Garage into Welding Shop

Would there be any building code applicable if I want to section off part of my garage for a small welding business? Or is this something I get business insurance for and they tell me the specs.?

Reply to
Tony
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depending on the jurisdiction this is most likely more a zoning issue than a building code issue

cheers Bob

Reply to
DD_BobK

Hi, Fire code?

Reply to
Tony Hwang

I'm in the sticks in TN. Here we have codes for septic and for electric. We have NO building codes or zoning, however I did build the garage to pass a real inspection. I could build a 10 story tall factory

1" along the property lines and no one can do anything about it. (except burn it down)
Reply to
Tony

Exactly! We have no fire code. Anything I do I would be doing strictly for my insurance company. I guess I answered my own question. I'll talk to my insurance company.

By the way the garage is block. I was thinking of building block walls as the divider in the garage. And up top the trusses are plenty strong for drywall. If I get lucky I may be able to build studded and drywall walls instead of block.

Reply to
Tony

You need a business permit from the town, you may need a welding permit from the town, you need business insurance, the building must meet fire code for welding. That may or may not mean a sprinkler system. If you employ anyone, you have to have workman's comp and meet OHSHA requirements.

Before commiting any money to this, talk to the building inspector, the fire mashall, and your insurance agent. Oh, and plans for any changes to the building may have to be drawn up by an architect before they will be approved. If you have zoning laws or land use laws, talk to those people as well.

Is it fun yet?

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Well, since you later (why later???) allowed as how you're not in an area w/ zoning and in TN, insurance for business use of the dwelling specifically will be required, obviously. There's the question of liability as well, of course.

Depending on the specific County you might not be required for a business license but probably are. You do need to do all the other stuff tax- and registration-wise for State and Feds, of course (including sales tax, self-employment FICA taxes, etc., etc., etc., ...)

--

Reply to
dpb

I ran a home based service business out of my garage for 15 years when I was up in PA, so I know a little about running a business out of a home. I got tired of it and decided to move so I closed the doors after 15 years. No way will I have an employee, too much added paperwork. And as I replied to another post, there is no city/town/township government building inspector, because there is no building code here!!!!!!!!!!!! For real, there is NO building code or inspector. There are only electric and septic codes/inspectors!

The most important people I have to answer to is my business insurance and their inspector. I just thought maybe someone here had possibly done something similar and could tell me if I'm going to have to build a block wall as a divider, or if I can frame and double drywall it.

I will start looking for business insurance and ask them the questions.

Reply to
Tony

On Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:42:54 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote Re Re: Garage into Welding Shop:

Now I see some of the reasons that products made in China are so much cheaper.

Reply to
Caesar Romano

In 2007 we moved our business from one location to another. While the town as very good to work with, it still required a lot of paperwork and oversight. as did many other branches of government. A homeowner pays 1% of a project cost for inspection fees. Commercial pays 3%. That adds up when you are talking $75,000 for electrical work alone. Twice a year we pay $150 to have backflow preventers tested, Four times a year we pay $800 to have the sprinkler system tested. Hoist inspection, fire extinguisher inspection, and more.

All of our contractors, such as welders had to be certified, etc.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Heh, it's like that up here in northern MN - and even for septic systems I think we only need inspection after install (no permits beforehand). It's a little different across the street, because those houses fall under a different township with different rules...

(They're talking about changing though so permits and inspections would be required for building where I am, which would really suck - and except for a few rich folk along the lakefronts the population density just isn't high enough for anyone to get upset even if their neighbor *does* build something...)

cheers

Jules

Reply to
Jules

It's more than just an issue of business insurance. It's an issue of any existing insurance on the property and what effect this has on it. I hope the garage isn't attached, as I seriously doubt any home insurance company is going to cover the house with a welding business in the garage. And even if it isn't attached, the garage is likely covered as a structure on the existing policy.

Since he's living in no mans land where he says there are absolutely no zoning or building laws, which I find hard to believe, I'd start with talking to the current insurance company.

Reply to
trader4

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:57:52 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote Re Re: Garage into Welding Shop:

Now I see some of the reasons that products made in China are so much cheaper. It's a lot more than just low wages.

Thanks for the info.

Reply to
Caesar Romano

The answers are yes, no, definitely, maybe, I'm not sure, and I don't know.

It starts with zoning. And it ends with neighbors. You are allowed to do some work in your own garage. But in most zoning codes, you may not increase the traffic to the neighborhood by having customers come. You may not have supplies of your "stock in trade" stored. You may not produce noise that neighbors can complain about. Your activities cannot be visible from the street. Just SOME things in SOME zoning laws, maybe not where YOU live.

If you live in a rural area, or a neighborhood where a lot of people already do this, then you can probably get away with it. It all comes down to the neighbors. Once one of them call you in, and there's a paper trail, a code enforcement officer MUST write a disposition of the case. So, a lot depends on your neighborhood.

The next thing is safety. Welding is a highly dangerous business, and NO insurance company will cover losses even if you are just hobby welding your bumper in your own garage. No zoning commission is going to give you a variance unless you live in such a rural area and have enough property and the shop is a ways away from the rest of the house. It doesn't come under home occupation permit.

Next is the insurance issue. If you are doing something you shouldn't be doing, and you have a loss, it would be like calling the insurance company and saying, "Hey, my meth lab blew up, and I need an adjuster to come look at it and fix the half of my house that burned down." Insurance companies vary, but most will not write policies for commercial activities in residential zones. Welding is its own bag of snakes. Then you have to have liability insurance if you go out and do work for others at their site. Then there's vehicle insurance, unemployment insurance, worker's comp insurance, FICA, TIN's, etc, etc, etc.

Now, if your shop is going to be a Shade Tree operation, and your neighborhood is conducive, and your neighbors are not anal complainers, you might be able to do light work and get away with it. I got into becoming a steel erection contractor by starting off in my garage, and making ornamental metal there. I was in a rural area, and my neighbors all had shops and it was a farm type atmosphere. One could barely hear what was going on the property next door, as it was 1.25 acre minimum, but most had more than that.

Lastly, don't let anyone piss on your dream, and don't limit yourself. If you think you can do good, find a way. I evolved from my garage and a used truck to a full fledged business, but the biggest blossoming occurred when I took the risk and got my contractor's license and got a shop where I could do the work and not be limited. It opened me up to a commercial market that I could not touch previously. Before, I had been dealing with tire kicking homeowners at a thousand a job max for a week's work, and on the commercial side, I took in five times that some days. Two tips: do all you can for cash and Fuck Obama and all his taxes, and employees are the kiss of death, do all you can by yourself, or one or two other trusted people if you can find that many.

Steve, retired steel erection contractor. Welding since 1974, and still have a shop where I make cash in an Ag-1 zone. Underwater welder, 1g, 2g,

3g, 4g, 6g, 6gTIG, and 2g caisson certified with 6010 open root and 72 pass cover with .072" wire and argon shield on 1.5" wall thickness 36" diameter pipe. (this ain't my first rodeo)
Reply to
SteveB

I googled business within a mile of me once, some 30 all in residential area.

everyone is trying to make a buck to survive

Reply to
hallerb

OH MY GOD! OSHA is coming! Hide all the dangerous stuff!

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Tony You may want to check with the office of the state fire prevention division. There web site is .

-- Tom Horne

Reply to
Tom Horne

Thank you Tom!

Reply to
Tony

The same as it is here in rural SE Iowa. You can build what you want, where you want, and how you want.....no permits and no problems.

Don

Reply to
IGot2P

Even in non-code areas, however, it is probably a good idea to follow one of the model codes as a starting point. If the area ever does 'go code', you won't have to worry about grandfather clauses. And in the meantime, you and your family will be safer, you may have an easier time getting insurance and financing ('code compliant' gives bean counters a warm fuzzy feeling), and it will be easier for you or your heirs to sell the place when the time comes.

IOW, have some pride, y'all. A few minor quibbles about some details aside, 'Code' simply means doing a good workmanlike job with quality materials, instead of throwing up some hillbilly shack.

(Yes, I am only talking about safety-related codes like structural engineering, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc. Zoning is a whole other ball of wax. That is between you and your neighbors, either armed or bearing lawyers.)

-- aem sends...

Reply to
aemeijers

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