Renovation work may force me to move my workshop

[mouppe]

After more than six happy years in my workshop, I may be forced to move imminently. The building where I have my 300 square feet shop, with a huge window running the length of the shop, and a sink as well, wants to take out my dropped ceiling and install new ventilation. Sounds good, right?

Er, possibly not. It's an old building and I suspect the ceiling tiles may contain asbestos. Right now they do not present a hazard because they are undisturbed and not damaged, but if they are moved without the necessary precautions, I'd be at risk. I don't trust the building owners to do the right thing- after all business is business and they'll probably try to get away with paying off some poor bloke with a wheelbarrow and a dust mask- so I brought in a specialist to take a sample of the ceiling tile to test today. I paid a little extra to get a 24 hour result.

When I get the results, either they'll be negative for asbestos and everything'll be alright, or I'll be faced with a positive result and a problem. If I tell the building owners, they'll probably hold off on the work, then not renew my lease at the end of July and I'll have to move out, or try to force through the work and I'll be forced to go to the building code authority here in Quebec to enforce a delay.

Either way it looks like I'll probably be looking for a new location soon. Such a shame as it's a terrific shop less then ten minutes from my house.

Not much anyone can say, but I thought it might be an interesting story to post on the FOG. I'll keep it updated as things develop.

 

[ScotF]

I hope it all works out. Better to take the necessary precautions.

 

[Kev]

It's hard to embrace the benefits of change when we're pretty certain we're in a good place. Reality is that discomfort does create the need to solve new problems and stimulates adaption and innovation.

Hopefully this will just lead to better things for you [smile]

 

[ear3]

Hopefully it will all work out.  Keep us updated.

 

[Doug S]

My workshop for years was at the end of my garden, about 1600 square feet and filled with big old Wadkin cast iron machines. Because of family problems I had to move out with no notice taking only my hand tools and festools with me. A farmer friend about 30 mins away let me use on of their sheds, it was about 250 square feet, this was where I really found the value of my festools. I was there about a year before I moved to my current shop which is about 800 square feet and 5 mins away from home. I have been in this one about 6 months now and am gradually buying new machinery as I can afford it. Joinery is my livelihood so it has been a tough couple of years but everything has turned out ok and I feel the way I work now is much more efficient and streamlined.

Doug

 

[mouppe]

Well the report came back and there is asbestos in the ceiling tiles. The building management surprisingly gave me the choice of having their licensed people take care of it, or release me from my lease.

So I think I will go with the first option, keep an eye on how they do it, and leave if it is unsatisfactory.

I think it's quite a good result to be honest and the building management seems to want to do the fair and right thing.

 

[mouppe]

So tomorrow's the big day when they are coming in to take down the ceiling. I spent three hours yesterday cleaning the whole shop from top to bottom with the help of my cleaner. We then wrapped everything in painters' plastic, taped it to the walls or left it freestanding.

After they have finished, I'll be able to go in, remove the plastic, and see what's what.

I feel confident that I've done everything possible to make things safe and am not worried any more.

The building management have been very cooperative too.

 

[Billy stray]

DOUG !!
what happened with the machines you left behind ?
Please elaborate

 

[Billy stray]

RL. Hopefully there's enough room for the deconstruction to commence without harming your equipment

 

[mouppe]

I'm in limbo really. Whilst the ceiling tiles and the insulation around the pipes have been removed, the building management has left the ceiling unfinished and really in quite a mess. I've been told that the work will be completed during the summer- whatever that means.

Health-wise it may be safe, but it's not an environment conducive to work. I've taken most of my Festools home and have been working out of my garage, but the hand tools will have to remain largely untouched for a couple of months. I need my workbench, sharpening equipment, etc, and I can't use them properly in my garage. Plus I don't want to unpack everything just to have to put it away again soon after.

So it's wait-and-see for now. Hopefully they will finish the work sooner rather than later.

 

[Doug S]

DOUG !!
what happened with the machines you left behind ?
Please elaborate

The machines are just sat in the old workshop unused. My parents are splitting up and the machines were owned by the family business, all got a bit complicated so I moved on.

I do miss some of the old machines, the table saw could deep cut 6" and my current one only does 3". The old thicknesses could remove about 7mm in one pass but my new one only 2mm. It does slow things down a bit.

Doug