So I was just talking about not worrying about getting a tax ID number in another thread...but this is a bit different...
I am thinking of opening a shop up and I am not quite as excited about just winging it if I have to get into a lease. I had a really nice deal going on in New Orleans till the storm went on, and now I am just about down to living on the streets here if I don't get something started. I know that I can't do the astounding masking work that you guys are doing yet, but I think I can get by doing some bike and sled frames and the like and it gives me a real shop to work on my art (which I never actually make much money on, but it keeps me from going postal so its a good thing). This area is filled with people who own either bikes, sleds, or boats and all those things look better sparkly
I have about 42 questions for you guys who run shops if you want to help me out here...
I was looking around some today for property. I am not going to be able to get away with anything zoned Commercial am I? Has to be light use Industrial (Usually called I1) as I am 'manufacturing'? Or can I get away with some kind of lesser sounding thing and get oked on a commercial spot?
Did you guys have any troubles with your ovens? I am mostly thinking landlords...but city too. I would want to bring in an oven as put together parts so that it would look 'real' and just rivet it together on the spot but did any of you guys landlords or city inspectors balk on the oven thing? I am thinking as long as I have an electrician wire it into a panel and the oven itself is all up to code and proper looking they will be cool with it.
I have seen scary talk about tires going wrong w the heat or whatever...what do you guys carry for insurance? Just a general liability for a half a mill or something? Will they cover you for some weird stuff like a customer saying you caused their part to fail? (Not that it would be right or anything...that's irrelevant
)
I am worried about the noise too. I need like an old auto shop or something like that I was thinking. I don't know what they are zoned, but I would think that powder coating would fit into the same kind of use as car repair and painting.
I am in an area that I could probably go out of city limits too which might be a really good idea except that I am worried about being able to get people to come out that far. I am way out on the west side of the twin cities area. Anything past me isn't suburbs any more its country. I was checking around on google maps, and there are only a couple places anywhere near this side of town and none within like 10 miles of the lake area at all. If I do it right, I am pretty sure I could get into a smaller space for under $1000 a month. There are some pretty mellow (as far as commercial space goes) areas around here that I would think I can find something in and there are a ton of people out here with huge amounts of cash. The average house on the lake here is probably $400k or more and they go up to AIG style $$$. With utilities and all I should be able to do something like $50 a day nut or less if I can find the right spot.
Sooooo.....answers, hints, suggestions, horrible idea...what ya say?
I am thinking of opening a shop up and I am not quite as excited about just winging it if I have to get into a lease. I had a really nice deal going on in New Orleans till the storm went on, and now I am just about down to living on the streets here if I don't get something started. I know that I can't do the astounding masking work that you guys are doing yet, but I think I can get by doing some bike and sled frames and the like and it gives me a real shop to work on my art (which I never actually make much money on, but it keeps me from going postal so its a good thing). This area is filled with people who own either bikes, sleds, or boats and all those things look better sparkly

I have about 42 questions for you guys who run shops if you want to help me out here...
I was looking around some today for property. I am not going to be able to get away with anything zoned Commercial am I? Has to be light use Industrial (Usually called I1) as I am 'manufacturing'? Or can I get away with some kind of lesser sounding thing and get oked on a commercial spot?
Did you guys have any troubles with your ovens? I am mostly thinking landlords...but city too. I would want to bring in an oven as put together parts so that it would look 'real' and just rivet it together on the spot but did any of you guys landlords or city inspectors balk on the oven thing? I am thinking as long as I have an electrician wire it into a panel and the oven itself is all up to code and proper looking they will be cool with it.
I have seen scary talk about tires going wrong w the heat or whatever...what do you guys carry for insurance? Just a general liability for a half a mill or something? Will they cover you for some weird stuff like a customer saying you caused their part to fail? (Not that it would be right or anything...that's irrelevant

I am worried about the noise too. I need like an old auto shop or something like that I was thinking. I don't know what they are zoned, but I would think that powder coating would fit into the same kind of use as car repair and painting.
I am in an area that I could probably go out of city limits too which might be a really good idea except that I am worried about being able to get people to come out that far. I am way out on the west side of the twin cities area. Anything past me isn't suburbs any more its country. I was checking around on google maps, and there are only a couple places anywhere near this side of town and none within like 10 miles of the lake area at all. If I do it right, I am pretty sure I could get into a smaller space for under $1000 a month. There are some pretty mellow (as far as commercial space goes) areas around here that I would think I can find something in and there are a ton of people out here with huge amounts of cash. The average house on the lake here is probably $400k or more and they go up to AIG style $$$. With utilities and all I should be able to do something like $50 a day nut or less if I can find the right spot.
Sooooo.....answers, hints, suggestions, horrible idea...what ya say?
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