I’ve lastly decided on my workshop! And let me let you know, it has been a tricky determination, and I’ve gone full circle with this one. For those who’ve been following alongside over the past two weeks, you recognize that my greatest precedence is to seek out one thing to make use of for storage in order that we will transfer in direction of getting our kitchen addition began. So as to begin on the kitchen, I have to get the sunroom utterly cleared out, and I would like a spot to retailer the issues I wish to hold.
My preliminary concept was to go forward and construct my workshop, which has been within the plans for a number of years now. You’ll be able to see it on our panorama plan sitting simply behind the carport.
However after these choices and getting costs, I believed possibly it will be higher to simply exchange the outdated rusted storage shed that’s in our again yard proper now. This factor was right here after we purchased the home, and whereas there are some things in there, I don’t really use this storage constructing as a result of (1) it has leaks, and (2) there’s no mild in there (no electrical energy and no pure mild) so it’s simply darkish and creepy.
I believed it will be simpler and sooner to go that route as a result of that shed sits on a concrete slab. So if I simply rip that one down (which might’t be that tough as outdated and rusty as it’s), I may simply have a brand new one constructed on that slab, proper? Fast and straightforward!
Properly, not so quick. I went out and measured the slab (it’s 10′ x 14′), and I additionally took my framing sq. out to verify the slab is sq.. The native shed firm requested me to verify. It’s not sq.. It’s not even near sq.. So mainly, the person on the storage shed firm advised that they might put the shed on that slab, however they’d nonetheless use their wooden basis. That signifies that the completed shed can be about 12 inches above floor. The overall price of a brand new 10′ x 14′ storage shed was going to run about $5600.
I didn’t love that concept, so I stored trying to find different concepts. After which I used to be scrolling Instagram and noticed that on one of many woodworking accounts I comply with, they use a transport container as a twig sales space. I beloved that concept! Each time I’ve to spray one thing, I discover myself wishing I had a everlasting spray sales space arrange someplace to make it simple and to get out of the wind and climate. Just a little transport container is a good concept for that!
In order that despatched me down a rabbit gap on the lookout for a transport container. The issue is that I needed a 10-foot transport container, however these are fairly costly. Till two days in the past, I didn’t know that 10-foot transport containers are usually costlier than the 20-foot containers as a result of they’re customized made. They take 20-foot containers, reduce them in half, after which seal the up. So that you’re paying further for the additional work that goes into them. However there’s no method I need a 20-foot transport container in our again yard.
In any case of that, I went again to the thought of simply constructing the workshop. I discovered an area firm that I actually like, and spent numerous time on the cellphone with the person getting the entire particulars, asking all of my questions, and getting pricing on varied choices. I lastly determined to go along with the 18′ x 32′ storage. I’m nonetheless unsure if I wish to go along with the metallic roof or the shingle roof, however the constructing itself will seem like this on the entrance, minus the shutters…
After which that is the tip that shall be seen from the carport. It would have a roll-up storage door on this finish the place I can usher in sheets of plywood and MDF.
After which I’ll have two extra home windows on the again facet…
After which the tip reverse the storage door shall be stable. I do know individuals advised having two storage doorways, one on every finish, however I’m fairly decided to have one stable, uninterrupted wall in there.
I actually like this native firm. They’ve been so affected person to reply all of my questions and go over the entire choices with me. I additionally like that they’re prepared to make use of my home windows. For those who’ll bear in mind, method again once I had that misguided notion to show our carport into my workshop after which construct a separate indifferent storage, I purchased 4 home windows that match the home windows in our home (identical model, identical model, identical every part) to make use of for that. I’ve had them out within the storage constructing for about two years now, so I’m glad they’re prepared to make use of them.
I additionally determined to have it constructed on their basis moderately than pouring a concrete basis for it. I do know I’ll get combined reactions about that, however I advised the person what I used to be going to be utilizing the constructing for, and requested him his trustworthy opinion. He advised me that he ran a cupboard making enterprise out of one in all these buildings constructed on their basis, and he had each device I discussed plus a complete lot extra. His constructing that he used for his cupboard making enterprise was 18 x 50 as a result of he had walled off one finish to make use of as his spray sales space to color the cupboards. However he mentioned he by no means had a little bit of downside with all of his cupboard making instruments sitting on their basis. So I made a decision to go along with that since will probably be a financial savings of a number of hundreds of {dollars} that I’d moderately put in direction of our kitchen.
So how did I nearly get scammed out of just about $2000? Properly, I sat down at my pc yesterday morning to put in writing this submit and inform y’all all about my workshop determination. And I needed to incorporate an image of a cute 10-foot transport container. So I headed over to Fb Market to see if I may discover a image of what I used to be speaking about.
And lo and behold, the primary results of my search was a cute little grey 10-foot transport container with a roll-up door that in GREAT situation for under $1600!!
I couldn’t consider it! Right here I used to be, settled on shifting ahead with the workshop, and the right little transport container at an unbelievable worth landed proper in my lap. I used to be so excited!
So I didn’t wish to come right here and inform y’all that I had selected the workshop if I used to be about to alter course. I contacted the vendor and requested what the transport charge can be. The itemizing mentioned it was in Conroe, Texas, which is a few 2 hour 20 minute drive from Waco. He mentioned it was $225. So the full price got here to $1825. I requested about gross sales tax, however he mentioned there wasn’t any gross sales tax. That appeared unusual to me. This wasn’t a person promoting his personal transport container. It was a enterprise promoting transport containers. Each for-profit enterprise in Texas has to gather gross sales tax. It was just a little pink flag to me, however I believed possibly there was one thing about transport containers (since most of them are used) that makes them exempt from gross sales tax.
Anyway, I mentioned I needed it, and he mentioned he’d ship my data to the billing division. However once I bought the invoice, it was coming from Florida, not Texas. That in itself is just not unusual, however it was simply one other little pink flag. So I seemed up the enterprise web site and it mentioned they have been the main supplier for transport containers, blah, blah, blah. However once I seemed up the registrar data for the web site, it was only some months outdated. The web site had been arrange in February of this 12 months. How will you be a number one something in just some months? And the person promoting this transport container had solely joined Fb in 2024 and had no historical past and no profile image.
So I referred to as the quantity on the bill, and a person answered. He had a really thick Indian accent. Once more, that’s not an odd factor in isolation, however with the entire different little pink flags piling up, it simply didn’t really feel proper. However what actually sealed it for me was that there was a whole lot of static on the road. Why would there be a lot static on a name from Florida? And curiously, it appeared to chop out (or he pretended to not hear me) each time I requested the place they have been positioned. I lastly hung up, and he referred to as proper again. Similar factor. Plenty of static, and conveniently chopping out (or he pretended so) each time I requested the place they have been positioned. I requested that a number of occasions, and each time (on each calls) he pretended like he couldn’t hear me every time. He by no means did reply my query about the place they have been positioned.
I hung up once more, and he referred to as again three extra occasions. I ignored these calls. After which I wrote the man again on Fb and mentioned, “By no means thoughts. I don’t need it. This looks like a rip-off, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to get scammed out of almost $2000.” To which he responded with a thumbs up emoji. 😀
Apparently, this morning I checked out Market once more for 10-foot containers, and I noticed that precise image in three completely different listings from three completely different Texas cities — Conroe, Stephenville, and Dallas. So I’m fairly certain it’s a rip-off. Those that appear legit are those that ask you to pay a share down, after which the steadiness on supply. However I’ve but to discover a 10-foot container from a kind of locations.
*Sigh* My hopes for having a cute little grey transport container with a roll up door have been dashed. 😀 However that’s okay. I wasn’t scammed out of $2000, and I can now put that cash in direction of a pleasant workshop with an actual native firm with very useful staff who’re in a position to reply all of my questions. Simply watch out for Fb Market. For the entire good offers you will discover there, you will discover an equal quantity of creeps and scammers who’re simply out to separate you out of your cash. Y’all watch out on the market!
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and enhance the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
