<html> Hi Rob,              You may want to explore covering the floor with 1/4" industrial rubber, it sure saves on  back aches with prolonged standing. Regards roger At 03:34 PM 3/3/02 -0800, you wrote: >Hello folks, > >I've been intentionally delaying any announcement for quite some because >there have been so many details and questionable resources, but I >believe that this might be the appropriate time.  I am now well underway >at building a full scale rebuilding shop. > >A couple of years ago my wife and I began searching for a property. > After six months of realtors and driving all over Las Vegas we finally >found an absolutely perfect location on 3/4 acre.  The house was only >built in 1998, although it has needed numerous improvements thanks to an >independent home contractor who apparently has a reputation for building >nice houses with cheap features, (such as poor plumbing requiring me to >re-plumb the entire place last summer).  Now that this and a variety of >other nonsensical details have been addressed, we can turn our attention >to our original objective. > >We are building this facility from the ground up to our custom >specifications.  This first step was to bring in exactly 100 18 wheel >truck loads of dirt to level the property.  I got it super cheap, >($20.00 a truck), after hooking up with a dirt contractor who had over >300 truck loads to haul away.  Having leveled that out, we are ready to >begin.  I am rapidly learning how expensive this will be, although I had >a pretty good idea already.  We are required by the county to have a >grading/plot plan. Last week we forked over $1,800.00 for that. > Yesterday our architect was here to get property information and go >over our specifications. Fortunately we are saving major money on that >because we are using an architecture student from the university  He is >serving an internship for a firm and should be able to get the required >signatures and stamps.  Normally this starts at about $3.00 per square >foot and up, so we are really lucky to have him.  He also has to get a >structural engineer to design the pad/slab and roof requirements, and we >need an electrical engineering plan as well.  Then we need two >independent soil tests to prove that the ground is stable, (stupid). > >The facility will measure 2,000 Sq. Ft when completed, actually larger >than our house!    It will include an office, a separate dust free room >for rebuilding actions, and a rest room.  The remaining space will be >open shop area.  There will be multiple windows and skylights for >natural light.  The interior will be fully insulated with textured and >finished walls.  We will have both 110 and 220 volt power via multiple >outlets.  There will be a large compressor and vacuum system  located >outside the building for noise reduction.  These will be plumbed >throughout the shop for easy access. There will be a 10 ft. roll-up door >on one end, a side entrance, and an outside entrance directly into the >office. There will also be a utility sink.  Machinery planned includes: >a large table saw, a full size drill press, a jointer,a  large band saw, >a large buffer, and a combination vertical/disk sander.  We will also >have the only soundboard press in Nevada.  Along with that goes the hot >box and, eventually we hope to have a small spray booth.  Of course >there will be LOTS of bench space and work tables. > >We will be building the entire structure ourselves with the exception of >the slab, (too big a job), and exterior stucco, (too big a mess).  My >brother in law is a licensed contractor in California and has agreed to >help us frame it.  We are using a truss design so the roof should be >easy.  Eventually I hope to build a patio outside for additional work >space for when the weather is nice, and we will have a concrete driveway >that goes around the house to the roll up door. > >When completed I believe that we should have a heck of a facility.  Alan >Meyer and I will be running it as business partners under the name >"Southwest Piano Technologies", (we already have embroidered shirts with >a cool logo).  My wife will be our esteemed action rebuilder and >official secretary.  Then of course to round it off is our black lab >Joplin who will be the official "shop dog", (no piano shop should be >without one). > >So that's the official announcement.  We have a very long way to go, and >by building it ourselves, the process will take quite some time.  Having >said all of that, I would now like to open the floor for discussion.  If >anyone has any suggestions or ideas before we finalize the blueprints, I >would appreciate hearing about them. > >Rob Goodale, RPT >Las Vegas, NV > </html>