My Workshop Decision (Plus, I Almost Got Scammed Out Of $2000)

I’ve lastly decided on my workshop! And let me let you know, it has been a tricky resolution, and I’ve gone full circle with this one. For those who’ve been following alongside during the last two weeks, you recognize that my largest precedence is to seek out one thing to make use of for storage in order that we will transfer in the direction of getting our kitchen addition began. With the intention to begin on the kitchen, I must get the sunroom fully cleared out, and I would like a spot to retailer the issues I wish to preserve.

My preliminary thought was to go forward and construct my workshop, which has been within the plans for a number of years now. You may see it on our panorama plan sitting simply behind the carport.

However after these choices and getting costs, I believed possibly it could be higher to only exchange the outdated rusted storage shed that’s in our again yard proper now. This factor was right here once 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 could be simpler and quicker 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 So if I simply rip that one down (which might’t be that arduous as outdated and rusty as it’s), I might simply have a brand new one constructed on that slab, proper?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 ensure the slab is sq.. The native shed firm requested me to ensure. It’s not sq.. It’s not even near sq.. So principally, the person on the storage shed firm urged 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 entire price of a brand new 10′ x 14′ storage shed was going to run about $5600.

I didn’t love that concept, so I saved 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 sprig sales space. I cherished 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. A little bit transport container is a good thought for that!

In order that despatched me down a rabbit gap in search of a transport container. The issue is that I wished 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 dearer than the 20-foot containers as a result of they’re customized made. They take 20-foot containers, minimize 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 manner I need a 20-foot transport container in our again yard.

In spite of everything of that, I went again to the concept of simply constructing the workshop. I discovered an area firm that I actually like, and spent a lot of time on the telephone with the person getting all the particulars, asking all of my questions, and getting pricing on varied choices. I lastly determined to go together with the 18′ x 32′ storage. I’m nonetheless unsure if I wish to go together with the steel roof or the shingle roof, however the constructing itself will seem like this on the entrance, minus the shutters…

After which that is the top that shall be seen from the carport. It’s going to 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 top reverse the storage door shall be stable. I do know individuals urged 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 all the choices with me. I additionally like that they’re keen to make use of my home windows. For those who’ll bear in mind, manner 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 fashion, identical all the things) 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 keen to make use of them.

I additionally determined to have it constructed on their basis quite than pouring a concrete basis for it. I do know I’ll get blended reactions about that, however I informed the person what I used to be going to be utilizing the constructing for, and requested him his sincere opinion. He informed me that he ran a cupboard making enterprise out of one among these buildings constructed on their basis, and he had each device I discussed plus an entire 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 stated he by no means had a little bit of drawback with all of his cupboard making instruments sitting on their basis. So I made a decision to go together with that since it will likely be a financial savings of a number of 1000’s of {dollars} that I’d quite put in the direction of our kitchen.

So how did I nearly get scammed out of just about $2000? Properly, I sat down at my laptop yesterday morning to jot down this put up and inform y’all all about my workshop resolution. And I wished to incorporate an image of a cute 10-foot transport container. So I headed over to Fb Market to see if I might 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 price can be. The itemizing stated it was in Conroe, Texas, which is a couple of 2 hour 20 minute drive from Waco. He stated it was $225. So the entire price got here to $1825. I requested about gross sales tax, however he stated 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 stated I wished it, and he stated he’d ship my data to the billing division. However once I obtained the invoice, it was coming from Florida, not Texas. That in itself is just not unusual, but it surely was simply one other little pink flag. So I appeared up the enterprise web site and it stated they have been the main supplier for transport containers, blah, blah, blah. However once I appeared up the registrar data for the web site, it was only some months outdated. The web site had been arrange in February of this yr. How are you going to 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 known 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 all the different little pink flags piling up, it simply didn’t really feel proper. However what actually sealed it for me was that there was lots of static on the road. Why would there be a lot static on a name from Florida? And apparently, 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 known as proper again. Identical 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 instances, 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 known as again three extra instances. I ignored these calls. After which I wrote the man again on Fb and stated, “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. 😀

Curiously, this morning I checked out Market once more for 10-foot containers, and I noticed that actual image in three totally different listings from three totally 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 proportion down, after which the steadiness on supply. However I’ve but to discover a 10-foot container from a type 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 the direction of a pleasant workshop with an actual native firm with very useful staff who’re capable of reply all of my questions. Simply watch out for Fb Market. For all the good offers you’ll find there, you’ll find 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 rework 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 nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.