How do I tell the wife I want to expand my basement shop??

[Jack Diemer]

Had the idea today that I could drastically improve my shop space by moving a wall and a few cabinets. The rest of the basement is dedicated to the kids, but this extra space would keep me happy for at least a year or so.

Now would somebody tell me how to sell this to the wife!!! :eek:

[Lee Schierer]

Start making a project that takes up some space and "assemble" it in the space you want to expand into. When you complain that the kids have messed up a set up and you are going to run them through your planer if it happens again, then your wife, in an attempt to keep peace in the family, will suggest that you move the wall.

[Jack Diemer]

I just remembered that those big bunk beds I am going to build are going to be HUGE. I will have to store the wood and assemble them in that area anyway. NICE :cool: Any other ideas?

[Greg Heppeard]

How old are the kids?? If they are preschool...They are small and don't need the room. If they are school age...They're not using it half the day anyway. If they are about to graduate...They'll be moving soon.

[Dick Parr]

Looks good Jack, go for it.

[Scott Coffelt]

You just have shop envy..... :p

Cause in a year or so I will have gone from a smaller shop to one 3 times bigger then yours.

She ain't gonna buy it, your screwed. :D

[Chris Padilla]

ROFLMBO!! Too funny, Scott.

Guys...Guys! Holy Cow...where did the time go???? The CSBBQ is one week from today!!!! Yowzer...I didn't even realize it until I looked at the calendar this morning. C O O L....

[Tom Hintz]

Jack,
Just be a man! Tell her what you are going to do and then do it!

If it works, please let me know, especially if it hurt much. I'm scared to death to tell my wife I need to expand my shop....

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Jack...Jack......Jack. Man, this is WAY too easy buddy. ;) Ya just march in and tell your lovely bride that there are going to be a couple of guys at the BBQ that INSIST that you learn to turn. So, you are gonna need the room for a new lathe, and somewhere to put it. See how easy that was? :D

[Jack Diemer]

By the way, I got my set of Sorby's chisels in the mail today. :D I can actually turn something this weekend.

[Jack Young]

Jack-

Tell your wife you've been offered a job on the Florida coast and that about the only thing that could convince you to stay where you are would be to use the extra space. Good luck.

Jack Y.

[Steve Clardy]

You think you seen a TERMITE :eek: in that wall and will have to tear it out to make sure. Then, when the other wall goes in, just put it in the wrong place.:rolleyes:

Steve

[Rich Konopka]

It's easy .... Too easy


Just tell the Mrs. that with less space for the kids means less for her to pick up.
The more space the bigger the mess she has to pick up.

Or

The kids need to be outside more and not inside watching TV

Or

Less Finished space means less taxes.. Yeah Right

[Gary Max]

Here's how you do it-------
Start a conversation at dinner about the shop you saw today being built---------
You know that 24 X32 that you would just love to have---------
Talk about the big $$$$$$$$ that it would cost to build it-----
Them figure out how much cheaper it would be to expand you basement----
Might work
Wish you luck

[Chris Padilla]

Jack,

All kidding and fun aside, I always say that: Honesty is the best policy. :)

Those cabinets that need moved...is it a wet bar of some kind? Looks like a sink in there.

One thing my wife and I did when we bought our house (no basement, mind you) was to agree about one thing: the garage was mine and I can do whatever I like in there. Everywhere else needs da boss' permission. That worked for me! :) Happily married almost 6 years now.... :D

[Shelley Bolster]

Man you guys - are we really that mean to you poor fellas all the time? ;) Guess I should be glad to be married (for a long, long time) to a man, hey? :rolleyes:

Seriously Jack, looking at the existing layout I personally don't think your design would be at all obtrusive to the the kid's "play room" at all. In fact, I would concider that little "nook" to be wasted space - it doesn't appear to be part of the "big room". I think your new layout is terrific way to gain space for your shop without taking away from the kids. And speaking of "the kids", who just posted a message about building loft beds for both of them - more than a fair trade off in my opinion!! You know, no matter the sex, it's hard to make others understand sometimes why we always "need a bigger shop". They just can't understand our frustration of having to "juggle" tools around and still contantly tripping over things.

If you take her down to your "space" and explain to her that it would be almost impossible for you to build a project like a loft bed with the lack room you have, I'm sure she will have to agree. After all, your wife must be a pretty smart woman, she married you didn't she? ;)

[Steve Stube]

Well you take her out for a candle lit dinner (or better and cheaper you prepare hotdogs yourself at home, just don't forget the candles). Have all your visual aids prepared in advance (and Band-Aids if she doesn't go for it). Start by saying that in "PLAN A" of your new shop expansion, you have left a little room for she and the children but that it could go either way depending on if you have to go to "PLAN B". I'm betting you'll have your answer at/by this point and won't need any visuals for "PLAN B".

Maybe you should spend a little extra and make it dinner away from home as it can't be good for the children to witness bloodshed at an early age.;)

Make it a restaurant near a hospital - ya, that might be better.:)

[nic obie]

Jack,



One thing my wife and I did when we bought our house (no basement, mind you) was to agree about one thing: the garage was mine and I can do whatever I like in there. :D

Hahahahahahaaa

No you can't, she's kept her foot down already.

Just where is the washer & dryer? Not on the 2nd floor.....

:D :D

[Michael Stafford]

I'm with Steve Clardy termites and oops put the wall in the wrong place. Don't threaten the kids with the planer or SWMBO will put you through the planer. Definitely like the termites and then put the wall in the wrong place. Just sounds right and is about what women think of us anyway. Sorry honey I'm just a Guy!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jack....based on my nearly 36 years of marriage experience...there's a couple of simple things that'll work with any woman.....(1)grovel.....go to the Borg..get a good set of knee pads......GROVEL.....I mean Grovel!..... :rolleyes: 2). Whine.....I mean WHINE!!!!This kinda let's them know that something is up and all women like surprises! :rolleyes: (3).......CRY!!!! Tears will always work! Usually right after she quits laughing at my tears....she caves in.....she says it hurts too much to continue laughing that hard! If the aforementioned strategy doesn't work...... you might resign yourself to the fact that you really didn't need a bigger shop anyway! :eek: :rolleyes: :D :p

[Jack Diemer]

Now I understand why Jack wanted to go all out at dinner tonight! ;)
You'll all be happy to know that I have a honey do list for HWMBO and when it's complete Jack has my blessing to expand the shop. Let's see, we've lived in the house almost eight years ... and I still have a list of items that haven't been started ... so I'm guessing Jack will get to expand the shop just before retirement! :p LOL!

Thanks for keeping my man full of interesting ideas and a good laugh now and then! The best advice of all was yours Ken, he really doesn't need a bigger shop - when a project is too big, that's what the garage is for! (Especially since we can't fit both cars in anyway!!!) :rolleyes:

[Jack Diemer]

Must have been all that Grovelling and Whining that did the trick. Thanks Ken for the great advice.

[Ted Shrader]

Jack -

You've seen that TV show, "While You Were Out"? Send her off to visit someplace during the next long weekend. Enlist the kids help. She will be sooooo proud of you all.

Ted

[John Piwaron]

Tell your wife this is what your doing, and do it. Not just because you want to go on a power trip, but because you need it for all the great stuff the extra space will let you make.

[Jim O'Dell]

I'm interested in how you do also. After I finally got out last night and measured the ceiling height of my soon to be shop space here at the new Camp Coolmeadow, and found it was only 7 1/2 feet tall, I've been thinking how I can talk the wife into letting me tear down the existing space and rebuild with 10 foot ceilings. (How could anyone build a building with ceilings less that 8' standard height??????)
Good luck on your project. Jim

[Ralph Morris]

I was trying to move the wall a little maybe about five feet.... still got the answer...NO!:mad: