shop build
Sep 15, 2025 | 05:21 PM
#12
I've been daydreaming for 15 years (or more). Nothing is getting cheaper. I finally bit the bullet. It's not exactly what I wanted, but it's way better than anything I've had in the past.
Sep 15, 2025 | 07:01 PM
#13
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 321
From: DFW
Also, make sure they have in their contract to strip the topmost organic (6" is what I see specified), which includes any sod or grass. 3-4" is probably good enough.
I've seen concrete guys pour directly on grass, which is really shoddy in my opinion. The organic layer will invariably decompose and your slab will sink somewhat.
Any fill can be done with flex base or select fill. Native soil fill may be an option as well. We usually rely on the geotechnical report for these specs.
Little details matter.
I've seen concrete guys pour directly on grass, which is really shoddy in my opinion. The organic layer will invariably decompose and your slab will sink somewhat.
Any fill can be done with flex base or select fill. Native soil fill may be an option as well. We usually rely on the geotechnical report for these specs.
Little details matter.
Sep 15, 2025 | 07:44 PM
#14
DuNnO
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,285
Likes: 580
Also, make sure they have in their contract to strip the topmost organic (6" is what I see specified), which includes any sod or grass. 3-4" is probably good enough.
I've seen concrete guys pour directly on grass, which is really shoddy in my opinion. The organic layer will invariably decompose and your slab will sink somewhat.
Any fill can be done with flex base or select fill. Native soil fill may be an option as well. We usually rely on the geotechnical report for these specs.
Little details matter.
I've seen concrete guys pour directly on grass, which is really shoddy in my opinion. The organic layer will invariably decompose and your slab will sink somewhat.
Any fill can be done with flex base or select fill. Native soil fill may be an option as well. We usually rely on the geotechnical report for these specs.
Little details matter.
The shop pad we had to go about 12" down to get to that good ground.
Then filled with some gravel from the back side of our place. So the house pad has about 28" of packed and then we let it sit for about 2.5 years before doing anything with it.
Those years with rain and sun packed it like concrete haha
By the time we were ready for footings and plumbing it was a chore to dig in it with a mini ex.
My neighbor priced a shop and the prices now days are crazy. Seems everything is 3x in price
Sep 15, 2025 | 08:39 PM
#15
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 321
From: DFW
For my house i had to go down 20" to get to good ground.
The shop pad we had to go about 12" down to get to that good ground.
Then filled with some gravel from the back side of our place. So the house pad has about 28" of packed and then we let it sit for about 2.5 years before doing anything with it.
Those years with rain and sun packed it like concrete haha
By the time we were ready for footings and plumbing it was a chore to dig in it with a mini ex.
My neighbor priced a shop and the prices now days are crazy. Seems everything is 3x in price
The shop pad we had to go about 12" down to get to that good ground.
Then filled with some gravel from the back side of our place. So the house pad has about 28" of packed and then we let it sit for about 2.5 years before doing anything with it.
Those years with rain and sun packed it like concrete haha
By the time we were ready for footings and plumbing it was a chore to dig in it with a mini ex.
My neighbor priced a shop and the prices now days are crazy. Seems everything is 3x in price
Do you guys have a minimum footing depth there for frost? All of Texas (even the panhandle that gets colder) has a measley 6" frost depth, so that doesn't dictate foundation embedment below the grade.
Just about all residential or similar construction around here is a monolithic pour, slab and grade beam single pour.
Sep 15, 2025 | 09:30 PM
#16
DuNnO
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,285
Likes: 580
Nice! Sounds like a solid foundation, pun intended 😁.
Do you guys have a minimum footing depth there for frost? All of Texas (even the panhandle that gets colder) has a measley 6" frost depth, so that doesn't dictate foundation embedment below the grade.
Just about all residential or similar construction around here is a monolithic pour, slab and grade beam single pour.
Do you guys have a minimum footing depth there for frost? All of Texas (even the panhandle that gets colder) has a measley 6" frost depth, so that doesn't dictate foundation embedment below the grade.
Just about all residential or similar construction around here is a monolithic pour, slab and grade beam single pour.
I built everything and didn't borrow any money so didn't have to run anything thru a engineer.
Best part is no mortgage or interest haha. Bad part is it took me 5.5 years to build the shop and house
Dad has worked for a concrete company for 30 years so i had information on how to do the footings 'correctly' and such. But i went a little extra on that stuff.
Our only real threat is hurricane winds.
Sep 16, 2025 | 11:40 AM
#17
Also, make sure they have in their contract to strip the topmost organic (6" is what I see specified), which includes any sod or grass. 3-4" is probably good enough.
I've seen concrete guys pour directly on grass, which is really shoddy in my opinion. The organic layer will invariably decompose and your slab will sink somewhat.
Any fill can be done with flex base or select fill. Native soil fill may be an option as well. We usually rely on the geotechnical report for these specs.
Little details matter.
I've seen concrete guys pour directly on grass, which is really shoddy in my opinion. The organic layer will invariably decompose and your slab will sink somewhat.
Any fill can be done with flex base or select fill. Native soil fill may be an option as well. We usually rely on the geotechnical report for these specs.
Little details matter.
Sep 16, 2025 | 09:10 PM
#18
@TXsilverado You are in the Austin area, right?
I've got compadres that do have concrete contracting business and I can for rough prices. That unit rate seems about right for DFW area though.
I'm a structural engineer, so maybe I can offer guidance on the design:
1. Do you have an idea on the metal building manufacturer? Will it have perimeter load-bearing walls? Or frames? Load distribution matters somewhat.
2. How deep is the perimeter grade beam? I would recommend at least an 18" deep x 12" wide beam. Reinforcement can be (2) #8 top and bottom bars with stirrups at 18" on center. Use #3 dowels between the slab and the grade beams. This is kind of overkill and will drive the cost up, but see why below.
3. I'm sure you know this but most of our Texas soils along the I35 corridor, and east suck because they move a lot with moisture variations throughout the year. The deeper grade beam and reinforcement is more to resist (but not eliminate) that movement.
4. Adding things like brick veneer and Sheetrock on walls will make things more challenging if you like in an area with expansive soils. That's really a site-driven issue and requires a geotechnical engineering soils boring/report. In few areas, limestone or caliche are very shallow, which is great because they don't move around like the fat clays.
5. If you have a lift planned, you can do a thickened slab in the general area of the posts. An area 4' square, 8" thick is probably good enough. Garage journal is filled with guys having issues installing a post lift and blowing through their regular thickness slab. SMH
I hope this helps.
I've got compadres that do have concrete contracting business and I can for rough prices. That unit rate seems about right for DFW area though.
I'm a structural engineer, so maybe I can offer guidance on the design:
1. Do you have an idea on the metal building manufacturer? Will it have perimeter load-bearing walls? Or frames? Load distribution matters somewhat.
2. How deep is the perimeter grade beam? I would recommend at least an 18" deep x 12" wide beam. Reinforcement can be (2) #8 top and bottom bars with stirrups at 18" on center. Use #3 dowels between the slab and the grade beams. This is kind of overkill and will drive the cost up, but see why below.
3. I'm sure you know this but most of our Texas soils along the I35 corridor, and east suck because they move a lot with moisture variations throughout the year. The deeper grade beam and reinforcement is more to resist (but not eliminate) that movement.
4. Adding things like brick veneer and Sheetrock on walls will make things more challenging if you like in an area with expansive soils. That's really a site-driven issue and requires a geotechnical engineering soils boring/report. In few areas, limestone or caliche are very shallow, which is great because they don't move around like the fat clays.
5. If you have a lift planned, you can do a thickened slab in the general area of the posts. An area 4' square, 8" thick is probably good enough. Garage journal is filled with guys having issues installing a post lift and blowing through their regular thickness slab. SMH
I hope this helps.
6" thick slab
12x12 perimeter beam with 12x12 beam on the 30' center of the shop.
#4 rebar 16" on center instead of #3. 4 pieces of rebar in the perimeter beam and center beam (one in bottom, and one near top)
1.5" x 1.5" sheet lip around perimeter of slab and a relief cut to prevent a potential crack from spreading across the entire slab.
he admitted to not having any experience with a two post lift and suggested a12x24 spot where the lift belongs. everything i see on two post supplier sites shows that that is way overkill. even with a suggest 3000 psi concrete where i'm getting 3500 psi.
He said a 6" is an overengineered slab for my use, but it wouldnt cost much more than the original plan that was suggested. Does this seem good to you. My area is pretty sandy, and the spot i'm putting the shop is above the grade of my house and detached garage.
Sep 17, 2025 | 09:24 PM
#19
The problem with most 4 inch slab's I have had to drill through and mount stuff, is that they are almost never actually 4 inches thick... I have drilled all the way through at 2 1/2 in some extreme cases... Now I don't know who did the work, but I would be pissed if I went to mount something and that happened. So a 6 Would be good especially for a lift.
Some people have had to dig up after the fact and re-pour where the lift is going to go because when the went to anchor it, they found out the concrete wasn't thick enough where they wanted to drill and mount it.
It never hurts to go over on something like this. But if you go under, or let's say the contractor misses the mark and it fails... Well I wouldn't want to be around for that....
Some people have had to dig up after the fact and re-pour where the lift is going to go because when the went to anchor it, they found out the concrete wasn't thick enough where they wanted to drill and mount it.
It never hurts to go over on something like this. But if you go under, or let's say the contractor misses the mark and it fails... Well I wouldn't want to be around for that....
Sep 17, 2025 | 09:33 PM
#20
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 321
From: DFW
I spoke with one of my dad's friends who is not an engineer, but has erected several buildings himself over the years. Commercial and residential. He suggested spending a little more for:
6" thick slab
12x12 perimeter beam with 12x12 beam on the 30' center of the shop.
#4 rebar 16" on center instead of #3. 4 pieces of rebar in the perimeter beam and center beam (one in bottom, and one near top)
1.5" x 1.5" sheet lip around perimeter of slab and a relief cut to prevent a potential crack from spreading across the entire slab.
he admitted to not having any experience with a two post lift and suggested a12x24 spot where the lift belongs. everything i see on two post supplier sites shows that that is way overkill. even with a suggest 3000 psi concrete where i'm getting 3500 psi.
He said a 6" is an overengineered slab for my use, but it wouldnt cost much more than the original plan that was suggested. Does this seem good to you. My area is pretty sandy, and the spot i'm putting the shop is above the grade of my house and detached garage.
6" thick slab
12x12 perimeter beam with 12x12 beam on the 30' center of the shop.
#4 rebar 16" on center instead of #3. 4 pieces of rebar in the perimeter beam and center beam (one in bottom, and one near top)
1.5" x 1.5" sheet lip around perimeter of slab and a relief cut to prevent a potential crack from spreading across the entire slab.
he admitted to not having any experience with a two post lift and suggested a12x24 spot where the lift belongs. everything i see on two post supplier sites shows that that is way overkill. even with a suggest 3000 psi concrete where i'm getting 3500 psi.
He said a 6" is an overengineered slab for my use, but it wouldnt cost much more than the original plan that was suggested. Does this seem good to you. My area is pretty sandy, and the spot i'm putting the shop is above the grade of my house and detached garage.