Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT A Seattle Small Lot Build

[R. Deschain]

Buying toys and equipment already? Nice.

Yep, he who dies with the most tools wins.

 

[miamivice]

Congrats on getting the permit and everything to build out! I am in Wedgewood and just finished my build last year, and it was a pain get a design to work. Maxed out my sq footage on lot coverage as well....

 

[R. Deschain]

Congrats on getting the permit and everything to build out! I am in Wedgewood and just finished my build last year, and it was a pain get a design to work. Maxed out my sq footage on lot coverage as well....

Thanks! It looks like you had some of the same initial issues that I had as well. It will really be nice to has this thing done and be able to look at it from an arm chair with a cold beer in my hand.

 

[R. Deschain]

The slab is down and the curing has begun. It is not laser flat - 1/8" - 1/4" variance in couple spots in the field, but the pad is smooth. I had the apron poured extra thick (8-9") brush finished and control joints troweled in. I had a sprinkler on it for the 1st 24 hours and soaker hoses and a poly wrap are going on today after the slab control joints are cut.

I will let is cure for another 6 days and then apply a densifyer (Ashford) on top. Framing will start next Thursday or Friday. I am so exited that I feel like a pimply teen who just scored a playmate as a prom date!

 

[R. Deschain]

Re: A Seattle Small Lot Build - The F-Bomb Garage

My garage/shop now has a name, but first: Story Time.

I have agonized over what to call it since the early planning stages began almost 3 years ago: The Place Warranties Go to Die, The Jeep Warren, The Briar Patch, The Shiznit Garage, My Little ADHD Shed, etc…

I was out on the slab last night moving around the poly-burlab curing cover, the boards holding it down, and rearranging the soaker hoses when I smacked myself in the side of the head – really f’n hard, right behind the temple, with a wet 2X6. I saw stars and staggered around holding the side of my head saying F%$#!! loudly, over & over in a machine gun manner. It was all that would come out. This scene may have just lasted a few seconds or up to a minute - the timeline is a little fuzzy. My sweet wife did not see the initial head strike, just my wobbling around and apparent sudden affliction of turrets. I stumbled in the door a few minutes later and she said over her shoulder; “I am sure the neighbors will be glad when your little playhouse is built so they will not have to listen to all the dropping of f-bombs…” I was about to take gross offence to her characterization of physical culmination of my fabrication dreams as a “little playhouse” when I realized that she had provided the perfect name: The F-Bomb Garage.

I have searched the forum and have found no others. So, I am claiming the name and am searching for the perfect logo.

 

[trialrun]

Dig the name!

 

[rattle_snake]

Re: A Seattle Small Lot Build - The F-Bomb Garage

...F%$#!! loudly, over over in a machine gun manner. ....

Haha (sorry not a 'lol' guy)

... “I am sure the neighbors will be glad when your little playhouse is built so they will not have to listen to all the dropping of f-bombs…”

Classic! I'm sure the look on her face when along with it. Nice work. The F word is so versatile, use it proudly, sir.
I have come up with a name (non-wife approved) for my little playhouse, the METAL CHURCH after the band (originally from Aberdeen WA, what a nice, happy place).

 

[R. Deschain]

Re: A Seattle Small Lot Build - The F-Bomb Garage


That is a good one. I like the aerial bomb fuse detail

 

[bj383ss]

Wow what a great build and story line. I too am dabbling in one side auto and other side woodshop. I love how you have laid everything out digitally. I need to teach myself how to do that. I still draw all of mine on graph paper. Great bunch of new tools as well. What dust collector did you go with?

Looking forward to your build progress happening.

Bret

 

[R. Deschain]

What dust collector did you go with?

Hi Bret,

Really jealous of the C10. Really.

I went with the Jet 1.5 hp vortex system, but only because I got the floor model for the same price as a Grizzly vortex. I am going to put in ridged pipe where I can as opposed to flex. I also have a PM ceiling mount air filter that I had in the little shed on a timer. Really like the unit and timer and will do the same in new shop.

I have a buddy who has a HF vac that he has put a vortex on from woodcraft and a larger bag and it works pretty good as long as he stays away from MDF.

 

[Bib Overalls]

F Bomb #2.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Nice work on the new shop build and I like your taste in vehicles!

 

[bj383ss]

Hi Bret,

Really jealous of the C10. Really.

I went with the Jet 1.5 hp vortex system, but only because I got the floor model for the same price as a Grizzly vortex. I am going to put in ridged pipe where I can as opposed to flex. I also have a PM ceiling mount air filter that I had in the little shed on a timer. Really like the unit and timer and will do the same in new shop.

I have a buddy who has a HF vac that he has put a vortex on from woodcraft and a larger bag and it works pretty good as long as he stays away from MDF.

That's a great dust collector. You will be happy with it I am sure. The Canister filter will make a huge difference. Along with the ceiling mounted air cleaner should be able to keep the Jeep dust free.

The C10 has a been a lot of fun and frustrating at the same time. It is coming home in the next few days very excited to say the least.

Bret

 

[drivesitfar]

RD: nice looking start to the new shop. how's the cement look today? i'm maybe one of the few members that would ask for pictures of drying cement, but dang i like a project's details.

also like your little trailer. is it a 4x6 and did you make it or where did you buy it?

hope cement is doing well and once it's ready i bet your framers will have a garage sitting on it real soon.

good luck

 

[rubberrodder]

The "F"bomb garage. Perfect name. Inspiration comes from many sources, including wet 2x6's.
The other response would about "writing it on a 2x4/6 and hitting you with it" Great build so far.

 

[R. Deschain]

RD: nice looking start to the new shop. how's the cement look today? i'm maybe one of the few members that would ask for pictures of drying cement, but dang i like a project's details.

also like your little trailer. is it a 4x6 and did you make it or where did you buy it?

hope cement is doing well and once it's ready i bet your framers will have a garage sitting on it real soon.

good luck

It looks good. No spider cracks - yet - and the surface is just showing a little marbling. It will look better as I start to use it. I will throw some pictures up later this week.

The Trailer is a 4X6 with high sides - match the lines of the jeep and with a removable swing gate. I had Iron Eagle Mfg. in Portland build it. for extra $, They put a 3800 lb axle under it and 225 tires. There are couple of other little tweaks as well - spare tire mount and LED lights. I have used it once or twice a week since I bought it and it has already 1/2 paid for itself in rental, delivery, and dump fees on the house and garage project. I will be adding a triangle tongue box for ratchet straps and spare bearings, but I need to get the garage done before I start any more projects, no matter how small.

 

[R. Deschain]

Got a call from the builder a bit ago and the lumber will be onsite tomorrow, Framing starts Wednesday, and trusses are delivered on Friday. If schedule holds, windows and siding start next Wednesday.

Just to catch up before the framing starts: A few pictures of me applying the Ashford Densifyer to the slab after the 7-8 day cure (not pictured is the brush and scrub part of the application) and some additional pictures of me leveling the lot for my builder. Man, I am paying a bunch of money to someone else to do a bunch of work on this garage myself.

 

[revamped]

Nice to find other Puget Sounders... the struggle is real! Great project in a cramped area. Gives hope to people that think they just cant fit in what's important.

Subscribing so I can see how your OCD pans out... I have high expectations for my build as well. Just broke ground this week and plan to have a dried in shell by fall. The rest unfortunately will have to wait until I save up for each stage.
revamped

 

[drivesitfar]

RD: slab and dirt work look great. how many days do you leave the forms on?

i know why you hired the General Contractor or at least i think i know. there were probably some things with the city he might have helped you work through to get permits approved. yes?? or did you do that all on your own with the permit process?

also if you are like me i could probably build almost the entire garage myself and plumb and wire it, but there are gaps in my knowledge in several areas that a PRO will definitely help. hope your guy hired the right subs and has some of that knowledge because it's a pain dealing with the mistakes of others especially on your own stuff.

good luck

 

[R. Deschain]

drivesitfar:

I hired a contractor to get the garage in the dry, but I have ended up doing some of the work/a lot of the work myself. I really like the guy and the work he is doing, but sometimes we are only as good as our worst employee. I had to redo some of the rebar, add some rebar in the lift footings, re-dig a footing to put it in the right place, install welded-wire chairs, move the Honey-bucket, tear out the old garage and flatten the site around the slab to make things easier for the framing and siding crew. It looks like I will be installing the windows too as I am super particular about how windows should be done. A little tar paper, caulk, and contractors tape just wont cut it.

I can do all of it: from dirt prep, to frame and finish, to gutters, to electrical, but I have a full time job with a travel schedule and I just don't have the time to do it all or source the subs. as far as permits, I fought with the city for 2 years to try and get the permits through and just got squashed. In the end, my contractor walked them through in 2 days. I was stunned and he was worth it if only for that reason.

I left the forms on 36 hours and the relief cuts were done then too. I started soaking the slab after 4-5 hours to get a good hard cure and kept ware on it for the next 8 days. The forms came off at just the right time - any longer and they would have been stuck, but the slab could have waited another day to have the relief cuts made. The concrete guy did them and I am not 100% happy with the tearout and chipping. It isn't a structural worry, just a cosmetic flaw.

 

[drivesitfar]

RD: i hear your pain and hopefully it WILL get better. have you mentioned any of this to the GC (nicely of course because yelling or cursing doesn't usually help)?

best of luck with the build and i'll be watching from the cheap seats.

also not sure if you are planning on putting a gate on each side when the garage is finished but if you'd like some great cedar from a mill you need to plan ahead so it can be drying like i've had to do with some of mine. i built this Pergola out of some cedar i picked up from a mill not too awfully far from us.

i've yet to get very many straight 4x4's from a local hardware type store so using 6x6's that are 6.25x6.25 are a better option for fence posts and what i used on my pergola.

 

[R. Deschain]

Framing started on time and the crew had 3 walls up the first day. The second day went without a hitch, them sheathing with ½” CDX (I hate OSB), cutting the window and door openings, and hanging the glue-lam beam over the garage dooropenings. There was some sort of mistake at the lumber yard and I got sent a 5-1/2” X 16” X 25’ beam. Double than what the plans called out. The thing is massive and with the 2X6 load bearing wall in the center of it (between the two garage doors) there will be zero problem if I ever decide to go up and add a second story. The Framing lead beefed up the garageb corners, is blocking all the walls at 5’, and put in some extra kicker-studs to beef everything up in case the City of Seattle decides that a possible second story is OK with their bureaucratic black hearts. The trusses will go on tomorrow.

 

[SiGmA_X]

Nice progress. I love your layout plans.

 

[drivesitfar]

RD: i also like plywood CDX and not a fan of OSB. what is the cost difference if you might happen to know?

that beam does look nice and big. is their a plan for a future second story for an in law, storage or a bonus room maybe down the road? can you put up trusses that might allow for the space now so all you'd have to do is put in dormers or is that the plan?

looks great and best of luck

 

[R. Deschain]

RD: i also like plywood CDX and not a fan of OSB. what is the cost difference if you might happen to know?

that beam does look nice and big. is their a plan for a future second story for an in law, storage or a bonus room maybe down the road? can you put up trusses that might allow for the space now so all you'd have to do is put in dormers or is that the plan?

looks great and best of luck

For the small quantity bought for my garage, it is $4 a sheet in difference. $200ish total for sheathing and decking - well worth the price for piece of mind. I also bought Carlisle WIP 300 self-sealing roofing underlayment. #30 roof felt is $25 a roll and WIP is $90, but I only need 5 rolls (4.2 actually). That $325 difference is serious insurance as the WIP can sit out without shingles on it, in case of wind damage an such, and not leak for 6 months.

No real plan for a second story - just pepping for a someday-maybe. I have scissor trusses in the half over the lift and an accessible attic on the other side, but with 10' walls and a max (per code) height of 15' there is not a vast amount of room up there. If I do ever get to go up, it is nice to know there is structure to support it.

 

[drivesitfar]

RD: i like your thinking and plan. good luck

 

[rubberrodder]

I got VERY lucky with my build, height wise, I was told 3 times before drawing up my plans,
18 ft max height was okay. Go to get my permits and suddenly now its 15 feet. I explain what I was told on 3 different occasions and the cool old dude{who was about to retire}looked at my plans and said "lower level ceiling is 8 ft. and the upper level ceiling is only 6 ft. That's only 14 ft!". Signs off on the the plans and gave me my permit!
I left the building EMEDIATELY!before they could change their minds.

Y

 

[R. Deschain]

I left the building EMEDIATELY!before they could change their minds.

Y

I wish that were my story... Congrats on yours though!

 

[Bib Overalls]

Went in to the local location of one of those big box chains, I wont say which one, to buy a rather sizable length of #8 2/Wg copper Romex cable. The old geezer that ran the electrical department for years waited on me. While the length I wanted was a big purchase for me it was not enough to qualify for the deeply discounted "contractor price." I pointed this out to him and he said "I can let you have the contractor price. No problem." After he had the length measured he pulled off a very generous cut allowance. Rolled it up, affixed the tag for the cashier, handed it to me and said "My two week notice is up today." The checker also gave me the military discount as well. I was out of there in a flash.

 

[R. Deschain]

The trusses are up and on. Flat trusses on one side and scissors on the other side. My contractor is not adding the fire block Code in our area is 10' before block is required and my walls are 10'... I don't care to build to the minimum of code, I want it done the right way and fire blocks, regardless of wall height, are the right way, so I cut them all to size and have employed child labor (my 15-year old son) to install with a driver and some 3” framing screws. I then snapped a line at 5' on the outside wall and gave him a hammer and a hand full of 8d coated nails. Not too many shiners - he did a fine job.

 

[R. Deschain]

The Tyvek wrap is just installed over the front wall so that the garage doors could be hung. Both follow the two different ceiling lines on the inside. I put jack-screw openers in so that the space over the doors would be clear.. You can see the tiny attic as well - a pull down ladder goes in next week. Overkill, but I put ¾" T&G up there and glued/screwed it in place – just ‘cause...

I put Carlisle WIP300 membrane under on the roof deck (all CDX) and had 30 year algae-resistant shingles that match the house. The rest of the wrap, windows, and man-door go in tomorrow. 6" reveal Hardi goes on next week.

 

[R. Deschain]

Nice progress. I love your layout plans.

Thank you, sir. It is always nice when my OCD is appreciated.

 

[rattle_snake]

Hey your pile of money looks like a building now. congrats!

algae-resistant singles...

 

[R. Deschain]

Hey your pile of money looks like a building now. congrats!

algae-resistant singles...

yes, a pile of $$. My wife may have mentioned that as well...

In the PacNW, we get algae and moss build up on the roofs. If you have a tree that shades your house/garage/structure it is worse. I have climbed up on my 8/12 pitch roof a couple of times and treated the moss, let it die, then later power washed it off. Not my favorite thing in the world.

Some people install zinc strips under their ridge vent with 3" or so of reveal. Water hits it and washes over the roof and the green stuff growth is limited. It seems to work. AM or AR shingles are somewhat new and have copper granules embedded in the asphalt shingle along with the normal granules. They also have titanium dioxide listed as an active ingredient. That is the same stuff I put on the yard once a year to kill the moss out of the grass. They were $9 more a square. If it saves me one trip on the roof a year, I will be satisfied.

 

[rattle_snake]

...In the PacNW, we get algae and moss build up on the roofs. If you have a tree that shades your house/garage/structure it is worse. I have climbed up on my 8/12 pitch roof a couple of times and treated the moss, let it die, then later power washed it off. Not my favorite thing in the world.

I grew up in soggy foggy Olympia so I understand. Last time I visited my folks in WA my dad had me clean his shingles and gutters... Was supposed to be a vacation. Here in AZ the sun ruins everything.

My brother is in west seattle, I will be there next week and I expect sunshine!

 

[rubberrodder]

My brother is in west seattle, I will be there next week and I expect sunshine!

Ha Ha ! let us know how that works out for you! Being from "Soggy,Foggy Olympia", you really should know better.

 

[drivesitfar]

RD: any updates? i know you are busy and hope you have been taking lots of pictures so you can post when you have time.

looks good and i like the thinking so far.

good luck

 

[R. Deschain]

We are getting closer... My contractor had a foreman out today dealing with framing punch-list items: a couple of anchor bolts, some trim, loose siding, a funky corner, and I am having him re-install my three windows with the proper flashing tape and taking the miters out of the trim. A leaky window after I have stressed the importance of proper installation and showed them what I needed twice would throw me into fits.

My lift goes in tomorrow or Saturday The electrician is 3 weeks out, so I am going to concentrate on the outside in the mean time: Paint and gutters.

 

[R. Deschain]

I was out of town this past week on a work trip. I came home to a sweet surprise: I have a new 10,000lb two-post lift. I got a decent deal on a Rotary Revolution RPT10. Went with this model because there is a local dealer, local support, and some experience that some friends and colleagues have had with this and other lifts.

The next step for the garage is to finish the electrical, the insulation, and drywall.

 

[SiGmA_X]

Looking good, sir.