Garage Decision Time-Help......

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J

jeeper

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Klamath County, Oregon
I try and not air my troubles on the net, it just isn't how I "roll":cheers:

However, I am in a bit of a quandry. This could take awhile.

I have no inside storage worth mentioning. No place for anything larger than a transmission or other carry in parts.

I am voluntarily getting rid of my outside storage at home. It is literally falling over. My jeep is holding it up I think......I could attach pics but they are too scary.....:toothy10:

My other storage place is not going to work for much more. I would like to be out by the end of May.

I do have the existing shop to add onto. It is 20' long and I designed it to attach a "shed style" roof onto it. When I am done I can get a 16' x32' inside space done for around 5kish probably. This will be accessible from my existing shop through a door I preframed. I can probably have it dried in for the first winter for less than 5k. Siding etc. to follow.

The issue is no real cash on hand. I can swing 1k by June first, with some possibility for more over the summer.

The question is this: Do I start selling off my spare cars and parts? I don't have anything real valuable, but there is probably 2k worth if I sold my Mopar stuff. More if I start selling Jeep stuff.

If I hold onto the parts, the cars will continue to get worse over time.....

If I sell the parts, the cars will be gone and I won't have them for later. That is the real problem. I have spent 7 years gathering stuff and have sold out twice. Each time I buy back in it costs me more and more.

HMMMM:read2:

I should note that my better half is not supportive of the MOPAR thing at all. Jeeps yes, MOPARS no.

She would be more supportive if I got my Dart Sport done and I could drive it. Slightly supportive yes, excited etc. no......

My guess is that I should sell now, and then finish the shop.

If I don't, I will have a whole yard full of soggy, then dusty parts.....

Ideas or thoughts? I just need a nudge...........

As I look out at the rain and snow that is currently falling down I have to think about how nice it could be to be inside.....

ROB
 
Well you have basically covered the definition of the term "catch 22". Keep everything as is and then not be able to build. Sell off to build and then theres nothing to take inside. Here is what I would do. Its not going to be fast or easy but it might just give you a little better insight on what is best for you. Sit down and make a COMPLETE inventory of everything you have and attach an honest (if not low ball) value to everything. Then take that list and break it down. Make a column for items that you will not part with. Next column, things that you would really like to keep but might be willing to sell. Next column, things that you are 50/50 on. Next column, things that you know are just taking up space and should go. Now start with the last column adding up the potential cash you could come up with and then proceed adding up the rest from the last 1 back to the first. Now you will see in $ amounts how far you are going to have to get into selling stuff that you want to keep in order to get the new garage built. Might not give you a definite answer but it will sure show you what your real priorities are and should help a lot. Good luck!
 
That is a tough situation for sure, but your instincts are correct. As hard as it is, you should sell the cars and parts and get that shop completed. In the long run you'll be happier.
 
I had the same problem before. I'd say sell off what you are sure you won't need. For example, I had 3 transmissions even though I only planned on using one; goodbye 2 transmissions. I'm now onto big blocks so all those small block parts had to go and there was some more cash. That should raise a little cash so you can get closer to which ever way you decide to go.
 
I would do as baddawg says but you may be able to build a pole building ( material only ) for your on hand cash if you do the work yourself. Price 4x4 for the corners and truss for the roof and the roof sheeting, you should be close.Enclose it later when cash allows.
 
I appreciate the advice here. I have enough stuff that I just want gone that I can probably sell it off and get much of the money together.

I like the lists idea. I used to do alot of that to organize my thinking, and then I quit doing it for some reason.

I have been trying to attach a pic of the old shed, but so far my resizing efforts have not paid off yet.

I think it is worth parting with some stuff. I checked on the cars this afternoon and they need to have something done with them for sure.

I'll keep working on the pic issues. I think you may be amused by the shed that I am knocking over. It is scary......

ROB
 
I bought a 24ft x 31ft carport with 9ft walls for $3064.00. That included both side walls closed. I framed the ends and hung t111 for less than $400 and picked up a couple used doors for less than $300.
Of course my slab was already there from last years irs refund!! Haha!
superiorcarports.com installed the carport free and best of all it held up thru Hurricane IKE!!
 
You can see why I need some new storage now.

I figured people wouldn't mind some garage carnage pics in the middle of the night.

Guy I got the place from is a wonderful man who knows the meaning of "git R dun" with construction.

Surprisingly it has lasted over ten years in a 6' of snow a year locale.

I guess lasted is a relative time......

ROB

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WOW..
You do need a new building.. How bout building to the side of the house.. it'll save a little and then tell the wife the stall closest the house is hers .. Now you have her consent ,next money... intrest is as low as it's going to get .. use your house as home equity . $10k should build a pretty nice shop.
 
Here is another option for a low cost building.

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Its 25' by 26', the building cost me $3500. It requires a 2'x2' footing to support it. Check with your local building inspector first though. They forced me to go down 4' which now required the services of a backhoe and concrete forms. If your locality doesn't require a foundation below the frost line it should easily be doable for less than $5k. With the extra excavation and forms work I still had the building up for less than $6k and it was still less than $10k with the extra paving, electric and air.
 
I would put the building at the top of the priority list. Nothing will ever be able to get done without it. A pole barn would be your cheapest route to go. The second garage in my sig pic is a pole barn because it would have been another $20,000 more to build it with a foundation.

And the next time we have one of those "look at my garage" threads make sure you post up pics of that shed.

You may also have to choose between Jeeps and mopars unless you have a lot of cash. That way you won't be stretched too thin. I have some dirt bike too and I think I need to back out of that hobby so I can focus more on the cars cause I can't afford both. With my utility bills and real estate taxes doubling and increase in food prices etc I am out hundreds of dollars per month compared to what I used to have so cut backs are in order.
 
I knew if I posted that people would think I was a homeless type.......(joking)

The truth is I have a decent income, particularly for my locale but I really do not want to borrow a bunch right now.

I will dig up a pic of my small "shop" that I have. It is 12x20 with 10' walls and 12 OC construction. Yes, I did overkill it. I designed it to ad onto the one side. It will give me 16x32 with concrete, and then the 12 x20 which is on a very sturdy wood foundation. Build the engines and so forth on the wooden portion and build the cars on the cement type of thing.

I see this shop getting my stuff out of the weather and giving me enough room to work on things.

I will likely build a real shop in the next 5-6 years. Something that is more along the lines of 30' x40' or so, maybe bigger. It will be a seperate deal on the other side of the house.

As far as bikes, and Jeeps etc. they make perfect sense, and Mopars make zero sense. It is 36 miles everytime I start a car. No less. So they don't make practical DDers. That and 6 months of mud, snow and rain. Then there is 6 months of sand. Not a good environment for nice cars.

Yeah, I am married to a smart one. She says, "Everything you do makes sense for the most part, your values align with what you do etc.........except that car thing". Pretty well said.

The Mopar thing is a compulsion at this time. I have to finish the car that I have started, just to get something out of it or keep it etc. I think the rest will be sold off at one point or another, maybe starting today. It does not make sense to leave $8000 worth of dirt bikes less than well preserved to keep an engineless A body.......

I think a good 440 powered CJ would work to get the need for speed.

Thank you for your thoughts. They have helped me to understand what I already knew but did not want to accept.

Rob
 
I have been moving out of there all week. So this morning I decided to give it a push, just monkeying around. I'm not a small person, but I am sure not Sampson or anything.

I get in the truck to drive around the corner and when I look back this is what I saw.......

Good thing about 90% of the parts were out of there. What was left is easy to work around.

Just thought you'd enjoy a little laugh.

I know I did:toothy10:

ROB

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Holy crap! :shock: A good fart might have blown that thing down! You are lucky you got most of your stuff out in time.
 
I tend to not "worry to much" about things like buildings falling over etc.

"It won't happen now, certainly not with me in it" type of thinking.

The wierd thing is I had about 10K worth of stuff under there. I honestly think that the white CJ was helping to hold it up. I parked it close to the wall and it leaned on it.

The vast majority of stuff was just trailer tires, misc. 4x4 drivetrain parts etc.

Anyways, I am off to clean it up.

Have a good day.

ROB
 
It's a day off so I thought I would update some things.

I did end up cleaning the whole mess up for the most part, and sold alot off on craigslist.

We are extending the existing building another 16'. So it will be 12x 36. I know that is long. But........next year I am pouring a slab and will have a 16 x 36 addition. So I can put one whole car in there and have the existing space for working on components.

Is it ideal, no? Is it going to work on my cash system, yes.

I may be able to get some more pics up later in the week.

ROB
 
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