Just to let you know how my early years went and from what others say, it's not unusual. I started with a 2x3 flat pan in year 1, a 2x6 in year 2-5, and a 3x8 in year 6-present. I built my sugarhouse after yr 1 and used it in yr 2-present. When I built I thought I'd never out grow my 16x24 sugarhouse, I was wrong. It is crowded for sure. I often wished I had built it either 20x30 or 24x36.
Plan ahead! In my sugarhouse I have a 3x8 evaporator, 2 chest freezers, an RO in an insulated room with a wall furnace, A filter press, a Water jacketed canner, A 2x6 finisher, a micro wave, a SS sink, a tankless water heater and a section with my solar equipment, and finally a rolling bakery multi shelf rack I use when bottling syrup. During the season, I also keep a wood rack filled with firewood. It is crowded for sure. I often drew up plans to add an addition, but life always got in the way. It would have been much easier had I built a 24x36 in the beginning and the cost per S.F. gets somewhat lower as the size increases.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.