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I was told by a business person that BendPak lifts are made in China and that they rebrand that style of lift. The same factory rebrands that lift and different manufacturers put their name on it. Looks like BendPak & Dannmar come out of the same factory in China. The Dannmar is ALI Certified...

What model and what did you pay?

I was also looking at the Atlas 10k lift that is ALI Certified but its more $$ at $4800 https://heavyliftdirect.com/products/atlas-pvl10-10-000-lb-2-post-lift

I was looking to buying the Atlas 9KOHX 9,000 lb 2-post car lift. I was looking at BendPak but the lifts are pushing $6k for the same lift while the Atlas is $2,500. There is a company "Heavy Lift Direct" that allows direct pickup at its warehouses. So that saves $400 on shipping. My garage...

Thanks for the replies! It seems an overwhelming majority agree that the fridge can be stored unplugged. Once it is moved into the new house, I will let it sit for a few days and then plug it in. Even minisplit manufacturers say that a unit will have a longer lifespan if the unit doesn't have...

Well drilled in 2016 Production = 25gpm Depth = 508 feet Pump Depth = 485 feet Static Water Level = 205 feet Motor: Goulds VFD 3 Phase 3HP - 230 Volts – Range: 13GPM – 22GPM (max) Drop Pipe: 1 ¼” Schedule 120 PVC with Stainless Steel Couplers - 3 Stainless Steel Check Valves @ Pump Head, 160...

Its a used fridge that will be sitting for a few months. I did plug it in and run it for a weekend and then unplugged it and let it sit for 3-4 weeks.

I got a fridge that will be going into a new house but it's not for a couple of months so the fridge is currently sitting in my garage unplugged with the doors open. Someone claimed that the fridge needs to be plugged in 24\7 or otherwise the compressor will fail prematurely. I talked to a...

So far I've had the VFD going 10 years with zero issues. The bladder tank is also fine. I'm just installing another VFD on a different house that's why I bought it new tank for it

Yes, the 2nd pic is looking inside the tank from the bottom, where the water line connects to. These smaller tanks are for constant pressure VFD well pumps. They don't require large tanks.

I got a new expansion tank for my well pump. Inside there is a plastic like cap and when I pushed on it, nothing happened. Is that supposed to come out or move? I don't want to install it and find out that I needed to remove the inside or something wasn't correct with it. It also looks like it's...

My costs are around 0.10 cents per watt for the panels

Here are the specs on the panels: https://www.jingsun-power.com/solar-panel/mono-solar-panel/750-watt-solar-panel.html

Price wise, I am able to get 23 bifacial solar panels (750w) and the mounting brackets for $2k delivered from my Chinese contact. Panels have a 25 year warranty and are rated\tested So bifacial panels will break more easily in hail than standard panels?

I'm looking at 750w bifacial panels. I am able to get them at a good price directly from China. For the Inverter, I am looking to get the EG4 18KPV

I am looking to do a 10kW ground mounted adjustable solar panel system. I am on 15 acres so I have plenty of room for ground panels. I also will want them to be adjustable so I can change them from winter to summer sun angles. I currently use under 600 kWh of electricity per month. That will...

A lot of good information, I appreciate that. One thing that concerns me about vinyl flooring is the area I live in has a lot of small rocks & sand that can get stuck onto shoes. I usually always remove my shoes when going inside but sometimes guests don't do that. I'm worried about rocks &...

I am getting ready to install flooring in my new house. It's a slab on grade build so the floor is concrete (5,000 psi). It's been exposed for 1.5 years and no movement/cracks/moisture. I am in Arizona so moisture is not an issue out here. I am contemplating with going with LifeProof Luxury...

I got some metal U-shape shims at HF and got the compressor level. It's now less than 1/8th of an inch slope which is fine. Being it has rubber mounts, it changes by 1/8th of an inch with temperature, movement, etc.

I double checked. The bracket is level and the lineset is not in the way. It's the rubber bushings and attachments points on the condenser that make it tilt. I'll see if I can shim it level

The mini was installed but the rubber bushings it sits on pits a slight tilt to the unit. I measured and it's about a 1/8 - 1/4 inch tilt. The AC guy said it's fine but just wondering if having a slight tilt will cause any issues?

I did an ICF (6" concrete core with 5.50" of EPS) wall and polyurethane roof SIPS. There are basically 2 types of SIPS (polyurethane core vs polystyrene core). The polyurethane is stronger, has a Class A fire rating, and has higher R-Values but it does cost more. I used SIPS of America out of...

Thanks! The garage has taken a lot of work and money to get to this point. I work full time and then work on the garage after work and on weekends. So it has taken a while to get to this point. The beam had to be lifted up over 20' at times to clear the juniper trees. That got scary as being so...

(y) No problem. I didn't want any mid-span supports as that would get in the way of having an open space and require footings inside the garage. So the engineer called out for these beams to span that distance without mid-span supports. These style of beams are used in NYC skyscrapers. I can't...

Span is 48 feet. Beam is 21" tall x 6.50" wide with a thickness of 0.45 at the top and bottom plates and a web thickness of 0.35. Yield strength of 36,000 psi. The beams weighed 2,110 pounds per beam. Price was about the same at $2,200 per beam. Steel plates were embedded into the wet concrete...

Appreciate the info. Last winter the garage never got below 58F. There are NO windows and the height of the garage peak is 16' as a gable so it starts at 10' and peaks at 16'. There are TWO insulated (R-8) car entry doors (18x8) and an insulated side entry door (R-7). The garage walls are...

For my insulated detached garage (1,200 sqft). I was thinking of getting a 1 ton ductless minisplit unit to help cool it in the summer and provide a little heat in the winter, if needed. Would the 1 ton be undersized for an insulated garage? (R-30 walls/R-40 roof/R-8 car entry doors) I'm in Zone...

Do concrete slab expansion joints need to be filled BEFORE putting down LVP?

Thanks for the pics, comments and info. Like some have mentioned, you have to go for the better (higher priced) LVP. The cheaper stuff just doesn't last and hold up as well. I also looked at the Lifeproof (HD) brand, it's also a 20 mil wear layer. The Shaw (Lowe's) brand comes with a...

Luxury Vinyl Planks - I was looking to install these on my house. I DON'T wear shoes while indoors and don't have any dogs or cats (currently). Porcelain Tile is definitely more durable as it's stone but it's also more expensive, cold to the feet, and not a DIY install. From my research it...

I ended up changing it to 12/3 just to be safe. I will sleep better at night :)

Power to outside unit looks like 14 Guage wire. So I will go with 14/2 Romex on a 15 amp double pole breaker.

Instructions just say 14 gauge wire. 208/230V 1 Phase 60 Hz 15 AMPS MAX breaker size

Does one need a 14/2 or 14/3 Romex wire for a 1 ton Mitsubishi minisplit? Breaker shows 15amp double pole but doesn't show wire requirements.

I will give it a try. There are some YouTube videos showing the install. Doesn't look too bad. Jackshaft openers look easier to install than the ceiling hanging chain/belt drive ones. Is Amazon a good place to buy the opener? Also looks like Raynor and Liftmaster are the same brands. Raynor...

Getting ready to install my LiftMaster 8500W Elite jackshaft side mounted garage door openers. The installer quoted me around $1,100 per opener, installed, or $2,200 for both doors. Online it shows the door opener kits are around $600 per. So it appears the installer is asking $500 per opener...

Plumbing company said they will come out and replace that kinked area.

I am having PEX installed on a new house build. I noticed one of the lines had a kink/bend in it that was straightened out but you can still see where the PEX bent and caused a crease. Is this something to be concerned about? Should I have them install a new piece there?

Last night temps dropped to 26F but inside the garage it was at 68F. The ICF is doing it's job. Concrete is very slow to change due to the insulated thermal mass so the temperature fluctuations inside are very slow, even without any heat source inside. ICF works best in high desert climates with...

Will it be a steel building? Insulated?

Yes, a concrete apron and driveway would be best. I will post the GoFundMe link soon: ;)

That is true once the snow slides off the south face with the garage doors. It will create a large snow mound that I will have to drive over. I can't plow it since the base is just gravel/sand. With gutters it will keep the slide offs from blocking my garage door entrance. So that's a plus for...

Good points. My overhang is about 26" inches on each side. I have good slope on the south end and will get some slope on the north end but have to finish trenching power.

12:12 pitch is a vertical wall :) definitely nothing sticking to that slope. I feel sorry for the roofers who need to go on such sloped roofs

Metal roof was installed. I am debating whether or not to install gutters. Some say not to because it will create problems with snow/ice in the winter. Gutters are nice in the summer downpours but can be problematic in winter, especially on a metal roof, as the snow/ice wants to slide off and...

I asked the question in another post but with a metal roof. Should I ground out the roof to prevent damage in case of a lightning storm?

I installed a standing seam metal roof on my garage. Should the roof be grounded to help prevent issues if a lightning strike happens?

Thanks for the input. I will of course make the AIV's accessible in the attic area with an access panel. Code prevents from using 100% AIV's as it requires at least one open air vent to the outside but I will do the wall penetration. The only issue is that my wall is ICF so there is 6" of...

Interesting you should say that. When I opened the side entry door, the garage doors definitely started to flex more. Then when I closed the side door, the flex was notably less. So the side door creates more pressure inside? I didn't know that but it does makes sense.

I measured and the channels are 2.25" tall There are at least 7 anchor bolts holding each side of the track into the wood trim pieces which are anchored into the concrete wall.

On my new house build, I had a nice and expensive standing seam metal roof installed. Talking with plumber and building inspector, they said I can run Studor AIV's on some of my plumbing vent stacks and I only require ONE outside plumbing stack vent. That outside vent can be through a wall that...

My 18x8 door is reinforced by 5 metal channels as seen in the photo. Last week we had winds hitting 40-45mph. I noticed the doors would kind of flex in the middle as the winds were blowing. Nothing was damaged but it kind of looked concerning. Door installer claims the doors are rated for 90mph...

Garage Doors Installed. The spring tension is pretty insane going up that 5:12 pitch

I tend to "overbuild" on my builds. Last house build I did, engineering said 2,500 psi on concrete floor but I went 3,500-4,000 psi. The same for walls and footings. I always will go bigger/stronger. I would rather spend a little more on structural and that way if something does happen, it's...

Unfortunately they are not local. They claim they will pay for someone to come out but they can't come out as they are too far away.

I believe that also. The timber had more moisture in it than it should have for an Arizona climate. It left the mill in Oregon and hit the dry/hot air of Arizona and dried out faster than it should. With temps in the 100-115F range and humidity in the 10% range. This caused the checking. Once...

Is the engineering fix a proper fix? Or do some people here think it's not?

That is one thing the engineer emphasized is that the glue did not fail as the checking is in the glue fibers.

I think what the engineer was saying is that when they do load calculations, the glue is not given a "value", only the wood itself is given a load calculation value. Of course the glue is key to bonding the beams but the glue itself is not given a load value when calculating for shear...

The engineer said that most glues are "expansive" and when injected, can actually cause further splits/checking to form elsewhere as the glue expands and pushes on other glulam members. He said the screws will provide the proper specs to bring the beam back into its original strength.

Engineer also mentioned that the glue in the glulam does NOT transfer shear, per their calculations. The wood fibers transfer shear while glue adheres wood together but for calculation purposes, they do not use the glue to transfer shear. The beam never de-laminated but experienced checking in...

Here are the engineering calcs: 21 Simpson screws spaced at 12" OC

When we cut the beams to size, I immediately put a wood glue at the ends to prevent drying out. I used Titebond III on the ends to seal the exposed wood. It is a waterproof glue. Beams were installed in about 1 week after delivery and never got wet and the SIPS roof was installed the same day...

I am going by with what the glulam engineer is advising. Should I try and find another engineer to see what they recommend? I am not sure why would the glulam engineer design something that would fail. The liability would be high.

So with the Simpson fully threaded timber screw with 2,000 lbf of tension and 1,400 lbf of shear strength per screw. That screw would be stronger than the original wood and bond glue, wouldn't it? I am wondering if it would be a good idea to just run some of those screws in the other 2 beams as...

I believe it has something to do with some designed positive camber in the beam. So when the beam is installed, it goes from a positive camber to neutral once the loads are applied.

I will do. I believe he wants to use these Simpson Timber Screws. 2,000 lbf of tension and 1,400 lbf of shear strength. Initial install sounds like 12" oc staggered but I don't have the detail yet Here are some pics of the 4x6 top plates. It was solid when bought/delivered and checked...

The top of the beam was marked "TOP" in black lettering and they were installed the correct side facing up. As mentioned, since the roof is installed, I cannot simply remove the beams without demolition of the roof. A cost of $80k + to do so. My only option is to repair it. Glulam engineer...

It appears that is what the engineer will require. Running long lag/timber bolts through the bottom to bring that bottom glulam back to where it was and prevent any future issues. It did NOT delaminate (which is a different problem all together) but the bottom board was initially glued into...

With the ICF/concrete, it takes a different approach to install. I installed the center that 2x10 center board first since that is the piece that will take the most load with the spring pad. I wanted to anchor that into the concrete wall. The rest of the 2x6 header area, doesn't really have...

Still have to install the top board over the door. Got the center and 2 side 2x6 boards.

I got the center 2x10 board installed. I used TWO 3/8" Tapcon bolts (6" long) that anchored into the 6" concrete core by about 2" deep. Then I ran THREE 3" long screws on the bottom which anchor into the treated board that is attached to the concrete wall. Should I run another 3/8" Tapcon...

It is for a house SIP roof. The house has 5 glulam beams supporting a SIP (polyurethane) roof. The walls are ICF/concrete.

If the roof was not on the house, I would opt to replace the beam. The roof would have to be destroyed in order to remove it. We are talking about $80k+ in costs, labor, new roof panels, etc. Not feasible. If the engineering says it can be repaired and made whole. Then I am good with that. I...

The design engineer said that the beams were "oversized" by about 70%. The glulams sit inside concrete beam pockets on the concrete wall. The glulam engineer said the repair might include 10" + timber bolts run through the bottom of the beam, possibly an epoxy being injected. More info coming...

Looks like they will get a speciality company with an engineer to come out and do the repairs. Initially it looks like they are recommending a high-grade epoxy and 10"+ Timber screws from the bottom. Might run screw jacks from concrete pad to beams while epoxy is curing to use as a clamping force.

The side 2x's can be just 2x6, right? They just hold the door tracking rails. Funny how 2 companies, installing the same exact door, can differ on their bids by $2k. I understand they need to make money but profits vs gouging. After the pandemic, a lot of price gouging has been happening.

The beam didn't have the checking when installed. It happened about 1-2 weeks later after the install. I hope to get the glulam supplier engineer out to the site to evaluate. So I will definetly have an engineer inspect it and go from there. I cannot remove the beams as the roof is already...

Yes, the ICF is a solid form once concrete is inside the form. It's 2.50" of EPS, 6" of concrete and then 2.50" of EPS. I'll do the 2x8 or maybe a 2x10 :)

I'll mount a 2x12 at the center location and then anchor it with numerous Tapcons into the concrete wall core. The 12" wide wood surface area will provide a good load distribution point and the 3/8" Tapcons will provide excellent holding force

Most of the checking is 1/8" but there is one spot that it split to almost 1/4" The longest length of checking on the 31' long beam is 17' at the bottom board and it stops just were the finger joints meet on the bottom glulam. The remaining 14' length of that beam appear to be okay for now. I...

I had some glulam beams installed on my new house build. I am in Arizona so it was hot & dry and the beams were installed in less than 1 week after being delivered. The roof was put on and now I am noticing some checking in that glulam beam. I was told that checking is normal, especially in a...

The foam is very difficult to remove, it not impossible, as it has plastic ties every 8" oc that go through and through (inside to outside) and are encased in 6" of concrete. I can do the 2x10 for more surface area and run more Tapcons.

That pic was just an example. Current garage doesn't have the boards in place yet and ICF foam still in place. I got a 6" long Tapcon screw so it will have 2" penetration into the concrete. Foam = 2.50" + Wood board 1.50" = 4.00" and that leaves me with 2" of concrete screw penetration into the...

I was able to find a different installer who will do it for $2k less, so around $5,900 for labor and doors. Going with the "follow the pitch" 5:12 track install. I still have to install the 2x6 boards onto the ICF concrete wall. I will use Tapcons but my question is on the center board, since...

Okay, so I will go with the lower priced door (R-6) and go with the pitch of the roof tracking system. So for two 18x8 steel insulated doors, tracking system, springs, one reinforcement strut per panel, continuous angle following the 5:12 pitch, install labor, will be $7,900 I'll get the wall...

Not sure I can get those other doors you mentioned since I am located in Arizona. Raynor is the best (R-18) and a solid built door but the price tag is hefty. Garage is insulated but how much difference does a R-6 vs R-18 garage door make? I don't think it's 3x the efficiency as there are...

Got the roof on and looking at garage doors. 18 X 8 Raynor Aspen AP 200c. Double sided steel, polyurethane insulated (R-value of 18) residential garage door. $3,300 per door 18 x 8 1st United Door Technologies 225 insulated (R-Value of 6) garage door. Includes nylon rollers for quiet...

Did the wall pour the other day. 28 yards of concrete. 4,000 psi mix with 3/8". Did 3 lifts.

Recent pricing was $5,696 for the shipment. So it came down a little.

I went with a 6" concrete slab and #4 rebar and the concrete was a 5,000 psi mix

BendPak says not to install the lift base plates any closer than 6" to control joints. I forget to check for that when the concrete crew did their 3/4" saw cut joints. That will change where I need to put the lift.

The 53' semi trailer can't make it up my driveway. So I was think of unloading on the street and placing the 48' beam on the 18' long trailer (see pic). Of course that means 30' will hang off the trailer but if we strap down the beam to the trailer, I don't see an issue going 10mph up the driveway.

Pricing out the 3 steel I-Beams that I will need to support my SIP roof. The beams will span 48' from gable to gable end. W21x44 Wide Flange Beam = $2,200 per beam

I will go with a 2" PVC underground SCH40 conduit for my power wire that will go from the house to the garage. The power wire is being called out as a 3-#2 cu THHN 1-#6 GND Is this the wire at HD? Southwire (By-the-Foot) 3 Black Stranded CU SIMpull THHN Wire 24346999 - The Home Depot

I have a similar setup. One well feeds two homes. No issues that I can detect from having the pressure tank on the other house. As once any water is drawn through the frost proof bib or the other house, the line pressure drops and the well pump kicks on. The only check valves are in the well...

What psi mix did you get?

$165 per yard is a good price!

Some updated pics. Will start stacking ICF walls next week, hopefully...

Next month I will need to have some roof panel (SIPS) shipped from Jefferson City, MO to Prescott, AZ (around 1,380 miles). It will require a semi with a 48'-53' flatbed trailer. The load will be around 20,000 lbs. They will come wrapped in 4 mil plastic but I will need to have the load covered...

On the saw cut portions. I was looking to use the SIKA FLEX Self-Leveling Polyurethane Sealant. I've used it before and it worked great to seal up the saw cut joints. Probably do it over the weekend. Otherwise, dirt & debris gets into those joints and turns into a mess to clean out later.

Wow! That's pricey. Why so high? Do you live in a far away area from concrete plant? Mixing by hand would take months :) Labor is high out here also. $2,500 for the crew

Thanks! Running about $200 per yard for delivery of the 4,500 psi. That includes taxes, fees, and delivery. What are you paying for concrete in your area?

$6k was just the concrete cost. Labor was additional, around $2,500 for the garage labor. That included installing & compacting the AB under the slab, rebar install, pour work, and finish work. Crew of 6. I didn't want to pay extra for a boom pumper ($1k) but the chute was just long enough to work.

30 Yards total - 4,500 psi mix - 6" thick slab $6k in concrete

It is not covered. I can set a lawn sprinkler on it and let it run. If cold water hits the curing warm slab, can that cause any issues?

Should I wet it down that same day or wait until the following day to wet it down? Temps will be: LOW = upper 40s HIGH = low 70s Sunny/Partly Cloudy

Going to do my pour tomorrow. 6" slab on garage with 4,500 psi mix - #4 rebar @ 36" oc 12" turn down on garage entry 4" slab on house with 4,500 psi mix - #4 rebar @ 36" oc Almost 50 yards total of concrete.

Car lift manufacturer (BendPak) recommends 4.25" concrete slab and 3,000 psi for the 2 post lift. I am going 5.00" slab with 4,500 psi. Rebar schedule (as per engineering) is 18" oc with #4 rebar

We glued the ICF to the footings with spray foam and then poured the stemwall. Filling in the garage with AB and compacting before we pour the slab.

You mean the ICF stemwall?

Both, a 2 post and 4 post

Nudura with a 6" concrete core

So on a garage 5" slab with 4,500 psi concrete. I will put in a car lift. For me rebar schedule, some say to go 48" oc (on center) and others say to go 24" oc.

I am doing a 5" concrete slab for the garage. What do you recommend for rebar spacing? I got #4 rebar and some say to go 48" oc (on center) and others say to go 24" oc.

Correct. The discharge hole from the well pump is 1.25" so the drop pipe was 1.25" and the same with the Pitless Adapter. The 1.00" PEX is Type A and rated for 160 psi. It's easier to use as it's "flexible" to a point and once in PVC conduit, it is well protected and insulated. I bury the line...

The water line comes through the stem wall, just above the footing, and then it enters the home under the slab. It comes into a mechanical room which has a small 3 gallon pressure tank as I use a VFD well pump so I don't need a large pressure tank. I actually don't have room for a large pressure...

I would be placing the PEX into a PVC conduit pipe to protect and insulate it. Last time I ran PEX for a water line, it was installed in a conduit pipe for protection and insulation.

I have about a 50' run from the well to the house. The drop pipe in the well is 1.25" and I am going to run a PEX line from the 1.25" pitless adapter to the house. The Uponor Type A pex costs: 1" at 100' roll = $160 1.25" at 100' roll = $415 A noticeable price difference. I can run a 1.25" to...

Did my pour yesterday. All went well. 35 yards of concrete (4,500 psi winter mix - achieves 1,300 psi within 24 hours). Got kind of crazy with 3 concrete trucks all up on the property at the same time (plant messed up the truck spacing - was supposed to be 4 trucks total with 1 truck every 30...

I believe so, will have to talk to contractor on how he will do that. More of a concrete apron that driveway. Less money as a driveway will cost me a lot of money.

We dug the footings as a complete rectangle so there will be a footing under the doors. We will run horiztonal rebar (three #4 bars in a 24" wide footing). We won't run any vertical bars under the door area but will of course have verticals at 32" and 16" oc depending on the wall area that was...

Footings are poured on undisturbed native soil (once inspected by geo engineer). No fill or compaction is needed as long as the soil underneath the footing hasn't been disturbed after excavation. The interior slab (5") will have compacted 3/4"- AB (sand and 3/4" and smaller rock). Interior slab...

About to break ground on my 48x28 detached garage and on my engineering footing schedule it doesn't show any footings where the two 18' wide garage doors are. I know they are not "required" as there is nothing being supported wall wise there but someone told me that it's "better" to pour the...

One thing I like about the BendPak lifts is the redundant safety. Just like airplanes have. They feature four lifting cables, two of which are redundant and supplied only as an extreme safety precaution. A redundant cable is merely there in case one cable should develop slack, snap or otherwise...

I read that BendPak is a really good hoist/car lift company to buy lifts from.

It's a brand new upcoming build. Waiting on permits to break ground.

Pricing has gone up quite a bit since I last built in 2017. I got a proposal from a plumbing company to do the plumbing work on a 2 bath, kitchen, on a 1,700 sqft home. They quoted my $10k for the rough in, trim and top out. This DOES NOT include any fixtures (toilets, sinks, water heater, etc)...

So it looks like I will do one garage bay in 4,500 psi concrete with 6" deep concrete for the 2 post lift. The other bay will be 4,500 psi with 4" deep concrete for the 4 post lift.

The chambers are down a couple of feet from grade. I put landscape fabric on them before they were buried.

Can gophers/moles damage leach fields that use the chamber systems? If so, what kind of damage and what to do to stop them? I assume lay traps and bait poison?

A 40' used cargo container is running $4,500 plus shipping. So about $5k

Not out here in the southwest. Shipping to my rural area will not be cheap (hence $450) since all containers are coming out of the main city, Phoenix. If I could buy a container for $2,250, I would buy it. I'll probably need the container for 1 year so $2,940 total for rental, delivery, and...

Getting pricing to rent a 40' shipping container to store building materials for a future house/garage build. So far about $170 per month for the rental and $450 delivery an $450 pickup fee. It's in a rural area so container is coming from 150 miles away. Anyone got any recommendations...

I was looking at this green 2,000 GAL tank. It shows it has a 24" lid with a 4" breather Also has a 2" NPT drain and fill pipe. https://www.plastic-mart.com/product/6041/2000-gallon-vertical-water-storage-tank-crmi-2000vtfwg

Looking to install an above ground water storage tank for rural wildfire fire suppression. Looking at 2,000 GAL +/- tank. The local FD said they will fill it up for free and they can connect their nozzle at the base and pump it out if needed. They have black/green plastic tanks available for...

Out here, we use Ufer Grounds to ground the circuit panel. The ground wire gets tied into the rebar cage in the footing before the concrete pour. The copper ground wire then runs into the circuit panel. Will a 100 sub panel be enough power in the garage for a 2 post car lift plus some LED...

Distance of current home to future home will be around 75-100 feet. Distance from future home to detached garage will be around 50 feet.

To the current home, I have 400 amps of power going to the panel. Which splits the power to 200 amps to the current home and then 200 amps will go to the future home. Then from the future home panel, I will run PVC conduit with copper wire to the detached garage which will have a 100 amp sub...

The fire department must be able to access the panel to shut down power and circuits. You can put a padlock on it but of course, they would just cut it in an emergency.

On a future house/detached garage build. The main power will come underground (PVC electrical conduit) to the house panel which has to be placed outside (per code). For my detached garage, I would just run another conduit line with Romex from the house panel, back underground to the garage and...

What do you mean by more useful and safer?

What is a good distance to place a detached garage from a house? I got room to play with (10-25 feet). I was thinking 15 feet from each structure.

Exactly, and the lungs and other organs. COVID-19 is a zoological/zoonosis (animal) virus that jumped from animal to human, which is very rare and dangerous. As our immune systems have never seen this type of virus before. The inflammatory response to this virus is what is devastating and now...

Yes, I like the one with the cable run overhead as that allows free movement below. Let's say you have a trans jack, it can roll freely without hitting the cable run as it would with a cable run on the bottom. A 2' x 2' concrete hole is definitely is definetly not going anywhere. With a 6" deep...

I will pour a 6" slab with 4,500 psi concrete in that bay. Can you still park a car underneath a 2 post lift?

1st shot of Moderna just caused shoulder pain and a little tired. 2nd shot I got body aches, muscle aches, chills, low fever, very tired, some achy joints for around 24-36 hours. Then I was back to normal the next day with just some shoulder pain. Better that then getting COVID-19. Lost some...

Attached is the lift I was looking at. Attached is my future garage build (48w x 28d). The overall car lift height is around 12' max. I was planning on placing the lift dead center underneath the glulam ridge beam. The ridge glulam beam is around 2' in height so that leaves me around 2' of...

The Kubota M62 did the job. It was a little hard picking up and loading the tree and tree branches into the dumpster. Like others have said, a grapple attachment would be nice as that makes grabbing and moving debris into the dumpster a lot easier. Some of the bigger juniper had pretty tough...

I think I will go with the Kubota M62 as it's almost 1/2 the price of the John Deere. Although the JD is a more powerful machine, no doubt. https://www.kubotausa.com/products/tractors/tractor-loader-backhoe/m62

Excavators are good but lack the bucket height to dump the junipers into the 30 yard dumpster (6 feet in height)

I have some small to medium sized juniper trees to knock down/remove. I have 2 options for a backhoe rental: Kubota M62 ($275 for 8 hours plus $80 drop off/pickup = $355) or John Deere 310K/L ($350 for 8 hours plus $300 drop off pickup = $650) Which is the better tractor to use for the best...

I've used 4,500 psi concrete footing mix on my previous home I built and it worked great. I talked with some contractors who only use 2,500 psi concrete footing mix and years later, wall cracks happen. 4,500 psi mix per yard = $130 yard 2,500 psi mix per yard = $110 yard Let's say 30 yards...

Lot's of confusing info on the web about running shielded Cat6 next to electrical Romex. Per the NEC, there is NO code prohibiting one from running Cat6 and electrical next to each other AS LONG as it is under 1,000 Volts or less. Most shielded Cat6 is rated to 300v. Can anyone provide code...

Just curious what the pricing is for a open 53' semi trailer haul of panels from Missouri to Arizona is running today? Roughly 1,380 miles one way

Design stage for my main house which will tie into an existing septic tank. The main sewer line looks like it will be a 4" line with a run from the house to the tank of about 150'. There is a natural grade drop of approximately 3-4 feet from the house to the tank. Local code calls for a...

Rural lot out on 15 acres. Own the property out right (no mortgage) with a current guest house (under 1,000 sqft) that I built a few years ago. Has a 30gpm well and oversized septic that is certified for 2 houses. Planning on building the main house next to the guest house but wanted some...

Has anyone poured/used a 12" diameter Finish Free Sonotube? Looking to pour a column that is 10 feet tall and 12" in diameter and the Sonotube forms allow for a clean finish. I know bracing is vital as is vibrating but just wondering how difficult the process was and how well the removable...

Is it OK to run a ground strap from a metal roof, down to a ground stake buried deep under ground to help disperse a lightning strike on the metal roof? Of course I would be using heavy gauge wire to handle the voltage. Monsoon season will be here in a month or so and I figure if a lightning...

What are the best type of car lifts for a garage? A 2 post or 4 post? With a 12-14 foot ceiling height and a 4 inch slab at 3,500 psi. Is that adequate for a lift?

Goulds 3HP VFD with pressure transducer 13-22 GPM Pump Output The controller and setup are currently in the garage of the current home. There are NO check-valves in the line AFTER the pitless adapter. There are 3 check-valves in the 1.25" drop pipe in the well. See sketch I made.

Well has enough production but wondering about design. Currently a well is supplying a home and there is a 1.25 inch water line with a VFD (variable frequency drive) controller in the garage. Once you open a water line in the home, the pressure drops, then the VFD controller registers the drop...

I have a 1,600 foot long by 10-12 feet wide driveway that is currently gravel AB (mag spec 3/4" minus rock with fine sands). It's a good road base but getting sick of the dust and rocks. Just wondering the costs to have a driveway my length, chip sealed? Since I already have the road base...

Looking to get a Tarter 16' wide 16 gauge steel gate to use on my driveway. Uses 2 inch tubing. These gates are around 150lbs and sell at Tractor Supply stores for around $230. What kind of post should I attach this to? I was thinking maybe an 8 feet tall (2 feet underground) and 8" round...

Have a 1/4 mile of flat road with great AB material already on the roadway. Looking to chip seal it to cut down on dust and wear & tear on vehicles and tires. Wondering what prices are around the country for chip sealing a road? Width on the road is about 15 feet.

It's mind boggling that some states charge such outrageous amounts to get a septic system. I paid around $10k (including permits) for a 2,500 GAL concrete tank (2 chamber), 4 leach lines x 80' each of the infiltrator dome chamber system and all the labor to install. I put landscape fabric over...

For my leach field I used the chamber systems. I put landscape cloth over the chambers to prevent siltation. What I noticed is that my installer ran the PVC drain line vertically, from the top into the units, not horizontally. That shouldn't pose an issue, would it? I don't think it would...

Here is a pic of my D-box. As you can see, the effluent is pretty clear and there is no black bio-mat showing. Just a yellowish slime bacteria on the PVC lines.

I will sketch it up and give the best info I can. There are companies out there that sell aeration kits for septic tanks but they run about $1,000 - $1,600 for the systems. I did my own setup for $300 which included the air pump and diffuser (see previous posts for equipment info). SUPPLIES...

I installed a fine air tube diffuser inside my first chamber in my 2-chamber septic system and ran air to the diffuser 24/7 for the past 6 months. It costs me about $3.00 per month in electricity. It's a new system on a new home. Here are the results after 1/2 a year of use: A - The septic...

I had my well drilled last year out in AZ and it has been 1 year so it was tested to see where the water level sits. Originally during drilling they said I hit static water at 218 feet. 1 year later the static is now at 205 feet. Here are the results: Well Depth = 505 feet Pump Depth = 485...

I've had numerous contractors do work on my property with a handshake and I've paid all my bills. There is a contractor that is bidding to do some work (under $10k) and he wants me to sign a 20-day notice with a notice to lien. This is signed BEFORE any work is done and it's an affidavit that...

I might be installing a ground mounted solar panel system in a year or two. I am building a house/garage now and pulling power to the site. It will be a 400 amp service with an exterior panel mounted on the garage exterior. What should I do to prepare for the future solar panel system install...

I read about the difference online between the two lines but would like some real world use opinions. Biggest negative on PEX-B was the inability to bend or flex it. PEX-A is supposedly a lot softer.

Now this is a mountain lion:

Yes, the OP photo is a bobcat. I caught one also on my cam:

I want to run 1.25" PEX, along with my power wire, from the garage to the well area and enclose it within a 2" conduit. Will this be difficult to run inside the 2" pipe since PEX tends to want to curl upon itself? Any tips?

Leach fields are usually the problem area and they can be undersized and over-worked, causing clogging problems due to the biomat. If it's an old system then it's probably perforated PVC pipe with leach rock. The holes in the pipe get clogged with either silt or bio sludge. New systems use...

Had some destructive deer or maybe elk come through and they damaged a lead on my Maple tree. The branch didn't break but was damaged and bent. Can one use something like duct tape or glue to mend/heal the branch or must it be cut off?

I recently did a septic system on my lot and "over-engineered" the system to prevent any future issues. The neighbor bought a home but the septic system was really small. Just a 1,000 gal tank and one 80' leach line. The max it can handle is 350 GPD and it is absolute smallest system as allowed...

I was talking with someone and they said a well like mine is OK but not not high producing. Static Water Level = 208 feet Well depth = 500 feet Pump depth = 480 feet Drawdown after 1 hour of 20GPM+ of pumping (1,200 gallons of water) = water level @ 308 feet (100' of draw down) I know there...

What made you go the 12x12 route? Is that #4 or #3 rebar? I am going to try this rebar chair instead of using blocks and wire to tie the rebar.

Thanks for the info On the brass pitless when I unscrew the temporary galvanized pipe. I can just unscrew it from the outside without any worries of something loosening on the inside of the well, right? On the brass threads do you typically use pipe goop or teflon tape? I found this brass...

Came across a Green Mojave. Look how well they are camouflaged with the soil.

Can one connect PEX to a pitless adapter? I am looking to do this setup:

Trying to locate a good online source for well pump wiring. I need 8-gauge, 4 cable, double insulated/direct burial cable.

Found these rebar chairs. I will give them a try on my slab... HERCULES REBAR CHAIRS

4" concrete slab - I called out for #4 bar at 12" oc for the house and garage. Of course the contractor says that's "overkill" and he recommended #3 bar @ 24" oc. I am a little leery with #3 bar since it's so thin and the spacing is bigger than I like. Rebar is actually inexpensive. #4 rebar in...

Very well stated!! It's the old "Out of sight, out of mind" People don't think about their wells until they turn on the faucet and nothing comes out. Then they scramble around to find out where the well is, what pump it has, how deep is the well, how was it constructed, how old is the pump...

I agree, I went with the 6" riser. Good to go. The county said it's one of the best designed systems they have seen for a residential. They approved it for up to 7 bedrooms and 1050 GPD

Put a foot of soil on top of the tank. I have the 12" riser showing on the 1st chamber (left side) but it might be a little too tall. Should I remove it and install a 6" riser instead of the current 12"? The finished grade is shown in the photo.

Got the landscape valve box in place over the concrete D-Box. Will make for easy access to check on the system to make sure it is working properly.

I added the landscape fabric and the fields were covered over today. Project is complete!

Is it OK to put a plastic landscape irrigation box OVER the concrete D-Box? I want to be able to access the D-box without having to dig in dirt to uncover it. So I was thinking of placing a plastic landscape irrigation access box over it and that will give me easy access later on.