Fruits of my labor ....

BigAl · Oct 4, 2008

Well, I just spent the last month and a half working on getting the new Barn/Shop under construction in Idaho . I still need to get the second floor walls in place before adding the roof and the shed roofs attached but its coming along . Its grown in size a little now . I added a 1400 square foot apartment upstairs .So that brings in up to about 5000 square feet

I'll be headed back in about 4 days for a month of Elk Hunting and then I'll be getting it closed up for Winter . I figure I have about 3 more weeks of labor to have it closed in before the snow really starts flying .

thcri · Oct 4, 2008

Al are you up there alone working or do you have some help? It looks good though. I wish in Minnesota you could build a shed like that with an apartment or living quarters attached to it. :hammer:

murph

BigAl · Oct 4, 2008

thcri said:
Al are you up there alone working or do you have some help? It looks good though. I wish in Minnesota you could build a shed like that with an apartment or living quarters attached to it.

murph

Nope ! Me and the Wife have pretty much done it all and our bones are really feeling it . I have had a few nieghbors stop by and help a little ,but everyone is trying to beat "Old Man Winter " on their own projects . I have probably paid out about $500 in outside labor help total . It seemed to take forever to get it out of the dirt .Its gone much faster since we laid down 56 yards of concrete floor .

I added underfloor drains for the horse stalls and underground plumbing for a full bath off the main floor .We then decided to add a 160' concrete block steel reinforced retaining wall on the uphill side to keep the rain water directed away from the building pad . The wife wanted a room for her hobby area so I lost the front corner to her .
That's what nice about doing this is no building permits are required in my area . I will need to get one for the new septic system and the new Electric Service ,but thats all .

I'll finish it next spring with matching Lodge Pole board and batt siding and 4' high veneer river rock around the base to match the main house .

All the lumber is cut right around the place . When I get back I need to get the new 8" lodge pole post that will support the shed roofs on the front and back and also for the unstairs cover deck that runs across the front of the upstairs apartment . The wife found some standing dead trees on top of the property that we will use for that .

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq · Oct 4, 2008

I bet you've lost some weight with this project! Nice work Al!

It's cool to do it all by yourself. It may take longer but the satisfaction is better!

thcri · Oct 4, 2008

PBinWA said:
I bet you've lost some weight with this project! Nice work Al!

It's cool to do it all by yourself. It may take longer but the satisfaction is better!

I should go out and help him, then I too could lose some weight. :hide:

BigAl · Oct 5, 2008

thcri said:
I should go out and help him, then I too could lose some weight.

Unfortunately , I have not lost any more weight in a while . I been shoveling in the coal(food) to keep working at the pace we have been going lately on the ranch .
The new overalls still fit but I can tell I have added a few pounds back .

Hunting season starts on Friday and the next month should pull those pounds back off as I hike all over these hills looking for animals to harrass .

I'll say one thing to all you farmers and ranchers out there ....You guys are tough ! I never seem to have a lack of chores to do on the ranch . Its a hard life ,but I love it .

Dargo · Oct 5, 2008

I thought you'd made some changes to your place in Panama. I'll be in Costa Rica by mid week for a stay. It looks to be close to Panama. I've never been to that area before but I hear it is beautiful. Ever been to Costa Rica? I'll be staying in a suite at the Four Seasons Resort. As far as I know I'll be staying in a two room tent that is called a "suite".

Hopefully it's nice. It sounds like you speak highly of the area. Anything you'd suggest doing there? I think I'm scheduled for zip lining, horseback riding, ATV riding, deep sea fishing with massages each night back at the Four Seasons. I really don't know what to expect.

BTW, great looking project!! I guess I can't drop in for a visit when I'm in Costa Rica though. :sad:

BigAl · Oct 5, 2008

Dargo said:
I thought you'd made some changes to your place in Panama. I'll be in Costa Rica by mid week for a stay. It looks to be close to Panama. I've never been to that area before but I hear it is beautiful. Ever been to Costa Rica? I'll be staying in a suite at the Four Seasons Resort. As far as I know I'll be staying in a two room tent that is called a "suite". Hopefully it's nice. It sounds like you speak highly of the area. Anything you'd suggest doing there? I think I'm scheduled for zip lining, horseback riding, ATV riding, deep sea fishing with massages each night back at the Four Seasons. I really don't know what to expect.

BTW, great looking project!! I guess I can't drop in for a visit when I'm in Costa Rica though.

Not unless you want to come back to Idaho .

Your right next door to Panama . We are only about 20 miles in a straight line to Costa Rica on the Caribbean side . Sounds like you got some fun things ready to go . I don't know what to add to your "Do list" .
Which side of Costa Rica are you on ? The Seafood should be excellent if your on the Pacific side .

If the "No See-Ems" start biting go buy a can of "Deep Woods" bug repellent in the GREEN can . It works really well .
You should have a kick in the butt good time . It will be humid so dress accordingly . A jacket may be in order if you are in the high country . The weather should be perfect as this is one of the best times of the year .

Have a great TRIP !!!!!

Deadly Sushi · Oct 5, 2008

Looks great Al! You did that all by yourself and with the wife?? Wow!!!! Fantastic job my friend! And youre darn right about that Deep Woods OFF! stuff!

pirate_girl · Oct 6, 2008

Deadly Sushi said:
And youre darn right about that Deep Woods OFF! stuff!

Skeeters don't bite me.
Isn't that weird?
I can count the mosquito bites I have had in my life.
They were few and far between.
Back on topic; Nice work there Al. :smile:

cowgirl · Oct 7, 2008

wow very nice and i'm totally jealous. Hey when your done swing by my place and I will let you build me one too!

American Woman · Oct 7, 2008

cowgirl said:
wow very nice and i'm totally jealous. Hey when your done swing by my place and I will let you build me one too!

LET him?

Al that is going to be nice enough to call home :shock:

BigAl · Oct 7, 2008

American Woman said:
LET him?
Al that is going to be nice enough to call home

I sure hope so ....
This will give you and idea of what the exterior will look like when I get the Rock Veneer , Board & batt siding , and Railing in place . This is the old ranch house I just finished . The barn is to match it in every detail .

American Woman · Oct 7, 2008

All I can say is ...wow *sigh* :wub:

BigAl · Nov 21, 2008

Were Finally gettin close to having the barn all closed up for winter . The metal roof is now on and should be screwed in place tomorrow,if it does not snow again . The north side never got completely melted off today or we would have been done with it . Today I started setting doors and windows and should be done in a few more days .I'm taking pictures and will post when I return to Calif .
The wieght has come off since hunting season and all the framing work on the barn . Just about down to the lowest wieghtI been in about 4-5 years .The ankle I broke 2 years ago is really actin up again,since working on the roof . I have a floating piece on the ankle ball socket and it is being a real pain . Pictures soon!!!

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq · Nov 21, 2008

Looking forward to the pictures Al!

On board and batt siding, how do you deal with the seam at the top of the siding? Do you flash that or just butt it up?

Snowcat Operations · Nov 22, 2008

Al your an amazing man! A few months ago there was a pile of block where you wanted to build the garage. Now its a thing of beauty! Cant wait untill shes done!

BigAl · Nov 24, 2008

PBinWA said:
Looking forward to the pictures Al!

On board and batt siding, how do you deal with the seam at the top of the siding? Do you flash that or just butt it up?

What I do is furr out the gable end the same thickness as the siding I am using and then lap the upper boards exactly over the lower ones by about 2" .It makes a nice tight joint . I do the same thing with the batts also . :clap:

Dargo · Nov 25, 2008

Hey, I forgot to mention this, but they sure could use your skills in Costa Rica! I took several trips into the countryside on ATVs and saw a lot of carpentry that wasn't quite up to your standards. Let me just put it this way; it's amazing what some people can do with corragated metal.

I didn't think to get a picture of it, but if you look really close towards the upper left side of this picture you can see part of the bar/liquor store made completely of corragated steel. And, yeah, I thought it kind of odd to stop for liquor in the middle of an ATV excursion.

cabinboy · Nov 25, 2008

Hey, Big AL that is a fantastic looking place you have made for you and your wife !!!! We are looking forward to seeing more pictures of the place when you get back. NICE JOB.. :biggrin:

BigAl · Nov 25, 2008

cabinboy said:
Hey, Big AL that is a fantastic looking place you have made for you and your wife !!!! We are looking forward to seeing more pictures of the place when you get back. NICE JOB..

Thank you very much .! But to be perfectly honest ,my wjfe has worked right by my side every day in building this new barn/shop . It would have been much tougher without her help and insight .I can honestly say we built this for each other !

cabinboy · Nov 26, 2008

Together you two have done a very fine job !!!!! It all looks GREAT ... We are looking forward to seeing more of the Fruits of your labors.

BigAl · Nov 30, 2008

Ok.... Here's some pictures I took on Thanksgiving day of the closed in shell . The outside covered deck extends off the upstairs living room area . I'll cut the floor joists to the proper lenght after I finish the gable end siding and install the log railings after I use the forklift to lift all the big items upstairs .

Rock veneer will extend up to the bottom of the windows downstairs .It will be oiled board & batt siding above that .

I have a 15' x 20' dorm room up in the roof section of each wing . The head room hieght is 7' high to the peak and 50" high side walls . The one picture shows the reinforce 6x12's beams that I used to support the second floor and roof . This eliminated using trusses and losing all this valuable space . I ended up with 1400 sq. ft . upstairs and 3600 sq. ft. downstairs .
All my tractor implements fits nicely under the shed roofs . I used a 5/12 pitch roof on this design .

pixie · Nov 30, 2008

Looks GREAT, Al :clap:

Do you get much snow on your roofs out there ? I've had as much as 4 feet on a 6/12 pitch steel roof before I shoveled it.

BigAl · Nov 30, 2008

pixie said:
Looks GREAT, Al

Do you get much snow on your roofs out there ? I've had as much as 4 feet on a 6/12 pitch steel roof before I shoveled it.

Hi Pixie ! How ya been :shifty:

?

I have seen as much as 4 feet here . Thats about the most I ever heard of around these parts . I'm going to add heat tape along the upper gable roof overhang to keep from getting a ice dam buildup along the overhang .I have reinforce every rafter in the main barn . I may have to add some additional support pieces to the shed roofs ,but I am hoping that it will not be necessary . I like the added headroom hieght .

cabinboy · Dec 2, 2008

Thanks for the pictures Al, that sure is a good sized barn/apartment/garage. I sure wish I had one like that.

Snowcat Operations · Jan 25, 2009

Any updates Allen?

BigAl · Jan 25, 2009

Not at this time , Mike . Just too much snow for now ,at the ranch .It needs to warm up a little . I was in contact with the outfit that is cutting the siding and they told me they have 80% of the siding cut and ready to go ,when I return .

Pigtails · Jan 26, 2009

All I can say is, Wow. What a great looking shop/barn. Wish we had half that up here so Mtntopper wouldn't have to work in his "BIG BLUE BARN".. (which is outside) hehe. Good job ..

fogtender · Jan 26, 2009

pirate_girl said:
Skeeters don't bite me.
Isn't that weird?
I can count the mosquito bites I have had in my life.
They were few and far between.

You really need to get out more often...... :yum:

About a week in the Bush up here and they will be making you look like pegboard.... :flowers:

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