Planning for "Shop" build - Give me your suggestions!

[rholcom2]

Hello TDR Nation, it has been a while since my last thread here on the TDR. I have been absent, somewhat the fault of my wife's aspirations to become a Nurse Practitioner. It seems the cost of Grad School is approximately 1 paid for CTD (who knew) . Never the less my CTD was sold to pay for her grad school, thus my absence. With her finishing school on May 1 we are approaching the timeframe that we have slated to build our new "shop".

Allow me to preface this discussion by saying that I am a project manager for a general contractor. In my position I travel extensively throughout the south and southeast. Most projects that I will be assigned to will be ~2 years in duration and requires me to relocate to the town or city in which the project is being built. Therefore, we are planning on downsizing from our house to an "apartment" built in the "shop".

I have attached a preliminary layout of, what we call in Indiana a "pole barn" but what some may refer to as a "shop" that we are pondering on building. The structure its self will be built utilizing 4"x6" or 6"x6" (vertically) treated posts with purlins (horizontally between the posts, usually 2"x4") with sheet metal siding screwed to the purlins. I would like to use cathedral trusses over the "apartment" area to give higher head room for the 2nd floor bedrooms. Also, I thought it might be a good idea to buy attic trusses for over the shop area for some additional storage space or living space. At this time it is just my wife and I, but plan on having a family in the coming years.

Once the structure is erected we will pour the concrete slab floor, frame in between the poles to insulate, and build the Apartment inside. I would like to point out that we will use the Precast Concrete Columns (such as the Perma-Column, Perma-Column: Pre-cast concrete columns for post frame building industry - Stop rotten posts - Replace rotten posts - Post Frame Construction - Pole Barn - Pole Building - Post Replacement) to circumvent any direct soil to pole contact. At this time I am pondering the installation of a radiant floor heating system vs. a traditional forced air system in the "apartment" and a gas furnace or wood pellet furnace in the shop area (since it will not need to run continuously). Regardless of weather or not I utilize the radiant floor heat I do believe I will install the pex tubing in the floor. The installers I have talked to believe the barn should be in 4 zones and will cost ~$3,500 to install (excluding the boiler and valve system). I have been researching (with little luck) the use of an Electric Modulated Boiler for use as a heat source if the radiant floor heat was pursued. I am doing this somewhat because of our lifestyle, an outdoor wood boiler would not fit as we are only home about every 3 weeks or so, sometimes longer. Also, because I would rather not have to pay a gas bill to have LP delivered and Natural Gas is not available in our area. Along with the radiant floor heating system the insulation around the perimeter of the building, as well as an underslab vapor barrier would be utilized. Do any of you out there have a history not only with radiant floor heat but with an electric boiler system? I would appreciate any and all of your suggestions/experiences.

I realize the attachment does not have any dimension lines, maybe I need to go ahead and hand write in the dimensions. For reference the apartment is 20'x48', thus leaving a 48'x44' "shop area. This would be used to park the Harley, Japanese Mini-Truck (currently saving up for one), trailers, and a "new-to-me" CTD (probably an 06 or early 07, once I have saved up). Also, we will use it for parties (of the bachelor kind, Christmas, birthdays, BBQ's, any reason!).

So, here it is fellas. Put your mark on my "shop" with your suggestions and experience. Oh, one other important thing to point out is our build time frame. We currently have our house on the market (this "shop" will be located on a 10 acre tract in our hometown, close to family); once the house is sold or we decide it is time to move forward we will pull the trigger on building the shell, and pouring the concrete. Any and all suggestions are welcomed, should pictures of your "shop" help please feel free to post them or email as you see fit.

Thank you very much!!