Building a home for my CarveWright

[DurhamDev]

I'm getting tired of walking around my poor little Carvewright, buried deep inside her original box, and even more tired of dreaming of all the projects that she can carve out... ...so much so, that I've designed (more importantly, gotten my Wife's approval for) a 12' x 16' workshop, that begins construction in April.

<...insert picture of very happy me, right here...>

I've spent the last few nights designing everything in Sketchup, and believe I have my completed draft ready to go.



Of course, it wouldn't be complete without the cutaway view, where I've placed some helpful Google 3D images as placeholders! (Note the nice enclosure I'd designed as well, which was 'step one' so that I could use my CarveWright outside on my deck until my shed is complete!)



Also note the storage system, developed to store all of my tools and what-have-you. This was actually a major requirement, as our house has no basement and limited storage. I figure 24 storage bins should do the trick! All-in-all, I've designed the workshop to accommodate my 'future requirements', which include building my own 4' x 4' capable CNC machine to complement the CarveWright system...

My Wife and I (who work together for the same company, by the way) are going to Home Depot at lunch to do some cost analysis. With my terrible math skills, I've already guesstimated that this project will cost in the area of $1500 - $3000. I know, that's a horrible estimate. But, if companies like Home Depot, Lowes and others would just post their lumber costs online, this would be a whole heck of a lot easier.

What I DO know is this. My Project includes seventeen 12' 2x4's, ONE HUNDRED AND ONE 8' 2x4's, fourteen 12' 2x6's, four 8' 2x6's, FORTY-FIVE sheets of 4'x8' plywood (*) and twelve Dek-Block concrete blocks.

* This is where I'm doing some investigation. Technically, I have four 'sections' whereby different materials could be used - the deck, the exterior walls, the roof, and the interior. The forty-five sheets of 4'x8' could technically be one of several different types of materials: pressure treated plywood, regular plywood, OSB and/or possibly drywall for the interior. I am going to be painting the exterior, so the wood will need to stand up to the regular Canadian winter. I'll also be putting shingles on the roof, so that's another consideration.

Overall, I'm excited to get started. Once we have our plans in place, and our lumber sourced, I'll be really excited to see everything delivered!

Rick // The DurhamDev

[cnsranch]

Atta boy!!

When I asked my brother for some advice as I was planning my outbuilding (he had built one about 25 years ago), and asked him if he would change anything, he said that he wished he's made his bigger (it's 30x40).

So, make 'em as big as you can afford - they're hard to add on to.

Make sure you have plenty of power - believe it or not, I have 12 four gang outlet boxes in my 30x40 shop (that's half of my outbuilding), and use them all (well, not all at once, but it sure eliminates extension cords, and plugging and un-plugging tools).

Also, put a couple overhead - keeps you from tripping over those damm cords.

Ventilate, and insulate!!!

And, show some pics!!

[gregsolano]

Looks like it will be real nice. I am green with envy!

[DurhamDev]

Thanks, guys! I've just returned from Home Depot, and everything has been calculated out. It looks like I'll be in for just under $2000 when all is said and done, which is a much lower number than I had originally estimated... ...and better yet, budgeted for! That includes everything I need to get it functional, even the electrical! I'll definitely keep everybody updated over the build, and will post pics of the 'delivery' when it happens!

[Digitalwoodshop]

Same here.... BIGGER......

Don't forget the Building Permit.... The Fines will kill you.... Setbacks.... The location of the building in ref to the property line, driveway, roads.... I ALMOST built my shops next to the driveway.... If I HAD.... I would have had to MOVE THEM.... It that would be foolish to do it without a permit.... If you did and 2 years from now the Assessors show up to look at your property and see no permit.... OR you try to sell the house with NO Permit.... Your TOAST....

I bought my house in Philly and when I went to sell it 3 years later I was having a Chimney inspection and the guy saw I did not have a Stainless Ring around the Flue Liner that had been put in 3 years earlier and offered to place one for $50.00.... I said Sure.... As the guy walks the ridge line with the ring in hand a Township Inspector just happens to drive by... He calls the Office to see if I had a permit to Re line the Chimeny... NO... But I did have one for a replacement Service Panel..... He charged into the house and was yelling that I did not have a permit.... Yelling at the Contractor.... When I finally got him calmed down... and told him that it was a selling of the house Chimney Inspection.... and a ring to replace what was just cement up top..... They thought they had me..... Then he focused on my Power Panel and I was in the process of installing Ground Fault outlets in the kitchen and bathroom to bring it up to code to sell.... He liked what he saw and left happy..... But had I not had a permit.... I would have been TOAST.....


AL

[SharonB]

Rick...like your design. My only question is...where's your wood storage? You will need another building at least that big for your wood supply. You know you'll need lots and lots of wood on hand once you get that machine up and running. Also make sure you have enough lighting at your different work stations. We have 3-8' and 2-3' banks of lights and still have to have a portable light just to make sure our working area is bright enough.

[PCW]

I went big and glad I did. 64X80 with 960 sf finished for a play room.
Pictures

[lynnfrwd]

I went big and glad I did. 64X80 with 960 sf finished for a play room.
Pictures

It says I need a password frown!

[PCW]

It says I need a password frown!

Try it again. I had it set to private. Sorry

[Capt Bruce]

Did the Big Box Store offer any shed kits and how did the prices stack up against your design and bill of materials? I've priced out one in my market and I cannot beat their kit price built on site.