It has taken quite a while to gather up the cost information from all the separate sources. Since I will be building part of the shop, I had to get separate prices on all the materials as well as the costs for the contracted work. As I said previously, this is the reality check. 

I received one price from a contractor to provide the excavation, footings and concrete slab with a separate price for providing labor only for all the framing, sheathing siding, window &  door installation, and siding that was more than my total budget and I still had to buy all the material. Obviously I get to build more of the project than originally intended. 

The cost of materials were obtained from Home Depot and M&M Lumber Co. These included free engineering for the roof and floor framing. As near as I can tell the estimates were within $250 of each other. I have also decided to eliminate the storage loft and the extra wall height to reduce the cost of materials. This will bring the wall height down to 8’ and make it easier for me to do the framing. I have not had to reduce the size of the shop and I have been able to retain the dust collection and compressed air systems. 

I have included floor plans and elevations of the revised design.

Editor's note...click on the following links to see Maurice's floor plans
and elevations for his shop. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to
view these files. You can download Reader by clicking here.

Floor Plans


Shop Elevation 1


Shop Elevation 2


These changes of course require an amendment to the building permit. There were several things that ate into the shop budget; Tree removal, demolition of the patio slab destroyed by said tree roots, replacement of the patio slab and the sewer replacement.

While waiting on the costs to arrive I got the sanitary sewer from the house replaced where it will run under the shop building and I have assembled the dust collection ducts that will run under the floor slab. This was relatively easy except for determining the exact length to cut the PVC pipe to locate the risers where they will be close to the planned equipment locations. I had no information that gave me dimensions of the all the joints and elbows so these had to be measured after purchase. I also assembled the under floor conduit for the one electrical outlet location away from a wall. 

I am now ready for the contractor who is going to start Thursday on the foundations and floor slab. The contractor said that he will set the dust collection system and the conduit in place. That way he will not have to wait on me. He plans to have the slab poured by Saturday. I have contacted a termite treatment company to treat the soil before the concrete is poured. I now have to recalculate the framing material and place an order for delivery next week. I also need to have rough-in dimensions for the doors and wall air conditioning unit. The windows will be built on site to fit the openings. Home Depot has cordless compressed air framing nailers for rent at $25/day as well as any other tools I might need.

I am looking forward to finally getting started and will keep you advised on progress and problems.

Chapter 4