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Barndominium or Shopdominium Steel Building Experience?

BDK

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May 19, 2020
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San Diego, Kalifornia
I am purchasing 46.5 acres in northern Arizona near Kingman off Stockton Hill Rd. I have been going up there for 10 years looking at property and finally found what I want. The plan is to eventually build a shopdominium there and slowly relocate there. Property has utilities to it and a great well. I am going to have a couple of RV pads put in soon so I can spend time there and figure out where I want to build. I want to keep the property as pristine as possible since its in the end of a pretty little valley backed up by the Cerbat mountains, state land on 2.5 sides and BLM land behind that. I have been working on the residence/shop for about a year and think I have it to where I can send the plans to a builder to finalize.

I am looking for a good builder to help design and build this
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or this
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It will probably end up being the second 3-room design. It is a empty-nester type house. If the RV pads I am having done are not covered up by the building site, they will have utilities run to them and be there for friends to come stay awhile. The main patio will be straight off the roofline of the residence with lots of outdoor space. Pool/spa to be built later if at all. The "H" looking thing in the shop is a 2 post lift.

Also don't know much about how much space and dirt work I would need to build this house, but I am thinking that the pad would have to be about twice the size of the building at a minimum.

Picture hanging out on the patio cooking some steaks overlooking this view. This is about mid-point in the property, I would want to build as far back as possible.

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I would be leery having any bedroom near the welding/fab corner. I live in a 1600 sq/ft house now with the garage and bedrooms on opposite corners and get yelled at for being too loud.:lmao: I could imagine the racket that I would stir up with only 1 wall between me and the family.:flipoff2:
 
Urinal and sink in shop. Door on master toilet unless you and your significant other are ok shitting in front of each other.
 
Urinal and sink in shop. Door on master toilet unless you and your significant other are ok shitting in front of each other.

Both of those. Also I'd wall off the master closet, I don't want shit smell or steam from the shower getting into clothing. I'd sacrifice some of the master bedroom space for that stuff. Add some more closets, you have none in the main common space. Put a man door somewhere on the shop for the 2nd design.

Edit: I'd also move the cook-top and add a pot filler to that wall.

Capture.PNG
 
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If you go with option 2, swap the office and the bedroom and add a door to the shop. This will let the office service the shop and the house.

And that area just looks HOT. budget lots of insulation and AC for the shop.
 
If you go with option 2, swap the office and the bedroom and add a door to the shop. This will let the office service the shop and the house.

And that area just looks HOT. budget lots of insulation and AC for the shop.

Boy, good call. That's exactly right.

>Cerbat mountains

It's in the Mojave Desert :lmao: He's going to need 16 tons of A/C and R-1000 batting. Might as well build two buildings one inside the other.

Here's what I don't understand about the Southwest: Why don't they build a separate roof over their houses and buildings? Just putting shade on the building with about 4' of headspace would slash their cooling costs. I know it's an entire extra roof but damn.

Plus he needs the open awnings all the way around the sun sides of the shop. Those are offered as an option for usually one side, for outdoor storage, but the cooling effects of shading the walls will be a huge boon. Plus storage.

Like this but all the way around:

pole-building-cda-structure-2.jpg


That's how they used to build houses down South and out west.

edit; Oh I see he does have the extended roofline but I'd do it on the shop too, especially if it's not a/c'd.
 
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Extend the eve/lean to/shed roof around all sides. As much insulation as you can get in the roof and east/west walls. Ridge vent in the shop.

DO NOT build a low pitch roof. 4/12 or greater, with at least a 12"-24" eve. Depending on your end walls, you can do 6-10' eve extension, side walls would have to be a lean to or shed roof.

I have a 80x100 with eve extensions and shed roofs, 16' side walls, 1/12 roof with 12" of insulation in all wall of the living area, 6"+ insulation in the shop. My shop is fully liner paneled, living area is 2x6 walls, 7/16 osb,5/8 sheetrock, with liner panel on the shop side. I have a kitchen, bathrooms, closets, all on the wall facing the shop to help with noise. you do not heat anything in the living area from the shop.
 
What is your county standards like up there for code?
I had a plan similar to yours, however once you live in it the county considers it a residence and totally changed the requirements for the building and got extremely expensive.
 
I would be leery having any bedroom near the welding/fab corner. I live in a 1600 sq/ft house now with the garage and bedrooms on opposite corners and get yelled at for being too loud.:lmao: I could imagine the racket that I would stir up with only 1 wall between me and the family.:flipoff2:

Don't care. Living space is almost 2,000 square feet
 
If you go with option 2, swap the office and the bedroom and add a door to the shop. This will let the office service the shop and the house.

And that area just looks HOT. budget lots of insulation and AC for the shop.

I like the idea of swapping the office and extra bedroom, but was thinking I wanted the view from the office. There is a killer view all the way around this place, so that might work.

There is a mud room with a bathroom and sink, and washer/dryer that separates the shop from the living area. I figured that will take care of the shop bathroom.

Its at almost 4,000 feet elevation. I was there on one of the hottest days of the year and it was close to 20 degrees cooler than Kingman city. I'm not sure what you would consider hot. This area gets about 10 degrees hotter in the summer and 20 degrees cooler in the winter than where I live in San Diego.

There is to be a patio extended around the living area, like this
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But with the front open like this,
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But as much glass as I can afford with the inside/outside fireplace like this but one story
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Is the shop space really too small? I have been working out of two and three bay garages most of my life and it seems huge.
 
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if I ever build something in the desert, my plan would be to build a house under a large flat (or shallow angled A frame) structure with an air gap metal roof about 8 feet higher than the top of the house, and as long and wide so that it would extend at least 40 feet out from from the house in all directions.

That way the direct light wouldn't even hit the house. And you'd have shade all around the house on the outside too. And then bedrooms would be underground (basement of sorts) for extra cooling. I think that would be excellent :-)
 
if I ever build something in the desert, my plan would be to build a house under a large flat (or shallow angled A frame) structure with an air gap metal roof about 8 feet higher than the top of the house, and as long and wide so that it would extend at least 40 feet out from from the house in all directions.

That way the direct light wouldn't even hit the house. And you'd have shade all around the house on the outside too. And then bedrooms would be underground (basement of sorts) for extra cooling. I think that would be excellent :-)

Put a shitload of solar panels on the roof to get the air gap and shade the roof.
 
Can I suggest you putting in a Shop Bathroom and Shower. You will realize this has great benefit prior to having to walk into the living area all dirty and greasy or you can always go pee outside.
 
on the second design:

I'd consider making the pantry/bathroom layout deeper. even with the edge of the countertop. expand the bathroom enough for a shower in that area. a shop shower is a nice thing to have. Also in the mud room a sitting area to put boots on/off/store is really nice to have.

dont put the cooktop by the bar seating area of the kitchen counter. put it back on the bottom wall there. functionally that works a lot better.

no slider door to the outside in the bedroom.

I'd consider shifting the mud room/bath/laundry and kitchen around. you can then put the laundry facing into the master closet. less distance to travel with your usual stuff. also easier to plumb. put the main entry door to the living area closer to where the daily driver blue pickup is parked.
 
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Change the doors to 12’ wide. I did 10’ wide doors on my shop and it is one of my biggest regrets.
 
12' x12' doors is very nice in my shop. Especially when backing a trailer in. Drive through on the camper storage side would be very beneficial.
Also, it looks big on paper, but once you start putting stuff inside that space shrinks very quickly.
 
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Regarding HVAC, I'd make sure the living space has positive pressure compared to the shop to help keep dust/smells out.
 
I would be leery having any bedroom near the welding/fab corner. I live in a 1600 sq/ft house now with the garage and bedrooms on opposite corners and get yelled at for being too loud.:lmao: I could imagine the racket that I would stir up with only 1 wall between me and the family.:flipoff2:

I'd agree but he might be able to mitigate some of that with a 2x6 thick divider wall with alternating 2x4 construction to limit vibration transfer.
 
Watching this thread. Wife and I are talking about doing the same. I like #2 better, because 3rd bedroom. We are empty nesting now, so do not need it but on the chance both boys are home at the same time would like to have two extra rooms.

I will likely make the house a tad smaller and the shop bigger. I have a 60x60 that is full of cars and motorcycles and tools. Two of the cars will eventually find their way to my sons houses so that will help a little. Also have a 3 car garage on current house with each spot holding a car. So your shop would be a big downsize for me.

edit: Our current house is on 11 acres with a gravel road. Only reason I would consider moving is to get on a paved road. Highway, county chip/seal etc. The house is paid for so borrowing would not be necessary unless I blew through what our place will sell for. So I called ahead to my banker to ask about the process. He said to NOT build a shouse. There is no resale in them. Not a big concern with us at the moment, we would likely live the rest of our lives in it.(we're both 47, so who knows how long. 10-20-30-40 years?) Maybe resale on them would improve?
 
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12' x12' doors is very nice in my shop. Especially when backing a trailer in. Drive through on the camper storage side would be very beneficial.
Also, it looks big on paper, but once you start putting stuff inside that space shrinks very quickly.

14 -16 ft high door in case you get a class A RV or have to sell and new guy has one.
 
I would make the shop bigger especially if this is your forever home. It is also the cheapest portion to expand. Have you ever heard anyone say "I really wish I had less shop space"


And I thought the explorer was a giant snow mobile at first
 
14 -16 ft high door in case you get a class A RV or have to sell and new guy has one.

Honestly probably the only thing I'd change is to 14' doors just to get a large tractor or class A inside. Other than those 2 situations the 12' doors have been pretty good to me.
My shop is also drive through, which i would not give up. Hands down the best option i put into it. Only thing better would be ac... which might not be far off:laughing:
 
Change the doors to 12’ wide. I did 10’ wide doors on my shop and it is one of my biggest regrets.

xWhatever

Almost did a 10' gate on my new fence last year. Only thought about the 8.5' wide trailer, then I flipped the Ram tow mirrors out and realized it's like 9'8" wide then. 12' is good enough, but gets tight every once in a while since the hinges take away a few inches.

Shop has a 10' high by 14' wide door and glad it's wide given the funky approach down the alley and around the house. But it was all here before I moved in.
 
C'mon--why isn't the Porsche up on the lift??

Which direction is west? If that side is meant to have a usable patio, I would make sure it has enough room (and vertical posts) to one day put in one of those fancy roll-down screens. Our west-facing patio on the house is nearly useless because it doesn't have this, and I've thought about putting up one of those arbor things just to have some posts to anchor screens to. Also, our shop patio is 10' deep. that sounds like a lot until you get on it. 10'x20' is really pretty cramped. Maybe none of this applies since you can flee to a different patio when the sun is blasting one of them. But, if one of your 10' patios is west-facing, it will be useless a portion of the year. Make it 14' so you can put a sun-screen on it without feeling cramped.

I would absolutely put a door of some kind between the master bedroom and master bath. Otherwise, when I got up in the morning, my wife would also have to get up, even though she goes to work later. And pooping closets are pretty great, in my opinion. I'd hate to have one out in the open. Also, our master bedroom is pretty large, and I think any larger would be a waste of space. Yours are quite a bit larger.

How tall is your living quarters going to be? Above it, can you have some shop storage and some house storage? A walk-in attic above the house would be one of the key benefits of a barn house, in my opinion.

Also, 45 acres and close proximity to amazing terrain--You need a new expensive hobby! Imitate this guy. I mean, he's a little douchey, but he's a youtuber, so that's somewhat required.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuh5F779MOc
 
I'd agree but he might be able to mitigate some of that with a 2x6 thick divider wall with alternating 2x4 construction to limit vibration transfer.

Even if you aren't in the city with city inspections, or have a loan with bank required inspections, The wall needs to be a fire wall, just out of safety concerns, and you may want to sell the place eventually.

I would see if it is possible to make that wall out of cinder-block wall, it may meet the fire wall requirement and deaden the sound.
 
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