PDA

View Full Version : Building a New shop er ah house, the saga begins



Don Baer
09-26-2006, 7:20 PM
Well they have finaly started on my new house. I drove by this afternoon and they have the footings dug. We signed the contract 3 weeks ago tomarrow and they said it would be 3-4 weeks since they needed to pull pirmits. I guess the building slow down is helping, maybe that will mean that the rest of the construction may go faster then there estimated 4-5 months. Here it the plot plan. The house is 3000 sq.ft with a 3 car attached garage that will serve as a shop until I can get the funds together to build the seperate shop. it is all on one level. Here is the plot plan.

47580

I'll post picture as soon as there's something to see besides the trenches in the ground for the footings.

Bruce Page
09-26-2006, 10:02 PM
Don, Don, Don, What is this “future shop” stuff? Sir, you must get your priorities in line! You build the shop first then the dwelling! Crikey!

I’m looking forward to the build!

Gary Herrmann
09-26-2006, 11:03 PM
And it should be bigger than the garage.

Jim Becker
09-26-2006, 11:07 PM
3-4 weeks for permits?? Geepers...around here it's about 6 weeks. For the first round. Our contractor for the proposed addition said to allow at least two months to get through both the soil conservation and township permitting process. And that's assuming it only takes two tries. At least!

(Looks like it's going to be nice, Don! Congrats on the start!)

Jim Dunn
09-26-2006, 11:27 PM
And it should be bigger than the garage.

A lot bigger;)

Don Baer
09-26-2006, 11:43 PM
If I had my way the shop would be 50x60 and the house would be 700 sg.ft but alas SWMBO has the final word.

Jim,
This builder has the piece of land and he is putting several custom homes on it, the EIR, soil test etc were all done prior to him sellin off the lots. Weve been waiting for over a year to get one of his lots. Now that the building frenzzy is over it's a llot easier to get things done thus the permits being isssued in half the estimated time.

Karl Laustrup
09-27-2006, 6:09 AM
Don, congrats on the start of the process to build a new house. It is exciting to see it all come together. I found myself watching the progress continuously, even digging the ditches.

Maybe you should show your contractor my threads on building our new home. It took only three months and we had to tear down the old house first. In the winter. It could inspire him to move a wee bit quicker.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Karl

Jim Dunn
09-27-2006, 7:10 AM
If I had my way the shop would be 50x60 and the house would be 700 sg.ft but alas SWMBO has the final word.

Jim,
This builder has the piece of land and he is putting several custom homes on it, the EIR, soil test etc were all done prior to him sellin off the lots. Weve been waiting for over a year to get one of his lots. Now that the building frenzzy is over it's a llot easier to get things done thus the permits being isssued in half the estimated time.

Don, I have a question. Did he have each individual lot tested by the soils people? Or did he do a blanket test in the middle of the property? Around here he or you couldn't get a soils test until the lots were subdivided. I am a skeptic and suggest you review you soils results with a reputible (sp) installer before you award a bid for installation. Remember he is installing based on the soils test.

It is possible on large lots to have a differing soils test on each side of the lot. An east facing slope is different than a west facing slope. Something to do with the amount of sunlight each slope gets causes a difference in the amount of freezing and thawing. That freezing and thawing has been going on for thousands of years don't forget.

Vaughn McMillan
09-27-2006, 7:02 PM
Don, I have a question. Did he have each individual lot tested by the soils people? Or did he do a blanket test in the middle of the property? Around here he or you couldn't get a soils test until the lots were subdivided. I am a skeptic and suggest you review you soils results with a reputible (sp) installer before you award a bid for installation. Remember he is installing based on the soils test.

It is possible on large lots to have a differing soils test on each side of the lot. An east facing slope is different than a west facing slope. Something to do with the amount of sunlight each slope gets causes a difference in the amount of freezing and thawing. That freezing and thawing has been going on for thousands of years don't forget.
Jim, a lot depends on whether the building site is on native soils or engineered fill. I've tested a lot of both, and if the seller developed several lots at the same time, and they were all prepped properly, a single report could be valid. Also, in my experience, the foundation characteristics aren't so much the result of freeze/thaw cycles as it is the type and origin of the underlying soils. (Take that with a grain of salt, as the soils I've worked with my be different than what might be common in MO. That said, I'll bet Don's house will be on some type of decomposed granite, based on his location.)

Nonetheless, your advice to Don is good...he'd be wise to confirm the validity to the report in relation to his individual lot.

Don, feel free to PM me if you have any soils-related questions. If I don't know the answer, I know someone who most likely will know (and he just happens to be a licensed P.E. in Arizona).

Don Baer
09-28-2006, 12:44 AM
I ain't no civil engineer and I didn't stay at a holiday Inn last night but I did investigate this builder very thuorwly (sp??). He has been uilding homes in the valley for over 30 years and has a good reputation for doing his homework. I don't know nothing about soils and such but I am trusting that he knows what he is doing. Here is apicture of the site with the trenches dug for the footing in case anyone cares. In the backgroung are the Superstition mountains. The only progress I could see was someone had dropped a bunch of rebar which I assume is part of the footers.

47646

Thanks for your input and concerns about soil conpaction.

Dennis Peacock
09-28-2006, 1:21 AM
Hey Don.....
Where's all the turning sto.....I mean trees? There ain't no trees!!!!;)

CONGRATS on the ground breaking!!!!! Now...we just need to get you a bigger shop in the plans. :D

Jim Becker
09-28-2006, 10:37 AM
Dennis...he'll need to go a little further north to pick up some nice ponderosa pine to make translucent forms...
-----

Don, that's a nice start...and you'll enjoy photographically documenting your building progress. It's pretty kewel to see things develop!

Brett Baldwin
09-28-2006, 11:21 AM
With the great weather we're having, the crews will really be enjoying the temps, either working up a storm or off at the lake.;) :D I hope your house goes as smoothly as Karl's and you are in it soon. One thing to keep in mind and you may already know this, the new home sites around here tend to have more critters (scorpians and snakes in particular) than old sites. Watch your step.:eek:

Don Baer
09-28-2006, 12:04 PM
Dennis and Jim, there are a lot of Mesquite trees around, they grow like weeds. There are also some farmers who have pecan orchards and a peach farm. Arizonas only Olive mill and orchard is in Queen Creek. There's also a lot of Eucalyptus that have been planted through the years for wind protection so there a lot more turning stock on the hoof then one would think for living in a desert..:D It's funney how when one gets into turning you think about trees in a whole new light.

Brett, Thanks for the reminder about the critters. I am aware of there presence but it never hurts to be reminded.

George Conklin
09-28-2006, 12:19 PM
One thing to keep in mind and you may already know this, the new home sites around here tend to have more critters (scorpians and snakes in particular) than old sites. Watch your step.:eek:

An excellent excuse, if I ever heard one, to turn a new scorpion bonker;) .

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
09-28-2006, 1:28 PM
Don looks great, I can only imagine how excited you must be after the long wait.

I have to admit, I could not help myself, I did a touch of editing you your first pic.......

47680

Less lawn to mow..... :rolleyes:

:D

Will you plant trees as saplings, or have some larger ones brought in for some shade now?

Cheers!