Ray Singh
Posted a lot
More German exotica in my garage now
Posts: 1,984
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Jun 30, 2021 10:24:38 GMT
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Ok, i did ask a while ago, but I need space to store and work on at least one car and have spoken to at least five mates who are also keen.
I found a barn near my home which is 4500 sq ft for £1500 pcm. My rough calculations suggest that i could get 27 cars into this area with space around them.
A quick GCSE maths calculation later - each car would need to pay £55/mth to cover the costs so far.
I looked at council owned garages in the area and a single garage in a block is £100 pcm, so i have some margin, for a place where you can store a car, some degree of security and the provision to work on the car on site.
What would people be prepared to pay for this sort of thing? Is £65 - £80 per month mad money?
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Jun 30, 2021 12:29:18 GMT
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You're too far away from me but I'd pay £65pcm for a decent spot with useful space around the car to work. I've got a standard 70s garage in a block with no drive and working on a car is almost impossible, certainly not without wheeling the car outside. It sounds like a scaled up version of those man-shed collectives that are popping up all over the place and a community space like that, where you can meet other vaguely like-minded car types would be pretty cool and I say that as someone who doesn't ordinarily like any kind of group activity.  |
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scdan4
Part of things
Posts: 39
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Jun 30, 2021 16:31:32 GMT
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The logistics of organising 27 people would be a full time job. If 5 people drop out how much of a headache would that be?
Insurance. Fire /liability at a minimum. What if one member accidentally damages another's stuff?
Rates to the council.
Security. Tools and toys known to be inside by lots of people. What happens when tools go missing.
All of these things will be a ballache.
For my preferences it's too big, too many people to cause problems. It will also not get rates relief being so big.
Smaller unit / fewer people (all trusted and known, no randoms) works well for me, but it is more money. (but less than 3x the council garage cost for many many times the use /space /usefulness.
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Last Edit: Jun 30, 2021 16:38:20 GMT by scdan4
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Jun 30, 2021 17:06:04 GMT
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The logistics of organising 27 people would be a full time job. If 5 people drop out how much of a headache would that be? Insurance. Fire /liability at a minimum. What if one member accidentally damages another's stuff? Rates to the council. Security. Tools and toys known to be inside by lots of people. What happens when tools go missing. All of these things will be a ballache. For my preferences it's too big, too many people to cause problems. It will also not get rates relief being so big. Smaller unit / fewer people (all trusted and known, no randoms) works well for me, but it is more money. (but less than 3x the council garage cost for many many times the use /space /usefulness. I get what you're saying and don't disagree but the trouble is, once you reduce the numbers the costs go up rapidly and very quickly it rises beyond the means of most people, me included, to whom another £40/50 a month outlay makes it prohibitive. |
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Ray Singh
Posted a lot
More German exotica in my garage now
Posts: 1,984
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Update - I have been offered a place that will hold at least 24 cars with potential for a few more for a very good rate.
They don't want noise especially at unsocial times, so i am thinking that allowing work on cars is probably going to cause issues.
Storage only - for up to 24 cars (potential of more) - around council prices at £70 pcm? A few hours notice to collect and car can be collected or delivered from anywhere in mainland in the UK.
What do you think?
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duncanmartin
Club Retro Rides Member
Out of retro ownership
Posts: 1,320
Club RR Member Number: 70
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I think that storage only is a different business, with a different client base.
It increases the hassle significantly compared to using a local lock-up, so it needs to offer something to offset that. Those might be: cheaper, security/insurance, humidity control, running battery conditioners/carcoons, other add-on services. I think you need to work out what the customer base wants. If you google "car storage Wiltshire", the first 6 hits are businesses offering storage, transport etc. They seem to be focussed on the higher end of the market, with lots of add-on services like valeting - it's possible this is where they make their money.
I appreciate your aim is not necessarily to build a business, but I think the scale of your suggestion would mean that it would have to be treated like a business because of the number of people and the responsibility you would be taking on.
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I still don't think you've explained how you'd deal with the place being under subscribed. That is the deal breaker for me.
How long is the term of storage for the owners, is it legally binding, what if ten owners just left regardless of the contract, how would you fill that income hole? All stuff a bank manager would ask you.
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The logistics of organising 27 people would be a full time job. If 5 people drop out how much of a headache would that be? Insurance. Fire /liability at a minimum. What if one member accidentally damages another's stuff? Rates to the council. Security. Tools and toys known to be inside by lots of people. What happens when tools go missing. All of these things will be a ballache. For my preferences it's too big, too many people to cause problems. It will also not get rates relief being so big. Smaller unit / fewer people (all trusted and known, no randoms) works well for me, but it is more money. (but less than 3x the council garage cost for many many times the use /space /usefulness. I agree Its hard enough getting the £1 for the lottery of some lads at work. The only way I can see it working is to set you set up a legitimate business and subject to planning make it rented storage. If its 27 cars blocked in forget it My advice would be Paddle your own Canoe, just sort your self out as once others get involved you will get the following people telling you how to manage it but wont do it them selves. People who want to make a profit from you People who will want to join so they can run it but are usually totally inept. People who will just not pay you a cent whilst driving a top of the range car smoking a big fat cigar Official bodies, as to them it will look like a business they will muscle in for a chunk of cash. Water Have you any? who pays remember the rain water you will pay for it too! Waste? Even a brew they can show you get rid of the tea bags and charge you, happened to a local har dresser has to the waste disposal proof sad but true Electricity? Oh wait until you try and insure it. I may sound negative but after 50 odd years of experience sadly this is how I find life, I know lots of people sadly only a few i trust to help me if dire time. The best advice we ever had was look for a building that needs work and no one wants, buy it and do the work your self as its the only way most of us can afford it |
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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jules
Part of things
Posts: 75
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Jul 10, 2021 21:12:10 GMT
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The logistics of organising 27 people would be a full time job. If 5 people drop out how much of a headache would that be? Insurance. Fire /liability at a minimum. What if one member accidentally damages another's stuff? Rates to the council. Security. Tools and toys known to be inside by lots of people. What happens when tools go missing. All of these things will be a ballache. For my preferences it's too big, too many people to cause problems. It will also not get rates relief being so big. Smaller unit / fewer people (all trusted and known, no randoms) works well for me, but it is more money. (but less than 3x the council garage cost for many many times the use /space /usefulness. I agree Its hard enough getting the £1 for the lottery of some lads at work. The only way I can see it working is to set you set up a legitimate business and subject to planning make it rented storage. If its 27 cars blocked in forget it My advice would be Paddle your own Canoe, just sort your self out as once others get involved you will get the following people telling you how to manage it but wont do it them selves. People who want to make a profit from you People who will want to join so they can run it but are usually totally inept. People who will just not pay you a cent whilst driving a top of the range car smoking a big fat cigar Official bodies, as to them it will look like a business they will muscle in for a chunk of cash. Water Have you any? who pays remember the rain water you will pay for it too! Waste? Even a brew they can show you get rid of the tea bags and charge you, happened to a local har dresser has to the waste disposal proof sad but true Electricity? Oh wait until you try and insure it. I may sound negative but after 50 odd years of experience sadly this is how I find life, I know lots of people sadly only a few i trust to help me if dire time. The best advice we ever had was look for a building that needs work and no one wants, buy it and do the work your self as its the only way most of us can afford it Sad but very true. Very sound advice too. |
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Here is an example
About 15 years ago my self and a few good friends used to meet up at car shows, we found if we went as a car club we got in for free, now instead of ringing around each other, so we made a car club my kids built a one page website so we would just email me and I would post who is going and details etc.
Now I have no idea how so many people found it but we had quite a few people asking about membership and subscriptions etc
The bulk just wanted to run it as quite a few opened with I could bring so much to the club etc, I think they all wore brogues.
My point is unless its a business and ran very strictly it will be more hassle than its worth, recently had a chat with the local caravan storage place and they have a few issues with non payers so just flog the caravan and keep the money after so many months.
I feel it may work as a commercial storage venture with the end target of making a small profit and getting your space for free, but rent is dead money so better to buy if you can.
I hope you can make it work as its one of the best things we ever did but we don't rent or share for all the above reasons, its not easy buying one and you have some additional costs but nothing like being able to shut the door and go home on a project leaving it for another day.
Long term it should also go up in value
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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Jul 12, 2021 23:24:04 GMT
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I was involved in something similar to this garage share scheme a good few years ago, a number of us all members of a club, sub rented part of a large barn / warehouse to store or overwinter our vehicles together with several caravan owners. A few buses and classic lorries needed to be stored, so a very large barn was required.
Initially it worked out fine but as time went on, some people fell behind with their rent (£25 per month if I remember correctly), the main tenant our landlord as such, fell out with their business partners, the business folded. The owner of the property the took possession. He had no idea who owned what, who to contact and to his credit instead of clearing everything out simply changed the locks on the property.
I arrived one Saturday to work on my vehicle and discovered my key no longer opened the gate. I re visited the property on the following Monday and fortunately found the gate open entered the property to be greeted by a person unknown to me who had taken over the lease of the building.
Thankfully the new lease holder was very considerate, and gave all of us a short reprieve to move our vehicles. Somehow, as I was the only person the new lease holder had seen with any connection to the vehicles, I was asked to help with the task of contacting the vehicle owners. Many phone calls, and wasted frustrating hours over a period of a few weeks we managed to contact most of the owners to move their vehicles. I only knew a few vehicle owners as others had taken advantage of the facility. We were lucky, our vehicles were unharmed. Another barn was found locally but only a few took this up as "once bitten twice shy".
Personally I would never garage share again.
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We had a local Ex farmer renting caravan storage on a farm that wasn't even his! He had been given notice to quit about a year before
Luckily my caravan had a number plate on so the Bailiffs contacted me to shift it.
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It will come in handy even if you never use it
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Ray Singh
Posted a lot
More German exotica in my garage now
Posts: 1,984
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