Macybaby

My husband and I have done a lot of construction projects over the years - mostly DIY and we do know what we are doing LOL!! We've been told many times that we should hire out, but I make enough money for a lot less effort doing what I currently do. I'm including this disclaimer only to point out that the things I'm talking about are well within our abilities, and we do know what we'd be getting into.

In fact, that is one reason we keep re-thinking this whole thing! We're in our 50's now, and know how much work we'd be in for putting up a new structure.

It's also normal for us to think of ideas, mull them over and think of new ideas, and keep this up until we both feel comfortable.

We have decided (baring the unforeseen) to do something so I'll have an private office for "work" when I don't drive to the Campus (84 miles away) a place for my quilting frame and for my ever growing sewing machine collection. The last plan was a two story building across the driveway with a wood shop below and sewing & office above, with the possibility of a greenhouse on the back.

We were both initially excited about this, but the enthusiasm didn't stick as we talked about the actual process of construction. The sticking point was height - and stairs, and building something out in front that would have detracted from the "country farmhouse" look we've got.

It seems we need two different footprints to serve our needs. I need something longer and narrower, and DH needed something more square, and figured it should be wide enough to pull a car inside. . .

As were were driving last weekend (been on the road a lot the last three weeks, and more to come) I was mulling this over - ideally I need a long, narrower building, with a big open area on the one end, and smaller rooms on the far end for my office. Plumping won't be needed (though I'll probably put in a compost toilet - cause I'm older and the house is too far away!) . And driving down the road, I saw something and had a light bulb moment!

A used single wide trailer home would be the perfect thing! We could open up the living/dining/kitchen end for my quilting/sewing machine area, and the kitchen cabinets would be great for storage. We'd look for a three bedroom, and use one for my office, one we'd set up with a bed in case anyone did come to visit and needed a place to sleep (though that is a very rare occurrence) and one for DH to use as he wants.

I could easily line the walls with sewing machines, only leaving one area for a "Design wall" for quilting. And I could hang quilts up along the walls behind the machines.

We'd convert it to electric heat as we have no other source of power on the property. We'd remove the small white shed (it's in rough shape anyway) and put this behind the shop and tree line. It would be much less visible from the road, and would not detract from the "skyline" like a taller building. We already have power running that direction for the shed and silos (though all the loading/unloading equipment is long gone) so we can tap off that without any difficulty.

Since this removes DH's wood shop ideas - we'd go back to an older plan of removing the roof of the building that we put a new cement floor in 5 years ago, raise it to about 9 feet and then insulate and turn that into the wood shop. This was my rabbit shed for several years. I stopped raising them last year (just too much going on) and won't get involved with that again until after I retire - if ever.

The next step will be to contact the county and find out if they'll allow this. Since it's for storage and not living quarters, and we'll install it as a "temporary structure" I don't think it will be a problem, but one never knows.

I like the idea so much, if the County won't let us move on a used trailer, I think we'll build about the same thing on site. Probably will cost about the same in the long run - only because we'd put a lot more sweat equity into building. DH likes the idea of a used trailer, because it is a lot less work on our part - though he did say he wouldn't mind doing another construction project, just not a two story one.

Things are still thawing out here - so maybe we'll have this all nailed down by the time it's warm enough to start working.

Rodney

Depends on the single wide. Most old ones that I've been in have tiny second or third bedrooms, in the neighborhood of 8x8 ft. The older ones were also made with a 2x3 shell. Not much room for insulation on those. As storage they would be fine but you might find the costs of keeping an old one warm in the winter and cool in the summer excessive. Some also had aluminum wiring in the walls. I remember that being an issue but I don't remember why. If you're talking about one made after the 70s some of these issues will be gone.
Rodney

Caroline S

I agree with Rodney regarding older single wides. Perhaps you should consider a modular instead of a "stick built". Oh, the lengths we go to gain more space! I considered purchasing a LARGE garden shed to use as a studio. Until I discovered that the county permit cost more than the shed!

Macybaby

After writing this all out, and then talking to my husband this AM - he thinks we'd be better to build a long narrow shed than go the mobile home route. And since he'd be doing most of the building part (he's semi-retired) if he's willing, so am I.

We should have no problem with the County putting up another storage shed, farmers are always putting up another building LOL!! And this way I'll get exactly what I want, and it will be tight and well insulated and have outlets all over the place. I really like the idea of hanging quilts on the walls - though I don't have any yet, just figure I'll eventually have plenty. Though I've volunteered to finish up those my Mom started, and it appears she started more than I thought.

DH keeps wanting to turn the building into a square, and I want and need long and narrow. He's trying to save on materials, and I want a lot of wall space to put sewing cabinets along. That is why a trailer works so well, long and narrow. He then said 12x24 and I said maybe 12x50. Since a lot of single wides are closer to 80' long, I'm still less than that.

My dining room is 9'8" inside, so 12' exterior would be adequate. I currently have an area that is 5x6 for my "office" and I know I don't need a lot more room than that, though a window will be nice. I don't even have a window in my "real" office LOL!! BTW - I won't use it as a "tax deduction" because I don't have enough other deductions to itemize - low mortgage, low RE tax and NO state income tax = itemized total less than standard by quite a bit.

Side note - I shake my head at the people that say they are going to save a lot in taxes by buying a house - and then find out that their itemized deduction is only a few hundred more than the standard allowance -so all the "tax savings" the realtor told them about don't happen.

Back to Sewing machines, I like the shelves I have for the treadle heads, and allow for 5 machines in 24" of wall space. Since I need about 20' for my quilt frame, I could be shelves along the wall behind it and still have plenty of room to walk around, and that would give me enough storage for 50 machine heads! I could also store the cased machines there (with the top off).

so 20' for the quilting frame and machine heads, 12' on the end for my office and "water closet" and then figuring out how much room in between for the sewing cabinets. I'm not moving out my main sewing machines and work areas - that is staying in the house were it is.

I have 16 cabinets I want to move out for sure - that leaves 10 in the house, but they are sort of "end tables" and I can leave them like that. closed up, the take from 24-36" and opened between 3' and 5.5 feet. I figure I can store them close, and then pull them forward if I want to open them up. It would be neat to have them always open, but that is not good for the extensions. It would only work if I removed the extensions and stored them. Though that is an idea - and then just make quilted covers for the machines. . . not sure which idea I'd like better, as love both the cabinets and the machines. . .

So, back to the cabinets. I figure I can have two per running foot of room (one on each side). Cabinets closed at most take 36" inches, so if I say 8 times 3', that would be another 24' of building.

So we're up to 20+12+24 = 56' long. And if DH thinks 12x56 is two long and narrow, I can always suggest 18x50 LOL!! Though I suppose going 24x24 and putting a wall down the middle would be the same thing . . . big sigh . . . funny how sometimes you think and think and end up right back where you started. I'm been so focused on a wide open space, I wasn't thinking about putting a wall down the middle and having two spaces.

csharp

Your energy amazes me, but keep us informed.

NJ Quilter

Hate to say it but I think your DH's idea of square, with your idea of a wall down the center might just be the hot tip. Can he get his wood shop in the other half of the building? I would think rectangular would work better for that application as well. Just make sure you put LOTS of insulation and plastic sheeting over the insulation when doing that center wall if he's doing wood working in the other half. I'm sure you know how much sawdust THAT produces and you wouldn't want that mixing with your machines/quilts.

Macybaby

There won't be any wood shop for this building. It's my office and sewing machine /quilting, and that is it. The idea of the wood shop was if we did two stories, with him having the lower level. He already has a wood shop, but that would have been a nicer one.

We're considering something 18x30. DH is doing up plans and a supplies list, to see what it works out to be. We measured it off behind the shed, and it would fit nicely. It will "stick out" a bit, and I'll have my office with a window facing the house, so I'll have a good view of anyone coming in the driveway or hanging around the house.

the sewing area will be 18 x 24, and instead of having the shelves of machines on the wall, it will be in the room, as a "sort of" wall. That way you can see the machines from both sides, and I can use the one side to hang a curtain on for a Design Wall as needed, and pull it back out of the way when I don't. There will be a small storage closet, about 6x6 and I can store machine cases and other stuff in there. That way I can have the machines on display too.

I'll have to think of something for displaying my attachment collection, but I'll have a lot of wall space with the machine shelves out in the middle.

wilburness

put up a small pole buiding. you can finish it off how ever you want. my sister put up one that the bigger half is a work shop for hubby with an add on for her as a what not shop. you can reverse this and the bigger half be for sewing and the smaller being a wood shop. my 2cents worth. I love the planning end.

crocee

I'm really glad you decided against the older mobile home. The electrical wiring in those was not the greatest and in my opinion with today's machines and appliances would be a fire hazard.

Macybaby

That was sort of how it went with the mobile home idea, thinking we may need to do a lot of "updating" at at some point decided building could be cheaper - as we do all our own labor.

We've put up plenty of pole buildings, and don't want to go that route. For DIY, a small framed structure is easier to build. DH already has his 30x40 shop, and two machine storage sheds, the converted pig shed that has the boat, and the converted grainery. Since we've not used the boat in years, if we sell it he'll have a lot more room for his "stuff".

I have the long garden/storage shed. Most of the storage shed is full of my furniture I moved out of the house to make room for sewing stuff, so that will come back in the house and DH can have that building too. That is the one with the newer floor, so maybe next year we'll take the building down and rebuilt a nicer one on top of the foundation. Some of the older buildings are in very poor shape - and nothing special so I won't feel bad about rebuilding them.