Workshop build from 2010

[Brumbypt]

Often we read blogs and stories about how do fix up our toyotas and other 4bys.
But what about somewhere to work on them and to store them.
SO I have started this Topic to show everyone what is involved in building a big shed and I will be doing most of the work myself where possible.
The shed is going to be 16m x 7.5m and 3.1m high (walls).
I have already buiilt one shed on the property that size but the wall height is 2.7m and I converted that shed to live in.

First big job was yesterday, getting the shipping containers moved out of the way. Next will be a small amount of earth works to level the site.
Cost of hiring the crane was $270. $135 per hour but 2 hr minimum. It took about 1hr 20mins.

Planning permit Application has been lodged and is fairly straight forward. Some of the plans you draw up on your computer. For site lot numbers parcel numbers you get from the LAND vic website and you can printout a current site plan from there too. Cost is about $25 for that.
Planning permit cost for this shire was $235

To save time I have also lodged the building permit, this too is straight
forward as most of the important documents you get from your shed kit supplier.
Building permit application from this shre was $550.

Also to save time Shed has been ordered and delivery date is 22nd March.
I dont want to think about the mess I could be in if the permits are not approved. As I have paid for over Half the shed already.

With this shed I am planning to build the shed first and then do the slab. That way if funds are not available for the slab I still have a shed to work in.
I have been practising concreting under the verandah on the first shed/home and am quite confident that I can do a good job, my only let down is Screeding.

If you would like more information/photos or you can help in anyway, then please let me know.
         
The idea of this thread is to show you that its possible to build your own shed and that if you need a carport or garage etc then its possible for you to build it yourself if you are a handy handy(MAN) Person...

[Brumbypt]

http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/ab111/brumbypt

Here are some photos of the site and of my resume (Exsisting shed that we use as a house) I built this shed 5 years ago. and have lived in it since.

Special note. (added 18th March)

I have changed my profile picture. This is our house shed not the workshop shed.
The difference will be a slight colour change and the workshop corrugations willl be vertical. (House shed has horizontal corrigations)

Peter

[Brumbypt]

http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/ab111/brumbypt/New%20shed/

Site is leveled and ready to start work on the shed.

Cost of the site level was $850.
$80/hr very reasonable I feel as thats about what the bobcat ppl are charging now days, if not a little higher)
He charged me for 10 hrs but I thought it was longer. So thats nice.
He used a backhoe, first clearing off all the top soil which is piled up down the bottom. (not photographed)
Then we laser leveled the shed site, then roughly shaped the rest of the pad and dugout a gutter.


I have sold the cubby that was in the first pic set.

Next post will be in about 10 days when the shed kit is delivered.

Still waiting on planning permit approval so yes I am taking a huge risk.

(Cant wait to get the 80 in the new shed and repaint that bonnet and roof.)

[Brumbypt]

Tools that you will need if you were building a shed.

18v cordless drill. I like to have 2 as its the main tool and well its just good to have 2. If you only have 1 then thats fine.
Just incase 1 breaks down or you cant charge the batteries quick enoough.
most charges are 1 hr. but if the battery is hot then they wont charge.
I tried putting them in the fridge last time to cool the battery and this worked.

Ladders, lots of various sized ladders.
Long and short.

Rope, telstra rope is the best.
Clamps, if you are working by yourself then good easy to use and quick clamps give you a second paid of hands.

If you are going to be drilling into concrete then a powered hammer drill.

Nibbler, I used an angle grinder last shed but ended up in the eye n ear hospital on boxing day last time. even though I was wearing a face sheild and glasses. So I have bought a nibbler attachemnt to go in the drill. works fine but a real Nibbler is better. If you want to use the angle grinder then buy the thinner disks and take ur time.

Spirit level. Once again a qood quality one will give a more acurate result.
Since my last shed ended up like the etamonga pub (not spelt right) I have also bought an angle measureing tool to make sure all my angles are the same..

Yes I know u have to buy new tools but shed builders charge 30% of the shed purchase to build your shed. So this shed would cost about $4000 to have built for me (Not including the slab) so I can lash out about $500 in tools. (Most of which I have now so tool purchase is very low).. So this time I might hire a scissor lift or cherry picker..

I will add more tools to this list in this reply as i think of them..
And when I start building, if you would like to come up and have a look or lend a hand you will be most welcome.

[Brumbypt]

Great News.
Planning permit has arrived in the mail.
Next is the building permit.
then
SHed delivery on Monday.
Then the hard work starts.

I dont think I am going to have it completed by Easter which was the dream. As then we could have started to sort though our storage and had a massive garage sale over easter.
hmmmm 2 weeks working flat out and I wont be in the mood for a garage sale.
( I have a disabliity in the form of a hip replacement and no abductor muscles on the left leg, I shouldn't even be climbing a ladder). so building a shed should be a big no no. I built the last one so i should be ok..
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[Brumbypt]

http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/ab111/brumbypt
Building permit arrived today.
And the workshop arrived today and is up there ready to be installed.

So the hardwork starts today. 

2010

[Brumbypt]

Holes are dug and cleaned out, now I have an inspection Wed morning. the shire engineer has to inpect each hole to make sure I ahve dug them out enough.

Also I think I have made a big mistake. When I was dropping off the gravel for the concrete to go aroound the posts, the 80 sat in the middle of the shed. I looked at the space of how much room I have on either side and its quite small but does fit. Then again I streched my budget to the max to go this long. If I had gone wider then we start talking big dollers as the span needs bigger and stronger rafters etc.
It will be ok but tight to turn inside. I knew I should have measured it out on the ground and seen if I could turn in that space.
I could also put in more sliding doors (entries) so I wont have to turn inside the shed as much.
So my advice is lay it out on the ground with a tape measure and spray paint and drive into that space to see if its going to be big enough for you.
More later
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[Brumbypt]

Cant put a big door at the end cos I didnt think of that. No there is a drop at one end. Garden. And the other end is where that pile of steel is.

I can put a big sliding door both sides so I can drive though.
I might also put in a third door at the front for easier access. But I can do that later if I have trouble.

Well Wednesday I started to build the shed. check out the photos.
But my head is not on the job so I have made some big mistakes.
I think I should have had the slab put in first like the house shed.
I have to move 5 holes as I measured them wrong and in a hurry. I wont tell you how far out I was.
I also built 1 panel/bay and then sat back and looked at it and thats a foot out too, so I will have to pull it apart and move it out and reattach all the top hats etc. I have worked out how I am going to do it so it should only take an hour at the most. I also left off 2 brackets on 2 posts/columns so I had to screw them on while up on the ladder. not hard just unnesesary.

So click on my photo bucket site to see the photos but they aint very exciting.
Once I have fixed the panel I will re photo and discuss my use/addiction of rope.

Peter
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[Brumbypt]

one of my problems is finance. I stretch the budget in selling things like the shipping containers to buy a bigger shed.
and I am not sure if I can put in a complete slab. so I decided to build the shed first the do the slab later when I can afford it.
the trouble is I rushed when working out where the holes went. I knew I needed to layout the tophats (side rails etc) to get the exact position but foregot in the rush.
so 1 side of the sheds post holes need to be moved in about 40-50cms. yes I know huge mistake. and yesterdays blunder was from 3hrs sleep and not thinking clearly.
my advice would be to do the sla b first.
anyway with the post holes which r 800mm deep I need to put in 300mm concrete, let it harden then put in the column build the shed the pour in the remainder of 500mm concrete securing the column in place. ohh I have to fix a bracket to the bottom of the column which then is suppose to be dyna bolted to that 300 mm concrete that the post sits on.
column=post...
but how do I reach down 500mm drilling big holes when noone is going to see it. I thought about pushing them into the wet concrete.
I said I have let that 300 mm concrete harden but I screwed on a T piece (using an old batton) to the post 500 mm from the bottom so the post sits on that and only just touches the concrete footing.
hard to explain so I will take a photo of it today.
I also may not do that footing (300 mm) till I have put the wall frames together.

[Brumbypt]

Yes the house shed I built the walls on the slab and then lifted it up tied it off and then rafters then bolted it down. I had help at some stages building this shed.

The workshop shed I am building all by myself so couldnt build on the ground, as it would have been too heavy to lift up and even using the jib (crane) with the tractor wouldnt have worked, too flimsy. building piece by piece in place was the best option this time..

Anyway Thursday went much better, it took about an hour to fix wednesdays mistake I was out about 100mm. Lets not mention it again.
After that repair I flew along and have got one side built.
Thats 4 bays on 1 side.
(2 tophats have been left off in 1 bay so I can run the wheelborrow and walk though without dificulty.)
I can fill that in later easily enough.

(TOP hats is what you might know as side rails, When the same material is used on the roof on the rafters its called Perlins) I wont put the corrigated iron on untill the frame is together and secured to the ground as it wont stay up in the wind yet.

             

http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/ab111/brumbypt/New%20shed/

I have changed the link so u go stright into the NEW shed Album...

       




One little shed building tip is that you need to have a LADA niva parked in the middle to use as a tie off point.. But shhhh dont tell too many ppl.

Cheers

[Brumbypt]

daz is that so it can be used as a camp base for anyone wanting to explor the rubicon area. the rubicon trail is very popular. but that's along way away.


anyway back to shed business, I had a quieter day today. no construction but I cemented in all 5 posts on the west wing.
once I had 3 cemented in I realized I had them too low. so I have lost neaely 100mm of shed height. might work out to only 50mm. I didn't think clearly about it cos the shed guy said 500mm of post in the hole when it should haveonly been 400 in the hole and 100 in the slab.
anyway I will find out when I raise the hoist the first time with the cruiser on.

I could get another 100mm or more of dirt removed.

back monday when the holes are re dug on the east wing. darn that.
peter
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[Brumbypt]

Just making a note for myself about the prusik knot. I should use it to hold the east wing columns till I have them leveled. It would be a lot easier than tying a knot put the spirit level on find its out untie knot pull it some more tie the knot spirit level again, etc etc etc.

1 column I did was like that, it too ages.
But in the future I will use the pusik knot. I might need 2 ropes but it will be much quicker to get the column vertical.

http://www.chockstone.org/techtips/prusik.htm
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[Brumbypt]

Yesterday I put the 5 columns all put together ready to go in the new holes. that took an hour or 2. it was good to get out there again after a long break (of 3 days)...

And its also a good feeling throwing away the first empty box of brackets.
In the fire it went to help start the fire to keep me warm at night.

http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/ab111/brumbypt/New%20shed/

Photos of the 5 columns for the east wing..

Also some close ups of the brackets connected to the columns.
You will notice that the top brackets are facing different directions.
Well the outside columns u face the open section of the C to the outside.
the rest you face in the direction that you want or need them too. Meaning that if you are going to be looking at a Certain column from a certain spot over and over then u face the good side towards that direction.

Or if you are going to cover up the open side with a wall etc then u face the open section towards that inner wall so it looks like the column is solid.

Or if you need to attach something like a roller door then ........ u get the drift....

Make sure that you have the column facing in the same direction on the other side of the shed or get advice from an engineer. I guess it would be ok but you would have to offset it so the rafters are not twisted.


 

[Brumbypt]

I am back in business building the shed.
Holes have been redug and I have put in the 300mm concrete that the posts sit on, I have forgotten what its called.

Saturday I will place in all the remaining columns and concrete them in. Then its walls walls walls all week.

I am hoping to have a roof build on the weekend, I have spoken with a comany that owns a forlift to see if I can hire it and they said yes. I forgot to ask how high it can reach and now have to work out how many rafter sets I should do with one lift and how I can do the lift if I put the corrigated iron on first, on the ground.
If anyone wants to come and help with the roof that would be great.

I wil let you know how the columns go tommorrow.

A little tip, always make sure your drill battery is charged even if you think You aint going to be using it that day. Its really annoying balancing a column in 1 hand holding a side rail in the other to brace the column and trying to drill in tek screws to discover the battery is flat and you ahve to try to reach for a rope to tie it all together. and go get the other battery to find its flat too.   

It is so much better this shed as I ahve a good quality spirit level and I am taking more care and alos measuring and remeasuring, except for those holes.

Also add to your tool list is an old screw driver used to separate the Side girts/purlins.

I am also glad I bought down the trailer thats enclosed on 3 sides to put all the bolts and some tools in to stay outside but under cover.

The LADA is also good for storing things in.
Clamps have also been happy, along with several spades and shovels of different sizes and a post hole spade.
I have borrowed a mates old cement mixer and I ahve a water trailer near that too for water in the concrete, you might have a tap handy.
I also tipped the concrete gravel onto an old TARP to save the last big getting contaminated with clay and as I found out today you can lift up the tarp on each corner to put the gravel back in the centre, making the job easier and waste down.

[Brumbypt]

The wall frames are up on the east wing and I will finish the ends today if the rain holds off.

But I have learnt something.
on the west wing I built each secton/bay with all the side rails then went on to the next section etc etc, once finished I then straightened them up and concreted them in place.
Trouble was the columns kept wobbling around and it was hard.
On the East wing I installed the Eave rail at the top then straightened them up and concreted them in place.
Trouble was when I went to install the side rails I noticed that the columns had twisted a little cos I may not have check them fully and or didnt notice that they were out a little ( only a little) and were not square, so becareful if you do it this way.
The first way with the west wing the columns cannot twist.
but with the east wing the columns were much more stable for when I was leaning agains them screwing in the side rails. (girts/top hats).. Something to think about.
I will take photos later.
I am doing the roof on the weekend so if you would like to come up and have a look then

[Brumbypt]

I have installed the first rafters.

 

The side girts (RAILS) are not evenly spaced because of the Personal door that I have to install. One at the top, one at the bottom and one in the middle that needs to be cut for the door to fit in.

I used a winch block hooked up on top of the column and lifted up the rafters a little at a time using the passik knot that I learnt last week.

 

So far I have done all the construction work myself plus all the concrete mixing work, infact everything myself after the holes were dug and site was leveled by other ppl but all the construction work myself.

Will do the other rafter on the weekend if not raining. And personal door...

[Brumbypt]

Building work had slowed again due to rain and I was waiting for the scaffholding to build the roof. That should be this weekend..
I also had an accident fitting on of the rafter sets ont he far side as I didnt put the safety rope on correctly or good enough.

Please keep going back to http://s855.photobucket.com/home/brumbypt/index

as I can now upload photos directly from my phone and still maynot fireup the computer to give a written update.

A few more tips
when you have climbed a ladder etc to install rails etc, make sure clamps are set to the right width before you climb so you are not trying to juggle a purlin/side girt (RAIL) a clamp and drill and hold onto the ladder and try to adjust the clamp all ontop of the ladder.
Its the same for the drill or tek screw, I sometimes change the speed to 1 to tighten up the screw tighter, but use the second speed for quicker drilling.
Also make sure your battery has enough power to complete the job while you are up on the ladder.

(Just incase you dont know, Tek screws that come with the shed have a little drill bit at the end of the screw so it drills its own hole in 1 movement.)

http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab111/brumbypt/IMAG0340.jpg

THis is what happens if you dont use safety ropes or use them correctly. (safety rope meaning use of any rope tied to your rafters etc and to make the job u are doing safer).
Its actually more purple than it looks in this photo and the whole forearm swelled up like popeyes arms. I had it xrayed the next day and its not broken but still very sore of its knocked or I clap my hands etc. and digging is out.

ANyway thats life and it was the third time I hurt myself with this build, the rest were minor cuts on the sharp metal sides.

On the first shed I had a small metal spliter go into my eye and had to go to the eye and ear hospital on boxing day of that year. I was wearing a safety sheild and glasses while using the angle grinder. I must have rubbed it in afterwards..
Peter
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[Brumbypt]

Construction has again slowed thats the trouble with been a little disabled etc etc..

My arm is healing too, at one stage the forearm swelled up like popeeyes arm, that went away after a few days but left an ostrich egg sized lump, which was actually only half an egg. As u can imagine every time I did something I bumped it.

On the 17th I hired a scissor lift and built the roof frames.
On the 18th Paul came around on the sunday and helped install all the sheets of iron for the roof on the west wing and 1/3rd of the sheets on the east wing. I still havnt finished screwing them all down as been very distracted with a badly bruised arm.
Yes I had it xrayed etc all fine, sort of.
I have reached my deadline to have the shipping containers emptied and have spent my time finding somewhere for all that stuff to go around this house instead of building the shed. There is too much to complete to make it water and dew tight before I start stacking tools etc int he new shed..
So the workshop wont be complete for another month at this rate.

Peter
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[Brumbypt]

3 New milesstones completed yesterday. Finished putting all the sheets on the roof, not all screwed into place I will have to hire someone to complete that as I cant find a pair of shoes good enough to walk on the roof without slipping.

Second milestone was that I crawled on the roof and it held my weight, I only got on the roof to screw on the top bit that I cant remember its name right now.

3rd milestone was the wife trusted my work and parked her car underneath it and in the shed for the first time.

I hired an old scissor lift that needs to be or should have been on concrete as it has no motor to move it along. Anyway I rigged up the winch and a winch block on the big trailer and was able to pull the lift along in the dirt and mud quite easily. It would have been great to have a wirelesss remote for the winch. I reckon that the good scissor lift from the hardware (that was booked out) would have got bogged anyway.
Hope fully I can keep the momentum with the shed build going again.
Luckly I am not under conctract with anyone to have the shed built by a certain time. Shed should have only taken 2 weeks not 3-4months.
Arm is still swollen and sore, not as bad as before.

More photos are up on the photo bucket site.
http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/ab111/brumbypt/New%20shed/

[Brumbypt]

THanks I have ordered the wife to buy me a pair while she is in Melb, no seriously she volunteered. I still prefer the idea of emplying an apprentice to risk his life and not mine.


2 things I keep forgetting to warn you on.
first thing is to make sure that you clean up all the little metal shavings, top layer and bottom layer. (from putting in a tek screw) You can either use air or water/pressure cleaner. If you take your time building like I have then these little bits of metal will start rusting. ALL the frame is galvanised so it wont rust but the little shavings will rust on the gal or on the roof.

WASH them off.

2nd thing is not on my engineers notes is to use lots of strapping or bracing. it holds the shed together and stops the wobble. THey basically make the triangle of the build, and as you will experience, triangles make the building project stronger.THats as basic as I can describe it as thats all I understand..

Also once you have put these criss cross strapping/bracing in. (using 2 screws either end) go to the hardware and buy a packet or 2 of bracing tighteners, they are "U" shaped with a bolt and wing nut and will tighten up the bracing nicely. When u install the bracing, DONT bend the strapping as it will make it harder to install. Tighten up the wing nut with your favourite tool. U may need 2 tighteners per strap.

I like to keep tripping hazzards out of the way and keep your building site clean. U wont need a skip bin, for a kit shed build, just a wheely bin. I have a skip business and I didnt use a skip of my own.
Off cuts of metal went into a future metal skip that I had here but its gone now. keep metal separate and take them to your tip, they shouldnt charge you anything to throw away as its metal and they get money from it.

Sorry still cant think of that 2nd important thing. But use the self build to buy some new and good quality tools.

This time my batterys have been lasting ok on the drills and have charged up ok, I use a RYOBI 18v drill and as I couldnt buy another ryobi up here in the country I have a WORKS 18volt drill as a second drill. They have done the job, dont buy cheap and nasty and no need to buy top of the range unless u are a tradie and gunna use it all the time. The works drill fell off the roof the other day and still works. THe other ryobi fell off the ladder or the roof several times when I was building the shed house., it put in thousands of screws and drilling holes before dying.

Anyway untill next time, dont drink and climb ladders!!
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[Brumbypt]

Momentum is back up and running, roof sheets all up but still have 4 rows of screws to go but I will get somone else to do that later when I am finished.

North and South walls are up, south wall has the top capping on and looks finished.

North Wall needs the top capping on and it will be finished. North Wall personal door is attached and works well. Now I can lock the door and keep my stuff safe. (well safe from stupid ppl that don't see the side walls arent finished)

Next job will be to finish off the top capping on the north wall and side sheets.
But the problem that is stopping me for them is the sheets need to be cut down 100mm as I put the posts in the ground too deep. I hesitated for a few weeks and at one stage was going to dig out a trench, but have now decided to cut the sheets down. I can do this 4-5 sheets at a time.
I will take some photos tommorow.
Peter
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[Brumbypt]

I have uploaded more pictures of the workshop.

Sorry no building tips but I must stress that u need to keep cleaning up. Clean up tripping hazzards and clean up all those little bits of metal shavings.
I have seen little rust spots on lots of the shed frame now since I took so long while building and during winter/autum during rain and morning dew.

I have all the wall sheets of cory up now, guttering is next. THen I gotta workout if I pay somone to concrete or do it myself.



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[Brumbypt]

Started the guttering and bought the pipes and downpipes.
50m of 32mm poly Pipe is to go from the overflow from this shed to the house water tank.
I have a 5000lt water tank for the new shed. To catch water from one side. And a 1000lt tank to catch water from the other side. This tank was on the Cubby house, I would like make a stand for this little tank. to put it off the ground a little as its good to wash hands and fill up the water tank int he car from.

Both tanks will be used as a catch tank, meaning that any over flow will be piped down to the house tank via the 32mm pipe..

One way I could do this is to install 90mm down pipe from one shed to another. (Or similar sized poly pipe)
That would take lots more Digging and more expensive and more work installing corners and fittings etc. another way is to install a smaller poly pipe and have an outlet half way up the tank so during any storm the tank has filling space while the water drains down the pipe. I have a good 5m drop from the new shed to the big house water tank. So gravity will pump my water from one tank to the other.

You can drill holes in poly water tanks easily and to fit the new fitting drop a clean rope down the tanks inlet hole and out your new hole.
Then slide the new fitting down the rope and into your new hole, as these fittings need to be fitted from the inside. Grab hold of the threaded bit carefully to screw on the nut, once fitted remove the rope.
TO drill ur hole use one of those good quality bits (Sorry cant remember their name, but u use them to fit door handles etc onto wooden doors etc.
Anyway the TIP is to run the drill in REVERSE first.As this will make a good groove and wont jump around as much.. Ohh hang on this is what I did to enlarge the hole, these drill bits have a drill bit in the middle. Sorry very confusing to explain cos I cant remember the names of the bits.



I have also looked into what I need for the sliding doors, this is going to take a bit of design and fabrication and work.
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[Brumbypt]

I am only 2 kms to the CBD, (of this little town)


Have fun, cos its just as much fun building the shed as what it is working in it or sitting down in it looking up at all your work.

Another tool I keep forgetting to mention is BRICKLAYERS string, its needed from start to finish.

Use the good stuff cos u need to stretch it out to make it nice and tight. Cheap ordinary string wont do. (mentioning that incase someone sends someone else out to go and buy it.

Peter
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[Brumbypt]

I must admit that after thesee 3 months of shed building has not been good on my disability so I decided to get professionals in to do the concreting.

COncrete day is next Monday, the guy came in yesterday and put down the poly and mesh all ready to pour on Monday.
Poly is the plastic that goes under the concrete to stop the concrete from soaking up the ground water for the next 50 to 100 years that the shed is up.
All good concrete jobs need to have the ground sheet down if the concrete is in a shed etc, this will keep your tools dry and stop them rusting..

I have 3 sections of guttering up on the west wing, I am doing it slowly as still havnt worked out where I am putting water tank on the east wing, ohh and the problem of bad workmanship on the top of the shed making it difficult achieve a good clowing angle for the guttering.

Another BIG problem is, I have to make up brackets to hold the guttering brackets. SO I am using up the left over strapping (Braceing).
THe easiet option I had would have been to screw on some flat steel all the way along the shed or timber. Me being a little stingy or strapped for cash I wanted to use something I have here. I am not sure on how the professionals attach these brackets but I have used left over strapping.     

I wil take a photo later.

So monday will be an exciting day watching the concrete slab being poured. But it will only be half the shed. This is all I can afford for now.

I will watch them and learn how to do it and pick up some tips so I can do the rest by myself,  ,, MAYBE...