Thread: My Shop Build!

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I am hoping this is the best/correct place to post this thread. If not then if an admin or Moderator can move it, I'd appreciate it.
I am starting this thread to show my progress on my shop I recently got about 3.5 months ago. The first 2 months it was used to store my cars, parts and tools while I waited on getting zoning permits, sign permits, etc. I am still awaiting these permits but they should be reviewed and finalized within the next 2-3 weeks. In the meantime I am trying to get this shop setup to do full service auto detailing and also setting up a retail side to my business selling detail products such as Optimum, Dodo Juice, Lake Country, Grit Guard, full microfiber line, etc etc.
A little info on what I started with... The shop was used as a wood working shop for over 20 years so you can only imagine the mess and dust in the building. The floors, ceiling, cabinets, pipes, etc were covered in inches of sawdust and dirt. The first thing I did was hose as much out as possible, cleaned the office and bathroom and started moving stuff in. I had the office and bathroom painted inside and out as well as the bay and pedestrian door. My plans are to do a 50's theme in the shop and kitchen area while doing a 40's/WWII office and a 60's tiki/beach type bathroom (woody wagon pictures, tiki trash can, etc). First things first in the shop... Lighting, walls being painted white, floor repaired/painted/tiled, and ceiling insulation ripped out. The building is pretty old late early 1900's or possibly late 1800's and off the main road of an old town here that was built and still preserved since before the civil war. The insulation is very old and brittle and breaks apart which leaves a major mess. Instead of replacing it, I plan to rip it out for the summer and insulate it next winter when it's really needed. Without the insulation it's open wood planks which IMO looks nice and throws a somewhat vintage feel to the shop.
Future plans in the next 2-3 weeks:
1.) Remove insulation from ceiling
2.) Paint interior and exterior walls white
3.) Add more plumbing to the building for easy hose access
4.) Sand floors to prep for paint in the wash bay and black/white checkered tile in the rest of the building
5.) Tile bathroom
6.) Loop pile carpet or wood lenolium in office
7.) Add a de-ionizer system in the water line for spot free finish on vehicles and remove minerals from the water
8.) Build a dedicated wash bay with drains.
9.) Upgrade all the old T12 Fluorescents with T8's for better energy savings and brighter lighting.
There's a ton more that needs to be done but it will come with time. Here's some before and during pictures. Will hopefully have some after pictures within the next 3-4 weeks.

Here are a few During and Afters (please do not mind the mess):

Window added from Lowes for only $37 on sale!

Bathroom painted and soon to be retiled and decorated with tiki and pictures of woody wagons, surf boards, etc.



The second picture of the afters shows the split window which opens sideways. I picked this window up at Lowes on sale for only $37! I should have bought 2 more! To the left is the main pedestrian doors that the customers will walk into. I will put a shelf below this window so they walk up, pay, fill out any forms, etc. Where the drums are in the last picture I plan to either build a full room for a waiting room or half walls and a waiting room with a computer with wifi, TV, mini fridge, etc. Since most of the work I do is on higher end vehicles and I have them for 2 days, I will rarely have waiting customers so this is why I am thinking the half walls. Space is limited (just at 3000 sq ft) so I do not want to make it too cluttered. The kitchen area will have a 40's-50's fridge, 50's type table and chairs with the round overhead porcelain lighting like a diner.

Here are some photos of the ceiling with the horrible insulation problem and the nice wood behind it:
Ceiling again and the heater unit with 3 HUGE propane tanks that sit outside the shop:
There was an A/C system in the place and the unit is still outside but the inside blower unit was torn out and needs a new one. I may or may not do that this summer, we will see. If so then I cannot wait until winter to replace the insulation unfortunately.

Again do not mind the mess, I have pulled everything out and it's laying all over the place and soon the entire place is to be stripped in order to pull the insulation down and replace some of the old 8' T12 lights with bright T5 lighting...
View from bay door (straight back bay will be the wash bay with a curtain to the left to block water spray:
Wash Bay:

Middle Bays:

Lookin' good! You'll be on my list to visit when I next come to Charlotte!

Glenn

Glenn, your welcome any time! Do you ever come to NC?

The place does need some TLC, but the layout and setup is certainly workable!!!! A bunch of white paint and a whole lot of work will make the place a whole lot brighter and generally create an atmosphere a whole lot nicer to do business in!!! Customers like to see a clean and well organized shop, assures them they're car will be well cared for when it's there!!!

Very nice! If I we're closer i'd sure hire you to do some work on my car; or hit you up for a job!

Wow! I wouldn't need a house to live in if I had a garage like yours! LOL! That looks like an awesome space. Congrats!

Thanks a lot guys! I am still lost on what to do with the floors. The walls will be painted white in hopefully 2-3 weeks tops. My zoning and sign permit just went through last week so I plan to put the sign up the end of this week after things are organized and cleaned up. falconvan, I have a futon there that I plan to put into a couch in the waiting area with a flat screen, table, etc and I plan to do just that and sleep there when I do not feel like driving home. I've done it already on nights I'm there at 4AM which happens quite regularly.
I've always wanted to have my own shop one day since I was a kid in middle school and it's finally coming together and happening.

Just a thought... Did you buy this building or renting? If you bought it Hows the roof? Reason I'm asking is if the roof is questionable you may be better off to insulate the roof (outside on top) then put on new roof. Then you can do away with the insulation that is now and will for ever be falling down. Just a thought. I wish my shop was that large, I'm sure I could get in to a lot of trouble then. ENJOY

Looks like you are off to a real good start, and have great ideas and vision. For the floor I would consider some sort of epoxy finish, but you have to get the existing floor very clean first. You can rent a grinder that can take 1/8 or 1/4 inch off to smooth it and that will make application of the epoxy easier. Keep us posted!

Pat

The roof is very nice. My father owns. Roofing company and said its a nice roof and not cheap. It's got a thick rubber matted roof with hot tar at the seams. Pat, the floor I plan to sand but need to find out the details on what machine, where to rent it and what discs I need to sand it smooth... I bought 2 gallons of the floor pain from Lowes in white with black and grey specs in it.

A quick web search found this: CONCRETE FLOOR GRINDERS Equipment Rental, Rent CONCRETE FLOOR GRINDERS | Sunbelt Rentals

Thanks Pat! I am going to take care of the walls, ceiling and lighting and maybe next month grind this floor smooth and fresh and throw this epoxy on it. In the kitchen and waiting area I will probably do black and white checkered floors. I am still on the lookout for a late 40's to late 50's fridge in working condition to put in there too.