Pole bldg on grade

bones1 · Aug 13, 2006

Looks like a 4ft high retaining wall about 35 ft long along the back slope first. Then level pad to retaining wall compact gravel and set poles.
Thanks for all the ideas.

jeffinsgf · Aug 13, 2006

3 in 28 is quite a bit, but I have built pole barns on grades even greater than that. Your bidders are being lazy. They have to figure the extra cost of longer poles and more splashboard around the bottom.

In the 70's and 80's my dad and I built hundreds of pole barns all over the Ozarks (not a flat spot around for a hundred miles). For splashboard around the bottom we used penta treated 2 x 6 tongue and groove with the poles on 7-1/2 foot centers. I have seen many of those barns with 2 or 3 feet of fill inside the barn against the splashboard without any bulging on the outside. It would sure mean a lot less fill than leveling the pad completely first. I know you can't get penta anymore, but ICQ tongue and groove would work -- might have to track it down though.

bones1 · Sep 8, 2006

jeffinsgf said:
3 in 28 is quite a bit, but I have built pole barns on grades even greater than that. Your bidders are being lazy. They have to figure the extra cost of longer poles and more splashboard around the bottom.

In the 70's and 80's my dad and I built hundreds of pole barns all over the Ozarks (not a flat spot around for a hundred miles). For splashboard around the bottom we used penta treated 2 x 6 tongue and groove with the poles on 7-1/2 foot centers. I have seen many of those barns with 2 or 3 feet of fill inside the barn against the splashboard without any bulging on the outside. It would sure mean a lot less fill than leveling the pad completely first. I know you can't get penta anymore, but ICQ tongue and groove would work -- might have to track it down though.

This is exactly how I want it done.I have seen it done this way before but can't find a builder that will do it.The three I have called so far all need a level pad, no more than 6 '' out before they will build.What is ICQ tongue and grrove anyway?Longer poles and extra splashboard in the back can't be too hard.Or can it?

dmftoy1 · Sep 10, 2006

FWIW . .I just finished up a 30x40 Pole barn with about 3ft of drop from the from to back. (40 ft side). The key is to get your compacting done and do it well. The builder I used (Ragland) said that they want at least 1 foot in undisturbed soil but will build in fill if the buyer demands it. (they sink the posts 5 foot) I built up my pad in 8-10 inch depths driving over it repeatedly and makeing sure it good a good soaking between layers. So far so good. (knock on wood). 140 hours on the tractor this summer moving dirt . .sure wish I had a bigger bucket.

Have a good one,
Dave

bearhawk · Sep 10, 2006

bones1 said:
right now a 24x12 shed sits on it up on blocks.Anyway to move that shed with a tractor? Anyone done this.

I just moved a 12' x 16' buy jacking it up and placing it on crisco lubed PT Lanscape timbers. I had to go from one side to the other and walk it a foot or so at a time.

Pushed it a 100 ft with my 21hp Kioti. The fun part was turning it around !

Jim

LBrown59 · Sep 12, 2006

dmftoy1 said:
FWIW . .I just finished up a 30x40 Pole barn with about 3ft of drop from the from to back. (40 ft side). The key is to get your compacting done and do it well. The builder I used (Ragland) said that they want at least 1 foot in undisturbed soil but will build in fill if the buyer demands it. (they sink the posts 5 foot) I built up my pad in 8-10 inch depths driving over it repeatedly and makeing sure it good a good soaking between layers. So far so good. (knock on wood). 140 hours on the tractor this summer moving dirt . .sure wish I had a bigger bucket.

Have a good one,
Dave

It still wouldn't be big enough.
They never are.

LBrown59 · Sep 12, 2006

bones1 said:
Is it ok to bulid a pole building on a grade?It is about a 3 ft drop in the back over a 28 ft length.All of the pole barn builders,four so far, I have talked to insist on a nice level pad before they will build.I am sure it's been done and why couldn't I just close in the bottom later and back fill inside to grade? Wouldn't they just set longer poles in the back and level to the front.Am I missing something here,pls advise.

why couldn't I just close in the bottom later and back fill inside to grade?
----->>......>>>
You could but that's sure doing it the hard way filled with regrets and frustration.
DON'T ask me how I know.
I learned a long time ago that you can't have the building site too prepared. That includes every thing from Mobile Homes To Pole buildings but I was to stupid to follow my own advice when I had my 2 pole buildings built which lead to a lot of grief and gripping getting the inside leveled and the proper grade and drainage on the out side. Had I heeded my on advice things would have probably been 3 times easier and I would have wound up with a much better job.

Been There Done that but didn't even get a T shirt. But I wound up with a lot of sweat so could have used a few sweat shirts.

MY First Car
http://chevy.tocmp.com/chevyscrapbook/files/kamp50.jpg

jwstewar · Sep 12, 2006

Since this thread has already been brought up again. I built a 30x48. I had about a 20" drop from back to front. I just dug holes and plopped the poles in the ground.

Some folks told me I "did it wrong," but in the end my little NH didn't have any problems pulling the top soil out and putting "fill" back in. If I had done it "properly," I probably still wouldn't have my garage. As it is, my garage as been finished now for over a year, and I have no signs of problems nor regrets. The way I did it, it allowed me to keep my tractor out of the weather until I was truly finished.

Your mileage may vary, but this method worked just fine for me.

LBrown59 · Sep 12, 2006

bones1 said:
Is it ok to bulid a pole building on a grade?It is about a 3 ft drop in the back over a 28 ft length.All of the pole barn builders,four so far, I have talked to insist on a nice level pad before they will build.I am sure it's been done and why couldn't I just close in the bottom later and back fill inside to grade? Wouldn't they just set longer poles in the back and level to the front.Am I missing something here,pls advise.

3 ft drop in the back over a 28 ft length.
****************
One of my pole buildings has a 3' drop in 76 feet.
That's a lot of slope so 3 feet in 28 foot is really steep.
Get the site properly to grade before you even think about starting the building and save your self a lot of problems.
I learned this in the school of hard knocks.

LBrown59 · Sep 12, 2006

Farwell said:
Not sure if you are missing anything other than the ease of getting a pad level without a building on it.

Can't imagine any reason to put off doing the pad first

as well as any reason the builders won't do your building with out a level pad unless it is a code requirement. Keep looking, you will eventually find someone that will do it your way even if it is against code.
I would do the pad first and would make sure that the pad was well above any possible invasion by water.
Farwell

Do it the easy way first or the hard way last!