Fish On
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2014
- Location
- Foley, Alabama
A couple months back, I inquired about moving my shop from a leased commercial property to a home property while moving to a new state. Lots of good feedback there. During that time, I was second in line on a unicorn of a property with a shop already, and for awhile, it looked like the first buyer was going to fall through. Ultimately, they got their stuff together, so I wasn't able to buy that one. The great plus to that property was buy the house, shop comes free. The flipside to that is building a shop behind a house we buy is the shop adds no value to the appraisal.
In looking since, I've found nothing that really seems like a good candidate for building a shop on, so I've started looking at buying commercial again, of which there's pretty much nothing available (a couple possible candidates I saw last spring have long sold). But, I have found a couple vacant commercial lots available, and I think the numbers make sense, so I'm starting to go down that road.
I'm looking at a 1 acre lot. On a side road off the main East West road through town. Just a 1/4 mile long road with a turnaround at the end, clearly originally planned to be a commercial neighborhood. Currently has 1 business at the corner of the main road, 1 past that, and the one I'm looking at would be third, land past that is still vacant.
Lot is currently in the county, unzoned, but the business at the corner is in the city, zoned, however the entire street has city utilities (allegedly including 3 ph). Truck access seems adequate. From what I can tell, county unzoned gives me a fair bit of leeway in construction (in regards to aesthetics, still have to meet codes/wind ratings), which the city would have to grandfather in if it's annexed. I haven't seen the lot in person yet, but there isn't a whole lot to see. It's a level lot that has been cleared once, although it's got years worth of undergrowth/scrub brush that's regrown. Does already have a driveway culvert.
My plan would be to build a 40x60 metal shop. 14' side walls. Two 12x12' doors (insulated, I'm sick of the roll up style), more or less next to each other on one side. 2 standard 3-0 man doors. Slab suitable for 4k capacity forklift. Only interior buildout would need to be a 12 x 16 or 10 x 20 office in one corner, and a small bathroom (both with mezzanine above). Insulated, with the intent of future AC. Other than the office, interior finishing just needs to be steel sheet attached to the inside of the purlins.
I don't mind taking on some of the interior detail stuff (building the office/bathroom, sheeting the walls, etc), but would plan to hire out the rest in one go, if possible. I don't really have the time or knowledge to GC it.
Long term would include an additional 40 x 60 built onto the back (making it 40x120 total). Back half would be a second office/warehouse unit, to lease to another business, but would also allow possible expansion of my unit if that ever was required.
I've started getting the requisite paperwork to a local lender, to get that ball rolling, to make sure the numbers look workable. I've also been chasing down utility hookup costs. I currently have a good figure for sewer hookup. I have a number for power, but I'm pretty sure it's wrong (I'll be tickled pink if it's right), but their priority is rebuilding from the recent hurricane, so getting back to me is pretty low down the list. Apparently, water is going to be from the power co, so I'll have to wait on that, too.
I plan to go eyeball the property soon. What sort of things should I be looking for?
When I start looking for a building manufacturer/builder, what or who should I look at? I've heard enough horror stories about fly by night building manufacturers - not interested in going down that road. I've seen recommendations for Butler buildings, Valco-Pruden buildings, etc. Who else should I look at?
What other questions should I be asking before signing on the dotted line for a piece of commercial land?
In looking since, I've found nothing that really seems like a good candidate for building a shop on, so I've started looking at buying commercial again, of which there's pretty much nothing available (a couple possible candidates I saw last spring have long sold). But, I have found a couple vacant commercial lots available, and I think the numbers make sense, so I'm starting to go down that road.
I'm looking at a 1 acre lot. On a side road off the main East West road through town. Just a 1/4 mile long road with a turnaround at the end, clearly originally planned to be a commercial neighborhood. Currently has 1 business at the corner of the main road, 1 past that, and the one I'm looking at would be third, land past that is still vacant.
Lot is currently in the county, unzoned, but the business at the corner is in the city, zoned, however the entire street has city utilities (allegedly including 3 ph). Truck access seems adequate. From what I can tell, county unzoned gives me a fair bit of leeway in construction (in regards to aesthetics, still have to meet codes/wind ratings), which the city would have to grandfather in if it's annexed. I haven't seen the lot in person yet, but there isn't a whole lot to see. It's a level lot that has been cleared once, although it's got years worth of undergrowth/scrub brush that's regrown. Does already have a driveway culvert.
My plan would be to build a 40x60 metal shop. 14' side walls. Two 12x12' doors (insulated, I'm sick of the roll up style), more or less next to each other on one side. 2 standard 3-0 man doors. Slab suitable for 4k capacity forklift. Only interior buildout would need to be a 12 x 16 or 10 x 20 office in one corner, and a small bathroom (both with mezzanine above). Insulated, with the intent of future AC. Other than the office, interior finishing just needs to be steel sheet attached to the inside of the purlins.
I don't mind taking on some of the interior detail stuff (building the office/bathroom, sheeting the walls, etc), but would plan to hire out the rest in one go, if possible. I don't really have the time or knowledge to GC it.
Long term would include an additional 40 x 60 built onto the back (making it 40x120 total). Back half would be a second office/warehouse unit, to lease to another business, but would also allow possible expansion of my unit if that ever was required.
I've started getting the requisite paperwork to a local lender, to get that ball rolling, to make sure the numbers look workable. I've also been chasing down utility hookup costs. I currently have a good figure for sewer hookup. I have a number for power, but I'm pretty sure it's wrong (I'll be tickled pink if it's right), but their priority is rebuilding from the recent hurricane, so getting back to me is pretty low down the list. Apparently, water is going to be from the power co, so I'll have to wait on that, too.
I plan to go eyeball the property soon. What sort of things should I be looking for?
When I start looking for a building manufacturer/builder, what or who should I look at? I've heard enough horror stories about fly by night building manufacturers - not interested in going down that road. I've seen recommendations for Butler buildings, Valco-Pruden buildings, etc. Who else should I look at?
What other questions should I be asking before signing on the dotted line for a piece of commercial land?