Calling all experts!

[sixstring]

Awesome dream, wish I had the space your getting.i would personally start with half your space and get it working good and turning out product, then start tweaking the other half the way you really want it and have 2 seperate grows on alternating cycles, even the veg sides.that way you have spare plants ready if a problem comes along in one side.if you can also seperate the air systems you can do a better job of isolating problems like molds or bugs, just in case.would love to see you do a buildout here and journal it for us.
Dont worry about the experts and dont bring in any more extra people than you need to start.1st rule of grow op, tell no one lol.only trusted people should ever know of the ops location, and good security cams are a must.
Ps, im no expert but we share a similar dream :)

 

[ttystikk]

The best dreams are the ones dreamed with the eyes open, hands on and walking forward.

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Can you explain how you previously grew? Running only 6000w's, efficiently, is a f*&king job!

 

[dirk d]

if you don't have $$$ then why do you want to grow in a warehouse??? 25k is nothing in this game. setup a 10 x 10 flower room and learn how to grow first. otherwise you are setting yourself up for a massive failure. how you plan on paying warehouse rent?? electricity?? water?? imo noobs should stay out of the medical game. last thing the market needs is more schwag.

 

[Tank333]

There's a whole lot of stuff you'll need to bone up on to pull off a large grow show. and a lot of questions. biggest and first one would be soil or hydro. myself, I would definitely do hydro, and you will getc bbetter growth and it is simpler to automate things when running in water, IMO.

The second would be vertical or horizontal lighting? There are different approaches for each method.

Honestly, I would take that 25k and build a 15x15 room and blow that up for your first few harvests. Your money won't really do much more than that anyways. Lol.

Are you renting your space? What kind of electrical service is there? 200 amp? 400 amp? 3-phase? Consider reserving $$ for an electrician. Unless you're really handy with wiring, that's a buttload of electricity to mess up. Lol.

 

[twist1]

Not like I know much, BUT I am doing a build out right now and can tell you that $25k will go fast, and it sure as chit won't go far.
I have an 8x10 veg room and two 14x10 flower rooms. And I could certainly use another $5k at least. And you're only talking about 360 sq' of total growing space.

 

[Tank333]

Not like I know much, BUT I am doing a build out right now and can tell you that $25k will go fast, and it sure as chit won't go far.
I have an 8x10 veg room and two 14x10 flower rooms. And I could certainly use another $5k at least. And you're only talking about 360 sq' of total growing space.

This is the best advice here so far! Your 25k won't come close to outfitting that whole space. start with a smaller bloom room and work up to Yangtze whole space.

 

[Nesta B]

I live in wonderful WA state where I have just applied for my legal license to grow, have secured a 4400 sq ft warehouse and am looking for any reasonable advice I can find. I have been reading the threads here as much as possible but have not found too much info on using so much space. I have a 41'x34' veg space and a 58'x26' flowering space with 3 other closed off rooms of varying sizes for cloning etc and a 34'x12' space for drying and processing. I am a 57 year old lady that used to grow indoors 20 years ago and things have changed greatly since then:-/ If any of you experts could see it in your hearts or have time to give me some specific pointers I would be seriously grateful. This is all out in the open...don't have to worry about anyone "catching" me because it is LEGAL....never thought I would see that in my lifetime:) I am so open to knowledge and have a short window to get everything set up with a budget of about 20,000-25,000 to put into it. We will be the ground breakers for the rest of the nation and I can use all the help I can find! Do I grow hydroponically or with soil? Do I use the SOG method or go for bigger plants? I personally think that the fastest I can get a crop to legal retail outlets here the better because the market will be glutted quickly and since all my start up money is borrowed I need to get in the black as soon as possible. Also I think the first crop to hit retailers will bear the highest prices just so the retail shops can get moving. I have literally been waiting for this for the last 30 years and am so excited I can barely contain myself. I have so many questions and want to do this right from the start up. Glad to share my phone number and talk to anyone with good advice for me. Will have the building to start the set up by Dec. 15 and need to be ready and raring to go![/quote

This is the best advice here so far! Your 25k won't come close to outfitting that whole space. start with a smaller bloom room and work up to Yangtze whole space.

Agreed

 

[Tank333]

work up to Yangtze whole space.

stupid autocorrect. Lol. "Work up to filling the whole place."

 

[ttystikk]

stupid autocorrect. Lol. "Work up to filling the whole place."

I like it better the other way, lol- and it was a colorful descriptive word, to boot.

Yangtze the whole place, indeed- with hydro... and aquaponics... hmmm... hey wait a minute..!

I think I might have finally come up with a decent use for 3" pipe and bulkheads in an UC; grow fish IN the tubs! A big eating sized fish will still fit thru a 3" hole, lol!

ROTF LMFAO!!!!

If fish eat roots, will they get stoned?

HAHAHA!!!

 

[logic]

Dont run before you can walk....otherwise you will lose that $25k very quickly

 

[HookedonPonics]

Do you plan on even testing your genetics before tossing them in a 25k room and hoping for the best? If I were you id set up a 4 light room at your house, get all your equipment off of craigslist or used. Tally up your total investment once up and running and finish a run and see if you turn a profit. If you do, quadruple your space and go for your dreams, because if you blow that money and still can't grow, your dream will be light years away at that point. I'm not much younger than you and have been growing since a teen and would still never put all my chips on the table at one time, especially in today's industry.

 

[wobbly goblin]

you may want to look at the security requirements the wslcb will require for "seed to sale"
i'll bet that alone will eat up all $25k +

fwiw

 

[Olyver]

Definitely going to need more than $25K.

 

[HookedonPonics]

Damn I misread the first post, I thought it said 400 sq ft.... 4400 sq ft!! Your going to need about 10x more capital, 5 years more experience at least, and a lot of solid connections in the industry to make all those meds turn around. Don't turn your dream into a nightmare like so many others, take it super slow. Do some small runs and find some solid genetics that the clubs and patients jump to buy and then blow those strains up and enjoy your dream.

 

[inthegorge]

The security requirements the WA SLCB requires does not cost anywhere close to $25,000 and of course I have looked at the requirements. I know the rules they have put into place as well as anyone who is going to try to do this does. My $25,000 turned into $90,000 today with the help of some friends and yes....I know...it still is not enough to do everything absolutely perfectly but it is enough to do something and I will be doing the best and most that I can. I have a solid 7 years of grow experience but not on this level. No slow going here...full speed ahead and watch my dust!

Not selling to any clubs or for medical...selling legal recreational weed to one or more of the 334 retail shops that will be allowed with our new law.

I will be growing multiple strains because the retail stores will want variety and I already purchased seeds months ago, have clones and will be making as many babies as possible in the next 2 months before I am able to officially start the grow op. I have a science background and will keep track of things as precisely as I possibly can.

A number of seemingly talented folks here have already messaged me and we have some plans in the works. Not worried about the naysayers quite frankly...I am not asking for anyone's opinion on whether it can be done...it will be done....and it is absolutely doable! Nothing is perfect but I will strive to do the absolute best I can with the resources at hand and while I am not a betting woman...I would bet we do just fine:-)

I am not expecting an unobtainable price for product...hoping for around $1000 per lb and that is less than what the state estimates by about $360 per lb at the wholesale level. We will also have our "processing" license which means we dry, package and label it and we will be working on doing processing for other growers that did not apply for their processing license so might make something on that but will have to see on that point. I will be compiling a very detailed record of every single thing I do ....have already started and will be happy to share my experience with anyone that cares about it. I am no expert but I have a good grasp on the process, have produces great herb previously and don't doubt my abilities for even a second:-)

Perhaps the process the state of WA has put into effect is unknown to you all? There is a 30 day window to apply for a license to grow OR process OR sell. You can have both the grow and processing license but if you are growing or processing you cannot be a retailer. The grow license has 3 tiers, 2000 sq feet or smaller, 10,000 sq feet or smaller or 30,000 sq ft and that is counting the leaf canopy...not isles to walk through or bare space in your location. After the 30 day window to apply you are shit out of luck until they re-evaluate later...perhaps a year or even more later and you cannot be a grower. I am not waiting...I have been planning....studying....waiting for this for years ......and have my past growing experience to draw from. I am not a fool....know what the risk is and still believe it is absolutely a great opportunity. If you do not think so that is fine....don't worry about it. I think with the folks that have already reached out I am probably good to go anyway:-)

 

[Tank333]

Reading the LCB's faq's, they do not intend to limit the number of producer licenses. they simply want the time to go through the initial glut of applications. they are already required by law to process applications in a timely manner, and this application window simply gives them the time needed to conform to the already established rules.

This means once they go through the initial applications it WILL be opened up again for more grower applications.

 

[Capulator]

@baba G you are right on the money with costs. I would figure at least 25k per 10 lights once it's all said and done. Don't forget to include 6 months rent/utilities, and the proper equipment to control the environment...

Most likely you will spend a lot more, ESPECIALLY if you are doing a full build out in a warehouse to code.

Shit my spot costs me around 25k just for the build out and it's just a 14 lighter LOL.. (framing/drywall/painting/plumbing/electrical)...

Lights: another 6k
AC: 12k
Dehuey: 3k

and that's just for starters.

You can do it though, it just takes damn good planning. Pretend you are doing a home remodel, figure out all potential costs, then double that. Take in to consideration you will need manpower to process, and the outlet. What kind of prices will you get in the legal market? That's definitely something to try to estimate.

Business is a bitch.

 

[HG23]

I am a 57 year old lady that used to grow indoors 20 years ago and things have changed greatly since then:-/

I have a solid 7 years of grow experience but not on this level.

The money I will be using is from friends and family that know my skills at growing in the past and feel I am competent and able to go forward with this.

This doesn't compute.

 

[twist1]

Hey... so I like your spirit!!! While typing this, one of my favorite songs in life is jamming in the background: You might die trying, by Dave Matthews. Check out the words, as it has seriously inspired me in times when I was doubting my next {life-professional) step.

While in the military, I remember the saying "Crawl, Walk, Run!". Well, I'm more like a "Cr, W, RUNNNNNNNN" person myself. LOL!


Good to hear you got that extra capitol, although it is still short of what you'll likely need...... it's probably a damn good start to get a business going:) I don't know shit for growing yet, but I know passion... and it sounds like you got it. When I opened up our restaurant, I got stiffed for the last $25k which would of finished the final stages. I already invested everything I had left (plus what I didn't have). So I opened without tables, menus or even a register. I ended up turning that into the best ranked restaurant in that area. Literally!
My point is that soooooooo many people said that I would fail--- and I SHOULD HAVE!!! But my determination pushed me through. Fuck the nay-sayers, even though they ARE right. If you want it bad enough and you have friends that trust in you, as my friend's father used to tell us: "Go for the fucking gold, cause bronze and silver are Mickey Fucking Mouse!

Cheers!