Coop's Place of Mayhem

[CoopVA]

Hello everybody.

Been wanting to build a garage for a very long time, and now I have finally saved enough to be able to do it!

Living in Linden, Virginia up on top of a mountain... The subdivision where I live has a Property Owners Association...

I've been on this mountain for almost twenty years, and have never even acknowledge the existence of the POA... This is the first time. I figured I had better on a project this large and in the past year my neighbors on either side of me have both gotten nasty grams from the POA about BS stuff...

I did have a meeting with the Property Owners Association Architectural Committee and got approval for my garage.

Now I gotta go to the County and get their blessing. The POA told me that the County will "generally" bless things if the POA does, so I think my chances are pretty good. I think the only fight I will have is where the building sits based on the "front" plane of my house.

The POA gave me a contact at the County to talk to before I apply for the permit. Gonna give it another month before attempting that. The build cant happen until late April - early May. Once it's done, the Beast will be rolled in and the mayhem will commence...

I'm planning a 24x30x10 Pole Building with Attic Trusses:

I'm hoping to start building in Late April - early May time frame.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

I am looking forward to seeing how your build come together, I am not familiar with your POA process ?
If we build quite often there are what we call caveats in certain estates that say or limit what you can and cant build and based on that you would submit your plans to council for approval, some times, in certain situations where it impacts on others you need to advertise and should there be no objections you then get a permit issued.

Had any luck with your oil filter adaptor yet, I am still looking.

Cheers

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Just to give y'all an idea of why I can't wait to build this garage.

I've been working out of a space that's about 10' wide by 20' long. The space was the back porch that leads out of the basement to the back yard. I framed the area in and use the space for all my tinkering. Mainly gunsmithing... I re-built two Harleys in there...

The Gunsmithing Bench

Remnants from Past Projects

The Fabrication Zone

Storage Area

Parts Clean-Up and Prep

That's a vintage San-Blast cabinet It's 32x24x30 Can anyone date it?

South Bend 9" Model A - built approx 1940

Wilton 9400 dated 1-51

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

I am looking forward to seeing how your build come together, I am not familiar with your POA process ?
If we build quite often there are what we call caveats in certain estates that say or limit what you can and cant build and based on that you would submit your plans to council for approval, some times, in certain situations where it impacts on others you need to advertise and should there be no objections you then get a permit issued.

Had any luck with your oil filter adaptor yet, I am still looking.

Cheers

Yep, our "Covenants" are pretty strict, even down to having to be of an "earth tone color". I got the POA approval, now just need the permits from the County.

Got a line on the adaptor from Spain, along with updated intake and exhaust manifolds! I'll let you know if the deal goes through or not...

 

[kansei]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Good luck with the build!

I can sympathize with the whole homeowner/property owner association issue. I like to call them code Nazis- and yes, I realize how negative and un-PC that is. It sounds like you are in a similar situation as I am- my house was built in 1988, and I bought it from the original owner (who also physically built it) in 1999. It is not within any city limits, nor is it even in a subdivision, though I do lie within a township. Not quite "way out there", but definitely rural. The houses out here are all built on old farm land, and have at least an acre for a lot size. When I bought the place, it was zoned agricultural/residential (I double and then tripled checked), which worked out great as the limitations on what you could build was none- so long as you at least stored a lawn mower or other piece of ag equipment in a secondary structure, you were fine. Since I have moved in, the zoning rules have changed no fewer than three times (of course without my knowledge nor consent), and I am very limited to what I could build new now, or what I can add on to my existing pole barn. My hat is off to you for seeming to take the whole approval process in stride. While I understand basic rules need to be in place for the sake of your neighbors (such as no couches on the front lawn and things of that nature), I am personally very much against nosy people on HOAs that feel it is their "right" to determine what you can do with your property, when and how. Technically, by my local township zoning ordinances, I am not even allowed to park my own car(s) in my driveway overnight! A local cop who lives down the road and his wife even filed an "anonymous" complaint against me years ago for having five cars parked out front- two in front of my 2-car garage, and three neatly parked side by side in my parking/turn around area- also part of the driveway. The kicker was they were all nice, clean, running, tagged, insured and driving vehicles. The complaint said "Mr. Swigert owns too many vehicles for one person." I told the zoning administrator (a very nice guy, BTW) that they could kiss my a$$, and that they could tell me what I could and couldn't have when they are paying the bills on the cars and the property. I lost the battle, and moved most of the cars to storage, but I just hope you don't run into anything like that down the road... make sure you find all the little loopholes people can complain about. As an example- I found out this past Fall that the township changed the rules on how much surface area of my property can have concrete on it...! There are now rules for how large an approach pad to a pole barn or even your house garage can be- and they can legally make you tear it up if they really want to- even if you had prior approval to install it... ! UGH!

Sorry for the rant- obviously HOAs and POAs get under my skin in a BIG way. Even when you live in a rural setting like you- there are always caveats in fine print you may not know about... and some nosy neighbor will stick their nose in your business... believe me!

Neal.
PS- When I moved here, the property already had a 24x32x9 pole barn on site. I thought I'd never fill that. Fast forward a couple of years, and I added on a 10x23 lean-to addition to it, and outgrew that not but two years later. If you can afford to, and the POA folks will let you, build larger while the rules still permit it!

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

I've been up here for almost 20 years and never paid much attention to the POA until now. I am in total agreement with you... If I ever do move again, it will be to a place without an HOA/POA...

 

[kansei]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Amen to that!

Trouble is (at least around me) you can't get away from them unless you move to a county without any zoning laws (few and far between). Technically, where I live, there isn't a HOA. The township board runs the township like one, though. We have just enough "nosy Nellies" around here that have nothing better to do than drive around the neighborhood on their golf carts or take long walks in the evenings and on weekends looking in people's garages, craning their necks to try and look behind your house, etc. that do their best to get rules/laws changed to suit how they want things. I'd go to the township meetings to try and avoid votes being done on the sly to change the rules, but I don't have the time to keep up with that along with everything else I have to do.

Looking forward to the progress on your new shop!

Neal.

 

[Mavawreck]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Nice! Been following your scout build on binderplanet.

 

[Mike.ASC]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

That's a nice looking layout/ design you have there . I used to go out to the Front Royal & Strasburg area many years ago , I loved those areas . I'm sure there have been some changes since I've been there .

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

kansie, I'm gonna be here for at least another 15 years, so I'm pretty much maxed out. When we retire, we are planning to move to a county that is mostly rural, so hopefully it won't be as much of a problem.

thanks Mavawreck!. I can't wait till spring to really get moving on the Scout.

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Thanks Mike! I love it out here. I have a 110 mile round trip commute, but it's worth it.

 

[CoopVA]

The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

The permit is In for approval. The county is limiting me to a 12' gable height so I have to go with 9' walls instead of 11'. I got spanked on the wrist for my "non-conforming" shed in my front yard, but they said I can keep it there. Got the concrete contractor on standby, and am having a local electrician put in the service for me... I thought about doing it myself, but I am in no mood to dig a ditch... If all goes well, the building should be up by the end of April!


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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Going to pick up the permits tomorrow! My concrete guy can't start till the 28th, but it's finally going to get done!


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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

The site



Footers passed inspection



Block going in tomorrow



Slab should be done next week, then the building can go up!

This project has been a real test of my patience...




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[ZRX61]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Are you leaving those trees right next to the building?

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

For now...


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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Got trees closer than that to the house...


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[1/2 Cup]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Looking forward to following your progress.

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Block up...



Prepped for slab...




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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Slabbed!






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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Been researching lighting options and have decided to go with a 4' 3-lamp fluorescent strip light with reflectors using T8 5000K bulbs...

Sun & Stars Model#LBT8/3X32/4FT

Used Lithonia's Visual 2012 software to do fixture layout and lighting level calcs...

View media item 40761
8 of the 3 lamp fixtures gives me an average of just over 100 Foot Candles...

Should be enough... there will be local task lighting at the different benches and work stations too...

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Been putting a lot of thought into Flooring... Bare concrete? Epoxy? Racedeck? Tile?

Scoured this Forum and the interwebs... For weeks...

So I decided I am going to go with Armstrong Excelon VCT.

Wanted to do a black and white checker pattern with a red border. Found out that the Black tile is like FIVE times the cost of all the other colors. The guy at the store said it was because of the dyes the use. Well, I was not about to pay that much so I thought some more and will go with a blue and white checker with a red border. Took advantage of the Holiday and got 10% off for being a Veteran...

Polar White Speckle

View media item 40756
Marina Blue Speckle

View media item 40757
Cherry Red Speckle

View media item 40758
I'm trying to decide the size of the pattern... What do you all think, small pattern or large pattern?

Small Pattern

View media item 40759
Large Pattern

View media item 40760
I'm liking the large pattern better...

Again, apologies to Racedeck... unless you can beat .66¢ a square foot...

 

[1/2 Cup]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

I have to agree the large pattern would look better as it gives a sense of space.

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

I'm liking the large pattern more and more. Armstrong actually had the material pictures for the tiles on their website...

What do you think of this?

View media item 40877

 

[panthersteve]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Yep, another vote for the large pattern, no question at all !!

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Made a lot of progress in the last few weeks...

Building went up in one day!










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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Electric roughed in that weekend...










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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Passed inspections on the first go for Electrical Rough in and Framing. BI actually gave me a Building Final Pass...


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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Let there be light!






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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Insulation wrap complete the following weekend!







Along with wall cabinets being hung...



Next is Mini-Split install and then floor tile...

Stay tuned...


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[jwhcars]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Looking very nice !!

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Thanks! I'm really excited about getting it done.


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[1/2 Cup]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Awesome, looking great. Now you are really into the fun stuff..

 

[Duct Tape Man]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Looks great so far, can't wait to see it done. Got any pictures of the Scout and your Harleys that will soon inhabit the shop?

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Thanks guys! Pics of the projects will come soon... Mini Split arrives on Friday. I'm still waiting on a few things needed to complete that install, but I have accumulated most everything needed... Line set covers, vacuum pump, nitrogen tank, gauges and hoses... Power is run to the outside disconnect already...


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[metalhead140]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Wow, that was fast progress! Looks like it'll be a great space.

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Got the shelves all assembled while I waited for the mini-split to arrive...




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[bshy01]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Why did you go with metal frame compared to a traditional pole barn? How much does this cost? I'm planning on building a same size garage and got quotes around 15k for 24x30x12 kit price and labor to install.

 

[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Bshy01, I opted for the metal frame because it cost half what a stick built would. It's about the same cost as a pole barn, but came out a little less expensive. I paid just around $9,000 for the building. A pole barn was about $11,000. Stick built was about $30,000. The foundation and slab was pretty expensive, but that was due to the slope of the site, and would have been the same for all builds...


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[CoopVA]

Re: The Building of Coop's Place of Mayhem

Mini Split installed! 18,000 BTUs. Took me about 7 hours total time. Still have to finish wrapping the hoses outside. Mounted the inside unit, ran the line set, set the outside unit. Purged and pressure tested the system with 150 psi of nitrogen. It held 150 psi for over an hour. Then triple evaced the system down to 500 microns. Broke the vacuum with nitrogen the first and second time. On the third evac, took it down to 500 microns and closed the system. It held rock steady at 600 microns for about an hour. Broke vacuum with refrigerant and then charged the system. She's running real sweet! Total cost for the system and all the special tools and stuff was just under $1600.





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