Finally time to pull the trigger . . . starting on the New (much anticipated) SHOP - Build

[conv67bdere]

Just spit balling here but why wouldn't you pour the slab and footing at the same time as one pour?

A vapor barrier covered by gravel can be installed while your waiting for the concrete.

With no inside footer form you can tie the rebar for the slab in now and tie everything together in one pour.

Be sure to add PVC for any electrical work that will need to be encased in the slab...

Several reasons . . .

1 - I'm doing this "mostly" by myself . . . so I'm doing as much as I can to cut costs.
. ( will hire someone to do the pad - don't know enough to do it myself )
2 - The inside will need to be dug out and filled with crushed gravel (ABC stone)
3 - Working my best to fit the pieces into my budget . . . a bit a t a time
4 - Still need to get the wire mesh mats that will go in the pad
5 - They will be connected to the rebar in the footers, so it will basically be a monolithic pad ( just not a single pour)
6 - Figured out a way to get the rebar cages "set" in the ground . . . was worried about them moving during the footing pour

Just trying to keep making progress, and keep it affordable
( with the cost of wood, and now the "claimed" cement "shortage" too )

Sheesh . . finally get to building, and prices of everything is through the roof . . .

(pun intended . . . )

 

[747mopar]

If you get hard up and want to try and pour the slab yourself there is an easy way to get a nice job even being a novice. When we poured dad's 32'×60' I formed it up in 4 15'×32' pours. You just don't bite off more than you can chew and form it to where a single 2×4 can reach all the way across. Having said that, I'm done doing pads... I suck, the pros make it look easy and do a way better job lol.

 

[conv67bdere]

Got some more framing done, getting the inside edges ready for the concrete pour tomorrow
(note: looks like it will be Tuesday as the weather for tomorrow is looking very wet for my area)

This will allow me to get the inside edges high enough to hold the crushed gravel that will go in the center area . . .
If you look inside the openings, you'll see how I set the rebar cages in concrete to hold them in place so they won't move when the concrete is poured - sure hope that this is going to work . . .

If you get hard up and want to try and pour the slab yourself there is an easy way to get a nice job even being a novice. When we poured dad's 32'×60' I formed it up in 4 15'×32' pours. You just don't bite off more than you can chew and form it to where a single 2×4 can reach all the way across. Having said that, I'm done doing pads... I suck, the pros make it look easy and do a way better job lol.

I'm going to pass and let someone who knows what they're doing handle this . . . but you made a very good suggestion (if I ever decide to try it in the future)

 

[barbee6043]

I was hoping to do a small shed and add on to it but as the price ALL materials is so darn high, it is just on hold. Bout got to old to build anything. Too poor to pay it done. LOL

 

[Nxcoupe]

Great job! You're an animal! I would have rented a bobcat backhoe before I hand dug all that but in OH the soil is tough to get thru unless it's really wet.
I am on vaca and have been waiting on my pole barn to be started on. I have the pad with large gravel on it already. They emailed Friday and said, we're coming out Wednesday to start on your barn. I called them and said, look I told you I'd be gone in FL tgis week. He said sorry,thought you meant August. I asked when they could get me back on the schedule and he said 2 to 3 weeks. I said see ya Wednesday. I'm driving all day Tuesday to get there in time to move cars and bush hog before they get there Wed.
So I know how antsy you get waiting on a dream like this to come thru. I've been trying to get this built since we bought the farm 3 years ago. Started this process in Sept 2020. My patience is at its end! Lol. Can't wait.

 

[barbee6043]

^^ And prices of materials are 3 times higher!!!
OK lumber futures are slightly down.
Glad you are getting the bldg. up though.

 

[moparedtn]

$150/yd...

 

[conv67bdere]

Well, the pour on Monday and Tuesday . . . was a "wash" here in NC . . .

But . . . someone appears to be looking out for me . . . and now the rest of MY story . . .

What the concrete company did not tell me is that they want to allow 10 Minutes/yard for unloading . . . WHAT ? ?
They actually told me that they could have allowed for 1 1/2 hours . . . that still was NOT enough - thought I had 2-3 hours . . .

5 yards of concrete removed from the truck in 50 minutes when it needs to be carted 50 yards to the site ? ? ?
- had I done the pour, I would have got "some" of the concrete out and paid for the full load ! ! !

All I can say is . . . Live and LEARN . . . at least this "lesson" didn't cost me a lot of money - actually NONE at all - yet.

So this plan was to . . . rent a concrete buggy to move the concrete - rental - $150 / day . . .
Asked what if I did 2 loads of 2 1/2 yards . . . guess what . . .that would cost $150 more for the 2 trucks.

The cost of a pumper truck at $500 is now looking a WHOLE lot better - Won't work my arse of either ! ! ! The pumper truck guy does all the work with the pumper hose, I just have to watch to make sure the concrete gets where it need to be . . . I think I can do that . . .

So now I'm trying to get on the schedule for concrete AND the pumper . . . oh, the concrete for the pumper is MORE die to it needing to be a special mix . . . figures . . .

Note to self . . . SHOULD have done this YEARS ago - idiot ! ! !

 

[Nxcoupe]

My posts are up! Good to hear you've got a better plan in place. I say the same thing every time I pay double for something. Should have done it years ago. But it's gonna be cool regardless.

 

[joe smith]

You could line up 4 or 5 " friends " with wheel barrows... Done that many times

 

[skicker]

Maybe its just me but I would be doing this as a monolithic pour...especially if I had to use a pump truck... .02

You have to pay more anyway why not only pay more one time?

The pours for all of my sidewalks around the garage had to be broken up into 3 separate pours...fortunately they were all broom finish and didn't need a machine...Wheel barrows always seem to work no matter what the difficulty of the pour is...Sadly they require additional bodies to operate them...

 

[747mopar]

I was hoping to do a small shed and add on to it but as the price ALL materials is so darn high, it is just on hold. Bout got to old to build anything. Too poor to pay it done. LOL

Have you checked lately, treated lumber prices are back to normal at my local Lowes.

 

[747mopar]

Maybe its just me but I would be doing this as a monolithic pour...especially if I had to use a pump truck... .02

You have to pay more anyway why not only pay more one time?

The pours for all of my sidewalks around the garage had to be broken up into 3 separate pours...fortunately they were all broom finish and didn't need a machine...Wheel barrows always seem to work no matter what the difficulty of the pour is...Sadly they require additional bodies to operate them...

I'm starting to agree with skicker on this one with all of the added cost and B.S. By pouring the floor now you'll basically get your footers poured for free as far as labor goes and you'll be done... Time for framing! I'd think about it, rent the stuff once and be done with it. Regardless of how you do it let me know if you need an extra hand and I'll see if I can make it.

 

[barbee6043]

Have you checked lately, treated lumber prices are back to normal at my local Lowes.

Here in the SE Tx Piney Woods, Lowe's is the last place I buy lumber!!!

 

[747mopar]

Here in the SE Tx Piney Woods, Lowe's is the last place I buy lumber!!!

I get to choose between Menards and Lowe's, Menards treated me like a 3rd world civilian for the last year or so..

 

[conv67bdere]

Thanks guys for all the input . . . just working at this thing as quickly as I can as I can afford to get the stuff . . .

Checked on bagged Quick-crete and it turns out that buying it in bags turns out to be cheaper that what the place is charging me for a yard . . . but in order to do that, you have to buy 42 bags . . . a full pallet, to get the 20% discount . . . problem is I can't carry a full pallet in my truck to get it to the house, so I grabbed half of the pallet, 21 bags, went home with a wheel barrow and a hoe . . . and got started . . .

First 21 bags done . . .

21 bags is about 1/2 yard . . . so the next 21 will get me to 1 full yard . . .
( ignore the electric mixer in the picture )

Even made it a bit around the corner too

Went back to Lowes and picked up the next batch of 21 bags . . . for tomorrow. Already took my Advil, but it's looking like some Wild Turkey 101 is on the menu for tonight also . . . to numb the pain . . .

Note to self: If you're going to claim you used a wheel barrow and a hoe, YOU need to do a much better job of hiding the electric mixer and not have it in plain view in one of the pictures . . . dummy . . . LOL

Just messing with you guys ! ! !

 

[conv67bdere]

Side note: After all of this Goings On . . . I actually checked the price that was being charged for the concrete, and they are charging me $180/YD . . . and If I go to using a pumper truck, the price goes to almost $200/YD . . . now you might "better understand" why I might be mixing bags of Sakrete instead of buying it . . .

Can you say Highway Robbery . . . the local Concrete mixing business only charges $150 - but they will only deal with "existing customers" . . . as they claim that there is an "cement shortage" . . . imagine that . . . just like about everything else that is of importance . . . . sheesh

A little work never hurt anyone . . .

OR

I'm just a glutton for Punishment . . . ( or in today's language - is that gluten ? )


( unless you're a millennial - apparently - did people just forget HOW to work ? ? ? ? )

 

[kiwigtx]

Side note: After all of this Goings On . . . I actually checked the price that was being charged for the concrete, and they are charging me $180/YD . . . and If I go to using a pumper truck, the price goes to almost $200/YD . . . now you might "better understand" why I might be mixing bags of Sakrete instead of buying it . . .

Can you say Highway Robbery . . . the local Concrete mixing business only charges $150 - but they will only deal with "existing customers" . . . as they claim that there is an "cement shortage" . . . imagine that . . . just like about everything else that is of importance . . . . sheesh

A little work never hurt anyone . . .

OR

I'm just a glutton for Punishment . . . ( or in today's language - is that gluten ? )


( unless you're a millennial - apparently - did people just forget HOW to work ? ? ? ? )

Personally I would (and have done) use a truck and a concrete pump guy....saves many hours and much back pain. All my driveway, retaining wall posts and shed pad were pumped in. Those pump guys earn their dollars, and the job is done & dusted within a couple of hours.

However, I do salute you for doing the hard yards....that shed will be pure satisfaction for you when completed.

 

[kiwigtx]

A quick shot of the crew in action on my driveway....I stayed right out of their way....they know what to do and don't need the customer in the way.

 

[conv67bdere]

It's 11:30 . . . and the next round of 21 bags is done . . .

Had a little Heart Stopping moment this morning when the Wheel Barrow and Hoe would not work . . . I mean, I plugged in the electric cement mixer and . . . Nothing . . . so I'm thinking . . . "Great - Now What ?" But it turned out that the wall outlet in this shop had a plug-in type and it was not making good contact (funny that it worked fine for 2 hours last night), so I pulled it out, re-seated the outlet in the wall strip, and everything is back up and running . . .

So, 21 more bags are done, that's one full yard of concrete . . . I'm starting a collection . . .

This 13' end - which 9is the deepest area of pour - is fully completed now . . .

AND I'm starting my way down one of the 50' stretches . . .

Going to take a little breather . . . get some lunch, and some more energy . . . and buy 42 more bags . . . and do (2) more 21 bag marathons . . .

Keep posted for more updates later today . . . ( I hope )