Would you build a 28x32 with friends?

[Gnfantic]

OK guys, slab is down and 4 months cured. Building a 28x32 with a 18' peak. I can save $5885 in labor if I build it with my friends. We are all very handy but I am worried about several things like the height and weight of the ridge beam. I have done plenty of carpentry in the past but never a project this size. Saving that $6k I can do so many things like a whole new driveway. Only tools I dont have is scaffolding.

 

[Jlbc212]

OK guys, slab is down and 4 months cured. Building a 28x32 with a 18' peak. I can save $5885 in labor if I build it with my friends. We are all very handy but I am worried about several things like the height and weight of the ridge beam. I have done plenty of carpentry in the past but never a project this size. Saving that $6k I can do so many things like a whole new driveway. Only tools I dont have is scaffolding.

i did a 28x36 with 12 foot high walls and a 10/12 roof pitch mostly by myself. I did get help and a small crane when it came time to set up the roof attic trusses. You can do it!

 

[Gnfantic]

That is awesome man! Any tips would be deeply appreciated. you saved alot of coin!

 

[jhelrey]

Depends on time... Sometimes time is better spent elsewhere.

 

[La Petite Tools]

That is awesome man! Any tips would be deeply appreciated. you saved alot of coin!

Measure twice and make sure the drunk guy isn't doing the cutting. Other than that always think two steps ahead of what you are going to put where and make sure you build the framing accordingly. I built a 16x20 myself with help of family and friends first project that large and there were a few things I would have done differently but am still extremely happy with the way it turned out.

 

[Gnfantic]

Depends on time... Sometimes time is better spent elsewhere.

I got plenty of time and overtime at work dried up. There is none. I have 4 days off a week so I have the time.

 

[fordkid88]

https://goo.gl/images/aw39FX

 

[Gnfantic]

lol, funny. DO I need scaffold?? 18' peak. rent? buy used off CL?

 

[La Petite Tools]

lol, funny. DO I need scaffold?? 18' peak. rent? buy used off CL?

i have a 17' peak and didn't need scaffold but it sure made it a lot easier, my dad had some on wheels which made it really easy to re position working on the inside. what style roof will you be able to walk on it?

 

[fourbyford]

GO FOR IT!!! I built a 48' x 64' monitor style barn... 29' to the peak of the upper roof with loft... mostly by myself from ladders and 2 sections of scaffolding (4' x 8') that i borrowed from my neighbor (stacked they were 12' high). I did have help with the 50 yards of concrete, with hanging the upper trusses and with hanging the (LONG) pieces of siding on the gable ends. I did rent a multi-terrain manlift on two separate occasions. This was at a site with no electricity... used primarily cordless tools... a genny for the tough jobs. You're right, you can use the 6k for better things!! This one's a walk in the park...lol...
...D

 

[Gnfantic]

Can I attach a pdf?

 

[Gnfantic]

GO FOR IT!!! I built a 48' x 64' monitor style barn... 29' to the peak of the upper roof with loft... mostly by myself from ladders and 2 sections of scaffolding (4' x 8') that i borrowed from my neighbor (stacked they were 12' high). I did have help with the 50 yards of concrete, with hanging the upper trusses and with hanging the (LONG) pieces of siding on the gable ends. I did rent a multi-terrain manlift on two separate occasions. This was at a site with no electricity... used primarily cordless tools... a genny for the tough jobs. You're right, you can use the 6k for better things!! This one's a walk in the park...lol...
...D

Thats insane, it is like I am building a shed compared to yours

 

[fourbyford]

A few years before I built my barn I helped my buddy build a 28' x 40' shop... on a mono slab. We spent about a week with site prep... he rented a backhoe to dig and I helped out with the hand work and setting vapor barrier, re-bar and forms. We did get 3 other buddies to help out with the concrete. We let that cure and then started framing. I think the two of us had all the walls standing by the end of day 2... his brother came out and helped set trusses... we had it sheathed and ready for shingles and siding a couple days after that.
It's really not that big of a deal. The key is to have a plan... that everyone understands... have all tools and materials on hand (and a runner... for the odd thing that you forgot) and a plan to keep the "crew" fed and watered... (no beers until after the day's work is done!). When we're working together, whoever owns the job gets up about 2 hours before the other guy shows up... tools out, extension cords run, materials, tools, supplies laid out... maybe a cuppa Joe waiting... when the "hired help" shows up it's no BS and getting after it. Its absolutely amazing how much work a couple of guys can get done in a short time! And, my buddy and I "trade labor"... guess we lost track a long time ago as far as the number of hours worked on whose project. Doesn't matter though... the bottom line is, when the other guy needs a hand were all over it... I'm sure, in the long run, we're pretty even-steven.
If ya got a couple of buds ya can count on, I'd say go for it... and, have some fun!
Keep us posted! And pics... we need pics!!
...D

 

[Kaizen]

Built my 30x36x12 alone. This is the third year. I would have spent 6k if I had it. Pros can simply bang it out faster and better. Mine was a tight budget and I love this stuff so I went this way. You need to research and teach yourself every step you haven’t done before.


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[anythingyoucanimagine]

You can absolutely do it!

Tools: TAPE MEASURES AND PENCILS... Do your buddies know how to cut and mark for framing? Straight lines and X'es as well as a line with check/scratch where you want the kerf? Stupid **** --make sure everyone is on the same page, good tapes (not Horrible Freight ****), hammers, keep pencils sharp (or understand that as they dull the line moves).

Drinking (alcohol)... Meh... If you are really working you'll be sweating (even if 20 below out) and no time to drink. If you are dicking around and it's social hour... Then who cares...


I did two 13x20 additions to our house completely solo (only help was from my wife and her dad once or twice). It's not a big deal. If you are organized --I mean super-****-organized... You can have all your **** marked and pre-cut before your buddies show up. It'll take work (and you will lose sleep over it) but it'll be worth it.


Other important thing: Recognize when your guys are starting to lose it. idk what kind of saws/tools you have... People get tired and when they don't do framing/construction every day, when they get tired they make mistakes. Can be small and no big deal --or can be big enough that your whole framing is off... Or your day stops because someone goes to the hospital.


Someone else said you have to be up 2 hours early getting ready. You need to be up early, stay up late cleaning & prepping for next day and generally on top of all your ****. Then feed your guys. I've always had good luck getting the wife on board... Invite couples over --either tell the other wives to come over and bring the kids (one giant cluster-F) or tell the wife we will hire a babysitter for 50 kids and she takes them all out for mani/pedi while the guys build something. Don't forget about the wives and the kids --and don't forget how much work your wife will be doing on the back end. (if you have a wife)


Just be careful with the power tools and the nail guns. I have a buddy who is 30yr contractor who just lost two fingers. Was his grandfather's table saw in his basement. He wasn't even on a job, he was building a doll house for his granddaughter. Someone opened basement door and yelled downstairs --he got distracted and boom... he's got two fingers on the floor. You may be confident and comfortable with your tools but make sure your buddies have a clue so they don't get hurt.


Rough framing is easy --an 8th here or there is nothing a beer can't fix...

 

[Jazz1]

Build with friends. None of us carpenters, just handy When I put my garage up it took 6 of us 11 hours to assemble, install man door, 2 windows and sheath completely(24x30) The extra bodies were a must hanging the trusses
I completed the wiring, shingling electrical, insulating and drywal along with some help from son over the following 2 weeks
I did rent a drywall lift to hang the 14’ and 16’ sheets of drywall
Only thing I farmed our was hanging the 16’ door $140 well spent

 

[MushCreek]

I built my house largely single-handed, at age 60. I had help hanging the trusses. 3 guys- one on the ground tying the trusses to the strap and keeping it straight as the crane flew it in, and two guys on top of the walls, lining them up and securing them. I fully braced each truss before hanging the next one; people have been killed by collapsing trusses. It took three inexperienced old men about 6 hours, plus a patient and skilled crane operator. I say 'yes' to scaffolding, as I'm a weenie on ladders, especially since I started getting vertigo.

I figured out after the fact that having even one helper would have sped things up considerably. I had to push the roof sheathing up a ladder, one sheet at a time. I could only install about 15 sheets a day before I was gassed. If I'd had a helper, we could have knocked the whole roof out in a day. An experienced crew of 6 erected my 28 X 48 27' tall barn shell in 5 days. It was simply too massive for me to try roughing in my barn.

I don't know how much I saved by building my own house and and barn, because I took three years off of work to do it, but the satisfaction is priceless.

 

[Prospecter]

I built a 24x30 with my wife and elementary children. Everything but site work and slab. Memorial Day to Labor Day.

20 x 70 house addition, except for site work and foundation.

12x30 Storage for equipment and firewood. Even did the slab and site work on that one. (Only slab I've got that has not cracked!)

What we did not know (a lot) I read up on, and did not know about GJ at the time!. 5x8 scaffold was a big help. It raises the ground up for those who don't like ladders. The miter saw also helped make consistent cuts comfortable as we gained experience.

You can do it.

 

[HoosierMark]

There are so many things you can do, the question is what you should do to be smart. You can frame the walls easily and have them ready to stand quickly when the help comes. You can have the trusses delivered and have a small crane, wrecker with big boom or other method to set them or build the rafters. Do you have guys who you can count on? Do you have people who are not afraid of heights? Do you have contacts if you get in a jam that can be called on, those are the questions. I have done things both ways and now I spend the money. Previously I built my own 24 x 32, remodeled small stuff etc.. If I you are young, go for it. It is a great experience. Keep track of the beer and food you buy for the help, it gets expensive and it does not stop when the construction ends, they helped you and feel entitled. There is a wealth of info on this site and plenty of people who will help, if I was not in Indiana I would stop by and help for a day, that's what friends do.

 

[matt_i]

Relatively speaking, some people are surgeons and some people are butchers. Eventually you need the skills of both, the true power is to know how and when to apply them.

I wouldn't expect to have help every single day, your friends may have a lot of enthusiasm at first but eventually tire of the work. Not guaranteed but you can find yourself as the only one banging away at it quite often.

Not everyone can read a tape measure quickly and accurately. Not everyone's definition of level is the same. So it would be good to identify the skills of everyone and anoint a leader especially when it comes to critical parts of the build (cutting expensive timbers, etc)

One thing that saves a lot of confusion after you've made a pencil mark for a cut is to also mark a small "X" on the side you want the blade kerf to be on, if one person is marking and another cutting. Setting up a mitersaw station saves a lot of wonky cuts.

But on to can you do it? Yes, its a very good experience but it will take longer than you think. I'm about to click into the 4th year of building my shop, its close...and there has been some scope-creep into bells and whistles...and at times a little mental fatigue....but a great experience overall. Armed with new skills you can now go help your friends build their own shops and barns

One last thing, its really good to have drawings. Eventually there will be a time when there's a bit of confusion about how parts fit, and having a reference, even if its sketched on the back of an envelope, is very valuable. Also helpful is to draw up an idea for "the next step" as this can get everyone going on the same page before materials start to be cut and placed.

 

[JamesW84]

get your sheathing on the walls before trusses. At least on the ends. Don't ask me how I know...

 

[Jazz1]

get your sheathing on the walls before trusses. At least on the ends. Don't ask me how I know...

We framed and sheathed walls then stood them up. That was when all 6 of us were required to stand wall and set on the anchors

 

[mike93lx]

I have learned that i only do projects with friends if it is just one friend at a time, at the absolute most, 2. More hands isn't helpful if they are not experienced.

I would only take on that project if i could do 90% by myself. Relying on friends for a big project will be problematic, unless your time line doesn't matter, or you are Amish

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Sure...as long as they shut-up and do what I say!

 

[SteveeP]

Go for it...I have done a 24'X24' addition on my house and more recently a 26'X36' detached garage essentially by myself (help from a brother & couple of friends when really needed). I totally enjoyed the entire process and the feeling of accomplishment when done is pretty cool.

 

[Jlbc212]

I didn't place the sheathing on the walls until after I had all the walls framed and in place. I did use Simpson Strong-Tie TWB12 steel wall bracing. It's easy to square up the wall using diagonal measurements and then mark, make the cuts across the studs and attach the steel brace. I did this before standing the wall up. Before lifting the sheathing in place I would set a couple of 16d nails into the studs to place the sheathing on before nailing it. I did have pump jacks and a 24 aluminum staging plank. Take you time. Use only one or two friends who are reliable and capable.

 

[Boilerhouse]

I built a 24 x 30 garage alone. Rented a crane ($300) and got a friend to help set the trusses in place, other than that- raised walls alone, put on the roof (ply sheathing and metal) alone, etc. I started around July 1, and my father parked in it early October.
I built two wooden 8 foot work benches which could be pushed around and stood on them to toenail the trusses in and general work at heights. When the garage was done, these became (not surprisingly) my work benches. Built scaffold from surplus 2x4 or 2x6 to put up the siding, especially needed at the gables. When this job was over, I disassembled the scaffolding. Side note- scaffolding is cheap to rent and this is the route I would go now. Also wish I had painted the walls and ceiling before I started to move things in. Would have made that part a little more convenient.

For me the biggest advantage was not the money saved, it was knowing the person who built the garage did not take any short cuts, everything was done to code, (or excess) and built exactly as the customer wanted.

 

[BD1]

Look into renting a scissor lift. They have a variety of sizes , capacities, and most are four wheel drive. IF you can get everything prefabbed, walls done with exterior finish on, pre drilled for anchoring , and trusses onsite, it won't take long at all.
A telehandler is really nice for raising walls and setting trusses. The money saved in labor by others will be used for the rental equipment. It maybe less expansive to hire a crane. Many roofing companies do that with theirs. You're not lifting any weight. Get prices

 

[CraigStu]

Wait a minute, did you say ridge beam? You are not using trusses? I helped a friend build similar size garage w/ scissor trusses. We built the walls on the floor but only 12 feet wide. Both small guys so 16ft got kind of heavy to stand up. Just cost a couple of extra 2x4s. For the trusses we had 4 people. We made up 3 pusher poles in different lengths. Just a 2x4 w/ a 2ft piece of 2x4 screwed on maybe 15 inches down from the top to form a lopsided "Y" to engage and push the trusses upward. We put the trusses inside against the outer walls upside down. They were a few feet extra long so he had a bit of overhanging roof on both sides. Actually helped w/ the install. I was surprised how well the truss install went.

 

[Kirkvkid]

Relatively speaking, some people are surgeons and some people are butchers. Eventually you need the skills of both, the true power is to know how and when to apply them.

^^^This.
I have several buddies that are very skilled craftsman. My work can look downright embarrassing next to theirs.

But sometimes when we are on one of my projects, they become crippled with indecision. That's where 'the butcher' comes in.

 

[joe_padavano]

Look into renting a scissor lift.

^^^THIS. I erected a 28x32 metal building and a 36x48 pole building, both times with only one helper. I had rented a backhoe for site work and we used that to raise the main I-beam frame on the metal building. I rented a scissor lift to put up the purlins and room metal (it was MUCH easier than going up and down the ladder). On the pole building, I rented an off-road fork lift to set the 36ft trusses. The local rental house will drop off and pick up for a nominal additional fee.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

If those "friends" are framing contractors! Enough said!!!

 

[GrayFlattop]

Depends on the friends.

I put up my 24 x 40 x 10' ceiling with two friends. All of us had a fair amount of construction skill / experience. A week after the slab was poured I had materials delivered. 2 x 4 stick built with roof trusses. siding / sheathing was T-111 in 10' sheets.

The day prior, I made up all of the headers and corner posts and organized the framing lumber.

By the end of day 1 we had all the walls up - squared and braced for plumb. and all the trusses resting on the top plates (inverted). Day two we flipped-up and nailed-in the trusses and got all the roof sheathing on except for the last three partial sheets at the ridge (it was dark). The following day I finished the roof sheathing myself, then one of the two guys (the one that I helped build HIS 24 x 40 x 12 2 years prior) came back so we could get the gable ends sheathed and rolled out / stapled down the roofing felt.

I sprayed the exterior with a big airless sprayer the following day (no wind - no drifting overspray) The day after another friend of mine who was a roofer came by and due to his experience was able to shingle the roof in a matter of hours with one of the guys he worked with. His services were silly cheap and the results were top notch. While those two were laying shingles, I cased-in the man-door the overhead door and framed-in the center dividing wall. The following day I installed the 16 x 8 overhead door.

Time-line was:
Concrete excavation, pour and finish - 3 day. (subcontracted)
Concrete cure - 3 days.
Framing - 3 days
Finish trim and doors - 1.5 days.

Of course I was in my 30's then, but I'd do it again with the same guys - it just might take twice as long.

And I forgot - Building permit, zoning appeals - that consumed 15 months.

I did the minimal electric work needed and got the framing was signed-off. Done.

THEN I insulated (2 days) and hung the drywall with one of the guys above (2 days).

Paid a crew to do the taping (2 days) then sprayed the inside white (2 more days for primer + top coat.

You can do it if your friends are capable. You need a plan and someone needs to be in charge, but we all worked well together.

Fun times!

 

[TractorJeff]

Quote "Paid a crew to do the taping (2 days) then sprayed the inside white (2 more days for primer + top coat."

Somethings are just cheaper to pay having done!

 

[rsanter]

My advice is split the difference
You can frame and stand the walls.
Hire the ridge beam and even rafters or trusses out to a crew to do or hire a crane service to handle it

Also you may be able to put the beam and rafters up yourself if you rent one of those long reach fork lifts

 

[Gnfantic]

Thanks for all the tip guys, The lumber yard stated to me the 5 1/2 x 18" x 28' versa-lam weighs over 800 lbs. Thats what scares me. I do not think they offer a crane service so I think I will have to rent one.

 

[Kaizen]

Thanks for all the tip guys, The lumber yard stated to me the 5 1/2 x 18" x 28' versa-lam weighs over 800 lbs. Thats what scares me. I do not think they offer a crane service so I think I will have to rent one.

Naaa. It’s only 400 pounds approximately when you lift one end. Set up stops to rest it on. Three feet up at a time. Or you can rent a beam lifter if it goes high enough


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[K'ledgeBldr]

Somethings are just cheaper to pay having done!

Well.....

If time is money (and I'm a very firm believer), then spending money isn't "cheaper". It's just time well "spent".

 

[Kaizen]

Are you making usable space in the second floor? If not use trusses. Or attic trusses. If you have a floor no need for staging


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[jdewitt]

Are you making usable space in the second floor? If not use trusses. Or attic trusses. If you have a floor no need for staging


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+1 for attic trusses. You might as well have as much storage space as possible.