Motorcycle workshops | GTAMotorcycle.com

Motorcycle workshops

Relax

Relax

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I thought this deserved its own thread, based on the off-topic discussion here:
www.gtamotorcycle.com

COVID and the housing market

Someone I know is involved in this and now they are priced out and it messed up selling their current house +_+ https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/would-be-homebuyers-blindsided-in-elora-after-developer-terminates-contracts-1.5747234 😭😭😭 Reddit posted about this too, this is fraud!!!
www.gtamotorcycle.com www.gtamotorcycle.com

More of a "What did you do TO your garage today?", or how you acquired/built/arranged your workshop space. Kind of like a local version of this:

Motorcycle Garages Only

I've seen some pretty good looking motorcycle areas in some member's posted photos, so I thought I'd start a thread dedicated just to bikes and bike garages. And of course, I get to do the obligatory pic to show off the bikes. Here is ours - this is one corner of our metal building. 4...
www.garagejournal.com www.garagejournal.com

I'm personally looking for options to add ~1000 sq ft of shop space. I can either go through the hassle of building permits to build one in my back yard, or invest in a separate property within an hour's commute. This was a great opportunity that I just missed (from the thread above):

I've been trying to find some cheap vacant land no more than an hour from Mississauga as an alternative to the hassle of building a non-standard workshop in my backyard. I discovered this a couple days ago, but it sold last night for only $150,000 (under asking, to boot). That sounds crazy to me - it's a 30x40 garage/workshop with a huge paved driveway/parking lot on a residential property:

10 Lydia St · 10 Lydia St, Jarvis, ON N0A 1J0, Canada

Building
www.google.com www.google.com

1642733618470.png
 
If you have the space, access and zoning I'd put one on your own property. It will be way cheaper and adds enormous value to your existing property. All-in I spent about $50K, realtors estimate it added $200K to the property value.

I built mine approx 900sq with 2 x 9' doors, I used room in roof trusses to get another 450sq of finished space in the attic. This limited the workshop height to 9' so a hoist isn't practical.

My original plan included sneaking in an old style garage pit -- that got shut down by a surprise building inspector visit. My sneaky plan needed a a full block foundation, had I not wanted the pit I'd have use an engineered slab to save $10K in excavation and blockwork.

It's really convenient when the walk out to the 'shop' is 5 seconds. Also gives you the piece of mind things are secure in your yard.
 
'Funny how important "shop space" is to dudes...
'Couple of years ago a friend and his wife were house shopping and settled on a resale property about ten minutes from me...
When I went over to take a look pre-closing he and I didn't even go into the house... LoL.
It was all about checking out the "shop"...

20'x40', insulated, concrete floor, shelving, large long work bench, well lit, Previous owner had it set up for wood working.
Nice to have such a large space to wrench in... or just hang out away from the wimmenz.

721CTHx.jpg
 
Mad Mike said:
If you have the space, access and zoning I'd put one on your own property. It will be way cheaper and adds enormous value to your existing property. All-in I spent about $50K, realtors estimate it added $200K to the property value.

I built mine approx 900sq with 2 x 9' doors, I used room in roof trusses to get another 450sq of finished space in the attic. This limited the workshop height to 9' so a hoist isn't practical.

My original plan included sneaking in an old style garage pit -- that got shut down by a surprise building inspector visit. My sneaky plan needed a a full block foundation, had I not wanted the pit I'd have use an engineered slab to save $10K in excavation and blockwork.

It's really convenient when the walk out to the 'shop' is 5 seconds. Also gives you the piece of mind things are secure in your yard.
Click to expand...

Funny thing is my brother-in-law is a framer and offered to build it for me for no labour cost. All I need to do is prep the foundation and pay for materials. But I don't know how you were able to get a foundation done for $10,000, never mind the excavation and blockwork for a pit - I was quoted $18,000 for a 20x40 slab:

"excavation, supply and place 8 inches of gravel supply and place 2inches r10 insulation supply and place 10mm rebar at 2feet spacing supply and place 5inch 32mpa concrete arslab on grade kind of like this around 18.000.00

1642877026448.jpeg

we can scape the isolation but around perimeter of slab we have to pour at least 16inches of concrete to support wall roof its have to be structural it's a big roof I think you want to last"
 
When I bought my house (18 years ago), I looked at builder floor plans (new development at the time), spotted one with all the living space on the 2nd floor and an unfinished ground floor on almost the same level as the garage (1 step higher) and no below-grade basement. "I want that one."
 
Relax said:
Funny thing is my brother-in-law is a framer and offered to build it for me for no labour cost. All I need to do is prep the foundation and pay for materials. But I don't know how you were able to get a foundation done for $10,000, never mind the excavation and blockwork for a pit - I was quoted $18,000 for a 20x40 slab:

"excavation, supply and place 8 inches of gravel supply and place 2inches r10 insulation supply and place 10mm rebar at 2feet spacing supply and place 5inch 32mpa concrete arslab on grade kind of like this around 18.000.00

View attachment 53045

we can scape the isolation but around perimeter of slab we have to pour at least 16inches of concrete to support wall roof its have to be structural it's a big roof I think you want to last"
Click to expand...
That's an expensive slab. I did a 4' trench, and 7 courses of block around 3 sides, and turnins at the front.
perimiter 4' trench Excavation and removal of 6" overburden: $1500
Footing forms I did myself, 3 yds of concrete $500.
Blockwork cost $4000, $1500 for blocks (450 blocks + mortar + sand) and $2500 for the blocklayers.
Gravel for pad $300 (levelled myself)
2" styro panels $500
Concrete pad: 8 yds of fiber reinforced concrete $1200, placing and finishing $2000.
Backfill - did myself.

The whole shebang came in at just over $10K, would have been cheaper if I could have floated the pad myself.
 
I built a steel 20x20 garage with a poured floor. Steel roof, 20 ga. walls, for about $7000, 20 years ago. Sold that house. Realtor said it added $50,000. No permits. Sometimes ya gotta take a chance. Lol
 
I looked at a pre-fab garage, IIRC it was 24 x 30 and would have cost about $20,000 plus the slab.
Someone suggest I look at Kijiji. There was dozens of "pre owned" kits for sale, seems people buy them THEN find out they can't get a permit. I found the exact kit I was looking at, brand new on a skid, including insulation for $4,000
 
If you plan to build new, check with the local municipality.

Years ago when my previous home in Mississauga had a nice sized back yard, I went ahead and built a 400 sq ft out-building that my Buds called 'Man Heaven'. I had an architect that drew me up plans so the exterior would blend in with the neighbouring rear yards. I even planted trees to help screen it off from certain views. I installed a heat traced concrete floor, well insulated ceiling and 2x6 walls, couch, TV, A/C, beer fridge etc.

In the mid 1980's I had no problem finding the special trades needed to bolt it up. All in, it came to $12K.

In those days, I had a couple of bikes but my passion was muscle car resto work . Man Heaven could suit two cars plus work benches etc.

Problem was I built it without the required zoning approval and building permit. All was good for about 4yrs until one summer afternoon of hosting my rowdy buds for a BBQ, the complaints poured in to the City by-law dept. No mercy on my as-built set backs.

I wasn't going to tear it down so ended up working thru the city's Committee of Adjustment process for set back variance approvals and sure enough two neighbours objected so it was denied. A city staffer suggested that I buy off the neighbours to shut them down on a future re-application. It was good advice and I did that. Who knew cash in hand was all it took. No neighbours showed up so the Committee approved my variances and the building was designated 'legal non-conforming'

So after that experience, all in it worked out to $18K.

Due to my wife's nagging, I listed it for sale. My real estate agent that sold it for me told me the building added $40K to the overall house value.

Two years into our new home, my wife divorced me. I was good about it but Wow, had I wished I hadn't sold the 1st home.

Lessons learned.
 
Merkid said:
Problem was I built it without the required zoning approval and building permit. All was good for about 4yrs until one summer afternoon of hosting my rowdy buds for a BBQ, the complaints poured in to the City by-law dept. No mercy on my as-built set backs.

I wasn't going to tear it down so ended up working thru the city's Committee of Adjustment process for set back variance approvals and sure enough two neighbours objected so it was denied. A city staffer suggested that I buy off the neighbours to shut them down on a future re-application. It was good advice and I did that. Who knew cash in hand was all it took. No neighbours showed up so the Committee approved my variances and the building was designated 'legal non-conforming'

So after that experience, all in it worked out to $18K.
Click to expand...

This is the main reason I was considering buying something separate with an existing building or more flexible zoning. One neighbors is a builder and has no issues with what I have planned - they're even recommending their trades to me. The other neighbor, though, is the opposite. We have a 50' maple between our houses on her property. The branches were growing into my roof (and hers), and the sheer about of twigs and leaves it drops in our gutters is incredible. I got a quote to just trim the branches overhanging my property for $1200, or to remove the whole tree for another $600. When I asked her if she was interested for $600, she said they should be paying us for the wood. Similar attitude when I asked to replace the overgrown/dying cedars between us on her side - she said I can do anything I like, as long as I pay for it. So maybe making a donation to her would help in my case.
 
+1 for having the garage close by. I built mine about 8' from the house. Having to drive every time you needed a screwdriver would suck. Keeping the daily driver there would suck - again driving before riding.
Built my 16' x 28' garage in 96. Floating slab was $2000. Another $4000 for the dried in shell. $600 for my insulated roll up (installed). Can't recall what the siding cost.
Slab was the only bit I contracted out.
 
Seems like I'm always stumbling across interesting properties around this time of year that's just outside of my budget. Everyone knows this meme:

1674859595593.png

Well, I found a real-life version with 3000 sq ft:

dbcaa_32.jpg

A little interior design:

1674857520458.png

As for distance from home, my Hawk was stored at my friend's warehouse in Scarbrough for about 4 years during the project phase. Typically a 45 minute trip each way, and I'd be there a few days a week. This one's about twice as far, but since it has living quarters, it could be my version of #cottagelife. And of course, being outside the GTA, it's right by good riding roads and could also be used as a launch pad or rally site.
 
Relax said:
Seems like I'm always stumbling across interesting properties around this time of year that's just outside of my budget. Everyone knows this meme:

View attachment 59280

Well, I found a real-life version with 3000 sq ft:

View attachment 59281

A little interior design:

View attachment 59279

As for distance from home, my Hawk was stored at my friend's warehouse in Scarbrough for about 4 years during the project phase. Typically a 45 minute trip each way, and I'd be there a few days a week. This one's about twice as far, but since it has living quarters, it could be my version of #cottagelife. And of course, being outside the GTA, it's right by good riding roads and could also be used as a launch pad or rally site.
Click to expand...
Interested in seeing the MLS of you aren't buying it.

Sent from the future
 
I don't know what's closest to Mississauga as far as walking trails or other outdoor destination spots but if you can find land for a decent price near one do your large garage space with a living quarters above with separate entrance. AirBnB the top area to offset costs and pay for itself. I really wish I had have done this when I built my shed.
 
Relax said:
Seems like I'm always stumbling across interesting properties around this time of year that's just outside of my budget. Everyone knows this meme:

View attachment 59280

Well, I found a real-life version with 3000 sq ft:

View attachment 59281

A little interior design:

View attachment 59279

As for distance from home, my Hawk was stored at my friend's warehouse in Scarbrough for about 4 years during the project phase. Typically a 45 minute trip each way, and I'd be there a few days a week. This one's about twice as far, but since it has living quarters, it could be my version of #cottagelife. And of course, being outside the GTA, it's right by good riding roads and could also be used as a launch pad or rally site.
Click to expand...
How is garage door and ceiling both 11'2" clear?

At one point I wanted to do the same thing. Vacant lot near my house (at the time gta suburb) had a two car garage and nothing else. I was seriously considering it until I saw price. Just over 1M. Boo. It did have 5 acres on a busy intersection so it would have been a good investment but I didnt (and dont) have to coin to float that.
 
If you have the option It's better to build the shop on your property. I moved out of Oakville 6 years ago to north of Waterdown and had built a heated 24x30 workshop with 16ft ceiling. Bike lift, car lift and a few bikes fill it up pretty quick so no matter how big you build it you will always want more space. I do some free work for friends. After the build I was told it added about $50,000 to the property and it's very hard to find a place with workshops on the grounds now. Of course the taxes also go up because of the build. I have a Bungalow home and most of the smaller house in my area are bought then knocked down for a larger home build which takes up most of the ground area. I was told the some of the new generation home owners don't want property/garden area work as there lives are too busy to deal with it when they get home from daily employment.
 
GreyGhost said:
How is garage door and ceiling both 11'2" clear?

At one point I wanted to do the same thing. Vacant lot near my house (at the time gta suburb) had a two car garage and nothing else. I was seriously considering it until I saw price. Just over 1M. Boo. It did have 5 acres on a busy intersection so it would have been a good investment but I didnt (and dont) have to coin to float that.
Click to expand...

There are steel I-beams running the width of the building every 15 feet or so, so the 11'2 measurement is really drive-through clearance. There is up to 13' ceiling height between the beams.
 
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