Going to take a little work but decent shop.

[tuscarora dave]

Figured I'd start a thread showing my new shop as I found it when I got the keys today and upload more photos as I get it geared up. Plenty of room for working and loads of storage space. It's pretty much a mess but it sure has lots of potential and the fact that it is 7/10ths of a mile from home is a huge plus. So here's the pics of it as I found it. I plan on cleaning it up tomorrow and getting a coat of floor paint down sometime this weekend before moving my stuff into it. That will make a big improvement in itself.

It's on the corner of a very busy intersection with a highway off/on ramp right beside it so all sides of the building are good for signage.

The inside is dirty and has some stuff left in it that the owner says I can make use of.

There's an office/storage area on the floor level and a storage loft above that has tons of space for storage. But there's a bunch of stuff to be cleaned up first. There's definitely some useable stuff up there though.

Like this cart, I can see a bucket and lots of products/tools on this cart already.

A nice fatigue mat for in front of the work bench.

This drum pump might come in handy for something like a 55 of APC.

Gonna be fun breaking all of these boxes down.

The owner said he just bought this compressor brand new and has never been turned on yet. It came with these air tools for around $300. He said I could buy it from him if I like. I then reminded him that he owes me $200 for a detail I did on a consignment van that he had from last year. I guess that will feel like a $100 air compressor and tools.

Already a desk in there so I won't have to buy one of those.

Hey, he left me some detailing products!!!

And a quality drying towel, imagine that.

Thanks for looking guys, I'm pretty excited about all of this. I'll post a few pics as soon as I get some of the work done and get my stuff in there.

 

[Kristopher1129]

So much potential, man! I could easily see that turning into a nice little shop. Especially for a one man operation...it's perfect. Hell, you got an office/waiting area, storage space, visibility, useable left overs, looks really clean on the outside...score if you ask me!

Get a fire permit and light those boxes up. Screw breaking them down. Grab some beer and enjoy. Maybe that is the New Hampshire in me talking, ha. We burn everything around here.

 

[ShineTimeDetail]

Nice congrats!!

 

[tw33k2514]

Definitely has potential. I bet you are very excited to get started on it.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

Looks like lots of room to work with, congratulations! Project #1 seems to be better lighting, based on the pics.

 

[Dr Oldz]

Good luck Dave. Looks like a great shop you got there! Post some after pics please.

 

[Matt]

That looks like it's gonna be a real cool shop!

 

[FUNX650]

Lots & lots of potential...
Also...Nice to have a short commute to work!

-Are you still "part-time" detailing for your preferred clientele only?
-Didn't notice a bathroom/washroom facility, or any indoor/outdoor hose bibs/sill cocks
for detail-washes.
-Lots of parking area around...I'm guessing you can use it.
-How much land proper, if any, goes along with the building?
-Those commuter buses/vans look nice...I've always wanted to convert one as to be a personal motor home.


Please keep us updated on your project's progress.



Bob

 

[HiDefDetailer]

Looks like lots of room to work with, congratulations! Project #1 seems to be better lighting, based on the pics.

Absolutely! It took me a solid year to get the lighting in my shop to be up to par. I spent a lot of money on a cool lobby and other creature comforts first but in hindsight I would spend money on the work area first and then the other stuff. Here's a warning...building a shop is a money pit. You'll never be satisfied and stuff will always be breaking down.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Along with what FUNX was asking about the bathroom/water...can you wash inside? Drains? Water runs out the door?

I guess I don't understand the compressor...IIRC the previous tenants were working on the vans for the owner...so I presume he bought the compressor for them to do that...so why would you have to buy it? Or is he going to be bringing the vans somewhere else for service now that you are renting the garage? I'm not saying it's not worth it for you to buy it, I just don't understand why the owner bought it.

 

[tuscarora dave]

So much potential, man! I could easily see that turning into a nice little shop. Especially for a one man operation...it's perfect. Hell, you got an office/waiting area, storage space, visibility, useable left overs, looks really clean on the outside...score if you ask me!

Get a fire permit and light those boxes up. Screw breaking them down. Grab some beer and enjoy. Maybe that is the New Hampshire in me talking, ha. We burn everything around here.

Thanks Kristopher. If I had to pay for beer again I probably wouldn't be able to pay the rent or get up for work in the morning so I'll stick with some root beer.

Nice congrats!!

Thanks.

Definitely has potential. I bet you are very excited to get started on it.

Thanks, yeah I'm pretty excited about it. I'm going to be there most of the day today just cleaning and what not.

Looks like lots of room to work with, congratulations! Project #1 seems to be better lighting, based on the pics.

Yes Charlie I was going for the floor paint first but, I'm on a limited budget until I get a few jobs under my belt so I think you're right about the lighting being the first priority of things. I walked in, turned on the lights and started shooting some photos with my phone camera. It was cold and the lights were doing some weird warm up ritual at the time the photos were taken. By the time I left it was much brighter in there but I see some additional fixtures and some T-8 conversions for the current lighting too. Thanks.

Good luck Dave. Looks like a great shop you got there! Post some after pics please.

Thanks, I'll definitely be posting pics along the way.

That looks like it's gonna be a real cool shop!

Thanks Matt.

Lots & lots of potential...
Also...Nice to have a short commute to work!

That definitely is so convenient.

-Are you still "part-time" detailing for your preferred clientele only?

Well, the focus is to stick with strictly "Hi Quality" detailing, but the selling pitch will be that I can custom tailor a detailing package to fit the car owners needs. I'm going to try to put something in place that will discourage those price shoppers that place "the cheapest price in town" as their main priority. I already know that I'm going to be the most expensive detailer in my area that provides the nicest work.

-Didn't notice a bathroom/washroom facility, or any indoor/outdoor hose bibs/sill cocks for detail-washes.

No restroom, there is a water supply outside at the rear corner of the garage that is plumbed along the side of the building and through the wall where I can add a slop sink inside. Old man winter has been very cruel to the piping though so it and the cast iron water valve will need replacing because it's cracked and leaking. I'll be sweating in some copper piping to replace the current PVC piping that is there and I'll add a sink when time permits. There is a concrete pad behind the garage where I can wash cars and of course I'll be able to do rinseless/waterless washes inside too.

-Lots of parking area around...I'm guessing you can use it.
-How much land proper, if any, goes along with the building?

The parking area will be for the landlord's buses. To have as much separation as possible of my business and his business, he suggested that I keep any cars that I have either in the shop or behind the shop in the grass area which is huge so there's lots of room if I really need it but I don't see having that many cars around at one time.

-Those commuter buses/vans look nice...I've always wanted to convert one as to be a personal motor home.


Please keep us updated on your project's progress.



Bob

Here's the nice part of this deal since you mention the buses. The property owner buys, sells wheelchair access vans and buses and brokers new buses to his nearly 900 client contact list. He moves about 100 buses/vans per year. The new buses/vans rarely need much of a dealer prep but he is big on presentation when the client pics their new vans up at his shop so He'll pay me to wash them for him the day before the new owners come to pick them up. The larger brand new buses rarely ever see his lot as he just brokers them between the manufacturer and the new owners but he buys used buses frequently that always need detailed and some mechanical fixing or servicing which he'll pay me to do all of that work. In addition to that, we will be doing lots of wheelchair ramp/lift servicing for his clientele base which he'll farm out to me to do. The way I see it, each time I service a ramp or lift for one of his customers there will be the potential there to sell another express detail.

So this deal comes with a ton of opportunity for steady work and my current clientele will be the icing on the cake so as I see it I can afford to keep my detailing standard of quality high. It's a win for him and a win for me too.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Ok, Dave, you answered my questions--sounds like this is going to work out great for you!

 

[Flash Gordon]

The shop looks really nice. It does concern me though that he owes you $200 from last year

Be sure and pay anything you owe this guy (rent/utilitys) with a check so he doesn't try and pull a fast one down the road (saying you didn't pay rent/utilitys)

How long is your lease?

 

[vet]

Congrats and good luck!

Sounds like a real find for you, and a lot of potential with some sweat equity. I'm happy for you Dave.

 

[tuscarora dave]

Along with what FUNX was asking about the bathroom/water...can you wash inside? Drains? Water runs out the door?

Last night while sweeping the floor a good friend stopped by and pointed out to me that the floor is sloped toward the overhead door so whatever water does hit the floor will run right over to the door.

I guess I don't understand the compressor, I'm not saying it's not worth it for you to buy it, I just don't understand why the owner bought it.

The previous tenants left on not so great of terms so the garage owner figured he would have to do the service work himself to the vans and buses. He's a "do whatever it takes" type of business owner so that's why he bought the compressor after the other guys left.

 

[tuscarora dave]

The shop looks really nice. It does concern me though that he owes you $200 from last year

He would have payed me the minute I mentioned it. I wasn't doing any work for him for a while because of working my full time job. I saw that the van was sold but didn't stop to get payed. That was a van he was selling for a friend of his on consignment (a rare occurrence) and we had a verbal agreement that he would pay me for the detail after the van sold. He's e real good dude and trustworthy too.

Be sure and pay anything you owe this guy (rent/utilitys) with a check so he doesn't try and pull a fast one down the road (saying you didn't pay rent/utilitys)

How long is your lease?

I get a receipt from him anytime money changes hands. It's all good. Month to month rental agreement.

 

[Bates Detailing]

Good stuff man! Congrats and goodluck!!!

 

[FUNX650]

Thanks, Dave, for taking the time to answer my inquiries.

Here's hoping everything works out for you, and we know it will.

PS. Also...Good to hear the news of you scoring the 'bus deal'!



Bob

 

[Jacob Perry]

It not bad bro. I wish i had that shop. Its not what your shop looks like but what comes out of the shop and what it looks like.

 

[BobbyG]

A diamond in the rough Dave!

There is a ton of potential there and once you get it just the way you want it I can only imagine how great it'll look!!

Thanks for the photos Dave! rops: