Sizing Building for Large Operation

[jeugster]

What dimensions would you build facilities for a 45,000 tap production operation?

[maple maniac65]

60x100 to start with sleeping quarters and full kitchen

[jmayerl]

60x100 would never be big enough, will need a 30x40 storage room just for 500+ barrels.

[maple maniac65]

Stack them three high

[jeugster]

60x100 to start with sleeping quarters and full kitchen

That sounds right, was estimating 5000 sq. ft. or more.

Any idea what a good range is to expect for cost per square foot overall?

[jeugster]

Stack them three high

Was thinking of filling barrels directly on palettes for quick storage using a forklift. Do you stack barrels on barrels?

[wiam]

Maple Grove stacks them 3 high in their warehouse.

[maple maniac65]

I stack two high

[maple maniac65]

That sounds right, was estimating 5000 sq. ft. or more.

Any idea what a good range is to expect for cost per square foot overall?

All depends on how fancy the inside will be marble floors, gold door knobs, mahogany walls.

[WestfordSugarworks]

Build it huge! Sugarmakers I know around here who build sugarhouses always end up wishing they built bigger. Also could think about using those totes that hold like 250 gallons instead of using barrels. I'd want sleeping quarters, kitchen, big barrel/tote room. If you're about to put in big $ to your operation it would be worthwhile to visit some large facilities and speak to the sugarmakers to see what they like and what they would do differently in their sugarhouse. We plan to do that before we build a new sugarhouse- luckily we only have to travel under an hour to visit several 50,000-200,000 tap operations. Good luck!

[rhwells2003]

Build it huge!

Agreed, never heard anyone complain about their sugarhouse being to big. Always the otherway around though.

[Maple Man 85]

If you can't swing it money wise then build with expansion in mind I didn't like the idea of only going 30x45 but in reality the money is in the woods. Max the tap count you can produce in a smaller building to save cost but build with the intention to expand. I left one side of my building plan to add on with the intention of growing and designed my building around growth, otherwise you may take on too much expense and may not be able to get enough out of the woods the first few years to justify your expenses. Growth is good but growth too quickly in the wrong area result in many small businesses failing.

I do agree that bigger is better when it comes to the sugarhouse working in an undersized building is inconvenient.

[WestfordSugarworks]

I helped a friend/fellow sugarmaker split and stack wood for his evaporator today. He's been selling sap for several years and just built a very large sugarhouse in time for the 2015 season. What do you know, he told me that he and his relatives are picking up a couple hundred more acres and he is increasing his tap count from 10 to 20 thousand taps. He has to build a larger RO room, but luckily he has the largest wood-fired arch you can get and a decent amount of barrel storage. Still, I bet he wishes that he had made the RO room larger to begin with instead of having to add on now.