I've been busy....

[daveSanborn]

When we bought our current house back in 2002 I tried to purchase a vacant parcel of land adjoining our property. The owner.... a guy down the road.... wasn't interested in selling. We've become fairly good friends since I first moved in. In January of 2009, just after Christmas/New Years.... he called me out of the blue informing me he was going to list the property and gave me a chance to buy beforehand. I talked to Gabby, decided to go for it and wrote him a check at the closing a few weeks later. As a side note, the 8 year re-assessment took place a few weeks ago and compared to the tax value I got the lot for a song. I probably won't tell him what the new tax value is....

Anyways...

After the closing I slowly started clearing the lot. I've mentioned this in other posts. It was a tangle of briars, scrub brush and too many trees struggling for their share of sunlight. We ended up taking down about a dozen "100+ footers", which is always interesting. The lot was cleared and grass planted during the summer.

Last Fall we decided to enlarge our existing detached garage/workshop. Okay, I decided and Gabby let me.

Here are a couple pictures of the existing garage.


Here's an old photo from when I built the existing 26x28 garage back in 2003(?)

Here's a photo from last year (or so)... notice the brush in the background.

I started working on preping the lot for the addition(s) at the beginning of March. We had to have several loads of fill dirt brought in to raise the area where the addition would be added. Imagine lots of dirt and me driving around on a mini-excavator for a full weekend, sorry, no pictures. Once the dirt was sufficiently compacted I built the forms for the concrete slabs. I'd decided to actually build 2 additions onto the existing structure.... a small one in the back on the gable wall and a larger one on the side. The back addition will be used for storage and is 10x12. The side addition will be a man cave/party room and is 20x24. The new structure's total sq. footage is 1328.

I didn't take a lot of pictures during the progress, but here is where I'm at right now. Both additions are "dried in" and the wiring and insulation is done on the smaller addition. This weekend I'll start the wiring on the larger addition. It'll be more complicated as it'll need at least 3 new circuits. The wiring on the smaller addition was simple as it just exended/tied into the existing outlet circuit from where I cut a doorway through the gable end wall.

Here are exterior pictures. There are no interior pictures yet. Imagine open studs on 10' walls and scissor trusses creating a 12.5' height in the center.

Here's that 75' length of firewood I may have mentioned. I have enough firewood to get me through a couple years... at least....

A buddy of mine came by and asked me if I wanted some bricks that were dumped on his "last building lot in the sub-development". I wasn't sure what I'd do with them, but almost 1000 free bricks is.... well, 1000 free bricks. Gabby got involved last weekend and used the bricks to build a small patio area in front of the larger addition. It's difficult to depict her pattern as it was getting dark when I took the photo, but I'm pleased with her work.

Pictures of patio/bricks/pattern.....

I should have the wiring done within the next few days. The insulation is piled up on the floor in the larger addition and then I get the fun job of installing the drywall/taping/mudding/sanding. I'll get more pictures as significant progress is made.

 

[monkeystash]

Very nice work Dave! You did a great job.

 

[RyanG85]

Looks great! bj I've been working on building a man cave within the pole barn I'm working out of.

 

[scedd]

Dave,
Do you have a building background?
In OZ you would need a licensed Draftsman for the plan, then a building certifier to sign off,
then a licensed plumber, then a licensed concretor, then a licensed builder for the frame, trusses and roof cladding, then the plumber again for the gutters and downpipes, then a licensed electrician for the wiring. But you could do your own internal cladding, insulation and painting.
You could try for an owner builder permit, but then you would have to do a 6 month TAFE course at night and only do one project every 6 years.
Imagine if the same rules applied to restoring a car!!
Steve

 

[Sluggo]

Wondered where you were at.

Now we know. Thanks Dave.

Fine looking operation you got going there.

 

[SELLERSRODSHOP]

nice!! when you get that 10'x 12' beer cooler in the back insulated & stocked, let me know & i'll help test it out :vic

 

[caspian65]

Nice job Dave! When will opening ceremony be? :naug

 

[stump]

Definitely a man of many talents!

 

[beach pony]

That's looking good Dave. I sure hope that's Ready Mixed Concrete in that slab! :craz Gabby's herringbone paver sidewalk is very nice too. Looks like she did a great job. I'd say you need to build a knee wall by that ditch though. If that man cave gets used like I think it will, you'll be needing to pull some some of your friends out of there when they are leaving. :lol

 

[Anonymous]

Nice work Dave, no wonder you've been absent......you have a life mg

 

[70_Fastback]

Looks damn good Dave. Nice isolated location too. I'm envious of that. I HATE living on a cul-de-sac now...

 

[Fast68back]

Nice work, yet I fail to understand how this is going to allow for additional car projects....

 

[daveSanborn]

Dave,
Do you have a building background?
In OZ you would need a licensed Draftsman for the plan, then a building certifier to sign off,
then a licensed plumber, then a licensed concretor, then a licensed builder for the frame, trusses and roof cladding, then the plumber again for the gutters and downpipes, then a licensed electrician for the wiring. But you could do your own internal cladding, insulation and painting.
You could try for an owner builder permit, but then you would have to do a 6 month TAFE course at night and only do one project every 6 years.
Imagine if the same rules applied to restoring a car!!
Steve

My brother is a licensed contractor. I've helped him build "a few" (10?) houses. I understand and adhere to most of the local building codes, but if I ever have any questions my brother is just a phone call away. This work was done without a building permit. If I lived within the city limits I'd have probably had to get a permit and get the counties building inspector involved. Since I live outside the city limits in the county.... I didn't get a building permit and worked "quickly" to avoid any attention. I started standing up the walls on a Saturday morning, had the shingles done by Monday and quickly got the "visible from the road" parts of the addition vinyl sided and trimmed out by COB on Wednesday. If a building inspector noticed the "unauthorized" construction, I'd have heard something by now.

Technically, I should have applied for a building permit. This would entail small fee's.... likely ~$200 and then a lot of headaches. Plans would have to be submitted and approved and then a pre-start site visit by the building inspector. Then a compaction test for the soil.... then a footing inspection prior to the cement pour... then a framing/sheeting inspection.... then a wiring inspection..... then an insulation inspection..... finally a "certificate of occupancy" would be issued/approved.

Screw all of that. The less government intervention in my life, the better. Other than ensuring that the new construction adhere's to the local building code, which it does, the main reason a permit is required is to document the property improvement for property tax purposes. Lucky for me the 8 year tax assessment took place 1 day before I started building. Technically I should report the improvement on my annual tax bill/statement, but I won't.

when you get that 10'x 12' beer cooler in the back insulated & stocked.....

I'm trying to finish that smaller room first. After I wired and insulated I figured I was done and could start utilizing it for it's intended purpose.... storage. No such luck. Gabby intervened and insisted that it be sheet-rocked. Her words exactly..... "If you kick the bucket I don't want to have to call Ty Pennington out here to finish it." After I stopped laughing, I realized that she was serious. Damn her, but she's right. I convinced her to let me run the lower 48" with OSB (plywood) as the sheet-rock would likely suffer quick damage from the engines/transmissions/engine hoist/stands/etc. that I plan on storing in there. She's now seeing it my way... but it took some convincing. She'll likely NEVER step foot into that little storage room... unless she's lost, but whatever.... The lower 48" is done and I'll be hoisting sheetrock out there this evening to finish it off. If she thinks I'm taping and mudding it she's in for a surprise.

My logic for finishing the smaller room first is so that I can remove most/all of the crap that's stored along the garage wall where I added the larger addition. I need to have this area clear not only to free up floor space, but to perform the work necessary to cut into the "load bearing" wall and install an entry/doorway from the existing garage into the larger addition. A single doorway would be easier, but I'm leaning towards a double. A double will require a larger header. I dunno, this is still open for debate. There are pro's and con's for the single versus double doorway and I'm still on the fence.

In a few of the pictures you'll notice a blue cooler next to the chairs around the fire pit. For now, this is the only cooler that's been stocked. My "friends"... being the bastids that they are.... have been stopping by to check on the buildings progress. Not that they actually come to help, they pull in the driveway and usually the first thing they do is open the cooler and pop open an iced down beer and then stand there and watch me work. I figured if I had cold beer on-site it would promote assistance. Not so much. Moreso it invites a distraction as I have to stop what I'm doing to socialize. The cooler's now empty and I'm getting much more work done!

When will opening ceremony be?

Good question. We have a big party planned for later this month, but I doubt I'll have it completed by then. Sanding of the sheet-rock mud always slows me down... and I'm a good week away from even hanging the sheet-rock. The larger addition will eventually house a bar, flat screen, pool table (already bought one), dart board, dance floor area, and possibly a raised floor area housing a stripper pole (the stripper pole is a definite, just not sure about the raised floor area). I'll have to build the bar also and I haven't given this so much as two seconds of thought. I'm guessing it will be completely finished sometime this Summer depending on how much time I lose to other activities.

I sure hope that's Ready Mixed Concrete in that slab!

It is.... 3 yards on the smaller and 12 yards on the larger. I took someone from here's advice and rented a Georgia Buggy to haul the 3 yards around to the back. It worked out great. The 12 yard pour was simple as the truck could back right up to the form and the chute reached all areas.

Nice isolated location too.

Not isolated enough for me! After we bought and cleared the new side lot I planted a dozen new Leyland Cypress trees across the front of it. I have these tree's on the side and in the front of the exisiting property and they form a "wall" of privacy. Leyland Cypress tree:

I fail to understand how this is going to allow for additional car projects....

Duh.... the man cave will allow me to entertain more. Entertaining more = drinking more. Drinking more = making stupid decisions. Making stupid decisions = buying another project car and sinking more money into it than could possibly ever be recovered.

 

[Flysure1]

Nice!

 

[70_Fastback]

Not isolated enough for me! After we bought and cleared the new side lot I planted a dozen new Leyland Cypress trees across the front of it. I have these tree's on the side and in the front of the exisiting property and they form a "wall" of privacy. Leyland Cypress tree:

Compared to me (the little cool GO marker):

You're hiden like Bin Laden...

My lot extends back about another half acre or so, total area, into the trees. But there is another sub-division right smack behind the trees.

 

[blue65coupe]

Very cool Dave. I'm with you on the permit thing. Work fast. I'm getting ready to have a creek straightened. Since I can't seem to "borrow" a trackhoe my first rule is "get in, get out". Last thing I need is the ACE on my case.

 

[AzPete]

When we lived in Az., the county inspector would stop by and comment that he never noticed that garage before. Did we trim some trees? Our reply was always yes, and we painted it also. Put up a 24X20 garage, 16X20 motorcycle garage, 16X11 storage room, 24X16 garage and shop, 12X24 house addition, 8X20 porch and a 8X60 foot bridge all at separate times with no problems. Like stated, work fast on the viewed side....lol

 

[apollard]

Sanding of the sheet-rock mud always slows me down... and I'm a good week away from even hanging the sheet-rock.

Rent one of these, they make quick work of it - and get most of the dust out of the way. You'll thank yourself later.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=drywall+sander&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7GGLL_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=5789932549523061996&ei=L0K_S7G6EculnQeclsi3Cg&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8wIwAA#ps-sellers

I'd also rent the vac if it doesn't come with it, or you can try your shop vac (if you have a big vac). If you try to hook it to your own shop vac, make sure to use these bags, they'll keep the dust in, but not clog too quick:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1289202&CAWELAID=124139662

 

[beach pony]

Permit? I need a permit? I thought I already had permission from the wife! Sometimes it's easier to ask forgiveness than ask permission. Screw the permit!

 

[daveSanborn]

Rent one of these, they make quick work of it - and get most of the dust out of the way. You'll thank yourself later.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=drywall+sander&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7GGLL_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=5789932549523061996&ei=L0K_S7G6EculnQeclsi3Cg&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8wIwAA#ps-sellers

I'd also rent the vac if it doesn't come with it, or you can try your shop vac (if you have a big vac). If you try to hook it to your own shop vac, make sure to use these bags, they'll keep the dust in, but not clog too quick:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1289202&CAWELAID=124139662

Thanks for the links.... I've always sanded by hand and it's a slow process. I never thought to think they'd be a special "drywall sander". I'll look for it at my local rental stores. It would sure make it a LOT easier!