A few years ago we bit the bullet and built a machine shed/camper shed, aka: pole barn, that could be built without permits and have some flexibility as to occupants. The only requirements were at least 30 feet from the property line; no wider than 10 feet and no longer than 20 feet, no plumbing, no electricity, no floor. No restrictions on height. It seemed good enough with an 86 inch wide Lance to fit on our 20 foot long truck + TC. I also wanted to park our Kioti tractor in there and also my Jeep Scrambler. It was kind of a jig saw puzzle on how all that fit, and you could not fit everything in there at one time but it worked out seasonally. Then the mission creep started. I sold the Jeep and put a 3 inch lift on the TC, plus 35 inch tires. The TC no longer fit in the height department. What to do? I got on the tractor and using the box scraper cut the floor down 8 inches. Problem solved.jefe

Looks like a tight fit. Is it hard to get the truck door open and exit?On mine I guess I could crawl though the truck/camper window and use theback door of the camper. I wish I could build something for ours withoutpermits. You get extra points for ingenuity.

What??? You sold the Jeep? Sacrilege!I wonder if water will fill in the newly dug floor?

Yeah, I'm wondering also. When it rains, will water run in and make a big, muddy puddle?

It is already muddy in there after the incessant rain and snow we've had. I left a dip in the middle which has turned into a little water hole. Our abode is at 4114 feet on the West Slope and this is looking to be a record rainfall season. To date, the weather station records 86.2 inches of precip and that which fell as snow was not really calc-ed accurately.I keep the TC a bit to the pass side with the mirrors folded in, hubs on, when entering to give me a bit more room. I park in an exact location so as to allow the door to open wider between the 2x6 studs. Then it's buns and belly squeezing along the TC in and out of the studs to exit.Bottom line: if i knew then what I know now I would have just paid a lot more for larger dimensions for the 'pole barn' than I did. jefe

good incentive to not gain any weight. lol

unintended consequences | Good Sam Community

weedrancher
Explorer
Feb 20, 2017
I had a metal building set up for my camper. 20' wide, 24' long and 14' tall. About 6 months later I had it extended 10' so now it's 34' long.
If I didn't have so much stuff on the side, I could park my tractor in there too.
Bedlam
Moderator
Feb 20, 2017
newman fulltimer wrote:
Put a door in the side where the truck door is.open it drive the truck in open truck door walk out

This is very common in enclosed trailers and called an escape door. Prior to driving in, you open the side door to your structure so you can open your driver door to get out of the truck and also have a way out of the building instead of having to squeeze by the camper.
Photomike
Explorer III
Feb 20, 2017
We built a garage last year and the contractor wanted to put a door in to fit the TCer. Said no thanks as I would have hit the same issue you did. As it was a couple months later sold the TCer and bought a Class C that is a lot higher.

I think in a situation like this you have to go as large as you can... a airport hanger should fit whatever you buy next :-)
jefe_4x4
Explorer
Feb 20, 2017
GBopp wrote:

"If you had posted your plans on the forum, 99.9% of us would have told you to build it bigger."

jefe says, " Plans? We doan' need no stinkeeng plans."
noteven
Explorer III
Feb 19, 2017
A door adjacent to the truck door, latched from the inside?
bighatnohorse
Explorer II
Feb 19, 2017
Maybe it's time to start thinking about an additional structure and permit.
You can never have enough shop and toy space.
newman_fulltime
Explorer II
Feb 19, 2017
Put a door in the side where the truck door is.open it drive the truck in open truck door walk out
Snowman9000
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
Has it got roof trusses? If you made the end wall opening taller, is there more clearance available?

Do you have bird problems inside it? That's one thing that would deter me from that kind of shelter.
profdant139
Explorer II
Feb 19, 2017
That looks like a very lovely place to live -- lots of room, lots of trees, mountain air. It's a wonder that you ever leave to go camping! ;)
gbopp
Explorer
Feb 19, 2017
jefe 4x4 wrote:

Bottom line: if i knew then what I know now I would have just paid a lot more for larger dimensions for the 'pole barn' than I did.
jefe

If you had posted your plans on the forum, 99.9% of us would have told you to build it bigger. :B

You can never have too much truck or garage.