3kg or bigger Set Up in Garage or Spare Bedroom - Good Idea // Bad Idea?

[bvalentin]

I've recently posted about where to operate my roaster. After some considerations, I believe I'm going to rent a house so that I can use either the spare bedroom or the garage.

Originally, I was going to invest in the Mill City 1kg. After some consideration, I've actually considered a 3kg or even a 6kg roaster. I've heard lots of opinions on whether or not your first roaster should be big or small. They all vary, so I had to really make my own assessments and base it off what's most logical for my situation.

My questions are whether or not it's a bad idea to have anything larger than a 1kg set up in a house - Whether a spare bedroom or a garage. I would set up a complete shop with work benches, roaster and inventory system for supplies.

Let me know your thoughts!

Thanks,

Ben

 

[wmark]

If you burn down the house, then what ?
Does putting a roaster in the house void your insurance policy ?

 

[solock]

Either way you go you have some infrastructure issues.
If this 3kg machine is electric you will be investing in significant wiring changes
and if it is gas you will have to pipe or plumb in gas lines to either the garage or bedroom as well as CO exhaust to deal with.

Either way there is a substantial amount amount of smoke that must be dealt with from the roaster and the cooling tray.

I ran a 10k in a garage that had a powered vent during the time I was rebuilding it==the roaster and with a tiny amount of coffee being used to test things I made more than a bit of smoke. In a house and or unproperly ventiliated area you will have problems.

Not to mention safety issues of fire (chaff or system failure) making insurance a real concern.

I'd think a shed may be safer to do this in.

 

[Nakoda13]

Hi
I purchased a diedrich ir2.5 and set it up in my garage, it is a gas roaster, however I have gas in the garage already for all my heating needs, hot water tank and boiler for heat, so I had another gas line ran from the mechanical room to the place I wanted the roaster and had it installed. Venting the roaster was easy as we just went through the garage wall. I am very happy having it the garage for now as a start my business it can grow with me and I am not out a lot of money to rent a building or space. I love being able to roast at home etc, I wouldn't put it in a spare room in the house as the smoke noise etc would drive everyone crazy!

I think it's a great idea you will have to check with your munical government though as some may not allow!

I put my kids to sleep and go to garage to roast, or even if they are home they know where to find me!!

Good luck


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[John P]

If you are renting a house, you shouldn't go anywhere near that. You'd probably void your lease and certainly unless you are completely up front with the property owner, you'd likely have some potential legal issues.

And if you are fortunate and find a landlord that is cool with it, it does not mean that you "can" do it. Again, check first with the local laws and ordinances. And get an afterburner/chaff collector. And make sure you properly vent it according to code. The manufacturer can give you specs and help with that, and anyone who vents wood burning stoves can help with that. It's NOT the same as kitchen ventilation.

I would stay in a low cost apartment and then find a small space in an industrial district to rent. spend the dollars where it makes sense. Spending rental dollars on a house doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[jefferson17]

Hi Ben,

A garage can be workable. Some of this is really dependent on the state you live in. You'll certainly need to start talking w/ the inspector at the Dept or Agriculture. Even if the garage is "ok" you'll almost certainly have to seal the concrete floor w/ epoxy or similar (walls and floors must be washable).

Oh ... and since I am a landlord - if that was my house that you rented and used that way without my full written consent ahead of time .... it would likely result in an immediate cease and desist order, etc.

John pointed out a good idea - live where you live and rent a small garage in a low-industrial area. But ... you CAN often use your own garage but that can be VERY state-dependent on regulations. If you intend to get wholesale accounts, you could very easily outgrow a 3 KG unit. Be sure of your business plan, and what production you can manage from an operational standpoint. You may be better off spending a lot more of your time on sales and having "the help" do the roasting.

Honestly, it really sounds like you are "jumping into this" without enough preparation, and without a solid business plan. Have you been roasting for years? Do you know who your customers will be? Do you understand in detail the details of how to achieve a really good roast profile? I'm not trying to be critical but all of these are good questions to ask yourself.

 

[JohnD18]

This is a terrible idea.
If you're going to rent something, do not rent a house in a residential area to roast coffee; this has bad news written all over it.
Best case scenario: you piss off neighbors that will without a doubt call the fire department when they see smoke blowing out of some corner of the house. Worst case: the house burns down and/or you get evicted and landlord sues you for damages.
Rent a small garage in an industrial area that has electric, gas and water. Set up a company to protect yourself from certain liabilities (like burning down a property). Look for fireproof buildings (cinder block, concrete, brick, etc) to cut down on venting costs and lower your risk of fire.