When I had my house built in 1998, that was a adventure, and I did some of the work myself, and yes it is still standing....

Well I have decided to start another project, long over due, I am going to be building a detached garage/workshop...

I have a spot out back that will work, it is not where I want to put it, but the only other option is over my laterail lines, and I cant do that....

The size of the building is going to be about 16ftx25ft... it will be frame, to match my house, I plan on the paint and trim and shingles matching my house, and I am thinking of a steeple on the roof with a weather vain...

There will be a overhead garage door, and a steel pass-through door, a workbench along one wall, with a deep shop sink, and plenty of lights....

I will not park my truck in there, but instead will use it for a place to put my 4-wheeler, mowers and such, as well as a work area.


I am going to contract it myself, and will be doing most of the work myself, except for the dirt work and concret work, the rest of it, framing, plumbing and elect will be me...

I am out of city limits so I do not need any permits..

Hope to get the trees down in the next 2 weeks.....

you will needs permits... county permits. a friend of mine got raked over the coals. what every contractor has told him that he should have done is to carefully draw up plans absolutely to current code then pay contractors cash to do all the work. when you're done, if caught, it's a $500 fine then you get after the fact permits.

do NOT call the electric company. they will fcuk you. this is what happened to my friend. once he called them, they told the county. $20,000 later, he has permission to do the grading, but has to have it done by december or the permit expires. look around you... who else has extra structures... ask them about which contractors helped them. i know OKie isn't the DPRK, but this guy is on 6 acres in a remote part of san diego county.

good luck and i'm totally jealous and want my own shop, too!!

Dang, sorry about your friend,BUT

Since I am out the city limits, I do not need permits,

I have a couple buddies, one has built a house, next to his house, for his dad, who has passed away, and also built a recording studio, about 2000sq ft, no permits needed, the only thing the county does is come out and appraise for taxes...

Another friend of mine has built on to his house, 2 rooms, no permits needed....

OK is a great state. keep them laws off of you. i can't even begin to imagine what it must be like. out here, if you're not in the city, the county gets ya. and they're not overworked, so they really stick it to you.