Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Humble Shop in the North

[Aladinsane07]

Day 2:

Still working with some of the gnarliest pressure treated ever. I refined and simplified my little clamp system. Rather than the spring compressors, I replaced them with a big stick (pry bar). Works a treat and much quicker to set up.



The lumberyard called in the middle of the day and said my windows had come in. I took a break to run and pick those up. I also bought myself a little something when I was out. Someone on Marketplace was selling an Ingersoll Rand air compressor for insanely cheap because the keyway broke on the belt pulley. Still unsure if I'll fix it up and sell it or replace my current compressor. Either way a big score.

The wall I'm building today was another pretty straightforward one with the exception of the radiant and utility inlets. Luckily I remembered to test fit the through holes before assembling the wall segment.



My wife has been helping me lift the assembled wall segments onto the concrete block, but she was busy today so I just stood the one segment up and left the other assembled on the ground until tomorrow. That's where I left off for the night. More tomorrow.

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

Very nice progress, thank you for sharing.

 

[68400BIRD]

Looks great. Are you hoping to have a roof on it before the white stuff starts dropping?

 

[Aladinsane07]

Very nice progress, thank you for sharing.

Thanks for stopping in!

Looks great. Are you hoping to have a roof on it before the white stuff starts dropping?

Woah woah, what's with the dirty word? We don't mention snow around here . But yeah, that's the goal.

Days 3 & 4:

Saturday was a very short one with family engagements and non-garage (read: annoying) related things to take care of around the house.

Today was the big South facing "window wall". The idea is three long, skinny windows hung high on the wall to let light in early morning and then the eaves will block direct light in the afternoon to avoid heating up the space. No pictures because unfortunately it's just a bunch of walls on the ground until I can get some help hanging them.

 

[nicholam77]

I don't know anything about framing but looking good!

Today was the big South facing "window wall". The idea is three long, skinny windows hung high on the wall to let light in early morning and then the eaves will block direct light in the afternoon to avoid heating up the space. No pictures because unfortunately it's just a bunch of walls on the ground until I can get some help hanging them.

Finally some great weather to be working on it!

Nice consideration on the windows, something that's often missing from basic builder projects. Both for climate control and aesthetics.

 

[Aladinsane07]

I don't know anything about framing but looking good!

Finally some great weather to be working on it!

Nice consideration on the windows, something that's often missing from basic builder projects. Both for climate control and aesthetics.

Thanks! I felt like the weather was conspiring against me for a while there.

I probably spent way too much time going over the window layout. I was trying to balance allowing some natural light so the space doesn't end up being sterile and not somewhere inviting to work in with practical concerns like climate control, nosy neighbors, etc. that come with typical window layouts. I decided on the high windows and then eventually discovered that idea is a well worn architectural tool that I just wasn't aware of - clerestory windows.

 

[zanyad]

I decided on the high windows and then eventually discovered that idea is a well worn architectural tool that I just wasn't aware of - clerestory windows.

I really like clerestory windows. A lot of old shops and industrial buildings had them. Their rooflines' spine is raised with windows just under:

(above photo found here)

 

[Aladinsane07]

I completely forgot an update a while back. I found a nice, never installed garage door for sale on Marketplace that was pretty much what I was looking for. The seller had bought 2 9'x9' doors and decided he wanted to go smaller, but was past the return window on just one of them. I called the lumber yard to confirm I could still purchase its identical pair and swooped in and bought his "second hand" door for ~$1,500 less than retail.



This is his place, which oddly enough is eerily similar to what my garage will end up looking like. My wife even likes the color so we might go something similar. The second door I ordered has the windows on the opposite side though. The asymmetry really bugs me. Now I just have to decide if the windows go towards the outer walls or meet in the middle. Thoughts?

 

[mschoo92]

I completely forgot an update a while back. I found a nice, never installed garage door for sale on Marketplace that was pretty much what I was looking for. The seller had bought 2 9'x9' doors and decided he wanted to go smaller, but was past the return window on just one of them. I called the lumber yard to confirm I could still purchase its identical pair and swooped in and bought his "second hand" door for ~$1,500 less than retail.



This is his place, which oddly enough is eerily similar to what my garage will end up looking like. My wife even likes the color so we might go something similar. The second door I ordered has the windows on the opposite side though. The asymmetry really bugs me. Now I just have to decide if the windows go towards the outer walls or meet in the middle. Thoughts?

Nice doors! I think windows in towards the center might look nice, plus that might provide nice lighting in the center of your workspace.

Couldn’t help but notice the SolidWorks sketch in one of your posts, do you plan on modeling your garage? If so share a few views, it’s cool seeing a plan come together in CAD.

Looking forward to seeing your garage build come together, looks promising so far!

 

[SRU1436]

Thanks! I felt like the weather was conspiring against me for a while there.

I probably spent way too much time going over the window layout. I was trying to balance allowing some natural light so the space doesn't end up being sterile and not somewhere inviting to work in with practical concerns like climate control, nosy neighbors, etc. that come with typical window layouts. I decided on the high windows and then eventually discovered that idea is a well worn architectural tool that I just wasn't aware of - clerestory windows.

I believe that’s Frank Lloyd Wright waterfall house. I’m not an architect, I just recall it from pictures. Great idea about your windows.

 

[strength_and_power]

Looks like it will be a great space. When they calculate the square footage, is the OD? ID?

 

[Lou's Garage]

I believe that’s Frank Lloyd Wright waterfall house. I’m not an architect, I just recall it from pictures. Great idea about your windows.

I don't think it's Fallingwater but rather the Rosenbaum House in Florence Alabama, also by Frank Lloyd Wright. I've been to both and I still wasn't certain until I searched around for some images. You'll find a couple of outside views here:

Gallery — Rosenbaum House

www.wrightinalabama.com

Lou

 

[Aladinsane07]

Nice doors! I think windows in towards the center might look nice, plus that might provide nice lighting in the center of your workspace.

That's a good insight. I'm leaning towards centering the windows.

Couldn’t help but notice the SolidWorks sketch in one of your posts, do you plan on modeling your garage? If so share a few views, it’s cool seeing a plan come together in CAD.

Looking forward to seeing your garage build come together, looks promising so far!

That was the plan at one point, mainly because it's the program I'm most familiar with. I opted not to because I don't think the time needed to properly model the space and contents to the point it would be more useful than just a "hey, that looks neat" would be worth it.

I believe that’s Frank Lloyd Wright waterfall house. I’m not an architect, I just recall it from pictures. Great idea about your windows.

Very close! I had to look it up because you peaked my interest. It's one of his houses, but it's called 'The Rosenbaum House' in Alabama. There's tons of unique ways of introducing light into indoor space in this house alone.

Looks like it will be a great space. When they calculate the square footage, is the OD? ID?

OD unfortunately. Trust me, I thought of every little trick or work around when I was thinking of how to maximize the allowable square footage.

 

[Aladinsane07]

I don't think it's Fallingwater but rather the Rosenbaum House in Florence Alabama, also by Frank Lloyd Wright. I've been to both and I still wasn't certain until I searched around for some images. You'll find a couple of outside views here:

Gallery — Rosenbaum House

www.wrightinalabama.com

Lou

You beat me to it! Good eye. I would love to tour both; they're incredible.

 

[Lou's Garage]

You beat me to it! Good eye. I would love to tour both; they're incredible.

They ARE absolutely incredible. Blind luck got me "enhanced" tours at both. The Rosenbaum tour by a former resident who helped take care of the residence and Mrs. Rosenbaum. Fallingwater was an added tour at the end of the day with a very small group and a tour guide who wasn't in a hurry.

I also got to stay in Price Tower (Bartlesville, Oklahoma). That was amazing! Unless something changes, the new owner is planning to open it as a hotel again in 2027.

Lou

 

[Aladinsane07]

I'll add some more detail tomorrow. I'm too exhausted to think right now. Short story: trusses are up.

 

[Just Puttering]

Looking good. Mixing the storage type trusses with the raised ceiling type is a great plan.

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

Great progress, your moving right along!

 

[zmotorsports]

Subscribed. Looking good.

 

[Aladinsane07]

This update is three weeks in the making and another example of my naivete. In my head setting the trusses was a long afternoon of a me and two friends walking each truss over to the walls, flipping it up, and screwing it in. Boy was I wrong.

Weekend 1: Two friends showed up with the same naive energy and quick YouTube tutorial knowledge I had. We figured we'd knock this out in a couple hours and still have time for Sunday night football. We walked the first gable end truss to the walls and simultaneously looked at each other with the same "we are in way over our heads here" stare. While sure, we could lift the truss, it's a completely different thing to prop it onto the walls and manhandle it in place. Time to regroup with a dozen friends or some mechanical help.

Weekend 2: I opted to rent a 6K LB. telehandler. Easy mode now, right? Far from it...

The trusses are about twice as wide as the space we had available to even load them on the forks so to get them to the garage was a tight rope walk. Between avoiding my neighbors house, my retaining wall, and the S-curve my driveway takes towards the garage it definitely took us some time to get into a rhythm.



We did eventually get into a rhythm and once we weren't having to get deep into the walls things sped up a bit. But we were losing light and being conscious of my neighbors we called it a night knowing I'd have to rent the telehandler again next weekend.

Here's some photos of that day.







Weekend 3: We started the day on a tear, picking up right where we left off last time. We fairly quickly finished the last attic truss which signaled the halfway point.

The problems started for us again came as we got a little further on and weren't able to get the telehandler as deep in (allowing us to straighten out), and because of the S-curve in the driveway, the trusses were coming in at an extreme angle. We could load the trusses slightly offset on the forks to help a little, but the angle problem got progressively worse as the trusses went on. It's hard to tell in this photo, but the right side is landed and the left side is about 5 feet out of plane.



We eventually figured out a system of someone climbing the top plate and walking the left side in while we slowly dropped the forks enough to transfer the weight. The final gable end was a nightmare. By that time the angle was so extreme that with the right side landed, the left was a good 10 feet off and unreachable from the top plate. Not to mention it weighed about 5x as much as the featherweight scissor trusses. With a couple OSHA violating ladder maneuvers, we swung the left side into place. I did not, repeat *DID NOT* climb on the forks to help transfer the weight.



And another view from inside. I'm very happy now I went with both vaulted and attic trusses.

 

[captain14]

Im sure after 3 weekends of this work, I sure you were exhausted too.

Do you think you can get it closed In. Store your weather breaks in your area?

Work safely, don’t rush and get injured.

 

[Aladinsane07]

Im sure after 3 weekends of this work, I sure you were exhausted too.

Do you think you can get it closed In. Store your weather breaks in your area?

That's the hope. I've been meeting with tons of subcontractors, roofer and electricians, because I have to be realistic about what I can get done before winter hits. It looks like I'm going to have the roofer lay the roof sheathing and shingles and the electrician do enough to get me through inspection. While that's happening I'm going to sheath the vertical walls.

Work safely, don’t rush and get injured.

As much as it was disheartening to keep pushing to another weekend, we were always happy walking away healthy and unhurt

 

[old_smokey]

Nice progress on the shop. I'm in the middle of building my own new shop, though smaller than yours, but with a radiant slab as well. I had to do a fair amount of handholding with the concrete crew as well. Super frustrating for sure!

Good job figuring out how to work around the concrete dimension issue. 10" is crazy. Any idea how that happened? Are you totally sure your measurements are correct? Most important thing now will be to make sure the building walls are square, or roofing will be a nightmare. At least with the course of blocks, you don't have to worry about your new wall layout running over pex and interfering with anchoring the walls down!

 

[Aladinsane07]

Nice progress on the shop. I'm in the middle of building my own new shop, though smaller than yours, but with a radiant slab as well. I had to do a fair amount of handholding with the concrete crew as well. Super frustrating for sure!

Good job figuring out how to work around the concrete dimension issue. 10" is crazy. Any idea how that happened? Are you totally sure your measurements are correct? Most important thing now will be to make sure the building walls are square, or roofing will be a nightmare. At least with the course of blocks, you don't have to worry about your new wall layout running over pex and interfering with anchoring the walls down!

No idea what happened with the concrete. I measured the forms and they were within an 1/8". My only guess is that the forms shifted on them during the pour and they didn't catch it. Frustrating to have to do so much handholding when you figure the thing you're paying huge money for should just be done right. The best I can do now is learn from it and try to vet out these next contractors I'm going to use, but at the end of the day you're just going off reviews and a gut feeling.

Good luck on your build and please pop in with any questions

 

[boyboi]

Your build is coming together nicely. I think your high windows are a great idea both for controlling the sunlight and for keeping that wall as usable. My windows are too low in my new space and have made wall storage difficult to plan

 

[sawduststeve]

No idea what happened with the concrete. I measured the forms and they were within an 1/8". My only guess is that the forms shifted on them during the pour and they didn't catch it. Frustrating to have to do so much handholding when you figure the thing you're paying huge money for should just be done right. The best I can do now is learn from it and try to vet out these next contractors I'm going to use, but at the end of the day you're just going off reviews and a gut feeling.

Good luck on your build and please pop in with any questions

Hi Evan
Wet concrete puts a massive amount of pressure on your forms, I think you’re correct in that they moved during the pour. Good work with squaring up the block work, and great work in getting the trusses on.
But, holy cow mate, are you sure you’ve got enough timber in the building
Keep at it.

Steve

 

[Aladinsane07]

Hi Evan
Wet concrete puts a massive amount of pressure on your forms, I think you’re correct in that they moved during the pour. Good work with squaring up the block work, and great work in getting the trusses on.

Hey Steve

Thanks for your insight. Not much I could do once it had been poured other than make due with what I had. I did however have a little chuckle when the concrete contractor reached out asking for a good review on their social pages. I said, "you probably don't want what I have to say". Never heard from them again

But, holy cow mate, are you sure you’ve got enough timber in the building
Keep at it.

Steve

I can't tell if you're saying this in jest or you're seeing a problem I'm not aware of? Let me know.

 

[sawduststeve]

Just in jest, I’m still not used to seeing this amount of timber in a building


Very impressive. Good work

 

[Aladinsane07]

Your build is coming together nicely. I think your high windows are a great idea both for controlling the sunlight and for keeping that wall as usable. My windows are too low in my new space and have made wall storage difficult to plan

Hey, fellow Minnesotan! Thanks for stopping in
I'm glad I thought of the window height ahead of time. You never really know when you're just sketching things out, but now that I see them (or at least the space they'll go ) I really like the look.

 

[Just Puttering]

Wow, that end gable truss is huge. Good on you for manhandling that massive beast into place. Enjoying your build thead

 

[Aladinsane07]

Wow, that end gable truss is huge. Good on you for manhandling that massive beast into place. Enjoying your build thread

Tell me about it! I definitely had a moment of panic thinking, "What if we just physically can't get this thing into place?". At least the vaulted trusses I knew we could've lifted them if absolutely necessary, but those gable ends were heavy.

 

[Aladinsane07]

Another couple weekends of rushing to get everything in place before the roofers could do their thing. I had several conversations with the project manager of the roofing company to ensure when they showed up everything would be in the state that they needed it. Somehow three times (!) the crew came to work for the day and had to leave because something wasn't ready. Not because I wasn't able to finish something, but there being a miscommunication of how they were expecting things. Obviously I felt bad every time. I don't like wasting people's time. And because I'm not a professional, I was very upfront with him and said numerous times, "tell me explicitly how you'd like things to be when your guys show up". But after the third time of them telling me, "oh actually we need this too" I stopped feeling bad and got frustrated. Each time there was another setback I would have to bust *** after work, working from a head lamp, to get things ready for them to be able to work in the morning. Looking back, I guess I took zero pictures because everyday was a sprint. I guess this update covers roof sheathing, sub fascia, PVC fascia, and finally roofing.



Electricians are coming Tuesday to install the panel and enough wiring to get me through inspection. Fingers crossed the energy company approves a new, separate service .

 

[Aladinsane07]

Finished off the last of the framing that I had to leave open in order to clear the trusses. Threw in some massive headers; 4x 2x12s! I also went around and cleaned up some shiners, took off some remaining supports, etc in order to get ready for sheathing.



Then I had to do the inaugural test fit.

 

[Jacko264]

Nice build very smart

 

[Aladinsane07]

Nice build very smart

Thanks! I appreciate the encouragement.

 

[Aladinsane07]

Well this is going to be a weird one to write. Very eventful week to say the least.

My priority for the week was to get as much sheathing up as possible, maybe even the stretch goal of getting everything up and taped. I hired a crew to put up soffits on Friday so I had to at least be far enough that I wouldn't hold them up. Tuesday I actually made quick progress. These were full sheets so I was just hauling them in to place, nailing them off, and hoofing over the next one. The sun is all but gone by 6:30 PM this time of year so there's no time to dilly dally. By the end of the day it was starting to close in.



Over the next two nights I was able to get the garage fully closed in and even taped! This was a pretty big moment walking away at the end of the night. My wife said, "Hey, it's like an actual building now" with a little too much surprise in her voice for my liking.



The win was a little short lived, however. I usually like to work from home if I have a contractor on-site just in case they need anything. Unfortunately I had a big presentation to give that day so I couldn't be around. Just as I'm about to start the presentation my phone starts BLOWING UP. I take a quick look at the notifications and it's just my camera notifying that someone is coming up the driveway. I'm still not sure why I decided to watch the clip because I just assumed it was the workers coming back from lunch. The clip starts with a guy walking slowly up the driveway and then a minute later a WALL of cops is crossing my lawn.



I panicked. I excused myself and called my wife. Luckily she picks up and is completely fine. I told her, "Get outside! There's cops swarming the house". I had to hang up and go give the presentation while trying to hold it together.

I later learned that apparently one of the workers had planned to do a massive drug deal from my house. I guess they had been following this guy for some time. So I guess I'm going to have to find another plan for soffits 🫠

 

[nicholam77]

I later learned that apparently one of the workers had planned to do a massive drug deal from my house. I guess they had been following this guy for some time. So I guess I'm going to have to find another plan for soffits 🫠

I'm sure that was stressful to not know what's going on at first!

Impressive work on everything. Looks like quite a nice amount of space. Maybe you can come build one for me, next?

 

[slim_grim]

My wife said, "Hey, it's like an actual building now" with a little too much surprise in her voice for my liking.

My wife has seen me build many things. I always marvel at the surprise in her voice when she comments on a project. I just pat myself on the back and assume that she's just super impressed. lol

Awesome build thread. Can't wait to see what's next!

 

[Just Puttering]

My priority for the week was to get as much sheathing up as possible

So great to see the sheathing on...looking great

 

[Jacko264]

Coming on nicely as someone said can you build one for me
but I would need a bigger garden first 🫣
G