Workshop share West Sussex (near Chichester)

[Samkilby]

Hello chaps,

I’m a full time employed furniture and cabinetmaker, but (mainly as a result of needing the money !) seem to have an increasing amount of private work coming in.
I am constantly on the search for small workshop spaces (in the region of 500 sq ft or larger) within let’s say 10 miles of Chichester.
I was wondering if anyone wants to team up, and split rent. I have a reasonable amount of compact machinery, and we could for example agree on what was best suited from our inventories (so we don’t end up with 2 table saws !)
Likelihood is that I might also be able to provide some ad hoc work for my partner in this too, subject to us agreeing on pricing etc. could be beneficial both ways enabling us to take on larger projects together, each working as a subbie on the others stuff.
most of my work happens in evenings and weekends at the moment, but this may change in the future.
It may be that more people want to find something together. In which case we could consider setting up a social enterprise “makers space” and having a couple of additional benches that we rent out with access to our equipment, at a greater cost than just an equivalent percentage of the rent. I think this is likely to go reasonably well around here, as there are lots of people that want to give it a go what with the college teaching furnituremaking and lots of fairly well off families etc.
The unit I work out of full time in my emplyed job is a bit of a hens tooth, as it is 550 sq ft, 24/7 access, no vat, no business rates, and only costs £300pcm. I can’t find anything even close to this on the open market price wise, but please let me know if this is something any of you guys are interested in and we can pool efforts and resources.

Many thanks

 

[johnnyb]

£300 a month is amazingly cheap. its just a bit small at 550sq ft. is there any other space near to expand for say storage. other than that I would say its a really really good idea. I discussed something similar on here when I moved into my unit maybe 6 years ago but the conversation ended in don't do it...what about insurance... you'll get taken to court etc. etc. basically all very off-putting.
people can really be very negative given half a chance.
I saw one advertised nearby at £700 a month but that was a massive workshop complete with industrial level gear spray booth etc. now I think that could suit me tbh but yours could be a good one for a new starter. esp with bits of work to get the ball rolling. I've tried to interest others occasionally in a workshop share but people are reluctant either being scared to take the plunge or convinced I'm competition not a partner. 2 people working together can acheive 4 times a solo joiners output

 

[Samkilby]

£300 a month is amazingly cheap. its just a bit small at 550sq ft. is there any other space near to expand for say storage. other than that I would say its a really really good idea. I discussed something similar on here when I moved into my unit maybe 6 years ago but the conversation ended in don't do it...what about insurance... you'll get taken to court etc. etc. basically all very off-putting.
people can really be very negative given half a chance.
I saw one advertised nearby at £700 a month but that was a massive workshop complete with industrial level gear spray booth etc. now I think that could suit me tbh but yours could be a good one for a new starter. esp with bits of work to get the ball rolling. I've tried to interest others occasionally in a workshop share but people are reluctant either being scared to take the plunge or convinced I'm competition not a partner. 2 people working together can acheive 4 times a solo joiners output

Many thanks for the positive response.
To be a bit more clear the cheap unit listed above is not available for rent, my full time employer is occupying it and I work in it.

Yes seems to be fairly obvious to me, if one of you is lean and the other has too much work perfect etc.

Any links for that £700 quid one ?

Ta !

 

[johnnyb]

it was a while ago tbh on Facebook marketplace. it's taken me this long to realise it might suit me!

 

[johnnyb]

sorry rereading I've not made it clear that was benchspace obviously they were looking for sources to boost cash flow.

 

[niall Y]

. 2 people working together can acheive 4 times a solo joiners output

This has not been my experience. For years, a colleague and I ran adjoining workshops, and both employed others from time to time. We both came to a similar conclusion about numbers of people in workshops. This was that if one person alone in a workshop is fully efficient, then adding another doesn't necessarily double your output. I put this down to the fact that:
! ) You are both often wanting to use the same machines at the same time.
2) Neither of you can concentrate and think things through when the other is using something noisy, like a router.
3) Normal interaction with the other person during the course of the day also detracts from efficiency.

I suppose it also depends on what tasks you are doing as well. Those that are just labour intensive or monotonous , like offloading timber deliveries, and feeding stacks of timber through the planer etc. certainly can be more efficiently carried out with the help of others. But these will only be parts of a whole job.

One is ,of course, sharing the workshop costs, so one is, in a sense, upping ones "efficiency".

 

[johnnyb]

I was thinking how you move that 8 by 4 or how you do anything when its above say 40 kg. I get your point but one man can't easily take on a big job. either workshop or site. I love working on my own the concentration is much better. but plane up a dozen 4 inch sapele planks and your shattered.

 

[Samkilby]

sorry rereading I've not made it clear that was benchspace obviously they were looking for sources to boost cash flow.

Ah. £700 is very expensive for bench space, but it may have offered more space than most.. Most of them seem to be around £400-£500
I would probably be into it, but there don’t seem to be any running around here (so would be interested in starting one.) they tend to be in trendier places like brighton, London and Bristol.
Any around here are joinery shops in a last ditch attempt to keep the doors open, which means they are a bit cheeky on pricing, and you will always be an oversight in their shop.
One that’s set up as a co working space initially would be quite different I think.

I’ve seen people suggest that if you had £450 to rent a unit, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have money for bills and insurance, nor the significant investment in kit (£10k ? £20k ?) to get it running successfully. Plus I suppose a few months unpaid planning and building it all out how you want it. Renting bench space is certainly much lower risk.

Anyway, anyone interested ?

 

[space.dandy]

Hi Sam,

I’m a hobbyist woodworker in Bognor. I’m not who you’re looking for exactly, but I would be interested in something that allowed me to pay for access to bigger machines and a bit of working space when I need it — there are some things I just can’t manage at home.

(I would be also be willing to trade a bit of labour for the opportunity to learn from a professional, if you needed it.)

I think there is a men’s shed in Durban road and I’ve been meaning to check it out for a while now, so perhaps there would be a more general interest locally.

 

[johnnyb]

if your dropping 20k on machines I want the space to use the things.
never mind building bigger stuff up.

 

[Samkilby]

Fair point Johnny.
Obviously if it was to be a co working space it would need to be much bigger, a sizeable machine shop area and as many be

Hi Sam,

I’m a hobbyist woodworker in Bognor. I’m not who you’re looking for exactly, but I would be interested in something that allowed me to pay for access to bigger machines and a bit of working space when I need it — there are some things I just can’t manage at home.

(I would be also be willing to trade a bit of labour for the opportunity to learn from a professional, if you needed it.)

I think there is a men’s shed in Durban road and I’ve been meaning to check it out for a while now, so perhaps there would be a more general interest locally.

hello space dandy,
I would also recommend checking out if there are any evening classes coming up at Chichester college. I have assisted in teaching some before, and they are definitely good value for money.
It would be a while until I got anything up and running but I will of course get in contact if and when.

Ta

 

[Samkilby]

Whoops. Posted before finished.

Yes it would need upscaling in size if a coworking space, I suppose a machine shop plus several hundred sq ft per bench space, and possibly a larger shared assembly space.
It’s not currently something I can fund or provide all the work for myself, just something I would consider as a group really.

 

[HOJ]

Would it not be better to find an amicable way for you and your "employer" coming to an arrangement to utilise the facilities they/you have to include your "private" work.

I work on my own, my workshop is about 600 sq ft and that really is tight once I get swinging long lumps of Oak about, I have to take it out the side door and back in to turn it round, I've had people come in to help and considered working collectively but to be honest I work better on my own, with no distractions.