Arthur1947 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Here's one big reason why I've neglected to work on my p15. I'm building a detached studio so that my oldest daughter can have her own room. This in turn pays for the fun stuff. This is my first attempt at construction and I tried not to take any shortcuts. [/img] This is where I started. I had to pull up the old garden. [/img] I decided to build a raised foundation to cut costs. I packed gravel 4" deep for drainage. [/img] An inspector came out and jumped the frame and gave me the go-ahead. [/img] My wife gets artsy. [/img] Two rainbows? Couldn't resist. [/img] Worthwhile prep. [/img] Siding goes up with deck screws.....a whole lot of them. More to come........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Nice work Arthur ! Man...you sure installed lots of fire blocking between the studs. Are you going to insulate and drywall the inside? What kind of roofing? What's your building permit # ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Must have different building codes out there. Here we'd have to have footings down below the frost line, or pour a floating concrete slab for a building like that. But I'm also limited on "out building" size in my city. Merle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Must have different building codes out there. Here we'd have to have footings down below the frost line, or pour a floating concrete slab for a building like that. But I'm also limited on "out building" size in my city. Merle I bet the footings he has his frame resting on are below frost line. He is in the California desert (Apple Valley is just north of the San Bernadino Mountains near Victorville). Even though it does get to freezing in the desert it does not stay cold long enough for the frost to penetrate the ground to any significant depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 A few decades ago, my dad built a cabin in the upper part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. (Pretend your right hand is Michigan, with the palm facing you. His cottage is around the second knuckle of the ring finger.) Although the frost can get 3-1/2 ft deep or more, he built on well-drained sandy soil, and did not need deep footings. If there is no water in the soil, there is no frost heave. Around here in southeast Michigan, the frost can get down to 3-1/2 ft, and we are pretty sure the soil gets saturated. We have to go below the frost line even with fence posts, or the posts heave out of the ground. You can tell who took shortcuts putting in their fence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur1947 Posted January 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Nice work Arthur ! Man...you sure installed lots of fire blocking between the studs.Are you going to insulate and drywall the inside? What kind of roofing? What's your building permit # ? Reg, I plan on installing the electrical, drywall and indoor/outdoor carpeting in the near future. I must first get another permit for that. It has passed inspection. The roof is shingle. [/img] We do get snow once in a while. [/img] Painted. We will paint the rest of the house with this color scheme. [/img] Some simple landscape for the time being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobT-47P15 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Was insulation installed in the walls??? Would need it here in MO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Code in Milwaukee is 4 feet down for a foundation. Believe it's the same statewide. As mentioned, code is usually determined by how cold it gets in a particular area. In real warm climates you really don't need much of a foundation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Code in Milwaukee is 4 feet down for a foundation. Believe it's the same statewide. As mentioned' date=' code is usually determined by how cold it gets in a particular area. In real warm climates you really don't need much of a foundation.[/quote']That is one reason you are more likely to have basements in your area than in, say, coastal California. Once you have already excavated to 4 feet you might as well go a little more and have a basement. All you need here is something like 1 or 2 feet for the footings. So going the extra distance for a basement is very costly and rarely done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilmot andy Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Looks nice, now how about the flat roof. Can it handle 2-3 feet of snow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claybill Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 uh-oh ! you made one mistake! i dont see a provision to quickly turn that studio into a garage when daughter moves out...is there a secret way to rip out the windows and find a 10ft opening in place..to add a roll-up door!!! bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireball Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Oh man you can have it easy there, this is the way we have to do foundings for a house or garage here. Underneath that concrete there's plenty of cravel and frost insulation (some 3 ft) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 I know what you going through..I am butt deep in remodel at the moment..talking 100 year old farmhouse here...how many of you remember when a 2x4 was just that...a 2x4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Tim my house has the 1/8in short of 2x4 2x4s. Built in 54. And when we did windows over the past 2 years it was more square then any new house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Oh man you can have it easy there, this is the way we have to do foundings for a house or garage here. Underneath that concrete there's plenty of cravel and frost insulation (some 3 ft) :D My foundation is about 11 feet deep. Makes for a lot of headroom in the basement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Yes.....2x4's haven't been 2" x 4" for a very long time. Ever since I've been involved with building anyway,a 2 x 4 measured 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 and that was way back in the 60's. I wonder when "full dimension" lumber became passé ? Young Ed...why do you say "more square then any new house"? I still use a plumb bob when I'm building a new one. Gravity don't lie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 (edited) Reg..gravity don't lie...however wood is still drying as it is shipped..shrinking and pulling and twisting etc etc...I found some very unique building aspects about this 100 year old house..man was things done ever so different back then...it has been fun and frustrating at the same time... Edited May 20, 2017 by Plymouthy Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Reg I installed all new windows(with the exception of the annoying one in my shower) and didn't use a shim. Thats pretty square. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric wissing Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Arthur, Looks great. It is about the size I want my next house!! I am surprised that the house doesn't have to be tied down to a few piers. Fireball's construction looks like Alaska. Yoy use so much gravel that any water that would apear has a place to expand ( the voids between the stones) otherwise your house would be moving up and down. Is that Cherokee red on the door? Pete our resident Architect would know. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireball Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Eric, load Google earth and see where I live, Alaska might not be that different climate wise. I'm near artic circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Reg..gravity don't lie...however wood is still drying as it is shipped..shrinking and pulling and twisting etc etc...I found some very unique building aspects about this 100 year old house..man was things done ever so different back then...it has been fun and frustrating at the same time... Tim, Are those false dormers or are ya gonna cut the existing roof out when you're done and have a view from the attic ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur1947 Posted January 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Looks nice, now how about the flat roof. Can it handle 2-3 feet of snow? Andy, It never snows that much here in the desert. Best. ARTHUR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm's Coupe Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Wish I could build something just sitting on gravel around here. Would never get anything other than a storage shed approved here sitting on the ground as it is. It looks nice, but I only have one concern, regardless of where it's built. That's the roof. I read in one of the post you are using shingles for roofing. I've inspected and sold a lot of roof jobs from 1968 until about 1999. That's not much of a pitch on the roof for shingles, especially when you get that white stuff (snow) sitting on it. I would have recommended a built up roof for that small of a pitch. The least little blockage at the lower end could cause a small backup of water, then the water would go under the shingles into the building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur1947 Posted January 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Wish I could build something just sitting on gravel around here. Would never get anything other than a storage shed approved here sitting on the ground as it is.It looks nice' date=' but I only have one concern, regardless of where it's built. That's the roof. I read in one of the post you are using shingles for roofing. I've inspected and sold a lot of roof jobs from 1968 until about 1999. That's not much of a pitch on the roof for shingles, especially when you get that white stuff (snow) sitting on it. I would have recommended a built up roof for that small of a pitch. The least little blockage at the lower end could cause a small backup of water, then the water would go under the shingles into the building.[/quote'] Norm, I did considered that. I do have a drip edge sealed with a roofing compound, overlapping that is the roofing felt. The roofing felt on the gable edge is under the drip edge which overlaps drip edge on the lower eve. I watched the snow melt off and it seemed to work like a charm. Best. ARTHUR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Yes.....2x4's haven't been 2" x 4" for a very long time. Ever since I've been involved with building anyway,a 2 x 4 measured 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 and that was way back in the 60's. I wonder when "full dimension" lumber became passé ? My current house, built in 1958, has modern 1.5x3.5 "2x4" studs. My parents had a house in Tucson that was completed in, I think, 1941 which had "full dimension" lumber. I'd guess that the post-WW2 tract house boom was when the modern sized framing came into use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.