My new 36' x 56'

[Jimmy_B]

I installed a 30 amp, 110v outlet for the RV this week. I actually put in two, gives me a little flexibility on parking. I only needed about 65' of wire for the planned outlet. It was about the same price for a 125' roll or 65' at the per foot price. I bought the roll and decided on two outlets. I used #6 wire so I can upgrade to a 50A outlet if I change RVs.

I put in a couple of 100W metal halide fixtures above the garage doors. They are dusk to dawn models. I put them on switches so I have the option of turning them off. The one on the front of the building doesn't want to turn off. When I installed them you are suppose to face the photo cell north. This side of the building also faces north. I wouldn't think it would matter. I'll have to see if there is an adjustment I can make. I taped towels to the end of the ladder to keep from leaving scratches in the paint. I had already taken them off and put the ladder away. And it's still snowing. I'll wait for another time to look at it. It might be marginally dark enough out to trigger the light, but I doubt it.

Picked up a roll of coax cable. I'll be searching for a satellite dish next.

 

[sids04]

super nice...

 

[deucenut]

Nice garage. I'm envious. Are you planning on insulating it? How do you stop the roof from "sweating" or getting condensation build up since it's a metal roof? I'm just wondering because when I start my build, I was thinking of going with a metal roof as well.

 

[Jimmy_B]

Nice garage. I'm envious. Are you planning on insulating it? How do you stop the roof from "sweating" or getting condensation build up since it's a metal roof? I'm just wondering because when I start my build, I was thinking of going with a metal roof as well.

I would like to insulate it, but that's not in the budget right now. I will put in a phone line from the house, gas and water this spring and then a concrete floor. We'll call it done at that point, at least for a while. Who knows. I put in retaining walls and then waited 10 years to finish the patio and sidewalk for it. This has vented eves and a nice ridge vent, which is suppose to minimize the sweating, as told to me by the builder. There are other steps that could be taken I guess, but I am not real familiar with them since that was never discussed with any of the builders I spoke with. And that was quite a few. I believe they can put down a thin layer of some kind of insulated material before the steel. I've also heard it's expensive. I have no real clue.

It's already sweated a little bit on the unusually warm days we've had this year. I am going to wait and see what happens with time. I hope I'm not disappointed.

 

[Jimmy_B]

I switched the sensors between the two lights yesterday and the problem follows the sensor. Looks like the wifey will be calling the 1-800-my-new-light-***** number to see if they will send us a replacement. That should fix the problem!

 

[Jimmy_B]

Something for everyone!

This for me......

And the box for Anna. Here she is taking a breather from her shredding duties...

I'm hoping to get the dish and wall jacks installed this weekend, although I've been sick the last two days and I go to Dallas for work on Monday. I might just skip this until next week.

On a positive note, the non-working light sensor healed itself and started working today.

 

[regguy1]

The darker color at the bottom was a good touch, gives a nice look

 

[Jimmy_B]

I worked Sunday on installing the dish and the outlet jacks. Had a mist coming down that formed a thin layer of ice on everything as I worked. The last thing I had left to do was point the dish. I waited until today to do that with the help of my wife. She stood in the RV watching the signal meter on the TV and reporting the signal strength to me using our cell phones. Took about 5 minutes. The total cost of the dish project with 2 jacks inside the building was about $80.

One more thing off my list. The last electrical task I has planned was a couple of motion sensor lights on the back and far sides. That's already wired up to the switch. I think I'll go hit HD and grab some lights to get started on this task.

 

[Jimmy_B]

I worked Sunday on installing the dish and the outlet jacks. Had a mist coming down that formed a thin layer of ice on everything as I worked. The last thing I had left to do was point the dish. I waited until today to do that with the help of my wife. She stood in the RV watching the signal meter on the TV and reporting the signal strength to me using our cell phones. Took about 5 minutes. The total cost of the dish project with 2 jacks inside the building was about $80.

One more thing off my list. The last electrical task I has planned was a couple of motion sensor lights on the back and far sides. That's already wired up to the switch. I think I'll go hit HD and grab some lights to get started on this task.

 

[BUGTHUG]

I see you have sattelite in your "dog house", looks very nice.

 

[Jimmy_B]

Easy winter and early spring here, so the frost is gone and I have the electric company coming out Monday to run a 200 amp service. Finally some real power. Should be much better than my extension cord.

 

[mothgrey]

Wow,
Jimmy very nice build.

 

[M-technik-3]

Jimmy

Nice looking building, quick question the trees you have along your property line are? They look fast growing ?

 

[Jimmy_B]

Jimmy

Nice looking building, quick question the trees you have along your property line are? They look fast growing ?

Thanks.

They are more weeds than trees. The PO planted these and they were only twigs when I bought the place 13 years ago. I kick myself for not replacing every other weed with a real tree back then. They are so close together that removing just one will be tough, and I can't get my mower between a lot of them. Hopefully they fall away from the garage when they start to go down.

Jim

 

[M-technik-3]

But with foliage they make a great Privacy fence?

 

[Jimmy_B]

But with foliage they make a great Privacy fence?

Yes, they do that very well for now. Not sure how long these will last though.

I've done nothing but remove trees from the yard for the first 10 years. I've started planting a few the last few years. They will nicer trees than those pictured. Maples and oaks mostly. And they won't be in a straight line like these are.

 

[Mmfh]

That's a great looking setup! I like how the shop sorta towers over the house, must be a guy thing.

You will most likely want to put some kind of insulation up under those roof panels, my buddies place used to sweat and drip water on his cars and projects until he put up some insulation up top. Not terribly expensive but made a big difference.

Damn nice place you've got there!

Mm

 

[Jimmy_B]

That's a great looking setup! I like how the shop sorta towers over the house, must be a guy thing.

You will most likely want to put some kind of insulation up under those roof panels, my buddies place used to sweat and drip water on his cars and projects until he put up some insulation up top. Not terribly expensive but made a big difference.

Damn nice place you've got there!

Mm

I've already experienced some of the 'dripping'. My plan was to get the floor and ceiling in this summer. Things have changed a little financially, so I'm not sure when those will get done now. I think the ceiling will be first. I'm just happy the power company is coming today!

 

[Jimmy_B]

The power company was out today and supplied me with 200 amps, quite the upgrade from the extension cord from my house I have been using.

Water and gas yet to go.

I think I'll turn some stuff on and off for a while.

 

[Lunker]

Great looking building!

Love how it really fits with the house - nice work!

 

[Jimmy_B]

Life has gotten in the way of my time and money. I haven't gotten to the gas or water yet, and that will likely be put off until next year. But I did manage to get something done this week. Put in PVC drain pipe for the gutters and landscaped a little around two sides to make it looked finished. My goal is to put concrete aprons down under the doors to get it closed in from the weather (critters) before winter. That might seem easy after shoveling the 4 1/2 tons of rock yesterday.

Updated pics with grass growing......

PVC drain...

South and east sides......

 

[jwb600]

very nice looking building I would be proud to own that

 

[Jimmy_B]

very nice looking building I would be proud to own that

Thank you. I am hoping to get the concrete floors in soon.

 

[ghostknife]

Any updates on your wonderful barn?

 

[Jimmy_B]

Any updates on your wonderful barn?

It will be on hold for a while yet, maybe even indefinitely. I've come to the conclusion that I'm pretty well set-up in my attached garage. To move all of my tools and equipment to this new one would require heating it, and that's not really in my budget.

The company I've been at for 25 years was just bought out a few months ago, so I'm not real excited to spend any money right now.

So for now I'm just happy to have it and be able to keep my junk inside. I'm hoping to put some pavers around the outside yet this year to make it look a little nicer. I'll be sure to post pics if anything happens.

Thanks for asking. I'll be visiting your area at the end of the month. My wife's from St. Clair Shores and her Mom will be 95. I always like driving around to see the things that make Detroit and MI unique.

 

[Arps]

Looks great!

 

[ghostknife]

thanks for the update, Im just starting to get the stuff together for planning my barn. In your opinion is it worth going the extra 4 feet either way for a 40x60 from your size? Do you wish you would have? Im a little up I-94 from where your going to be at. Im out in the boonies lol.

 

[Jimmy_B]

thanks for the update, Im just starting to get the stuff together for planning my barn. In your opinion is it worth going the extra 4 feet either way for a 40x60 from your size? Do you wish you would have? Im a little up I-94 from where your going to be at. Im out in the boonies lol.

It's always worth it to go larger as I've never met anyone that said they built the garage too big. Mine is as large as my county allows without a variance. I can live with the size ( 2,000 square feet), but I would have liked to go a foot or two higher, then I could have gotten two 12' x 14' doors in the front gable end of the building. Anything legal to roll down the highway will fit through that size door. Unfortunately, the county limits the height too, so deciding on size was easy.

Your builder can tell you what sizes are the most economical.

I've been through your area before and it's a beautiful part of the country. I'm taking the scenic route to Detroit this time, going through the U.P.

 

[mrgm]

like the building. good job

 

[ghostknife]

It's always worth it to go larger as I've never met anyone that said they built the garage too big. Mine is as large as my county allows without a variance. I can live with the size ( 2,000 square feet), but I would have liked to go a foot or two higher, then I could have gotten two 12' x 14' doors in the front gable end of the building. Anything legal to roll down the highway will fit through that size door. Unfortunately, the county limits the height too, so deciding on size was easy.

Your builder can tell you what sizes are the most economical.

I've been through your area before and it's a beautiful part of the country. I'm taking the scenic route to Detroit this time, going through the U.P.

Heck yea, thats the way to go! Im going up to the township hall monday to talk about my restrictions. I dont believe there are any or many looking at some of the barns going up around me.

 

[Jimmy_B]

Time to clean up the outside of my garage. When i had this built i was planning on a concrete floor but for various reasons i haven't done that. I've had to run this 2x4 under the doors to fill to gap and keep the critters out, which meant moving it everytime i put something in or out. It is getting old. I sold my motorhome last month, so i will be home on weekends now. Time to make my garage look finished, at least from the outside. I'm putting in concrete pads, or small driveways, in front of both doors that will go 1' inside the building to eliminate the 2x4. Then pavers along the rest of both sides and a sidewalk over to the house. I am doing all the prep work for the concrete myself and hired a cement guy to do the finishing.



I picked up a cheap Chinese plate compactor from menards.


Compacted class 5 gravel in preparation for the pavers.


12 x 12 pad for the back door.


Rebar in and ready for 5" of concrete.


This will be a long project for me as I also had 45' of asphalt removed in front of the house so i can replace with concrete.

 

[Mdaddyrabbit]

What kind of lights are those?

 

[Jimmy_B]

What kind of lights are those?

I don't remember. I have to change a bulb over the front garage door, I'll check when i do that.

 

[atun]

Nice looking building

 

[dykstra]

Way cool space!!

 

[Jimmy_B]

What kind of lights are those?

The crappy kind i think.

JourneyMan Series
Model HD-9274

They use a 100 watt bulb rated for an open fixture. I've found all kinds of those bulbs with a medium base, mine have a mogul base. I've spent a couple of hours googling with no luck yet.

I wouldn't buy them again, but they were only $100.

 

[Jimmy_B]

Got the first slab poured last week and it turned out pretty nice. I drove on it for the first time today.





We pour the first half of the house driveway tomorrow.

 

[Jimmy_B]

I spent the last two weeks on the house driveway. I'm glad to have that out of the way.



I have the apron/driveway for the shed ready to pour on Tuesday. I have a whole new respect for anyone who does this everyday.

I rented a jackhammer to loosen the gravel.


I'm still smiling after an hour and a half and 92°.


All leveled off.


Compacted.


Rebar installed, wire tied and elevated.

 

[Jimmy_B]

The last pour went pretty well today and looks nice.

 

[gnab2]

Nice work. Looks good