My Industrial Cabin Build

WoodChuckDad · May 4, 2023

BigBlue1 said:
That line bringing propane into the house is huge. My propane comes into the house-side regulator through like a 3/8" OD copper line. Curious if you oversized it for some reason or that's just the convenient piping available or what?

Because it runs 10-12 lbs from stage 1 to stage 2 3/8 coper is usually big enough. For poly the smallest they make is 1/2. The cost difference from 1/2 to 3/4 was minimal and if I ever want to branch off that line for a big propane grill in the back or a propane generator it will handle it, no problem. As for the 3/4 line from stage 2 into the house, Originally we were doing a pro style stove. 30 inch so 1/2 would have met apecs but just barely, but I want to have the capacity for future renovation to a larger oven. I dont think it will ever be needed, but ripping out the walls to run a new bigger gas line would be bad.
But yes, 3/4 poly from tank to stage 2 gives me something like 1.2 million btu

BigBlue1 · May 4, 2023

Thanks for the backstory.

WoodChuckDad · May 4, 2023

First off, I failed the final inspection. The issues he cited are minimal and I will have them back out here early next week to re-inspect. But he also mentioned some issues with my Health department paperwork for septic. I had issues with that last year but it should have been resolved.
So My list is
trim on corners of house so that you cant see the housewrap where the two pieces of siding come together.
Two small pieces of siding that never got put up(I was working on those yesterday but we had a surprise hailstorm.
anti-tip bracket for oven.
I missed one window when I was insulating (already fixed that)
Put two cover plates on light boxes that dont have a light, in the unfinished bathroom

BigBlue1 · May 4, 2023

It's always something with inspections, it seems. At least you left a few small things for them to find so they didn't have to make something up

WoodChuckDad · May 4, 2023

BigBlue1 said:
It's always something with inspections, it seems. At least you left a few small things for them to find so they didn't have to make something up

I tried to take that attitude as it was happening. I didn’t feel he was being unreasonable and I am sure there would have been plenty of opportunity to give me pain if that was the objective. So a quick fix this weekend on some things that need to be done anyway. The engineering inspection also happened today. There were a couple issues with my swale because there are some spots that don’t have grass and there has been some rain damage. It has been minimal because we have been successful at getting switchgrass and rye to grow above it. He took his pictures back to the head guy…Just got a call from him, and they are approving it. So according to the paperwork they checked approve on everything even though they want me to correct some things and want to verify next week.
I just need to verify that everything is good with the Well and Septic paper trail and I think next week we are renting a truck with a lift.

airbiscuit · May 4, 2023

So about a day's work?

buckeyefarmer · May 4, 2023

WoodChuckDad said:
First off, I failed the final inspection. The issues he cited are minimal and I will have them back out here early next week to re-inspect. But he also mentioned some issues with my Health department paperwork for septic. I had issues with that last year but it should have been resolved.
So My list is
trim on corners of house so that you cant see the housewrap where the two pieces of siding come together.
Two small pieces of siding that never got put up(I was working on those yesterday but we had a surprise hailstorm.
anti-tip bracket for oven.
I missed one window when I was insulating (already fixed that)
Put two cover plates on light boxes that dont have a light, in the unfinished bathroom

That doesn’t sound too bad.
I don’t have the anti tip on my stove.

Congratulations!!!!!!!

dirttoys · May 4, 2023

WoodChuckDad said:
We have been making a big push. I finally had time to do a little editing.

I have enjoyed watching you guys! While there are things I would do different, with enough work you can (and have) make it turn out great. I try to watch, admire, and not say much. HOWEVER: dude, your girl looks great!!!!!! How good that has to feel. I couldn't be happier for all of you, may your pleasures be many, your troubles be few.

Best,

ed

dstig1 · May 4, 2023

At the finish line! Great to hear, David! I had a few similar items on my final that were pretty minor so he just let me do them on my own and didn't want to come back to verify. Most of them were legit and none of them really mattered in the end. Wrapped them up and was done!

WoodChuckDad · May 5, 2023

dirttoys said:
I have enjoyed watching you guys! While there are things I would do different, with enough work you can (and have) make it turn out great. I try to watch, admire, and not say much. HOWEVER: dude, your girl looks great!!!!!! How good that has to feel. I couldn't be happier for all of you, may your pleasures be many, your troubles be few.

Best,

ed

Lauren is doing very well. She has gained 20 lbs since the surgery. Back in school studying IT and devouring classes. She is doing 100% distance learning. She also has a photo shoot this month. She had signed a modeling contract in Nov 2021 just as the RMSF hit and she has been struggling ever since, and unable to accept work. She had a zoom meeting with her agent and there is some movement there so she is definitely happy. Driving herself around to medical and dental appointments and working out every day -she does a pilates sort of thing that is low repetitions to be easy on her joints- we set her up with a work station and she painted most of the doors and baseboard for the house-I still need to install those.
She has her spirit back.

WoodChuckDad · May 6, 2023

Siding and corner trim are done. Anti tip is done. All that remains is the two plates to cover the light boxes. I will pick those up tomorrow. The realtor who rents this house asked me to show it to 3 people by appointment tomorrow. She is in the hospital. A nice older British woman who has been very helpful to us in the last year so I am going to do some chores around the rental… repair the screen door my dog pushed thru, take some of my security lights down and put the original stuff back up. Jefanna asked if I was going to put the original door knobs on, I heavied up all the locks when we moved in and put a combination lock on the back door. No, they get to keep those. I have no use for these locks at the new place. Only thing I could use would be the combo lock. I guess I could put it on the shed down by the pond. I will probably just leave this one here and buy another one later on. I’m not ready to take down my security cameras yet. They are all coming with me.
I am exhausted from the heat today, but we are in a pretty good spot right now. Moving will be terrible as it always is, but, I am looking forward to a change of pace, once we get settled in.

pmsmechanic · May 7, 2023

It will be so nice to not have to travel anywhere to work on your house. On the other hand you'll have to keep on top of the mess of building.

I'm pretty impressed with what you and your family have accomplished. All the best with your anticipated move.

rScotty · May 7, 2023

dstig1 said:
Saw this in your video:
View attachment 798278
That clamp is not correct for the cord and will probably eventually cut through and short it out. Yeah it will take years, most likely, but I've seen it. The good news is you only need to swap it out for a different type of fitting:

Halex 1/2 in. 0.260 - 0.375 Strain-Relief Cord Connectors (2-Pack) 21691 - The Home Depot

Enjoy the Halex 1/2 in. .260 - .375 Strain-Relief Cord Connectors (2-Pack) 21691, hex gland nut join cables to steel outlet boxes and other metal enclosures at The Home Depot

www.homedepot.com

There are different sizes of these so you need to measure the diameter of the cord first, and also get the right size for the knockout in the box cover plate (1/2" or 3/4"). Odds are, the one I linked is the right size for you, but you need to verify. There are even more serious styles of support/strain relief for pendant cords but those are for bigger, heavier cords. The load on this is very light as the fixture is probably only a few ounces or so, so this style should be sufficient.

When do you think you are going to get to move in? Looks like you are getting pretty close to ready for the COO inspection.

WoodChuckDad said:
Thank you. I didn’t know they had these. I am ordering 6 and will replace the ones for the kitchen lights as well.

Building your own place is all about learning. I knew how electricity and plumbing worked before we built our place....but the actual parts and pieces were an endless education. I also found out about strain relief outlet fittings - used to make my own pretty much as woodchuck dad does with the addition of some tape and piece of vinyl tubing.

It turns out they make them commercially and not even expensive.

Between the code book, Amazon, and Home Depot we got the house and barn wired nicely. Even passed inspection - although not without a few changes.

And we are left with enough unused electrical wiring parts and pieces to do another....except they are all the wrong parts or else things that I've learned to do better. I've come to love EMT tubing and my hand bender. And also gotta love the local used building material store where I can never resist buying boxes of someone else's unused electrical parts & unused hardware for a song.

Building our house by ourselves was one of the best things ever. It simply took every evening, weekend, and vacation for years and has been more than worth it.

I've enjoyed every post you've made in this thread. Thanks for all the shared work.
rScotty

747driver · May 7, 2023

rScotty said:
Building your own place is all about learning. I knew how electricity and plumbing worked before we built our place....but the actual parts and pieces were an endless education. I also found out about strain relief outlet fittings - used to make my own pretty much as woodchuck dad does with the addition of some tape and piece of vinyl tubing.

It turns out they make them commercially and not even expensive.

Between the code book, Amazon, and Home Depot we got the house and barn wired nicely. Even passed inspection - although not without a few changes.

And we are left with enough unused electrical wiring parts and pieces to do another....except they are all the wrong parts or else things that I've learned to do better. I've come to love EMT tubing and my hand bender. And also gotta love the local used building material store where I can never resist buying boxes of someone else's unused electrical parts & unused hardware for a song.

Building our house by ourselves was one of the best things ever. It simply took every evening, weekend, and vacation for years and has been more than worth it.

I've enjoyed every post you've made in this thread. Thanks for all the shared work.
rScotty

When you build it yourself it usually takes more time than having a contractor do it. With that comes the problems as technology advances and you see a better product you want to change to !!!

We lived outside of Chicago for 21 years. Everything in the surrounding counties requires that all electrical be run with EMT. Once i got use to the bending the more i liked it. Plus you don't have to run a ground wire in most applications as the EMT acts as your ground. I done my whole 30x50 pole barn in EMT.

747driver · May 7, 2023

In reality you guys will be rejoicing as you clean the rental house because you know your hard work is starting to pay dividends towards moving into your own new home you built yourselves !

rScotty · May 7, 2023

747driver said:
When you build it yourself it usually takes more time than having a contractor do it. With that comes the problems as technology advances and you see a better product you want to change to !!!

We lived outside of Chicago for 21 years. Everything in the surrounding counties requires that all electrical be run with EMT. Once i got use to the bending the more i liked it. Plus you don't have to run a ground wire in most applications as the EMT acts as your ground. I done my whole 30x50 pole barn in EMT.

I had my hay barn professionally wired... to code. But critters are always a part of barns with hay, and the critters ate so much insulation that one day I simply decided to redo the whole barn in EMT.
The event that made the decision was finding a hot wire in a wall - a piece of 12-2 NM-B wG hat had been completely stripped to bare wire. Only air and luck acting as insulators. Wish we had done the house in EMT as well. Much nicer in every respect and especially for rural houses.

Yes, I know the ground is optional with EMT, but I hook it up anyway.
It's just one of the small things that make a owner built home so nice. It's more work for sure.
rScotty

I will say that at some point the Cert. Of Occupancy became the goal. After that, there is still plenty of work... but IT IS DONE!