New shop build, Doneish but continuing shenanigans

[rangerfredbob]

Oh, the picture above in the middle with the tractor, F350 and explorer was fun, should have left that stump taller... after that picture was taken I had to add a farm jack to the mix by the tractor as I didn't factor in that the belt for the hydraulic pump was shot and it barely lifted anything... did I mention there were only 2 people involved operating 3 vehicles and a farm jack? I was operating the explorer, F350 and jack...

 

[ovrszd]

I built my pad with a 10ft flat area around the outside. This allowed me to fill up to the top of the pour without havin a steep slope.

In your case you might just do building size. Then plan the slope after the pour. You are working on flat ground. I was on a sloping ridge.

 

[rangerfredbob]

Ok, back to this... I should have done this part sooner so I could do stuff now but oh well, like always I'll just go with it...

Submitted the building permit today, with questions so not going through right this moment... the planning department is closed but accepting applications by email. Aside from the questions I asked and the lack of paying for the permit yet the last thing I have to do is get the fire department over here to approve the driveway even though I'm not changing it... $40 but whatever, it gets it moving, apparently if I had done this in 2018 I could have just signed an exemption since I'm not changing the driveway...

After I get the OK I'm going to buy the kit and get it on it's way if possible. I have a big pile of dirt to move about 30 feet so it's out of the way which involves moving a bunch of other stuff that's where I want to put it . So hopefully I'll get on that this weekend after my traction bar project is done.

 

[EddieWalker]

Never heard of a fire department inspection. What are they looking for?

 

[rangerfredbob]

Not really an inspection, just an OK from the fire department on the driveway access if there was an emergency, talking to the chief yesterday basically they want a hard rock base, 12' wide and 14' clearance which there is. Sounds rediculous to me too, but he was free Saturday morning so is very non intrusive to me getting things done.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Ridiculous, until you have a need for fire dept, then want to complain because they can’t get good access.

 

[aczlan]

Not really an inspection, just an OK from the fire department on the driveway access if there was an emergency, talking to the chief yesterday basically they want a hard rock base, 12' wide and 14' clearance which there is. Sounds rediculous to me too, but he was free Saturday morning so is very non intrusive to me getting things done.

Also gets them out to see what your driveway layout is and gives them half an idea where to place equipment if you ever have a fire.

Aaron Z

 

[rangerfredbob]

well, obviously, I'm not fighting it, it's more reasonable than the $244.91 for the plan review, then about $600 for permit then $100 for inspections, which is cheaper than many areas I guess...

I guess ridiculous was the wrong word, I appreciate what they do and wouldn't want to be without them, I understand that you can't just trust people anymore.

I just want it done, I'm ready! So tired of working on projects in the driveway! This traction bar should have been made years ago, I could get so much more done working on stuff through the winter...

 

[GSVette]

I suppose it could be considered ridiculous-much like when I permitted my shop in Spokane county. I was the third building so the ‘private drive’ became a ‘private road’ which required that it be named according to county rules and have an ‘as built’ county approval on record (which mostly shows that the road was built in accordance with county standards intended to support emergency equipment access)-there is a long, painful, costly story involved with the ‘as built’ revolving around much bureaucratic ineptness and lack of builder follow up.

 

[rangerfredbob]

First real step done, got the permit on Tuesday, wife took in the deposit check in on Thursday for the kit, they're estimating delivery for the week of May 11th. That gives me like 3 weeks to get 14 holes dug and the hole inspection done, and get a spot to put the kit...

So, today I'm going to start clearing a spot to put the big pile of dirt I have in the way and marking spots for the holes...

 

[ovrszd]

Looking forward to seeing the build!!!

 

[EddieWalker]

If you dig the holes now, be sure to cover them up so rain doesn't fill them up.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

If you dig the holes now, be sure to cover them up so rain doesn't fill them up.

So, you have to punch 14 holes, then wait for an inspection? Leaving post holes open always makes me nervous. My guess is they are looking for depth, before you install the poles. We don't have anything like that here. Guess a lot would depend on the soil and time of year? Like Eddie says cover the holes.

 

[GSVette]

At least where my pole barn inspections were concerned-the inspector was verifying diameter, depth and that the post holes were in undisturbed soil.

 

[LD1]

Soil around my area, unless you covered 20' in all directions from the hole.....if it rains it will fill with water

 

[rangerfredbob]

No pictures yet, maybe tomorrow... was busy all day, didn't stop for much, lunch was around 6pm I think, I found some water at some point...

Anywho, the last dirt pile from making the flat spot got moved, the winter did a number on it, it was HARD... got my equipment pile out of the way (you know, the rare use stuff or stuff that didn't work out right so you shoved it in one spot... that got in the way) then we measured out the holes and drilled them to about 3' deep since the digger didn't have the reach when we started...

On the 9th hole out of 14 we ran into some junk, apparently the previous owner had a burn pile and had been getting scrap wood from the truss manufacturer down the road, we hit truss parts, nail plates, 2x4's, 2x6's, nails, staples etc... The plans call for no organic matter, how does this mess play in? I had no idea it was there, the flat spot starts about 1' below normal surface, about 6" below that we hit wood and metal, I think we're to the bottom at 3' deep but haven't gotten further...

The post hole digger didn't appreciate the job it did and the arms bent down, we had to rig it up a bit to get it to dig a 4' hole but it's good now but we finished fixing it after dark... Of course the auger is an auction find, I think we have around $200 in it and the 2' bit, but it's a Rears brand probably from the 60's or 70's since it apparently has a Mopar 8.25" rear diff for a gear box from the casting number...

A couple of the holes have water in them so far so I apparently found the water table...

 

[EddieWalker]

If the hole with junk in it is solid on the bottom, then filling in the post with concrete and it will be fine. I would consider it similar to hitting gravel or sand. If it's not solid, then keep digging until it is solid.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

I found water in a lot of my holes when i punched them. There is a concrete patio block on the bottom, with 6 x 6 nailed around the outside. I have no problems with those. In the corner of the building there is the top of one of those right at about 3 1/2 feet that corner lifts every year, settles back down a little, just a little less every year. Have not figured out what or if I am going to do anything. Issue I have found with water is it under mines the hole then they cave in. Then you have to dig it out with the hoe, then the hole gets large. Had a couple do that. Putting the poles in was rather difficult. We would hit smaller rocks also and by the time you where done might as well have dug it with the hoe.

 

[rangerfredbob]

I called an inspector today to check and he said like Eddie said, dig til it's solid then concrete til the level of the other holes so that's what I'll do...

Got the dirt off of all but the junk hole moved tonight before my tractor got tired and wants it's pickup screen cleaned again... at least that's what I'm hoping since it's acting starved for fuel with half a tank like it has the other two times it's done this... Hopefully its not like last time where I had to drain the tank out of the site tube since it took 3 hours to get 2 gallons out of the tank outlet... I need a shop for those projects, which makes building a shop harder... it's complicated

 

[EddieWalker]

My tractor has been giving me power issues and I thought it was junk plugging up the fuel lines, but after cleaning and replacing the filter without any improvement, and also testing the fuel pump, I found it to be an air block where the fule went into the injector pump. I blead it and my tractor has more power now then I remember it having when it was brand new.

My backhoe has a metal fuel tank and the inside walls are scaling debri, rust and whatever else comes off of the inside of a metal tank. My dealer suggested switching the intake line with the return line. Apparantly on my model, there is an inch difference in height and this brings my line off of the bottom of the take enough to help. I replaced my fuel lines, and found a screen at the front of my fuel pump that I wasn't aware of that was clogged up. I also have two fuel filters and another screen inside my fuel pump glass bowl that plugs up with a black slime that needs cleaning once a year. All of those things add up to a significant power loss.

Don't worry about water getting into the holes after you dig them. That's just the table water flowing into an area of lease resistance. Once you fill the hole with concrete, it will stop all the water and act like a plug. If you drilled the holes in August, odds are very good that they would be dry because the water table would be significantly lower. This is how springs work. Your hole has created a spring.

Water from rain is your biggest concern. The more that gets into your holes, the more material that you will have to remove before setting your posts.