My shop build

[STx]

Meter was set this morning, it's glorious to have power and not need the generator.



Installing one bank of lights today so I can get back to paying work.

 

[hawkeye08]

Onward and upward! thanks for sharing

 

[imabass]

I am thinking about tacking a similar project. How many days do you think it took for the assembly and skin?

 

[STx]

I am thinking about tacking a similar project. How many days do you think it took for the assembly and skin?

I'd say about 60 to 70 man hours. I could do it in less time now that I know what's expected. The roof and trim took an additional 40 man hours or so.

 

[ovrszd]

I'd say about 60 to 70 man hours. I could do it in less time now that I know what's expected. The roof and trim took an additional 40 man hours or so.

Correct me if I'm wrong, that doesn't include site preparation and concrete. Just assembly hours?

 

[STx]

Correct me if I'm wrong, that doesn't include site preparation and concrete. Just assembly hours?

Absolutely. It took me 2 months to build the pad and get the slab done. The foundation isore than 1/2 the job.

 

[ovrszd]

Absolutely. It took me 2 months to build the pad and get the slab done. The foundation isore than 1/2 the job.

Not picking on you my friend, just clarifying.

If this thread is followed to conclusion a prospective builder will also learn that when the building is standing there skinned it's just a shed. There will be many hours of finish work done inside wiring, plumbing, etc.

I'm enjoying this thread mostly because STx is brutally honest in his postings. Even when it doesn't shed a favorable light on himself. Kudos.

 

[STx]

I don't take anything personally and don't have any problems sharing my mistakes, I learn from other peoples screw ups, not reason not to help others learn from mine.

I figure it'll take me close to a year to get it fully completed. I've still got septic tanks to install (one for black and one for gray), irrigation off the gray water tank, bathroom and office build out, mezzanine construction in part of the shop, wiring, lights, vehicle lift, A/C (hopefully before summer), about 600 - 1,000 yards of caliche to dig and spread for the shop yard, asphalt to do up front so I can drive the forklift out to load/unload trucks, gates to install, fencing to build and on and on. Somewhere in there, I've got to find time to build my wife a 350 sq/ft addition on the little building we're living in so she can have a proper kitchen, laundry room and closet. Seems only fair though, since she told me to build the shop before a permanent house, she's a good wife!

The wife and I installed 3 of my high bay LED lights to get enough light so I can work. It's barely enough just in the welding area, I have 3 more to install but will be adding an additional 12 for a total of 18, the space needs a LOT of light. These are pretty cheap Chinese LED fixtures though ($50/ea) so I want to give this 6 a couple of months before I commit on another 12 of them in case there are quality issues. The light is a little cooler than I'd like but, at least 1/2 my time in the shop is under a welding hood so, it doesn't really matter that much, as long as it's bright.

 

[dstig1]

I'm a little late to the party on this thread... Nice work! And a lot of it... I am right there with you on how much time it takes from building my own shop and house. I'm not familiar with your part of Texas, so perhaps heating is not a big deal for you but putting tubing in the floor for heat is fantastic. Obviously too late, but something to think about for any future buildings. It is only a couple hundred bucks for most spaces but it is something you just cannot do later on. There is one downside though - if you drill a lot of holes in your slab to secure things, then tubing is a big PITA as you REALLY don't want to hit one of those tubes...

I did notice in your pics of the panel in post #92 that you do need to put some electricians putty in the opening where the conduit feeds the supply wires to the panel in through the wall. It helps seal out critters and condensation and is required by NEC. I know a lot of Texas has no code enforcement, but NEC is still generally "a good idea" to follow. It is just like plastic clay. Just knead it a bit and stuff it in there around the wires to fill up all the air gaps. You should also have a plastic anti-short bushing on that pipe nipple for the feeders. Since it is after the fact, you can still make it work if you just cut one and then work it on around there. You don't want that insulation getting worn through over the years (and yes, it is also code...)

Looking forward to updates!

 

[STx]

I'm a little late to the party on this thread... Nice work! And a lot of it... I am right there with you on how much time it takes from building my own shop and house. I'm not familiar with your part of Texas, so perhaps heating is not a big deal for you but putting tubing in the floor for heat is fantastic. Obviously too late, but something to think about for any future buildings. It is only a couple hundred bucks for most spaces but it is something you just cannot do later on. There is one downside though - if you drill a lot of holes in your slab to secure things, then tubing is a big PITA as you REALLY don't want to hit one of those tubes...

I did notice in your pics of the panel in post #92 that you do need to put some electricians putty in the opening where the conduit feeds the supply wires to the panel in through the wall. It helps seal out critters and condensation and is required by NEC. I know a lot of Texas has no code enforcement, but NEC is still generally "a good idea" to follow. It is just like plastic clay. Just knead it a bit and stuff it in there around the wires to fill up all the air gaps. You should also have a plastic anti-short bushing on that pipe nipple for the feeders. Since it is after the fact, you can still make it work if you just cut one and then work it on around there. You don't want that insulation getting worn through over the years (and yes, it is also code...)

Looking forward to updates!

Thanks for the input. I'm so far South that I can get to Mexico faster by going West than I can by going further South. We get some cold nights but, even when you wake up to temps in the 20's, you're usually in the mid 60's and short sleeves by the end of the day. The common cycle here is to run the heater in the house at night and turn the A/C back on around noon. For us, heat is not something that's needed often and almost never all day. A/C on the other hand...can't live without it. We'll be 90 today and are forecast for 95 tomorrow. It's been an unusually warm winter for us but, you get the idea.

I have a friend that is a licensed and practicing electrician in Houston where he does have to get everything inspected. He looked over the photos of the electrical work and never mentioned the putty but, it's not a bad idea if for no other reason than to stop air movement through that pipe. I've usually just used expanding foam to seal those up inside but, the putty sounds removable and reusable so thanks for that tip. On the bushing, if you zoom in, you'll see I have an insulated metallic bushing with a ground lug on it that has the plastic inside of it. All the boxes are connected with metallic pipe (required by my PoCo) and that pipe is grounded with the bushing on the inlet side of each box (except the meter can that is fed through PVC). I do still need to add some green tape to the white wire running from the ground bar to the bushing, I would have used green wire like the rest of it but, I've got to drive 2 hours round trip to Corpus Christi to get that or order it online. They had some white #6 at the local McCoy's so I just got that and ordered some green tape. I do generally try to make sure the electrical and plumbing meets code, even though there's nobody here to make me do it. I don't want to get electrocuted and most of the rules make sense once you understand the reasoning. You'll notice I did do the little stuff like painting white on my neutral wires, isolating the ground past the bonding in the meter can, etc.

Please don't think I'm being defensive of your suggestions, I'm really not and I will add the putty.