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

[R. Deschain]

The day after the Final Inspection was signed off, I got a notice that a Waste Diversion Report (WDR) needs to be submitted to Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) for all demolition projects as well as any new construction and alteration permits where the project value is $30,000 or greater. Normally this falls to the party that pulled the building permit, but as I did the demo myself it got forwarded to me.

Apparently, if you live in Seattle, our local utility company wants to make triple sure you did not dump any building or demo waste inappropriately. I have the receipts from the equipment company and the hauling company, so there should be no issue.

 

[R. Deschain]

I made a short video showing all the steps in removing the Hard Top from my 1986 CJ7 Jeep for the first time in 1.5 years. I couldn't round up the help to pull it off, so I put on my thunking' cap and used the lift. The garage is a MESS, but my excuse is that we are still remodeling the house and it has been a wet winter and spring so there are materials and projects in work everywhere.

Here is the video.

 

[R. Deschain]

Life keeps getting in the way of me getting the last bits of little stuff on/in the garage done.

Here are a couple of updates though:

I dug 1.25 yards of dirt out for a side walk from the existing patio to the garage and since I have a bunch of rebar left for another project, I added enough steel to the side walk to turn it into a fall out shelter roof

I put up a tool board on the other side of the lift so that my most used tools would be handy. There is a bit of blank space right now and no tool labels or shadowing, but I will Fix that. I am bending up brackets for screw drivers, ratchets, socket extensions, and nut drivers and will apply labels after. Have started organizing and labeling cabinets and drawers already.

 

[R. Deschain]

Garage and project status update video:

 

[R. Deschain]

another Seattle person, really liking the work on your new garage, man sorry to read about some of your problems. This is why I am trying to do as much as I can myself in-between my full time job and family life.

Thank you. I suffer from having a day job too. It is how I can afford to pay for the stuff in the garage

 

[Stuart in MN]

You really don't want that sidewalk to crack, do you. The place looks nice, I like your tool board.

 

[jtotheizzo]

Goodness sakes!

Greetings from another PNW'er. I put about 3 years of planning and talking with the city into building my small shop on the back part of my property. In the end I struggled with the decision to go prefab metal, post frame, or stick built. Reading through this makes me feel better about my decision for prefab as I was concerned that I would have issues with contractors like you did. I just wanted my build to go smoothly and would be extremely upset to have spent north of $30k and STILL have those issues. I recently was thinking that some of the issues I had battled were my fault for going the cheaper route but your story has confirmed my fear that no matter what some subs just don't meet expectations.

 

[R. Deschain]

Goodness sakes!

Greetings from another PNW'er. I put about 3 years of planning and talking with the city into building my small shop on the back part of my property. In the end I struggled with the decision to go prefab metal, post frame, or stick built. Reading through this makes me feel better about my decision for prefab as I was concerned that I would have issues with contractors like you did. I just wanted my build to go smoothly and would be extremely upset to have spent north of $30k and STILL have those issues. I recently was thinking that some of the issues I had battled were my fault for going the cheaper route but your story has confirmed my fear that no matter what some subs just don't meet expectations.

Hi jtotheizzo,

Yes the main contractor turned into a turd, but the gutter company, the lift seller/installer were top notch. The electrician was schedule-challenged, but he did good work at a fair price. I would and will use him again. I think that if I had it to do all over again, I would have sub-ed each part out instead of having a general contractor on the job, but live and learn. I had a pre-fab, steel garage for years and it was an awesome shop and garage: gas heat, warm in the winter and huge ridge fans to keep it cool in the summer. I drove by it/old house a couple months ago while visiting family and 19 years later it still looks great. I am sure yours will hold up just as well.

 

[R. Deschain]

You really don't want that sidewalk to crack, do you. The place looks nice, I like your tool board.

Nope! I had the rebar left over and so it didn't add any additional cost. My front sidewalk was a slurry pour 30 - 40 years ago and it is cracked and heaved, etc. I don't want a repeat of that anytime soon, so in went the rebar. I will have to address the front walk soon, but the garage finish was my priority (don't mention that fact to my wife).

Thanks for the tool board comment. I stole the idea from an old friend that is smarter than me. I really hate searching for a wrench or socket when I need it right then. My deep sockets and impact drivers are in my rolling tool box because I just don't use them as often. I am working on the driver, ratchet and wrench holders for the board. I have some scrap 14ga. 6061 aluminum and bent it up in the finger brake this weekend. I have it all marked out and will drill and cut them all out this week at night after work. There are a couple of things that I have to thunk on a bit: Mounting the t-handle hex wrenches or not. If so, where, how, etc. I will post some more pics when I get it all done-ish and figured out.

 

[R. Deschain]

One quick note/suggestion, when changing oil there is always a little left in the bottle that gets tossed out. I have an acquaintance that plumbed in something elaborate to eek out every last drop. I thought it was a great idea and was going to make one out of sheet metal until I found this one online. Cheap and works great. Mine is mounted and has seen heavy use over the last 8 months. In that time I have collected almost 1/4 of a bottle of 10W40 form a total of 6 oil changes.

Here it is installed in the garage on my tool board with a decal that is from the heart. I added an additional decal, in a similar vain, to the lift post:

 

[polexican23]

Solid decal purchase, safety first

 

[rattle_snake]

Those stickers should prevent any issues in your shop. Nice.

 

[R. Deschain]

Poured the 20’ long side walk to garage in the backyard yesterday. 3500PSI with fiber added and lots of steel, because I hate cracking sidewalks. Super happy with the results when I went inside at 5:30. When I went back out to check on it at 9:30, the cat had walked up one side all the way to the garage, walked across, and back down the other side. I now have cat prints in my "perfect" side walk until the end of days...

I am not anthropomorphizing, she did it as a “f-you bald monkey!” because I would not let her in the house. It was too dry to re-float. This is the last straw! Who would like an overweight white fluffy cat that is passive aggressive and shits on the things I love? I will throw in 2 bags of food, a carrier, shot records, box of band-aids, half eaten mouse, and 3 cat-nip impregnated toys. It is an awesome deal! Won't last! Act now before someone else snatches her up!

 

[R. Deschain]

Still not done with the 3rd shop build/tour video, BUT I did document and make a little film about the above sidewalk build, so let's call this one video #2.5 in the 3-part build series.

Here is the video

 

[rubberrodder]

Gotta love the tool decals! Where did you find them?

 

[R. Deschain]

Gotta love the tool decals! Where did you find them?

Amazon. I ordered a few and have a "1.21 Gigawatts" sticker on my breaker box

 

[rattle_snake]

Wow, 1.21GW. At 220 volts that is 5,500,000 amp service. Impressive!


Cat needs to go IN next concrete pour.

 

[R. Deschain]

Cat needs to go IN next concrete pour.

Yes.... The cat is finding a new home. This is just the last straw. There have been ruined doors, destroyed screens, scratches, bites, etc... The cat staying at our house was supposed to be a temp thing and has now lasted 2+ years.

 

[R. Deschain]

Still working on things and will be spending the weekend on adding some more lights, moving my metal lathe, installing a camera system, and peep holes on the two overhead doors. I will also be adding couple of things to my tool board. I posted a video of the design, bracket fab, and initial install here

 

[rubberrodder]

All your cat issues can be solved with a 1/4 ounce of lead placed in one ear of said cat. The application tool is available from Smith & Wesson.

 

[R. Deschain]

All your cat issues can be solved with a 1/4 ounce of lead placed in one ear of said cat. The application tool is available from Smith & Wesson.

I have deliberated this exact solution, but the social consequences: pissed wife and distraught mother (it is my mom's cat) outweigh the immediate cessation of cat-related havoc. Still looking to re-home her.

On the bright side, got loads done in the garage this weekend and didn't think about the cat or sidewalk once - well maybe one time...

 

[F451]

Someday when you sell your place those cat footprints will sell the place for you when some cat lover who is looking at your place spots the prints, Lol.

And nice work on the garage.

 

[R. Deschain]

Someday when you sell your place those cat footprints will sell the place for you when some cat lover who is looking at your place spots the prints, Lol.

And nice work on the garage.

THAT would be a silver lining!

And thank you! Still working on it and in it as my J-O-B and travel schedules allow. Working on a video detailing all the electrical, a video specifically on the lift and my conclusions after a year of use, and then the full shop tour video...

 

[skrap metal]

great

 

[R. Deschain]

LET THERE BE LIGHT!!

Taking my time is an understatement... but the lights are now all in. I have 80,000+ lumens of LED lighting in the shop and it is like a new sun in there. I had no idea how dark it was.

HERE is a video link to the full light installation - including a bit of some under-trailer waterproof LED lighting and a brief unguided shop tour. Skip to 6:58 to see how bright the finished product is.