Sunday, August 7, 2011

We've Started the Barn

We started construction on the barn over the past few weeks. Here's what we've been able to accomplish so far...

1. Cleared the land where the barn is being built.
2. Dug out for the foundation.
3. Installed a perimeter drainage system.
4. Hired a contractor to put in the footing and foundation.
5. Filled in the foundation with stone and back-filled the outside of the foundation.
6. Started framing the first floor.

Here are some pics of our progress...
http://s1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc367/shanjust/Barn%20construction/

Sunday, June 5, 2011

The Rain Has Finally Stopped

With the plans approved, we can really get started anytime we're ready. We have to at least do something within 6 months of the permit being granted. What we really have been waiting for is the rain to stop.

There is an area that we have to cross to get from the driveway to the shed site. Eventually the driveway will extend over to the shed, but for right now it's just a "field". In reality, it's an area where the previous owner logged the land and stripped the land of all vegetation and dirt. It's basically pure ledge. If there is any dirt, it's only an inch or so thick. So, with all the spring rain we had, and because there is so much ledge, giving the water no where to go, it's just a mud bowl.

We'll have to bring in fill to build this area up if the permanent driveway runs through it. In fact, we had plans just last weekend to start to bring in materials to do just that. Our plan was to get a temporary driveway in so that we could get concrete trucks over to the shed site and get going on the foundation. But then, of course, we ran into a problem.

Shed Plans Approved

We've had some good news and some bad news lately. What I consider the best news is that the shed plans were approved. Initially, the town was not willing to approve the plans for us to build a shed first, because it's "customary" to build the primary residence first and secondary structures later. But we were able to work with the local officials and get approval.

And, the actual plans themselves were approved. I think what I sent them was overkill in terms of details. But by producing a document with a ton of detail, it will make developing our materials list a breeze.

Also with the approval of the plans, we were assigned an address. Our neighbors to one side are #328, and the neighbors to the other side are #370. There are three lots between those two houses, so we knew our number would be somewhere in the middle of those. We requested two numbers: 360 and 342. We wanted 360 because then we could say, so matter where we go, we can just do a "360" and be back in the same place (goofy - I know). And I wanted 342 because those were the last 3 digits of my grandmother's phone number. Well, the building department gave us #350. I'm not quite sure why I couldn't have one of the numbers I wanted, but that's not a battle worth engaging in.

More about the bad news a little later...

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Shed Plans are Complete


During the cold, nasty winter New England weather, we've been working on our shed plans. We've decided that the main project for 2011 will be to build the shed. There will be other things to do of course, but that will be the main goal.
We are planning to build a "monitor style" barn with one wing. I found a great set of plan in a book about building your own barns. Our goal is to have three areas: parking for a rider lawn mower and tractor, a workshop area, and a storage area. The plans we chose fit that bill perfectly.
We are planning to do all aspects of building the shed ourselves. So over the winter, we are getting our plans on paper. These are plans that we will submit with our building permit. It has also forced us to investigate what building materials we will use and the steps involved. It is also helping us develop our budget.
We know the first things we'll have to do is clear the building site and dig the foundation hole. But to do that, we have to buy a machine (tractor). Justin has been doing research on what machine will best suit all our needs. I think he's narrowed it down quite a bit, and has been looking online for one. So once we buy that and spring comes, we can get started.
I'm excited to be doing this ourselves. I've taken on the responsibility of developing the blueprints and creating a materials list. I have never done any framing (except building a dog house - which came out great by the way), and after all the research I've done, I think I can do this.