#1...those steel buildings are always on sale for 50% off.
#2...a four post hoist doesn't need any extra rebar under the legs. 2 post should have some or extend the feet of the posts a foot longer each way.
#3...to "strap" the outside, how do you plan on this? Horizontal 2 x 4's? Then sheet it in with plywood? That would work, but not cheap. You could add the 2 x 4's over your wood siding and put 1 1/2" insulation on. Cheaper than removing your wood siding. Vapour barrier goes on the outside. Tyvek, etc.
There may be someone that knows more about this than I do.

I don't have an answer for any of this. I can offer some thoughts though.

My parents have a portion of the front of their house done in vinyl siding. It was done within the last 15 years (previously wood siding ... two story house, vinyl siding between the veranda/porch roof and the top-of-the-house roof). My Dad wanted it done professionally, as he wanted it done right and done quickly. Well, most of it is now bowing out (caused by wind) because, you guessed it, the job was NOT done correctly (I will be personally re-doing at some point this summer). My thoughts regarding things that I can either do myself or can learn how to do myself are ... you'll get a much better job (obviously, realistically depending on the job at hand) if you do it yourself, than you might if pay someone else to do it. Just because "they" do it for a living and can get it done faster, is never a guarantee of a job well done. I shingled my own roof for this very reason .... I did a complete strip, self adhesive ice shield, roofing felt the rest of the entire roof, then shingles with four nails per shingle ... I watched "pro" roofers do other houses in my area and they would do a complete strip, ONE row of roofing felt instead of ice shield, NO roofing felt anywhere else, only THREE nails on a four nail shingle) my roof has been completely leak and problem free since I did it. I honestly can't count how many times I've seen a neighbour have Ave Road Roofing return due to issues caused by poor installation ...

Now, regarding the insulation ... one thing you do not want is something referred to as a "mold sandwich". A previous neighbour was working on finishing his basement ... he vapour barriered the bare cement walls, studded, insulated, vapour barriered again, then drywalled. Water ended up (and I mean this literally) pooling inside his basement walls due to condensation being caught between the two different vapour barriers (hence the term "sandwich"). My understanding is that a single vapour barrier is needed, and that the rest of the wall needs to be permeable, so if vapour is caught, and condensation is created, the wall can either dry to the inside of the house or dry to the outside of the house ... if you trap the vapour behind two vapour barriers, it can't dry, with the end result being unwanted moisture that soon morphs into mold growth ... and believe me, mold growth can be VERY bad for ones health. Very wise of you to feel the need to look into this ahead of time.

Best of luck

-- Edited by pint and a pound on Saturday 4th of April 2015 03:01:05 PM

If the underneath wood siding is nailed directly to the studs, then that is what is keeping the house square. What you are proposing involves many steps and can be quite costly. If you are going to that expense, I would suggest spray foaming the walls from the outside a section at a time and resheathing with 3/8" plywood. No vapour barrier, no stud extenders, no house wrar (Tyvek), no moisture problems and probably far more cost effective then the route you have considered. This also gives a good backing for whatever siding you decide to go with. An alternative, and probably cheaper but messier inside, would be to remove the drywall or plaster/lath from the interior, again spray foam and drywall. No vapour barrier or Tyvek is necessary with spray foam. This is also a good opportunity to upgrade any wiring issues. I was in the business for 40 years and we did many houses this way including the house I now live in. By the way, this can also be done to your shop, just to keep this car related.

Warren

Wuga-Warren ..is the man..he is most correct ...I have a friend who just did exactly as Warren said and he was surprised at the cost ( less than many other suggestions) and he realized a good saving on his heat bill this winter and like Warren said no vapor barrier required the job turned out great and really warmed up the house ..I just went through the gutting my place from the inside ..It's a 175 year old stone house and I wanted to keep the stone ..took me 10 years , at least the cost of two riddler rods .. If I had to do again I would have dug a hole and buried the place ..I say the spray on out side, new sheeting and side her..best bang for your buck..

Thanks to all the reply,s . I,ll be re reading them over the next while
by strapping the house , a friend who has worked on a bunch of houses for people suggested 2 x 2 strapping screwed to 2x4,s so you could spray in or put in thicker insulation
the wood siding is whole but pretty ratty . So that is the main reason I was thinking to get rid of it .
Wuga I,ll probably p / m you after a bit of thinking , when you said section , do you mean like re insul then re skin one whole wall , or do you mean like the lower half of one wall , strip it , insul , then skin with ply , then do top half of wall same way .
I under stand how the wood siding would give the house structural strength . Its funny , when I talked to a local builder he said oh yea , just peel both layers of siding and put on 2 inches foam board , the siding an call it done .
He said basically quote un quote oh don,t worry the top an sill plates will hold it together ..... Hmmmm , I decided right after that to not really talk to this dude any more
house is a 28 x 36 raised bungalow circa 1956 built with rough cut 2 x 4 ,s . Thanks again ..77.

You should listen to Wuga that is the way to go.
There is no way to put up the vapor barrier from the outside. Other than trying to fit it in between the studs. I guarantee after
a few stud openings you will give up.
I usually put building wrap on the outside if the studs are exposed. Even with spray foam.
Just me,,I like building wrap with the joints taped.
No 6 mil. poly required with spray foam.
What ever you do the vapor barrier goes on the inside/the warm side of the insulation!!! And only one layer.
The picture that Studeshaker posted,,, see the 2x6 that runs horizontally along the bottom?
If your house or shop looks like that make sure that bottom board (whether it is 1x or 2x) is continuous. No end gaps at all.
If there is a gap or gaps you will have a ton of mice living in the walls. They can run back and forth along that space.
If you build a steel shop put building wrap on before the siding and tape it.
If you have room in a corner rough it in for a sink/basin and a urinal.
I just built a 30x40 pole barn a year and a half ago and it is great.
Good luck
TMJ