After saving and planning for the last 7 or 8 years, the wife and I have finally purchased an acre of ground and are beginning to build our own shop and house.
The decision was made to build the shop first, since I am getting more and more work that should be done in a dedicated shop, instead of on site at remodels in progress. We had a set of trusses that I “ate” on a past job so the size was preset at 29′ x 30′.
My helper and I pulled our string lines and laid out the location for the slab and set the form boards. I showed the wife how and where to dig the footers. She and the kids worked at it for a couple hours a day until they were done.
We set up the pour for a Saturday so we would have plenty of “free” help. That is where things started going bad. My helper was the only one that showed up. We had a huge rain the night before and one side of the forms sank over an inch when the dirt gave way. The first concrete truck rolled in at 8:30, as we were releveling forms. My wife ended up shooting elevations, so the helper could set the forms, while I started placing mud.
The second truck showed about twenty minutes after the first one left, and things seemed to be going well. Our last load was only a couple yards, and I am now convinced the concrete company sent the leftovers from another pour that morning, because before we could get it leveled out and floated that last two yards were setting up fast.
We ended up with a very rough finished floor. This weekend we rented a concrete grinder and smoothed out most of the bad areas. I laid the block for the common wall between the shop and house. Overall the project is still exciting and I can’t wait to get the walls up and roof on so we can start using the darn thing.
I will post pictures and updates as I can.
Replies
Congratuylations, my heart is with you as we have lots in common. I specialize in remodles and built my shop first. When we did the house, I got three inches of rain that morning just prior to the trucks arrival for footings. My wife did plenty too.
Ain't no better feeling than when you're in under you own roof tho'
Thanks, piffin.
I have been wanting a shop ever since I had to give mine up when we left Missouri. It just never seemed like it was going to work out. Now that it is, I can't wait to get moved into it and start making sawdust. <G>TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.
Is this shop detached or part of the house?
I had problem when I told the county I wanted to build a house with a separate shop/office structure. It had to do with two dwelling units on same lot.
How did you resolve the two dwelling units issue with the County?
Be seeing you...
It hasn't been resolved. As I mentioned, the shop won't be going up for at least a couple of years.
When we pulled the permit for the house, last year, we also got a permit to build a 30'x 36' shed foundation. This will become an off the record convertion at some point. I'm on a four acre lot, set back in the woods, which doesn't affect anybody. I don't know any other way around it. Once you finish the attic space and add a bath and a kitchen, it becomes habitable. This will become our future office.
The shop is attached to the house, and is called a garage in the plans that I have drawn up. My office is going to be located up stairs inside the house. No one has raised any issues about our intended uses of the "garage". TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.
Being that your attached, it shouldn't be an issue. I wanted ours detached and far enough away that we don't hear machines going, phones ringing and smell those wonderful smells that shops make. So where do you park your vehicles if the garage is full of equipment?
Since it is attached, you definitely want to plan for a very good dust collection system.
We just finished spending a year wrangling out a definition for a dwelling unit because the old one was too restrictive. It varies with jurisdiction.
Remeber that the IRS has some special rules about a business in the home.Excellence is its own reward!
Craigerman, all of my vehicles are weather tight and get parked outside where they belong. I am not about to waste valuable shop space putting vehicles in it.<G>
Piffin, I agree with the dust collection. I am planning on getting a fairly large system with room for expansion as we are now looking at adding a shaper and a cabinet saw to the toy, err tool lineup.
I have a very good CPA that prepares my tax returns and handles getting me the best reading of IRS regulations possible. He informs me that if I claim the garage as a shop, and do not park personal vehicles in it, that the full cost of building, maintaining, and improving it, are all fully deductable. TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.
It sure feels good to be back on building the shop. A family crisis caused it to take back burner for two weeks as we made a trip to Vegas.
We got in this evening about 9 p.m. after working for 5 hours. All but one section of wall is up and we have the plywood sheathing on a little better than a quarter of the shop. Ran out of daylight before I realized I had the camera with me, so pics will have to wait until tomarrow.TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.
Finally snapped a couple of pics of the shop. Both are taken from the front looking to the back.
We are building it with 2x6 framing, 10' walls. I had to stay with a standard 7' x9' garage door. The wall to the right will be shared with the house.
To help minimize dust and noise infiltration, the entry door comes out on the porch instead of into the house.
TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.
Edited 8/19/2002 2:48:25 AM ET by Tim Thompson
We finished the wall framing and built one of the gable ends. By Sunday I should have some pics of the shop with the trusses in place and some of the roof decking on it. TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.
You *ARE* going to post pics of the trusses, aren't you ???
Maybe a few closeups showing the grade and species of lumber, plate sizes and brand, etc...................(-:
Q: What has 75 balls and screws little old ladies?A: BINGO.
Boss,
The trusses are 29' from outside to outside. 6/12 pitch on the roof with a 3/12 pitch inside on the vaulted ceiling. They were manufactured by a local plant in Patterson, GA. We are going to install false rafter tails to establish a 24" overhang on the eaves and rake.TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.
Tim -
I was just kidding around with you. Guess I assume everyone around here has figured that out by now.............
Puritanism is the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
I know Boss, I just forgot to put the (G)'s and ;)'s in my reply. I'm starting to get excited , because she who must be obeyed has let it slip that once the shop and house are completed, I can invite all of y'all down for a fest. Just gotta' figure out what to call it.TCW Specialists in Custom Remodeling.