Money is tight, but we could take out a small loan to complete the 30x30 if that is what we decide to do.

I have never lived in the country before. Would I be better off finishing the 30x30 or pinch pennies and just build the 10x12? What would you do if it were you?

[Jo]

You said money is tight and with everything going on these days, cost of things going up......I would go with the small building and wait and build the big one later. % rates keep changing, so borrowing can be risky.

[ElectricVette]

It would really depend on what you want to use the building for. If all you need is small storage space and room for maybe a lawn mower the 10x12 will be fine. But if you will need to store a tractor or have a workshop the 30x30 will work better.

You say money is tight and I can appreciate that. What would the 10x12 cost you? I've seen the pre-fab wood 10x12 storage buildings going for around $1200.

[gone-a-milkin]

You will always wish it was bigger.

What about just saving that for later? Work on the house now, get in over there and then think about that building.

Every single person I know who has a shop less than 20x20 wishes they has gone for more. The slab for 30x30 is already poured. I wonder if you could just roof it and then finish walls, etc. later.?

[DaleK]

Kinda depends how the posts are set now and what you want to end up putting in it. I'd try to either just put the roof up with open sides like gone-a-milking said, or else if the posts work out put a 15x20 or 15x30 monoslope building up on the slab and add a leanto to finish the full 30x30 later. Might as well use as much of what's there as you can.

[Beeman]

I know it sounds like a lot of money but $3500 to get 900sq. ft. with a concrete floor is a good investment. It will allow you to store everything in the dry and secure it. All remodel jobs require a place for materials and you'll have a real shop. Besides if you don't use the posts they will deteriorate in the weather an possibly become unusable. 120 sq. ft for $1750 doesn't even compare.

[TurnerHill]

It sounds like you might not be living there for a while?

As a real estate investor who has lost more to theft than I like to think about, I encourage you to finish out the 30x30.

It's still a good time to borrow. Just be sure it's fixed, because once these rates are gone, I don't think we'll see them again for a generation.

[clovis]

I am with Beeman.

The real expensive part of the 30 x 30 is already done...the concrete floor.

I am against debt though. Any chance you can buy a little material each week and install it as you go? $68 a week has your barn completed in a year, and you have no debt, liabilities, or interest payments.

I have an uncle that built a nice home buying a few boards each week.

[Rick]

Take door number one - with 8 times the storage.

Search for cheap / free materials. Post the needs and your state /county on here. Scour Craigs list and Freecyle - put your own add on there. Put the request in church bulletins. Check with habitat for the humanities for local leads. Make friends with the guys at the landfill. Any demolition companies in the yellow pages?

I got a hundred 8 by 16 blocks in suburbia and hauled them 380 miles back here. Fact is if you lived close you could help me tear down an old farmhouse and get enough to build the shell.

You could put 2 by 4 runners across those 4 by 4's and throw up rough cut. With roof overhang on all 4 sides you can wait to do the battens later. High quality roofing felt will last years waiting for cover.

[Windy in Kansas]

I don't think you would ever regret the investment of the larger building.

[theuniquey]

Just a thought, for $3500, you can buy a nice little sawmill and build all the buildings you want.

I agree with all who suggest that bigger is better and I especially like the idea of one 15 x 30 lean-to now and another when you can afford.

Don't buy new lumber until you have exhausted all of the suggestions above. You will be amazed how much good salvage material is cheap or free.

[fantasymaker]

120 square feet verses 900? I Vote 900! Trith be told most of these things seem to go over budjet ,but I think the 900 would come out better.
Better yet throw up a few pictures and see what sprouts here.

[ronbre]

Jim ..I generally always advise to build bigger than you need..but NOT if you dont NEED it and definately not if it will be dragging you into debt that you aren't ready for.

go back to page 1..remember..write downt he pros and cons and weight the options.

what does the building need to house..what would we like it to house..would we just throw junk in there? will we be kicking ourselves cause we really needed the larger building..

another option..could you frame in just a corner of the building with one of the doors for now..in that smaller size..eventually frame in the rest as money or salvage becomes available?

always check the Habitat for Humanity restores for used lumber..

my dad would always try to find buildings that had to be torn down and salvage the lumber

we put up a 12 x 16 shed practically overnight using 7' pallets for the walls and partitions..and then adding framing for the roof and sills and top plates..took a lot of screws as the pallets were oak..and hard.

then we put board and batten siding on the outside of the pallets..

we also have come up with slavaged doors, windows, lumber, decking material, steps, etc.

consider using craigs list and asking for unused lumber..or salvage..explain that you are hard up and need lumber for an outbuilding.

also look for where road building is being done..and houses and buildings being moved..sometimes really cheap..also some people will sell old buildings to be moved..such as barns and sheds..

also you could consider logs..if you can get them for cheap or free..to frame up your building..lincoln logs style.

keep your options open..pray and ask God to supply this basic need for you

[rambler]

It depends what you want to accomplish - I see no point to a 12x10 out in the country, what fits in there,a couple of shovels? Pffft.

I'd save up & finish the 30x30 and have a building, or I'd go without a building. Easy to figure that.

I'd not bother with a cheapie 12x10 in any case, of no value with the options you have. All or nothing!

--->Paul