Hey everyone, Josh here.
If you’ve been following the channel lately, you know the backdrop looks a little different. My “Build Bay” is currently a massive skeleton of wood and steel out in the winter cold. I’ve reached a point where I need a real base of operations—a permanent home for the “Pain and Victory” cycle.
When it came time to pull the trigger on this property, I had a massive choice: do I write a check to a contractor, or do I pick up the tools and build it myself?
I chose the tools. Specifically, I chose to save myself about $50,000.
Building your own shop on your own land is the ultimate “Pain and Victory” project. It’s the biggest “wrenching” job I’ve ever taken on, and I wanted to share a few things I’ve learned while shivering on a ladder at.
1. The “Want” Factor
The first thing I tell anyone asking if they should DIY their shop is: Do you actually want to?. It sounds simple, but this isn’t like changing oil. If you have the desire, the skills will follow. I was a carpenter in a previous life, so I have a head start, but even if you don’t, every part of this is a learnable skill. It’s just like a project car—you might be intimidated by the wiring or the fab work, but once you dive in, you figure it out.
2. The Reality of Time
Here is where the “Pain” comes in. A pro crew could have this dried in and finished in about six weeks. I started excavation back in November, and here we are at the end of January, and I’m still not fully enclosed. I work a “seven on, seven off” schedule, which helps, but if you’re only working Saturdays, a DIY build is going to take a long, long time. You have to decide if the “Victory” of saving cash is worth the “Pain” of a long-term construction zone.
3. The $50,000 Difference
This is the big one. To get a 64×60 shop with concrete, electric, and doors, I’m looking at roughly $65,000 to $70,000 in materials. If I hired a contractor to deliver that same finished product on this lot? I’d be looking at $120,000.
That $50k isn’t just “savings”—that’s the budget for the next five years of builds. That’s more project cars, better fabrication gear, and the ability to keep DPV moving. For me, the math was easy.
4. Grit and Perfection
I’m not going to sugarcoat it: it’s been sketchy. I’ve made about 400 trips up and down tall extension ladders carrying lumber by myself. I’ve smashed fingers and ripped skin off. It takes a certain kind of person to stay out there when it’s freezing, just to make sure the poles are perfectly plumb and square.
But man, when I look at the framing and see that everything is lining up perfectly, it feels incredible. There’s a level of pride in knowing that the foundation of my future work was laid by my own hands.
I’m finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Once this is done, I’m getting back to the “regular programming”—more 4×4 builds, more revivals, and more shop shenanigans.
If you’re sitting on the sidelines wondering if you can build your own space, just remember: you don’t need a pro shop to build a dream, but if you’re willing to put in the work, you can build the shop itself.
Wheel it, Wreck it, Wrench it, Repeat!
— Josh
Days of Pain and Victory 
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