I've been looking at moving for a while now. I'm building two cars out of a single car garage right now...I started checking craigslist and started looking at business/warehouses for rent. A couple of the ones that I was thinking about have around a 3k square foot warehouse area with 220 power, room for projects etc and they also have an "office" or two with a bathroom and shower that I was thinking of living in. Anyone ever done this? Can you see any drawbacks, as long it has all of the amenities of a house. Obviously this is not long term, but I'm in the military and will end up moving in 3 years from now anyway. Maybe something like this http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/off/3519187365.html
No reason I can think of,,I had a friend that rented a old shop that had 6 bays,,he closed off two bays and made a small 24' x 24' kitchen,bedroom and living room,,he and his girlfriend lived there for several years. HRP
I thought about it........but then I divorced her and started to enjoy the house too! But seriously, if I had it to do all over I would have started with a shop, then built the house.
Check zoning and local housing laws. You may not be able to live in some buildings if zoned business or commercial.
Check your local ordinances. My buddy owns a auto garage and wanted to install showers for his workers. The City said no! The reason they gave was they didn't want anyone living in a business area.
Never done it myself, but a friend of mine said if he ever got a divorce he would build something like you described, small living area, big shop (and I think a big refrigerator) for canned depressant Housekeeping would be a lot easier with small living area!
Good to hear! The way I see it, I spent most of my time off work with my hot rod anyway. Plus I can start working on other guys cars here and there as I'm already doing. It would be nice to have a cool meeting place for cruises and what not anyway, and I can have all the beer I want and not drive.
don't let any City inspectors see living quarters. if there is a fire, etc your insurance will likely deny claim. be sure to set up professional lighting in case there is a fire, etc at night. ventilation will be important too. neighboring businesses may like/not like having you there 24/7.
Yeah I thought about zoning and I'll have to look into that, but many of them already have showers. Plus they are way cheaper than I thought, a big shop with offices is 500 less than my current rent!
Not a bad idea; I thought of doing it myself before I bought my current place. You might want to check to be sure its 'allowed'.
I lived in a two story apartment in my factory. I got around the ordinances by calling it quarters for a night watchman.
Here, they want any garage businesses to have a shower as a safety feature, due to the many chemicals and hazardous materials involved in the trade. Hint, hint! We also call the "apartments" in shops, caretaker or "night watchmen" suites.
Spence and his wife sold there house and on their new property built his dream shop with bathroom & small kitchen area,heat and air,heavy insulated,sheetrock and paint and it is 40' X 80', As soon as the last coat of paint was applied and was finished they moved their furniture in and set up house keeping. They lived in the shop for almost a year while the new house was being built. HRP
Did it for 8 years after my divorce rented a 1800 sq ft warehouse/garage with a 22 ft camper trailer inside all hooked up city sewer and water best 5 years of my life yes 5 years however I did grow tired of it after that the last 3 years were out of need as I was trying to find a affordable a piece of land or a house & lot that I could build a second garage on that I now have nice to look out my window and see grass and trees not a paved parking lot with cars,trucks,forklifts,gangbangers and sales people 24/7
I really hope your wife can't read... I lived in a shop for 9 months. Rent was cheaper than an apartment, and I got to work on my shoebox every day. And I had the use of the landlord's welder! Allowed? This is America! All you have to do is tell them that you crash there if you get too drunk. They may raise an eyebrow but you'll never hear about it. Just have plenty of charged fire extinguishers around.
I had a friend/neighbor who built an apartment above his shop for his business a few years ago. A better setup for a large enough rented shop might be just to buy a travel trailer and back it into an end stall where The door would open into the shop. And a "well, I just store it inside to keep it from deteriorating from being exposed to he weather. The older heavier ones with big queen beds are usually pretty cheap too. One of my friends backed his travel trailer into a barn on property he bought and got it close to the wall and cut a door though the wall so he could build a living room, bedroom and bathroom in a small addition to the barn. They lived in that for several years using the kitchen in the trailer as their kitchen. You walked from the living room into the trailer. My wife isn't into having a big house to take care of and I had said more than once that I was going to build a big shop with a small apartment attached to it for us to live in.
That has worked for a couple of my friends however don't try using that reason for residing in a "Hanger"!
I think every car guy's dream is a ten car garage with a small apartment over the top of it. The problem is getting most females to also think that is a great idea. But for a divorced or single guy it would be great. We guys could live in a cardboard box if we had to as long as we had a garage beside it for our stuff. Don
When I had my shop assembled {{40 by 80}} I had 12 by 40 ft converted to a apartment. 3/4 Bathroom then one room is kitchen /den and the rest is a bedroom. . I had it listed as my home stead exemption and taxes and insurance are cheaper. When asked by local goverment and insurance types. I just replied most people have a large house and a small garage. I choose to have a small house and a large garage. Oh yes I am single..
A friend built a living space in his shop. Zoning got mad. He had to call it a break room and install an exit to the outside. He said it is great. He can get a lot of work done.
On a side note, I've got a friend who has a "shop-house". His wife loves it, and I think they'll live there happily ever after. It just depends on who you find in life.
My wife and I will be buying /building a shop house in 4 years. We have waited 6, it was her ten year goal to keep me at home more with a large space for the toys and the tools all under one roof.
x2, may be sooner than later. I've a couple of buddies that live in their shops, they love it. Scotty.
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