New 32x40 build in Georgia.

[TxJohn]

I am finally getting started on the construction of my 32x40 shop at my house in Georgia. At my previous home in Texas I had built a shop in 1991 and enjoyed it for almost 14 years before moving to Georgia in 2005. I have now lived 8 loooong years without a shop and it is driving me crazy. The planned shop will have 10' walls, a 5/12 pitch roof with scissor trusses in the middle of the building to allow for additional height for a two post lift. The walls will be framed with 2x6 lumber so I have more room for better insulation. A single 16 x 9 insulated garage door and a commercial 4' wide steel man door. No windows. I plan to have HVAC eventually. The exterior siding and trim will match my house. I ended up needing to relocate a portion of my septic leach field because it ran into the area to be occupied by the shop. That is complete now. My focus at the moment is getting the foundation poured. The floor will be 6" thick fiber-mesh concrete with anchors poured into it for pulling on cars etc. As of today the ground is leveled, forms in place and footers dug. The plan is to pour concrete next Wednesday. The slab, pad and driveway extension will end up using right at 50 yards of concrete. When there is something picture-worthy, I will post them. Thanks guys for all the great ideas on the GJ. It's funny how you do things differently when you build your second shop!

 

[Kjurinek]

Ww, see my thread, we are almost doing the exact same thing!!! I too hit the field and had to install an Aeration Tank. Im almost done with my exterior, moving inside next week.

 

[toolchaser]

John, I live just a little south of you in Meriwether county. PM me if you need any help. I have a good list of suppliers and subs if you the need them

 

[TxJohn]

Yes Kjurinek, I was lucky in that I had enough space with a gradual slope that I could re-route the leach field. Of course, due to a change in county codes, I had to add an additional 50 feet to the 50 foot re-route. So all in all, I have 100 new feet of field.

Thanks toolchaser, you will likely be hearing from me.

 

[TxJohn]

Got slowed down by a shower but the footers are now tamped and the gravel is in. Still need termite pre-treat and vapor barrier before inspection. Still hoping to pour Wednesday depending on the weather. I am just happy to be making progress.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

There have been lots of discussions about fiber mesh in concrete. It is not a substitute for proper wire mesh or rebar. Wire mesh (which I have) usually ends up on the bottom because they claim to pull it up and get it in the concrete, but never successfully do. If I had to do it over again, I would do a full 6 inches (about 4½ to 5 now) and rebar grid on chairs, and saw cuts no more than 15 ft apart (I did metal keyways, but it is 20x30 grid pattern)

Make sure your cement comes from Fairburn Ready Mix in Newnan, very good quality product.

Why 10 ft? You cannot get a lift in 10 ft, you really need 12 ft for a two post lift.

Charles

 

[TxJohn]

There have been lots of discussions about fiber mesh in concrete. It is not a substitute for proper wire mesh or rebar. Wire mesh (which I have) usually ends up on the bottom because they claim to pull it up and get it in the concrete, but never successfully do. If I had to do it over again, I would do a full 6 inches (about 4½ to 5 now) and rebar grid on chairs, and saw cuts no more than 15 ft apart (I did metal keyways, but it is 20x30 grid pattern)

Make sure your cement comes from Fairburn Ready Mix in Newnan, very good quality product.

Why 10 ft? You cannot get a lift in 10 ft, you really need 12 ft for a two post lift.

Charles

We are using Fairburn Ready Mix. Thanks.

My county and my HOA do not allow an accessory building to be taller than your house, hence the 10' walls. I am also using scissor trusses in the center to make the interior height just over 13' to accommodate a lift.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Coweta building inspection is, shall I say, "difficult", after having been burned by the GBI investigation and prosecutions several years ago. They are just now finally getting somewhere close to "normal" on what they will allow on building inspections.

Charles

 

[TxJohn]

Very true. The only county inspections I have experienced so far, the site survey and the slab prep, were 100% by the book. With my recent experience, I would characterize it more as being "thorough" than being "difficult". So far so good!

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Co-worker bought an unfinished house several years ago in Coweta. The owner had been doing the work, so there was a bunch of weird stuff and non-code work done. Building inspection had issued a stop work and the owner finally sold it. My co-worker bought it and ended up ripping out all of the wiring and boxes and starting over (inside was just bare studs) as the previous owner had done some really strange things, like putting virtually every light switch in the house in a 15 or so gang BEHIND the front door. Anyhow, my co-worker friend started doing stuff right and called for inspections (he had new permits) and they started writing weird stuff up. He was not there the first three or so times they came, finally he was able to meet them at the house and asked what the problem was. When they realized he was a new owner and they already knew he was doing stuff correctly, they just gave him a blank check to finish it up. They thought they were busting the old owner up till he met with them.

There is an entire subdivision on the east side that won't perk, and none of the houses had termite treatment actually done (but there was paperwork), and that started the criminal investigations.

Charles

 

[TxJohn]

Finally pouring concrete today. First truck scheduled for 10:00 this morning. I can't wait to get this project moving. Pictures to follow.

 

[TxJohn]

The slab got poured today. The weather cooperated and gave us a sunny and 70 degree day. Slab is 32x40, steel on chairs, used 36 yards of fiber-mesh. "J" bolts every 32". Looks real good. Here's some action pictures!

 

[sunsation288]

I like the dimension ! , keep the picture coming please

 

[TxJohn]

We are pouring the 29x34 pad / driveway extension today. Pics to follow.

 

[TxJohn]

The 32x40 slab and the 29x34 parking pad are now complete. I am planning to build in the March/April time-frame. Until then I will watch the concrete cure and dream about my shop. Here are a few pictures.

 

[jtwoods4]

Hey TXjohn. Looks like you have planned well and know what you are doing. I am in Roswell, Ga and want to put up a building the same size. I may just follow your thread and build a similar building. Are you building a metal or wood building? Who is doing the building work for you?

 

[TxJohn]

I finally started framing almost three weeks ago, I've been too busy or tired to upload pictures. Here are a few showing some of my progress.

 

[TxJohn]

Here's a few more...I managed to get the roof complete before the big downpour Monday night.

 

[cj7and8]

Looks great! Any new progress?

 

[quarterstang86]

Awesome job. Put up pics of the inside ( truss work)

 

[schmoldty]

lookin good