posted
THE SEWER IS IN...I know it sounds silly to be happy about a sewer...but it's "my sewer" and that means everything.It's the first step and it's been a big slow step.But the best part involved the neighbor that wouldn't allow us an easment thru the corner of his property.If he had helped us the sewer could be layed in one day with a 4" direct hook up at a cost to us of about $1,500. and no hassle to him whatsoever...Instead he forced us to negotiate with the city for public easment that passed right in front of his business(6'from his front door)...the work didn't shut him down but he sure was inconvenienced for 4 days of digging and piling dirt,pouring concrete and backfilling an 8" line that included constructing a new manhole at an expense to us of nearly $5000.00. I hope he enjoyed his mistake...some of that money could have been his with little or no inconvienience to him. Oh well, to each his own.
Things are gaining momentum now, neary all the subs have given me bids for their work and we have chosen a few.The tally is going well and if we are careful we can hit the mark.Our goal is to build this project for $1oo,ooo.(including property) we've been approved for $150,000. so we feel safe enough right now. The structure will be an all metal building bid in at just under $20,000. so you can see we are already accounting for half what we want to pay(inccluding the property at $30,000.) In addition to the building and land we must add plumbing,electrical,heat and air,some internal finish work and other odds and ends.
When we actuall assign the subs I will divulge the bids we accept so you'll know how much everything cost.
Some grey areas include additional concrete work the city may require (sidewalks, parking ,curbs etc.) but we can't account for these til the city throws them at us.
All this makes the t.v. show Survivor look like a walk in the park.
The next installment will hopefully have a sub list including costs and (we hope) a starting date...remember none of this can begin til the construction loan is obtained and that can't happen til all the subs are firm.
I'm interested in any comments you might have so feel free to post if you like.
------------------ Monte Jumper SIGNLanguage/Norman.Okla.
posted
I built a shop in 1978.We took a barn apart on an island in Sodus Bay.We floated all the wood to the mainland in a 20'outboard.The salvaged wood was used to frame the shop. I remember all the steps and how exciting it was to see the next level evolve.My"sewer' was just as much fun...we used a 275 gallon fuel tank for a septic tank..then another tank with holes burned into the sides with a torch for a drywell.I carried 2 10 wheeler dumptruck loads of gravel to the interior for fill..by hand with a wheelbarrow,tamping every few loads with a tamper and then hosing it to settle it... The mason did the floor not one crack in it because the ground was solid.. Its a neat lil buildin..1040 ft sq. I scrounged some 1/4" thermo pane panels from a construction site for windows.Monte...make sure to include lotsa windows.I almost didnt put so many windows in..Now Im so glad I spent the exter money..that sunlite is a welcome visitor every day...I have a floor drain..My dad thought it was a good idea...he was right.I have walls that are 6" thick full insulation..and 18" blown insulation up top...its so toasty in here in winter...less than 500 gallons of fuel oil all winter.A real nice upgrade was an insulated overhead door.money well spent.My ceiling/overhead door is too low...I have to let the air out of tires on 3/4 and one ton vans to get em in.Will you have room for over the road tractors? Who's paintin yer new sign for how much?
posted
Our shop is well insulated also, except for the roll up door. I didn't know it at the time, but putting the roll up on the sunny side of the building actually adds alot to heating the shop. That door absorbs quite a bit of heat that radiates inward. I also enjoy natural lighting, however I prefer wall space. We put in a few windows where we wanted some view, but sky lights did the lighting for us. We placed them so the lighting would be indirect, thus creating no glare. As far as the sewer goes...Sh*t Happens!
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Posts: 6810 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yes Michael...I will have an open bay 30' x 50' with a 20 foot ceiling and a 10' x 12' overhead door...should work just fine for trucks and such. OH ...and no one can do muh sign cheeper than I can. LOL
------------------ Monte Jumper SIGNLanguage/Norman.Okla.
posted
Monte.. I forgot to ask you about heat?I looked into radiant heat for my shop.I wish I had pursued it and followed thru. Some of the guys with big workshops around here are installing these and love it. The system consists of a boiler and a radiator/grid made of plastic pipe that is built right into the floor.There's a metal fab shop next door,they put this in their paint shop.the floor is split into zones with separate thermostats if necessary. Floor is warm all winter...no dust bein blown around by a furnace.A concrete floor is hard to keep warm in winter..not so if you turn it into a radiator.One tractor repair shop I saw has a remote wood boiler outside with a lil roof over it.The firepot will accept 4 foot lengths of firewood.Feed it once a day...all smoke/flames outside no danger of fire.Pretty slick setup.Of course you can fire the boiler with oil or gas too. There are no hot or cold fluctuations with this setup since the floor is always warm.
posted
I letter a lot of semis.. and they are ALL 13½ feet tall to the top of the stacks. A 12 foot tall door will NOT accomodate a 13½' truck. My door is 12' wide by 14' high, insulated, has windows, and my favorite thing of all is the power opener, WITH remote control for me in the car... I love my overhead door. I built my shop in 1985, at a cost of about $2500... mostly for cement floor and the wood structure. It was 32' long and 36' wide. 4 years ago I added 8' to the front so it's now 40' long. That's when I added the new, taller overhead door, which cost about what the shop cost to build in the first place... I have no plumbing in it, and I heat with a wood/coal burning stove. It is very well insulated, and it stays fairly cool in summer and tolerably warm in winter. I have a ceiling fan at the peak of the ceiling to keep the air moving, and that helps. My worst problem is flies... gawd how I hate flies. But since the horses are right here by the shop and my house... it's a pain that I have to tolerate. I love my shop... and it's right here by my house, so I can take breaks, or work at 3 AM if I feel like it. I can also play my stereo as loud as it will go (240 watts) and it doesn't bother anyone. It's true I don't make great wads of money, but the lifestyle more than makes up for a big bank account. LE
------------------ LazyEdna in RL known as Sara Straw from southern Utah 5 National Parks within 3 hours drive Red Rock Heaven
Posts: 776 | From: Aurora, Utah, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic