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Crawdad · 11-13-2007, 03:47 PM

I have a 50 acre piece of property in the country, and am thinking about building a metal building out there to put my airstream in and also to have as a shop building for all of my tools, etc. I am thinking about a pretty good sized building..like 40 x60 or so. We will likely be building a house out there next year or two. Have any of you built a building like this to store your trailer in and maybe to live in while the new house is being built? Thanks in advance for any ideas you may have.

Rudy

Melody Ranch · 11-13-2007, 04:10 PM

I have one you might like. Its 40 x 40 x 14 (wall height). I have it split into a drive thru, big sliding doors at both ends, and the full length of the other side is made into an apartment with bath, kitchen and living area. I put in a patio door on the side from the living area for access to a small outside patio. This living area has a structural ceiling alowing me to use the upper area as a storage/work area. I had the entire structure interior ...a metal building, sprayed with 2 inches of foam insulation...the ridgid type with no outgassing or fire problems. All the walls and ceiling of the living half are insulated too. A hanging propane heater is used in the outer area and a window A/C with heat strip does a great job for the living side. I did not plumb it for a dump...but it could have been very easily.

Crawdad · 11-13-2007, 04:23 PM

This sounds like what we are thinking about building. I like the idea of being able to store stuff above the living area. Do you actually live in the metal building? We have considered making an apartment in ours also, but then got to thinking that the 30 foot airstream trailer takes care of that need.

Thanks for the response

Phil/Edee · 11-13-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

I have one you might like. Its 40 x 40 x 14 (wall height). I have it split into a drive thru, big sliding doors at both ends, and the full length of the other side is made into an apartment with bath, kitchen and living area. I put in a patio door on the side from the living area for access to a small outside patio.

Sounds like what we were thinking about but !! ours would be in Minnesota (mostly in the summer) and we were thinking about stick built instead of metal. ??? Do you have pictures???

Thanks!!!

Phil & Edee

lewster · 11-13-2007, 05:47 PM

Phil,

Search the site for 'Airstrem Haven' posts that klevan did. He built what you are looking for in Albuquerque, NM. I was there before he sold it. Great building and shop!

bibbs · 11-13-2007, 06:30 PM

That sounds just right for size,If you are planing on some heat put it in the floor. ohhh so nice working on a warm floor! My barn is 22x50 and a little tight with the extra junk I cant help acculmating.

Doug

HowieE · 11-13-2007, 06:37 PM

Consider more that one overhead door. One off center for the trailer and another for general use. Plus a personnel door.

Zeppelinium · 11-13-2007, 06:46 PM

Rudy,

I just rented space in a very nice barn for my Safari restoration. The first thing I noticed was that it wasn't that easy to back the trailer into a spot along the side using only a center door.

Wherever you plan to put the trailer workspace, make sure you've got enough height to jack up the frame at least 10" and then raise the shell another 3-4' above that (that's a total of 15' clearance). The beams above this spot need to be able to hoist 500 lbs (considering that you may not want to dismount the inner skins, air conditioner, and upper cabinets).

Run a couple of air lines in the vicinity, as well as provide enough electrical power to test the air conditioner (I've found a 20 amp circuit is sufficient, but it's probably right on the edge).

One of the very best things you can do is put in a dump pipe into your sewage system, both inside the barn and outside in a likely parking spot. It's great to have your own and makes the Airstream into a guest house, if need be.

Zep

Crawdad · 11-13-2007, 07:50 PM

Lew,
Thanks for sending me to the thread by klevan. That is a great building and helps me to begin to picture what mine will look like. I really like the idea of a 12 x 14 door so that it can accomodate whatever I choose to own in the future.

millvalleyca · 11-13-2007, 08:42 PM

Hey Crawdad..have you seen the ad for Uncle Howards RV buildings on this website? I wish I had the land where I could build one.

Melody Ranch · 11-14-2007, 02:44 PM

Here are some quickie pics. 'scuse the mess.

The access to the upstairs is a wide stairway right inside the main walk thru entry....beside the entry door to the living area. Hope this helps. This type structure has become a very popular one recently. Lots of folks using them for Hangar homes.

Mikethefixit · 11-14-2007, 04:21 PM

CrawDad
I have a 30x40 Taint big enough. U mentioned 40x60 that sounds better. Consider this ,depending on the site U choose to locate your home. Incorporate it into the building.
We just bought our Airstream and the PO had a gerogious home built for his mother, and the outside was a pole barn. It has a great front porch with cedar railings and the interior OMG I wish I had taken pictures. It was just lovley with hardwood floors ,bathroom laundry room combo and two bedrooms down and a possible 3rd or 4th bedroom up. It was just beautiful.
The possibilitys are endless.
Good Luck
Roger

Crawdad · 11-15-2007, 06:35 AM

Thanks so much for the pictures. I cant wait to show them to my wife. We have considered putting the apartment inside the building instead of a separate free standing house. We will have to really compare the savings of putting the apartment in the metal building instead of a separate structure. I think my preference would be to have them separate unless the savings are really significant. If we build a house it would be approximately 2000 square feet. We are empty nesters about to retire and our kids and grandkids will live on the ranch also, so we probably can't get buy with just an apartment sized house. Thanks again for the suggestions and pics.

bjond · 11-15-2007, 07:13 AM

I have a metal (red iron) building. It has one layer of insulation next to the skin. When it rains hard it is very noisy inside. If I were to consider putting living quarters inside this building I would have to sound proof the interior rooms to be comfortable.

Zeppelinium · 11-15-2007, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbond

I have a metal (red iron) building. It has one layer of insulation next to the skin. When it rains hard it is very noisy inside. If I were to consider putting living quarters inside this building I would have to sound proof the interior rooms to be comfortable.

Herb, you guys in Shalimar ought to grow gills--doesn't it thunderstorm there 11 months out of the year? The line parks up over Crestview every afternoon, as I recall. We here in Colorado envy the moisture, but we sure like the typically clear skies we get 95% of the time! Those big rains only come a few times a year here, and maybe only twice at night, so we wouldn't lose much sleep.

Zep

thecatsandi · 11-15-2007, 09:48 AM

I am planning on Building a 80 X 60 Steel Building to house my airstream or two, an airplane or two, my car and truck. As well as a huge apartment for me to live in. Putting the apartment in the hanger will be chaper than building a house. I can spend a little extra money on the interior of the living space. The apartment will be 1500 sq ft with two bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, living room. Below the apartment will be a guest suite, shop, and utility room. Oh Yeah CP for two rigs with full hookups.

thecatsandi · 11-15-2007, 08:29 PM

It should look something like this when I am done.
This is my bosses hangar at work.
In the fore ground the airplane I flew this summer. Right next to it the tool box.
To the right my airplane
You can figure out the rest....

markdoane · 11-15-2007, 08:33 PM

What are the standards for firewalls and fire protection for living quarters inside of metal buildings? Do the walls need to be 1.5" of sheetrock?

thecatsandi · 11-15-2007, 09:30 PM

Honestly I do not know. I did not build the building or the living quarters inside. I would suspect type X drywall at the very least.

Fyrzowt · 11-16-2007, 11:10 AM

Most of our houses probably have an attached garage to the living quarters. Same rules apply. One hour fire seperation (5/8" sheetrock?) and a one hour rated door.