Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Sandbaggers paradise

[mr47930]

Finally, after years of planning, finishing other projects and saving, we’ve started construction! We’re building a simple 30x40x12 pole barn that will house my lawnmower, F250, and all of the other random junk my wife and I have accumulated over the years. However, the main reason for building this will be to have golf simulator space where I can hit balls and work on my game. I was once a 9 handicap and trending lower, then had a kid, and golf took a backseat for quite a while. He’s 7 now and also enjoys the game so it’ll be a space where we can both get some practice in without lugging everything to the local range.

Hired a local Amish crew and they’ve been great to work with so far. After 1 day they’re almost ready to start with the metal.

 

[mr47930]

This “project” started in 2020 at the start of COVID. My wife and I were sent home from work, still employed thankfully, with a 2 year old at the time. We were bored and didn’t have anything to do so we decided, like millions of others apparently, that we needed a pool for entertainment purposes. Step 1 was to clear out 3/4 acres of scrub pines that would fall over in the slightest breeze. The pool construction was a nightmare of delays due to COVID but we finally completed that project around 8 months after they broke ground. It’s been a great entertainment space for friends and family, but I’ll never go through that process again. Then, after the pool was completed my wife wanted to update our kitchen, which was in desperate need of a facelift. But before we could begin that, we wanted to refinish the hardwood floors in our main floor. Not nearly as long or stressful of a process as the pool but we basically lived out of our basement, cooking in a crockpot or electric skillet for 3 months.

 

[mr47930]

Amish crew showed up for day 2 in the pouring rain. Got the girts on, some more bracing done, and the windows and man door all framed out.

 

[thammel]

The garage/barn will be great! LOL, I feel your pain about renovating. 2007 - kitchen gut and reno, 2008 - add-on mudroom and 2nd garage (all mine!!), 2022 - master bath gut and reno, 2023 - hall bath gut and reno, 2023, fireplace wall stone job, 2023 - carpet rip up and old bruce hardwood rip up and new solid maple in whole house. Now I can finally reno the '63 TR4!!! This house wasn't even old to start with, built in 2000. We made it a LOT better!!

 

[mr47930]

The garage/barn will be great! LOL, I feel your pain about renovating. 2007 - kitchen gut and reno, 2008 - add-on mudroom and 2nd garage (all mine!!), 2022 - master bath gut and reno, 2023 - hall bath gut and reno, 2023, fireplace wall stone job, 2023 - carpet rip up and old bruce hardwood rip up and new solid maple in whole house. Now I can finally reno the '63 TR4!!! This house wasn't even old to start with, built in 2000. We made it a LOT better!!

Same, ours was built in 2000 as well. It feels like I’m just lighting money on fire recently. Just wrote a check today as a matter of fact to replace our front porch and back deck boards with Fiberon composite. Can’t take it with you I suppose, and we’re fortunate to have one of those 2.5% mortgage rates, so it’s cheaper than moving.

 

[mr47930]

Progress has been slower than I’d like, but I suppose that’s what happens when you try to save money and GC the process yourself. I’m learning a lot about permits and how different quotes for the same things can be. Concrete prep is supposed to begin on Monday, with the pour to follow on Tuesday. The pad is bankrun that’s been in the elements for months and was compacted in lifts when it was put in place. A blow from a spade shovel only goes into the ground about 1/8 inch so it’s about as hard as it’ll ever be, hopefully a good base for the floor. Ordered my garage door as well since that’s a ~4 week delivery window.

 

[mr47930]

Concrete prep was done yesterday, no idea when the pour is taking place though. The crew are all Amish so communication is pretty spotty. They did my buddies barn a few years ago and they did an incredible job at 1/2 the cost of some other quotes. Also had the power company come out to get an estimate for running a separate service straight from my transformer instead of trenching ~100ft to my house panel.

 

[mr47930]

Concrete went down and saw cuts have been made! Starting to look like a real garage now. Any recommendations for sealing the pad?

 

[mr47930]

Got some shutters on today. We’ll see how well they stay up. I’m hesitant to drill holes into the side of the metal so I used some PVC trim and cut them into blocks to use as stand offs to sit over the ridges. Then used some neodymium magnets to hold them onto the building. Took the backpack blower to the inside to try and get as much concrete dust out as possible. Need to get a sprayer and some sealer and get that done soon.

 

[Firstram]

If they fall off, add more magnets!




Fantastic looking building!

 

[mr47930]

If they fall off, add more magnets!




Fantastic looking building!

That’s the plan! There’s a not so fantastic stick built shed just out of frame that’ll be coming down when this building is completed. The previous owners cut out just enough pine trees to squeeze it in between and then for some unknown reason put a skylight in it, but then never actually cleaned the pine needles off. Over the years I assume the wet mat of needles just rotted around the skylight. I’ll be glad to get that eyesore demoed.

 

[thammel]

Good idea with the magnets! I built some speaker systems this year and used neodymium magnets to hold the front grille cover on.

 

[mr47930]

Just got the quote back from my power company. $800 to run new service straight from the transformer. That feels like a pretty good deal instead of renting a trencher and tearing up my entire yard then drilling through my walls to hook up to my house. Now that we have that out of the way, my electrician can get started with the permitting process. Always something…

 

[Cdubu52]

Just caught up with your build. Looks like a great place. As an avid golfer, I am also planning on a simulator build. Im looking forward to see how you accomplish your goal.

$800 for a new service is a great price. Mine was more than Double that.

 

[mr47930]

I was surprised myself, I actually called the engineer who was the one that came out to do the measurements to make sure this was an “all in” cost and not just some type of “1st step” cost. They said since the building is so close to the transformer that it significantly reduces the cost. What launch monitors have you been looking at?

 

[Cdubu52]

I was surprised myself, I actually called the engineer who was the one that came out to do the measurements to make sure this was an “all in” cost and not just some type of “1st step” cost. They said since the building is so close to the transformer that it significantly reduces the cost. What launch monitors have you been looking at?

I really like the Mevo +, but lately I have been looking at the Rapsodo MLM2Pro. Either of those will work to get me started. I have to get my kid out of college before I sink big money into it. I have a friend with at GC Quad and I dont have that kind of money right now. I am probably going to do a sim package that includes the surround and the projector and everything at a later date. Right now, I just want something that will help me get better.

 

[mr47930]

Nice! Anything that can get me swinging between my son’s sports practices and games is what I’m looking for. I’m probably going to go with the Bushnell Launch Pro. I have a few buddies that have it and they say it works great.

 

[mr47930]

Electrical permit is in and being reviewed by the county. Garage door should be installed this Saturday.

In bigger news, I jumped on the early Black Friday sale for the Bushnell Launch pro launch monitor. $2,800 out the door, regularly $3,499 before taxes. Also picked up a 9x12x5 enclosure from Carls. I’ll keep monitoring the web for some deals on a mat, computer and projector, but I’m pretty pumped that it’s all starting to come together.

 

[mr47930]

Garage door is up! The windows are smaller than I thought they’d be for such a large door but it matches the house so I’m fine with it. The side mount opener is pretty sweet, whisper quiet when it opens and closes.

 

[mr47930]

Good mail day today! First piece of the sim setup has arrived.

 

[mr47930]

Electrician came by today to set the service. County is supposed to come by Monday to inspect and then the power company can run the lines and put in the meter. It’s been slow progress lately but better than nothing.

 

[mr47930]

Progress is somewhat halted while I wait for my power company to run the main line from the transformer.

Really put a hurtin’ on the credit card over Black Friday and cyber Monday. Picked up the outside lights and a 96” ceiling fan. Also got some goodies for me in a new gaming computer to run the golf simulator, 4 orbi mesh pods, new modem, huge storage shelving, and a blackstone griddle.

Calling around for some quotes on a metal ceiling and blow in insulation, guess everyone is still hungover from the Thanksgiving holiday, as no one has gotten back to me quite yet.

 

[mr47930]

Finally some progress…
Power company came today to run the line from my transformer to the meter. Unfortunately I’m half way across the country for work, but will be back tomorrow to check up on things. Assuming the next step is some type of inspection and then my electrician can finish off wiring the inside.

 

[mr47930]

Happy new year! Some progress has been made in the last few weeks but now just waiting on the Amish to get back here and put the metal ceiling panels up. Electric has all been ran except for the outdoor lights. Driveway pavement went down a few weeks ago. Calling for the possibility of 12+” of snow in my neck of the woods on Monday which is incredibly uncommon. Fired the snow blower up and cleared a spot in the garage for my truck!

 

[mr47930]

Getting prepped for this east coast snow storm that’s coming tonight. Got the ice melt, shovels ready, snow blower started up, and bathtub filled. For the first time in its lifetime, the F-250 will be dry during a storm! I also put up the frame for my future golf simulator. Don’t want to put the sides or impact screen on until I get the ceiling in so I don’t have to move it all around. I was able to score some pretty sweet tickets to the Ravens vs Browns game last night, took my boy and we had a great time despite the frigid temps.

 

[mr47930]

It’s been an absolute mess of a few days. We did end up getting slammed with a winter storm. Final tally is 10” of snow with more possible this weekend. My snowblower was a lifesaver but it doesn’t eliminate shoveling completely. My main concern is that I have an inground pool with an autocover that I was worried about with the weight of the snow on top of it. Had to shovel around the edges that aren’t supported by the water underneath. My kid and pup had an absolute blast in it though so I guess there is some bright side.

My Amish contact called me and said the ceiling metal is in, but of course the road isn’t passable so delivery is pending.

 

[mr47930]

Amish crew showed up this morning to put the metal up in the ceiling. Electrician should be back this weekend to finish up the lights, ceiling fan and outdoor lights and we’ll be done for the time being. Then it’s time to focus on the golf sim. Weather is supposed to dip down into the negatives with the wind chill this week. I’m not sure why I live in a place that’s painful to be outside…

 

[mr47930]

Now the real fun begins!
Electrician showed up and put the interior lights and ceiling fan up. With that out of the way I’m finally able to put the golf simulator enclosure together. It’s killing me to not take a few hacks but the foam that goes around the edges was vacuum sealed and it needs to come back to life before I can install it. With my luck (and skill, or lack there of) I know I’d shank one right through the edge.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Real nice post and photos.
Thanks!

 

[Vette60]

Cool - enjoying your build and look forward to following along - the snow and cold up your way have been a real bummer. My sister is up in Anne Arundel County it's been been a bummer. Even here in Richmond, the extended cold weather has been pretty unusual.

The golf sim looks like it's going to be great. Thanks!

 

[mr47930]

Thanks! Yea I’m about 20 minutes south of Anne Arundle County. It’s just been an unusually cold winter for these parts. No idea how they do it out in some of the northern states. Looking like a few days of above freezing temps coming our way, I was able to take my truck to the car wash and spray all the salt off so that was noce.

 

[mr47930]

Minimal work in the shop today. Just cleaned up some and I was able to hit a few balls in the enclosure, however the electrician ran out of time the other day and didn’t get to installing my outlet needed for my projector. Full sim mode will have to wait on that. I did install a retractable extension cord, at 50’ long it’ll reach anywhere I need it.

 

[Swanny1953]

Which sim did you go with? I have had an aboutGolf sim for almost 7 years and really enjoy it!

 

[mr47930]

Which sim did you go with? I have had an aboutGolf sim for almost 7 years and really enjoy it!

I went with the Bushnell Launch pro with ball & club data. Got a pretty good deal on it at Black Friday. A few buddies have it and they love it and say it’s super accurate. Plus now it’s compatible with GSPro so the courses are basically unlimited. The yearly subscription fee *****, but it is what it is I suppose.

 

[mr47930]

It’s been an incredibly long and exhausting few weeks. My career and livelihood are currently at stake and it’s been incredibly stressful. The DC plane crash that’s been on the news took the lives of a few people in my local community, fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, friends. Pretending that everything is fine for my kid and working out in the shop on weekends has been a great way to forget the outside world exists, even for just a few minutes.

I was able to get the sim up and running and played around with it for a bit. Unfortunately I was pretty beat from a long weekend away that I just wanted to come in and shower and lay down. I’ll get back out there tomorrow and fiddle with it some more. It seems incredibly accurate from what little time I spent using it though.

 

[DennisK59]

Take your time. America is in crisis after the past timeline.....Sorry Ryan, Move to wherer ever...............

 

[mr47930]

Take your time. America is in crisis after the past timeline.....Sorry Ryan, Move to wherer ever...............

That’s an incoherent response if ive ever seen one.