Planning a shop on steep terrain - thoughts?

[MossRoad]

Exactly... the greenhouse would have to go. Sad because I plumbed and wired it and heavily modified the 10ft by 12ft structure to make it a quality structure. Wondering if I could somehow skid it down the hill to relocate it?

The access to the 'other' side would be a challenge but I would keep a wide enough 'easement' for the tractor plus a little but there I would be straddling some unstable soil.

Oh, I could get that greenhouse down that hill for you no problem.... but you probably want it in one piece, correct? :laughing:

Straddling unstable soil is a recipe for disaster. I have a 365 day a year flowing drainage ditch cutting across the corner of our property. It's about 5-6' down to the water. Some days you can stand right on the edge and other days the bank will cave in 2' from the edge if you barely step on it. Just say no.

 

[EddieWalker]

MossRoad's drawing surprised me. I wasn't expecting you to build in that direction. He also inspired me to try to draw my idea onto your pictures like he did.

To me, as a builder, it would be simple to set posts into the steep hillside. Build a scaffold platform out of 2x4's and 2x12's to work from, and dig the holes for the posts by hand. Slow, but not overly difficult. You just have to get down far enough for your soil conditions. Ten feet wouldn't be that big of a deal. Set your posts so you can build a deck that extends out from your concrete pad. But used 3/4 or even better, 1 1/4 tongue and groove plywood for your sub floor. Basically building a pier and beam house foundation.



Then frame up the walls just like a house, but instead of a rafters or trusses for a roof, go flat and make it look like your deck. Or slope it and have it higher at the deck and sloped down toward the canyon. Either way, this would give you plenty of shop area on the same level as your current cement pad that your tractor is parked on, and it would be about the cheapest square footage that you could get.

 

[MossRoad]

Gotta love the finger CAD. :laughing:

I also love spending other people's money.

 

[3Ts]

To me, as a builder, it would be simple to set posts into the steep hillside. Build a scaffold platform out of 2x4's and 2x12's to work from, and dig the holes for the posts by hand. Slow, but not overly difficult. You just have to get down far enough for your soil conditions. Ten feet wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Or, if you need to go very far, helical piers might be a better solution.
Helical Piers & Helical Piles for Foundation Repair

 

[dragoneggs]

My slope is mild compared to yours. I would expand the garage on one level, I do not see doing that subtracting from your street appeal. You are not on a public street and your appeal is largely the house and the view from the house.

You have a good point with curb appeal. My wife's concern is more the shade and blocking of light for the front garden and entrance, especially if I go up. If I only stay on one level I don't gain much real estate unless I connect to the house and then the cost escalates more than necessary I imagine. Still not out of the realm of possibility though. Also not trying not to mess with the existing roofs.

I forget what kind of oysters you are growing. Pacifics?

And yes, our beach is filled with Pacifics! They are wild but apparently they are not indigenous (from Japan according to my 85year old next door neighbor). He explained that the indigenous wild 'Olympic' oysters were 'fished out' of the canal by the 49ers. I am assuming he is talking about those that made their way north to Alaska in search of gold. He has a book that he will lend me that has more pertinent facts on oysters. Now I am hungry... gotta check out low tide and grab a few this week for a little feast! What this has to do with building my shop... not sure but thanks for asking! :laughing: :thumbsup:

 

[dragoneggs]

My slope is mild compared to yours. I would expand the garage on one level, I do not see doing that subtracting from your street appeal. You are not on a public street and your appeal is largely the house and the view from the house.

I forget what kind of oysters you are growing. Pacifics?

You have a good point about curb appeal. Actually the (wife's) concern is more about blocking the light to our front garden and entrance, especially if I go up. I don't gain much real estate unless I kept the vehicles out doors, or I would need to connect to the house. Trying to avoid messing with existing roofs to keep the costs down.

And yes, our beach is filled with Pacifics! They are wild but apparently they are not indigenous (from Japan according to my 85year old next door neighbor). He explained that the indigenous wild 'Olympic' oysters were 'fished out' of the canal by the 49ers. I am assuming he is talking about those that made their way north to Alaska in search of gold. He has a book that he will lend me that has more pertinent facts on oysters. Now I am hungry... gotta check out low tide and grab a few this week for a little feast! What this has to do with building my shop... not sure but thanks for asking! :laughing: :thumbsup:

 

[pmsmechanic]

Hmmm 85 yo neighbor. When's he selling? Buy his property and build a shop there.

I like spending other peoples money too!

 

[dragoneggs]

Hmmm 85 yo neighbor. When's he selling? Buy his property and build a shop there.

I like spending other peoples money too!

Ha ha... if I had the money, I might. But it looks as if his 50+ year old son and wife and daughter could be the happy recipients. I don't look forward to that day. Milo, my neighbor for 10 years is the perfect neighbor. It will be all downhill when he leaves us.

Seriously, his terrain is similar and I would have to level his house which if sold, is a $700K easy because of the property/view.

 

[dragoneggs]

At my speed this shop won't happen sooner than this summer or likely next! But that said, it seems the most floor space I can achieve would be to put it in the trees to the right. I figure I can get two floors at 25ft by 40ft. This is far more than expanding the garage or adding to the house. The big flaw in this plan is that the wife doesn't benefit on a home remodel/improvement so it might be a both scenario... yikes!

 

[bcp]

Tell her she benefits by getting you out of the house.

Bruce