5 Acres of Fun

[st cloud rustoms]

After years (11 to be exact) of talking about it, my wife and I finally did it. We found out that baby #3 is on the way, so we decided to poop or get off the pot and found 5 acres to build on.

The layout of our current house, roughly 1500 sq ft wasn't suiting our needs anymore and with the growing family, starting to feel cramped, not to mention we have less than .25 of an acre.

After looking around, we found a piece we liked, put an offer in, bantered back and forth a bit, and got it. This is where the real fun begins.

We're taking our time designing the house, but in the mean time, I'm prepping to sell our current house as well as take care of the new property. So, I sold the boat, bought a tractor and implements, and am slowly starting to do things at the new property.

This is standing at the back corner of our property. The drive on the right is an easement for the lots behind us to access their land. I technically own 17' of it.

 

[st cloud rustoms]

213,444 sq ft and I can't decide where to put a 200 sq ft bldg

In an attempt to declutter our current house and to be able to protect things at the new property, I decided to put up, what originally started as a temporary building. My idea was to buy a carport off of Craigslist and to enclose it.

The thought behind this, we werent sure where we were situating the house, and in the long run, I'll be building a permanent much larger shop. So, this was basically just to get me by in the mean time without dumping a whole ton of money into it.

After searching for about 2 months, I finally scored a carport. Carport sales on CL are somewhat interesting. They sell almost as quick as someone lists it, so you have to be super quick to call them. I picked up this carport for $400.

 

[st cloud rustoms]

After speaking with our totally awesome neighbors as to not cause problems with the placement of the building, I finally decided where I was going to put the carport transformed into a building.

Because this was to be a temporary solution that I had thought I'd sell after I have my real shop, my flooring option, again to be temporary, is to use asphalt millings. I was able to get 18 yards / 20 tons for $290 delivered. I wanted to have it high enough to have a level base and get good compaction. I went with 6" form boards a foot wider in each direction.

In our area, zoned agricultural, we have to have 25' setbacks from property lines. I'm at 30' from each property line with this form. The gate onto the property will be relocated in front of the building once it's complete.

 

[st cloud rustoms]

another amazing sunset

 

[st cloud rustoms]

I got the millings all spread out and leveled in the forms, and rented a compactor. This is the result with the bases of the carport and the tractor for sizing.

 

[st cloud rustoms]

Back to the building and enclosing it. The carport was really short when I got it, I think right at 5' on the sides and a little over 8' in the middle. The tractor itself is right at 7' tall on top of the ROPS I think, so I knew that I wanted to raise the height of the carport as well. I found a local place that sells the metal buildings and all the supplies, even piece parts. They sell the metal siding for $1.85/LF for the galvalume (non painted) material. I decided to take the building up to 9' on the sides from the original 5'. I bought extra tubing to extend the legs. The 4 corner posts are 1 single piece of brand new 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" 14 ga material. The inner posts are spliced originals that have 2' sleeve sections internally to them of 2" x 2" 12ga material.

My dad and I got all the structure up in about an hour and started putting on the new siding. At the end of the day, we got 3 sections up on 2 sides.

 

[st cloud rustoms]

I went back out a few days later to see what else I could get done. When a crane isn't in the budget, you improvise. I was able to complete both front and back of the building to get it ready to wrap the roof. I haven't cut the garage door opening completely out yet, that'll happen once I get the door on.

 

[west_perf]

nice looking place, bud. The first two pictures didn't work for me. Guessing you're just south of me from the looks of things.

 

[JCQuick]

I don't see nothing

 

[blacksporty]

Pics not working

 

[JCQuick]

I was on my work computer earlier now I'm on my home PC and still nothing. Sounds like its good though

 

[Richard Cranium]

Wow, only the last two didn't show for me.
Good luck. Richard

 

[JCQuick]

pics are working now cool place

 

[Grizzly Guy]

Nice place your going to have.A tractor sure is handy on a property that size.

 

[timbitca]

Nice little tractor you have there. Can't wait to move a bit further from the city and have a bit more land to play with, and hopefully bring my tractor (in my avatar) out of the hibernation its been enjoying the past 5 years.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

 

[wttwoa]

i love the metal car port builds, any updates?

 

[st cloud rustoms]

I got the sides buttoned up and the roof on relatively quickly. The door is up and some of the roof trim is on. Next up, I just need the outside corner trim. So far, I think I have a little less than $2000 in the whole setup.

Quotes that I got for a new building of this size, without any ground work, cement, millings etc, were around the $4500 range. So I think I'm doing good.

I found someone on Craigslist selling 2 of the same garage doors with both sets of tracks, all the hardware, and the springs/cables for $120 for the pair. They were your typical 9' wide, 7' tall doors. I took 1 section from the second door and added it to the first door to accomplish almost a 9' tall door, combining some track from both setups. I ended up selling the other 3 sections of the second door on Craigslist for $10 per section, bringing my door cost to $90. I still have 2 full pieces of track and the second spring rod setup to sell.

 

[Ilikeike]

Nice place. Good job on the building.

 

[j p smith]

Looks like you are going to have an awesome place . Good job on the carport mods

 

[Terrick down Under]

Well done and good luck. It is worth every minute you spend on this project. You and your family will love it.