House hunting...and I need some workshop advice

[Mac Jackson]

Hi folks,

I'm about to take a big step, and it's not the fact that my wife and I are going to be first-time homeowners, it's that I'll finally be able to create a workspace of my own. I guess my question is really pretty simple: what are my rough cost options for building an outbuilding?

I just need some basic price points. I don't want to have to convert a garage space into a workshop. On the other hand, the better the shop, the less we have for house.

What I'd like- a nice 20x30 space. I could cut costs by doing the siding and roofing, window installation, door installation myself. I know nothing about electrical, so I won't touch that at all.

I'm just trying to fill in the blank: We can afford to spend x on a house because a workshop will cost roughly ________ to build. I'd like to not use a garage space if possible, but I will. I've given my wife total control over every decision, including location, with one caviat- I get my own space. It's a pretty amenable agreement.

Thanks,
Mac

[Peter Aeschliman]

Make sure to do all of the necessary research about land use code for your area. Set backs, max lot coverage, neighborhood covenants (if there's a homeowners association), etc.

Once a seller has accepted your offer, you will have time to do due diligence and bail on the deal if something comes up. That is the time to go down to the city office and ask lots of questions.

In the meantime, read the land use code and get familiar with it to help weed out houses that won't work with an out building.

To do a building the size you're talking about, doing much of the work yourself, in my area you'd be looking at around $50k -$80k depending on finishes, how much you hire out, the topography of the lot, etc. Don't forget about the cost of grading and concrete.

Pretty exciting! Good luck.

[Ray Newman]

What area are you considering? Too hard to just give a rough idea of building costs. Way too many variables.

Agree with what Peter A. wrote. Do the research yourself. Do not take the word of the seller, real estate agent, or a builder. If there is an issue later on, they will claim they were confused or misunderstood about what you said. Remember the seller wants to sell, the agent wants a commission, and the builder wants to build a house. Know a few folks who did follow this and regretted their decision later on.

And check with the local assessor: the tax collector likes to see out building that have bathrooms and other amenities installed and the building could be considered as a potential in-law apartment/commercial use and taxed as such. If you want to install a separate electric service, check the cost. Where I am, a separate service would have considered the shop designed for commercial/in-law apartment use and taxed higher, plus the added expense of installing and obtaining another electrical permit as well as a higher power rate.

As an aside: also think about security. My shop -- a detached 30x36 -- is hooked to the house alarm and the windows are high to keep out prying eyes and to afford more space underneath. Insulate to the maximum -- energy costs do get any cheaper. Insulation, like installing more than sufficient wiring is way cheaper to do when building.

Good luck. Also talk to people who live in the area as to what it is really like. How far away are the local fire, police, doctor/dentist/vet, and hospital? How are the schools? Distance to shopping, auto repair, etc.

[Peter Kelly]

Construction costs vary by region but this will probably give you an idea of square foot pricing: http://www.building-cost.net/cornerstype.asp

If you can swing it, I'd run water and septic out to the shop. Also, lots of windows to maximize natural light.

[Mac Jackson]

Thanks, Peter. That's helpful. We're looking on Cape Cod, but inland, where codes are a little more relaxed. Your advice is smart; it'll temper my excitement even if/when an offer is accepted, because the sale would be contingent on a workshop being possible.

20x30 is a big space; I might do smaller, and depending on prop, smaller might make sense. I'm not a pro, I don't generate income with woodworking; I just like to build stuff and I love making furniture. But with the right setup, I'll get much better at the craft, and if I'm going to build a space, I'm going to do it the right way.

[Mac Jackson]

If we really get our way (meet at the right price), then 308687 on the right will be the set up, with a 30868829x29 first floor will be for the shop. Top is a 1-bedroom inlaw apt (nice, too), and the house is a 3b/2b cape.

[Peter Aeschliman]

I thought about doing a shop just like that- living space upstairs.

That kind of a building will be much more expensive than the number I gave you. Think $150k at least in that case- you're now talking about putting in kitchen and bathroom appliances, full plumbing, two stories, etc. If you have the money then heck yeah, go for it. But that is not a small project. It's effectively a house.