I have a client that wants to remodel his house we need to remove the existing roof and replace with cathedral trusses. I remember seeing an article about a contractor that built a structure do to weather conditions. I mentioned it to my customer. He sells building structures like a massive tent. He said we could use one, then he could re-use on his farm. Has anyone done this before? Here is a picture.
Like he said “You know if you cover the house you won’t get a drop of rain, but if you don’t cover it it will rain cats and dogs!”
Edited 1/21/2009 7:59 pm ET by tkiser
Replies
No- but I like the concept. There's an early issue of FHB with a similar project in it.
http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
smaller version ...
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
How long is typical set up and knock down for that?
And would you consider buying one that when knocked down would fit in the bed of your truck (van) with a pricetag around $500?
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
I got that one from Lowes for $150.
when the job is wrapped up, I'm gonna gladly buy the "garage sidewall kit" for another $150. Shoulda bought it to begin with.
The canopy itself took me about an hour to set up the very first time by myself.
the plastic too the better part of that day ... and parts of the next to tweak. I thought "how hard can it be?" ... just wrap the walls ... yeah ... right!
anyways ... it went up the beginning of Dec and has been thru some pretty bad weather ... works like a charm. I even loose tented the front and ran a propane heater in it one day that was hovering around 20deg to paint my corner boards. Nice and toasty ... was well above freezing in short time.
Best part ... had it set up before materials delivery. The flat bed driver really took his time ... got the load centered perfect and farther back than I would have hoped for. That's been our cut / layour station ... daily tool stock pile ... even the warm up room without the heater running. On a cold and windy day it's a coupla important degrees warmer in there. Bet the real sides/back with the zip up garage door are even tighter.
the box it came in fot inside my Jeep Cherokee. Heavy ... I think 120lbs ... but I got it in there. Doubt the thing will ever see the inside of that box again ... little chance I'll be able to fold the tent as tight ... but the poles will all easily tie together ... then will just fold and roll the tent around it. Thinking I'll be able to get it into an old army duffle bag ... so back of a pick up ... no problem.
I also have and use a 10x10 easy up tent. Use it work work and camping.
have plans for that later this winter ... waiting to finish a porch stair handrail. I'll set the 10x10 as close to and over the steps ... I do have a sidewall kit for that ... run 3 sides ... blast the heater ... then prime and paint away. If too much heat escapes I'll clamp a sheet of plastic down from the open part, down onto the porch floor and lay a coupla 2x's on it ... like a flat awning.
There have been a coupla days with straight, all day, heavy cold rain.
I went out and measured ... my helper spent 3/4 of the day cutting the whole front of the house's siding ... then we both got rain geared up and nailed it all on.
without being able to cut under there ... we woulda went home. He had it all cut, stacked and labeled ... just carried each section up and nailed away. Much more pleasant monsoon weather when U can stand there and make great visual progress!
Get a good one ... Pep Boys had one a bit cheaper ... same size, 10x20 ... but had thinner tubes. This one is 2" steel. I get the impression the bigger tubes models come with heavier duty canopy.
Money well spent.
Just wish I coulda got the walls when I needed them!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Yeah.
That early FHB article described a project using an inflatable tennis court enclosure, IIRC, and cited (again, IIRC), a statistic that in bad weather carpenters spend up to 3 hrs/day scraping ice, shoveling, tarping, etc.
Since your customer is positioned to absorb (and, of course, deduct) a significant percentage of the upcharge, I'd say go for it, track your costs, and get back with us! We want to know more.
Odds are, both of you will fare well.
AitchKay
Last year we got six sets of scaffold 5 stages high, and three beams 40' long.
Worked great. Only one storm was problematic, otherwise no raingear for the whole job.