Creating a Workshop & Home

[Highbeam]

Once that concrete dries it stops getting stronger. Keep it wet.

 

[HuckBB62]

Yeah, in that other picture you can't see the edges like that. I'm sitting here looking at the plans and what's required here. I sure wish I could do what you're doing, it'd save a mint in concrete! I'll be putting the fiber in my cement too, don't want any cracking or settling. We're in a seismic 4 area and our walls are heavily tied to the concrete. My footers have to be 1'x1'!!!!

Are the only immigrants allowed in Texas from south of the border? I'm getting tired of this stuff out here.

 

[EddieWalker]

It will be awhile until I get power to the property, so I've loaded up the trailer I found and modified for just this occasion.

 

[EddieWalker]

This afternoon, the deliveries showed up.

First was my lumber from McCoys. With my contractor discount and their prices already way under Home Depot, I got it all for a little over $4,100.

Next came Central Turcking with my meter base for the power. This is a commercial base rated for 1,600 amps. I'll only be pulling 400 for now, but plan on 1,200 for a total of three buildings.

 

[EddieWalker]

After some measuring and prep work, I got a few walls started. Getting it all squared up and straight is my biggest concern.

 

[hitekcountry]

EddieWalker

<font color="blue"> Getting it all squared up and straight is my biggest concern </font>

Do you know the 3,4,5 method to square up two perpendicular walls?

 

[woodlot]

I think they call that a "monolithic slab" and they are used a lot for garages and small homes even up here in the far north, of couse they always must be on sand to prevent heave in the winter. We insulate them with foamboard too. Eddie, in your first post you said this is a TWO story house. I've always been taught that a two story on a monolithic is a major no-no. Maybe things are different in the south with no 4 foot frost depth? The weight of a two story sitting on that small "footing" would have me very worried. Your posts always amaze me and I don't mean to be a pill, thats just what I've learned.

 

[EddieWalker]

Woodlot,

Coming from California, I'll admit, allot of things that they do here amaze me too. The concrete sub was amazed I used half inch rebar. They only use 3/8's. He was amazed I wanted to use bolts. They just nail the sill plates to the slab. I really amazed him by using flashing under my sill plates.

Not haveing any sort of code to deal with nor any inspections gives me some freedoms. It's also a recipe for disaster. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Thanks for the advice, hopefully I have it tied together right, and the footings are sufficient. In the end, only time will tell.

 

[EddieWalker]

One of the things I'm doing is experiemting with some ideas I have. I want to create an exposed beam type ceiling using the oak trees that I'm taking out.

This is my pile of oaks and cedars.

The cedars will be used for exterior porch posts.

 

[EddieWalker]

The family room is 18 feet long by 15 feet wide. It's not a huge space, so I need to scale down the size of the beams to fit the room. I decided on 3 inches by 5 1/2 inches.

This notch is one of two that will support the beams on the exterior walls.