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Building a bus barn soon
I plan on building a 30 x 48 barn. I can’t go deeper than 48′, but my coach is 40′ anyway. I have a couple questions maybe someone can answer:
1) Concrete: is there a recommended PSI for our heavy coaches and recommended thickness? I have someone quoting a 5000 PSI mix and 5″ for the driveway, as that’s what they use for industrial places (semi-trucks and heavy fork lifts). Just wondering if that is overkill, maybe something in the middle (4000psi, 4″) would be OK. I definitely want this to last a long time.
2) I am considering a timber-frame structure for the barn, but may need to go to a metal building for cost reasons. I am however worried that a metal building will not look very residential. I need it to look like a barn and not an industrial building. Anyone have any examples of a metal building that looks “good”? Also, anyone else build a timber frame barn?
3) I plan on having a 20 x 14 ft garage door. I’m a little worried it make look out of place. I am considering barn style sliding or swing-out doors, but concerned I may not be able to seal the building well, at least with a sliding door. Anyone use something other than a typical roll-up garage door?
Thanks!
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23 Replies
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The floor is only as good as the soil and soil prep you put it on. 4000 psi with reinforcing of a least # 4 12 inches on center both ways.I used to say that reinforcing was the cheapest part of placing concrete butas with everything the price is going up.
Wayne
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I’m finishing up a metal building went huge 24w x 16h x 80l. 16 x 14 doors at each end so I can pull through with trailer or toad.
Concrete is 4″ 4,000 psi with fiber reinforcement this was contractor suggestion when I said it is for a 50,000 pound coach. We have had the coach parked on the concrete for a week so far all is good.
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Oh… utilities
I should have put electric main on center of wall instead of front. Running lighting wire the length is a pain. Yep, 1st world problem.
Have your entry door(s) located so your not walking over water, sewer, electric.
2000 Featherlite H3-45
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Leesburg, FL -
When I built the race shop with a parking pad next to for the Prevost, I asked the 65+ y/o second generation concrete contractor how the slab should be. He directed me to the engineer at the concrete supplier. First words out of his mouth as proper subsurface preparation. He said my concrete guy “knows what right is”. Then he went on to educate me on concrete, rerod, steel screen, fiber, etc. I forgot all of it since. Never had a problem except for a couple of very time surface cracks that they said might occur.
My 65+ concrete guy and his crew of late 60’s, early 70’s guys poured the slab in the 1000sf race shop. Came back the next day and walked in the shop. All I heard was the foulest of language. There was a crack from one side to the other (across the narrow part). The entire crew was livid. I had radiant heat in the floor so the pex was already imbedded in the concrete. I think the guy was afraid I wanted it removed and redone. I accepted it as was. Crack never got larger or separated.
Make sure you put heavy poly under the concrete. That’ll keep the moisture from migrating through the concrete.
I would go with an overhead door. I think those seal the best. That’s what I would use.
Those of us on the Forum probably have a thousand different ways to spend your money. Let us know if you need more help!
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Thanks for all the great advice! I agree subsurface prep will be very important. Here’s a barn I plan on building, but 2 feet taller:
https://www.timberlyne.com/packages/camellia-ponderosa-country-barn
I probably will go with a roll up door. I would love to have the ability to drive through the barn, but we don’t have the space. Our lot is ~14,000 square feet. I have checked with local zoning person, and we are good on the size of the barn (30×48).
Our house is 170 years old, an Italianate Victorian that we recently moved into, and it was important to me to have a garage that fit in with the style of the house. While I am not going to build a Victorian barn, I figured a barn of that era would have been built with timber frames. It’s going to cost a bit more than a steel building, but longer term I think it will provide more value to a property.
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Build a pit.
Jeff and Lindsay
91 Marathon XL -
We built a 40’x60′ metal bus barn about 4 years ago. Here are a few more suggestions:
– Have at least 2′ of roof overhang on each side (3′ if you can), especially if you are in a heavy snow area. Big roofs catch a lot of rain (and blowing/sliding snow). You want it away from your building, not pooling or laying against your walls/slab.
– Prior to pouring the slab, strategically lay out several extra pieces of conduit, and pex water lines from one side of the barn to the other (beneath the slab surface) for future use, you’ll be happy you did.
– If you will be heating the building, consider radiant floor heat. Pex is cheap.
– Build it bigger than you think you’ll need.
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The build should start in February, once we have construction documents complete (including stamped engineering docs) by Timberlyne.
While I wanted to wait until after the completion of the garage to do the driveway, the mud situation is so bad here, that I pulled the trigger and having the driveway installed right now. Also found a father-son concrete contractor that has been really great. We’re doing 5.5-6″ thick 5000 psi mix with 12″ on center 1/2″ rebar. Should be complete next week.
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Located near PA Turnpike and Lancaster/Reading route 222.
Overall Structure is 68′ x 88′ Pole Barn
Bus Bay 20′ x 88′ ( I can fit the Prevost and 26′ stacker) I wish the bay was 24′
Slab 6″ with 10×10 w.w.f. , 6 mil poly, 2″ rigid insulation, 3/4″ plex tubing, 4000 psi fiber reinforced concrete.
Finish Metalic Epoxy
Overhead doors 14′ x 14′ ceiling is 20′
full hook-up for the bus on both sides of the bus bay.
(2) exterior 20′ x 50′ concrete pads with full hook-ups on each side of the barn (6″ with 10×10 w.w.f., 4000 psi fiber reinforced concrete)
The siding is metal all concealed fasteners
The roof is standing seam metal
The driveway is 4″ of blast rock and 8″ of 2a modified limestone.
Installed a whole barn backup generator.
Installed reels for air and pressure washer in the bus bay
I’m less than 15 miles from Elite Coach which does all the Prevost bus maintenance.
I feel VERY BLESSED to have this barn. I got lots of suggestions and ideas from this community. I also had dozens of conversations with guys who have bus barns to help refine my barn. Happy to help anyone I can!
Happy Day!!!
P.S. I own a construction company my grandfather started in the 30’s. I’m licensed GC in NC, FL, PA, DE, NJ, and MD.
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That’s one great Christmas gift.
Chuck
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Wow, that looks amazing, both coach and garage!
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Very nice!
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If you don’t mind, what’s the ballpark pricing on a barn like that but without the exterior driveway? I had a 40×60 quoted just under 100k for base building and concrete, thinking I want larger more like 60×60 or 60×90. Was thinking 250k would be enough then I could finish interior myself.
Although I’m still looking to just buy a warehouse that’ll fit the coach and other toys.
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You should be covered for the shell as you described. Base pole barn or pre-engineered metal building with 6″ concrete slab and exposed screw metal skin. $40 – $45 a SqFt is very good pricing. Rule of thumb mechanical systems and structure are 50% of building costs. Site work has little relationship to the building design and only minor correlation to square footage of building. The barn is 68′ x 88′ (5,984 SqFt), I went a little crazy on the mechanical systems and finishes plus all the site work (well and septic system) round number for everything was around $1milllion (or $165@SqFt). The site work was $250k to $300k of the total. I included (2) 20′ x50′ concrete pads with full hook ups on both sides of the barn for friends when visiting. I hope this helps!
Happy Day!!!
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