Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Hillside steel workshop project_2 post lift install

[70runner]

Day72. Working all week on backfill. Made a bit more complex by engineering specification to place a section of gravel adjacent to the wall, the remaining area compacted dirt. Hopefully finish today, along with upper drain placement. Then begin excavating for footing next week after the tropical storm remnants from Hillary passes through this weekend

 

[70runner]

Day73. Upper drain in place. Trying to get the drains and backfill done before Hillary arrives later tonight.

 

[billconner]

Are the verticals clean out.

 

[jblnut]

You have already dealt with more bs than most do in their entire project !! That will be a really nice space when you get it up !!

I'll 2nd the E50 being a sweet machine. I demoed an E60 awhile back thinking I'd be replacing my 331E soon and wowser ..... That was a sweet machine !! The cards didn't line up financially so the 331E stays for a little while yet.

I wouldn't think winter heating is a real big concern for ya but how do you plan to heat/cool the new space ?

 

[70runner]

Are the verticals clean out.

No, cut down to grade with atrium drain grates.

You have already dealt with more bs than most do in their entire project !! That will be a really nice space when you get it up !!

I'll 2nd the E50 being a sweet machine. I demoed an E60 awhile back thinking I'd be replacing my 331E soon and wowser ..... That was a sweet machine !! The cards didn't line up financially so the 331E stays for a little while yet.

I wouldn't think winter heating is a real big concern for ya but how do you plan to heat/cool the new space ?

Much of the BS produced by a particularly **** civil engineer. Nice guy actually, but a real headache for the GC. I'm fortunate though, my GC and his grader are class A folks. The grader just spent the entire afternoon, as we're about to get socked by Hilary, finishing the backfill, cleaning up the construction site, laying some fiber rolls to contain the excavated dirt, cleaning up my driveway and such. Then he loaded his E50 on his trailer and headed to his home to prepare for Hilary.

Yup, our winters are very mild. I have a wall mounted space heater in current workshop that I think I've used 3 times in 11yrs. It will migrate to the new workshop.

*edit to add some pix
Top view showing finished backfill/grates; front view showing upper/lower drain outlets on right side

 

[DeeDubz]

hello fellow cal gunner

 

[70runner]

hello back at ya

 

[billconner]

Will retaining wall remain stair stepped at sides of some sort of cap?

 

[70runner]

Will retaining wall remain stair stepped at sides of some sort of cap?

Yes, the wall is done, finished with a troweled grout cap.

 

[70runner]

Day77. Received about 3in of rain from Hilary remnants last Sunday. Fortunately the high winds that were predicted didn't happen in our area. Took a couple days off to let the construction area dry out. Back at it today, digging the structure footing, basically a perimeter 1ft square. For the pad, plan 4" of sand, then 5" of concrete.



In the middle of the pic is a 14' x 4' tray, 3" below grade, reinforcement for the 2 post lift area. The tray/lift area lines up with the center bay and large overhead door. Manufacturer (Atlas) of my lift only specifies 4" concrete @ 3000psi. I used Bendpak new slab concrete requirements for their XPR9/10 series 2 post lifts as a reference for my design. Plan to use Wej-It PS2-34 Power Sert steel anchors for the lift post bases. These require a 7.5" hole depth.

 

[jcarapet]

Like the progress being made. I'm curious on why you are going with the new concrete pad requirements versus an existing slab. Assuming you are doing something like a monolithic pour which would meet the lift requirements with much less concrete.

 

[70runner]

Like the progress being made. I'm curious on why you are going with the new concrete pad requirements versus an existing slab. Assuming you are doing something like a monolithic pour which would meet the lift requirements with much less concrete.

Benpak's existing slab depth spec, 4.25" for their 9-10K lifts, is not nearly deep enough for the Wej-It epoxy anchors (7.5" hole) I'm using. I'm more confident in properly installed epoxy anchors than wedge anchors. Instead of pouring an 8" slab, decided to modify the 5" slab design based generally on Benpak's new slab specs, 12" depth for the new slab area around the posts, in my case a 12'x4' rectangle. This provides sufficient depth for the anchors with clearance for rebar below the anchors. Overkill, yes, but perhaps more peace of mind when standing underneath 2-3 tons of vehicle.

Yes it will be a monolithic pour @ 4K psi.

 

[jcarapet]

Benpak's existing slab depth spec, 4.25" for their 9-10K lifts, is not nearly deep enough for the Wej-It epoxy anchors (7.5" hole) I'm using. I'm more confident in properly installed epoxy anchors than wedge anchors. Instead of pouring an 8" slab, decided to modify the 5" slab design based generally on Benpak's new slab specs, 12" depth for the new slab area around the posts, in my case a 12'x4' rectangle. This provides sufficient depth for the anchors with clearance for rebar below the anchors. Overkill, yes, but perhaps more peace of mind when standing underneath 2-3 tons of vehicle.

Yes it will be a monolithic pour @ 4K psi.

Okay, that makes plenty of sense to me, and will never argue overkill. As someone with an existing 5.5" at 4k PSI and a future lift in the next few years, I am looking for as much information as possible on the best possible install.

 

[HogDude]

Okay, that makes plenty of sense to me, and will never argue overkill. As someone with an existing 5.5" at 4k PSI and a future lift in the next few years, I am looking for as much information as possible on the best possible install.

Don’t build something, over build it. Overkill should only be governed by budget. @jcarapet is on track. Great looking shop!

 

[82355]

Are you going to do more dirt work behind the retaining wall? Will the shed be taller than the retaining wall? Any windows in the back wall?

Martin

 

[70runner]

Are you going to do more dirt work behind the retaining wall? Will the shed be taller than the retaining wall? Any windows in the back wall?

Martin

There may be more backfill, but not much as the upper drain grates are set. The structure is 12-14ft (ridge) high, wall is approx 9'4". No windows in back wall.

 

[70runner]

Okay, that makes plenty of sense to me, and will never argue overkill. As someone with an existing 5.5" at 4k PSI and a future lift in the next few years, I am looking for as much information as possible on the best possible install.

This is my 3rd 2 post lift install, the first 2 were retrofits (existing slab). I used the Bendpak specs as a design reference as they seemed among the most detailed I could find. Also spoke with a couple lift repair/install companies about their "slab" preference. I asked the wall engineer to take a look at the design and he thought it was fine, used the overkill word. Definitely do your homework, including the fastener technology.

 

[70runner]

Day86. Some progress today...after a week of no activity. GC had dropped his trailer at the site earlier this week with forms. Crew installed forms today, as well as 4" layer of compacted sand. Hopefully pour next week and prep to erect building.

 

[70runner]

Day91. Crew arrived to finish sand compaction. The compactor machine had some hiccups, so they couldn't finish. Returned day after Labor Day holiday, with working compactor, and finished the job. Returned today to place rebar. Rebar layout per the approved plans modified per Benpak specs to add an additional layer of rebar in the lift area at about 8" below TOS - to clear the 7.5" holes for the epoxy inserts.



County inspector (good guy) arrived about noon to sign off on foundation/rebar setup. After he and GC left, grabbed my trusty tape measure along with Sketchup layout of the lift post base footprint and started tip toeing around the rebar maze to determine if any of the rebar intersected with the lift post base holes. Prefer to avoid drilling through rebar if possible. As luck wouldn't have it, one of the side to side rows lined up nearly perfectly with a fastener hole in the lift base, both sides. Broke out my hemi orange rattle can and marked the offending rebar, two 5" or so segments.



Plan for tomorrow is to deal with the rebar segments. Electrician will install the conduit drop for the subpanel. I suspect he will opt for a Mr. Ufer rebar arrangement instead of attempting to drive copper grounding rods through the granite. 4k psi pour (23yds, 3 trucks) scheduled for first light Saturday morning. Then a 1-2 week pause for concrete curing before beginning assembly of the structure.

 

[70runner]

Day93. Stubout and Mr. Ufer. Prep for pad pour tomorrow. Bit of a story on this one. Electrician who installed stubout and ufer placed both too close to edge of pad/structure, likely interference with structure. GC arrived early this morning to check things and moved stubout and ufer to clear structure area. I marked forms to ID the lift tray, so concrete crew could take extra precaution for level in that area.

 

[Boon]

After grout pour, wall construction continues (day 37).

Looks alot like the one I'm building. Looks good.

 

[70runner]

Day94. Pad pour day. First of 4 trucks arrived 7am as planned. Trucks limited to approx 8yds due to hilly terrain. First truck chute unable to reach far, rear corner, so crew needed to do a lot of manual movement of concrete. Initial pour video below, followed by 3rd truck. Fourth truck finished up pour with about 3yds. Total 27yds. They will return tomorrow to do saw cuts, placed away from the lift post base footprints.

;

 

[70runner]

A couple pix of the finished pad.

 

[70runner]

Day95. Saw cuts, spaced to avoid lift area.

 

[readhead]

Kind of curious why the retaining wall wasn’t part of the building. Could have saved time, space and money.

 

[70runner]

Kind of curious why the retaining wall wasn’t part of the building. Could have saved time, space and money.

Addressed in orig post. Explored both options, part of building and stand alone. Time and space savings, money less so. Substantial hill excavation/big machines were needed either way. Got a good deal on a steel structure kit, from company I have done biz with before and liked the product. Read a couple stories about costly trouble with a building retaining wall. Weighed pros/cons and such, opted for separate retaining wall with 4ft concrete walkway on 3 sides, allowing easy access to address any structure matters.

 

[70runner]

Day104. 10 days into stand down for concrete cure. Checked level with my laser, looks pretty good. Found another grove leak under the dirt pile. Probably happened during backfill. Able to access leak with the Kubota.

 

[70runner]

Day111. Day1 of steel building construction, generally sorting main structure components, marking column locations, arrival of boom truck.

 

[70runner]

Day112. Good progress, nearly completed the frame today.

 

[readhead]

An ACT building. If you have any questions let me know. I am an ACT dealer and there are some contradictions between all the documents that may be confusing.

 

[Boon]

Starting to take shape. That always feels good.

 

[70runner]

An ACT building. If you have any questions let me know. I am an ACT dealer and there are some contradictions between all the documents that may be confusing.

Pls elaborate, what "contradictions" are you referring to?

 

[readhead]

I presume that you have the permit set, the construction set and the manuals. The manuals are a bit behind some of the updates to the primary and secondary steel.

 

[readhead]

There will be some places that you will have to add 2x3 angle for backing that they don't address anywhere.

 

[70runner]

Day119. Day3 of the steel structure framing. About a week's delay in construction due primarily to a Day112 accident on the jobsite. Worker fell from a ladder, suffered an apparent head injury. He's still in hospital and I'm told he's doing well. Crew returned Wed and continued framing.

 

[70runner]

Day124. Framing in process and 3 windows installed today. Front man door, then side/roof panels next on the agenda.

 

[Chrisb62]

About a week's delay in construction due primarily to a Day112 accident on the jobsite.

Sounds like a longer than thought delay, and hopefully the hurt worker is doing good.?

 

[70runner]

Sounds like a longer than thought delay, and hopefully the hurt worker is doing good.?

Yes, but I didn't press the issue. Most of the crew are close friends, one is a roommate of the injured worker. The good news is he is still improving and they are talking about a hospital release date.

 

[70runner]

Day125. Wall panels going up! Very happy with the color. In the wall picture if you compare the shaded portion of the block with the wall panels (also shaded), pretty good match. With the darker brown trim will also be a good match to the home stucco and trim.

 

[readhead]

Are you using a thermal break tape between the frame and the sheets?