Im looking into my options in texas for a reasonable machine shop building

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
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Im contemplating building a replacement shop, something similar to this design (picture above)
in a 38-40 ft wide 16-18ft tall and 74-80 ft long version
does anyone have experience owning or assembling one ETC?
 
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that depends a great deal on where you get the building, and how its assembled etc.
Ive seen some that looked decent, but others that looked like a trash pile
 
I’m familiar with that exact desig, its ribbon constructio. You stand up the steel hoops and use a million 5/16” sheet metal screws for the flimsy side panels. Its just an oversized metal shed Sears sold everybody in the ‘60s.
I believe the flat front and rear style isn’t allowed in FL because of the poor windload capabilitie, but where you are now I don’t know.
We put one up in 1 weekend w/3 guys and nice weather. It was on a flat 4” concrete pad which is not code in FL anymore. I know I keep saying FL . . . .
It was 40’ X 64’ hot as hell inside, noisy in wind, rain and when it expaned and contracted with changing temperatures used to make me jump every time with a loud “BANG!” We took screws out - we put screws in.
 
Here’s what I’m looking into right now and it coincides with what may interest you. Somewhere in Northern Texas there is a company that bought out an old small plane airport terminal and they use it to construct pre fabricated homes, garages, anything. These are not your old modular, trailer park crap from days long gone - oh contraire. They build by your design or theirs, under cover from weather with trained and relieable labor with traincar loads of materials for less than contractors could ever hope to build for themselves.

These builders are all over the US and put out better work than large scale tract builders for 1/3 less. I have a price for a custom garage built about 80 miles away for less than $70 a sq ft. At that price I get some really great features that don‘t look like what the shed builders make.
 
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