Living up to my name

[rwbuild]

Well, its finally happened, have rented a house 1 block from where we are about to start building our retirement home and of cause THE MAN CAVE :U :2tsup::yippy: 7.0m x 6.0m x 2.7m wall height, 2.7 wide roll a doors steel framed

House steel framed, waffle pod slab, 3 bed, large lounge, 1.8m verandah full width at front, 3.0m verandah full width at rear, 2.7m walls, custom orb roof, hardiplank clad, septic

Will post a WIP

[crowie]

Good news Ray, the council must have finally come thru...
Looking forward to the WIP photos from empty block to completed dwelling and SHED....
Cheers, Peter

[NCArcher]

so much for retirement :doh: Hope it all goes smoothly Ray.

[rwbuild]

Put the plans in 27 November, went to council 10 days ago because they said it would be ready, they had "misplaced" some of our paperwork :doh:said they would give me a call when they found it, I said "I have all day, will wait here until you find it", 5 minutes later they had it, "Ok, will be ready to pick up 2 days time". Get phone call next day "We didn't advertise it when you lodged it, cant sign off if we don't" so waiting for 2 weeks advertising period to end this week.

Also, first geotech engineer specifies a Wisconsin mound for the septic, cost including treatment tank $20000-00 :oo:
My plumber says "#^@** BS", I get another geotech engineer, guess what, standard septic with absorption trenches, $5000-00 :2tsup:

To get town water connected $6000-00, $1500-00 for the council, $4500-00 for Southern Tablelands Water infrastructure :oo:, the only good part of this is all the mains in Woodstock start getting replaced next month.

Just as well one of my mates is doing all the excavation for the cost of fuel only and my sparky doing for cost of material only :2tsup:

I hope this is as rough as it gets and the rest is smooth sailing

[cava]

Well, its finally happened, have rented a house 1 block from where we are about to start building our retirement home and of cause THE MAN CAVE :U :2tsup::yippy: 7.0m x 6.0m x 2.7m wall height, 2.7 wide roll a doors steel framed

House steel framed, waffle pod slab, 3 bed, large lounge, 1.8m verandah full width at front, 3.0m verandah full width at rear, 2.7m walls, custom orb roof, hardiplank clad, septic

Will post a WIP
I have heard of waffle pod slabs, but know little about them. Whats the advantage of a waffle pod slab over a conventional slab?

[specialist]

I have heard of waffle pod slabs, but know little about them. Whats the advantage of a waffle pod slab over a conventional slab?

They tried them here to try to combat the slab cracking on brick veneer buildings. Not sure if they worked or not. The soil here is very reactive. I think the advantage of them is that they don't need to be as thick and the reo is mostly in the walls of the slab.

[rwbuild]

A waffle pod slab is basically a concrete torsion box. Because they are dimensionally accurate (+/- 5mm in the ribs and the slab thickness), all the design and real time stresses are at their optimum as well as the concrete quantity being exact. Time wise also a lot quicker with fewer holdups as a result of wet weather (no trenches full of water) and overall quality control is much better.

A conventional raft slab can vary greatly in beam and slab sizes as a result of blow out in trench depending on ground type, which affects the design performance and depending also on the care and accuracy of the contractor.

Waffle pod slabs have improved substantially since they first came on the market. We have all heard about the car jacks punching holes in 80mm slabs, etc. The minimum is now 100mm slab and a reduction in pod size resulting in more ribs + and increase in steel grade and sizes.

[artme]

Well Ray you have already had some fun with the council and no doubt there is more to come!!

Are you intending to insulate your shed, roof and walls? Out there it would be a distinct advantage to do so.

Any ideas on solar hot water and power and water tanks?

Enjoy the next few months!!!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[rwbuild]

Well Ray you have already had some fun with the council and no doubt there is more to come!!

You think? :rolleyes:

Are you intending to insulate your shed, roof and walls? Out there it would be a distinct advantage to do so.

Insulating the roof when I erect the shed, wall insulation & lining after the house is finished when I have had time to trial a couple of layouts and get a couple of new toys :D

Any ideas on solar hot water and power and water tanks?

HWS on demand LPG (European SS super efficient), Basix requires 2400 Lt tank but will put one on shed as well when $ allow

Enjoy the next few months!!!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

I'm champing at the bit to get going

[Bob38S]

Looking forward to the WIP.

[rwbuild]

Surveyor pegs out house, shed and boundary today :2tsup:

Pick up approval from council Monday :2tsup:

Next, get water on, temp toilet and excavation

[DaveTTC]

Glad i stumbled across thiss thread, something else for me to follow

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[rwbuild]

Ok, at last some WIP photos

342637 342638 342639
2 March.......................... 16 March......................... 18 March

342640 342641 342642
19 March......................... 20 March

342643 342644 342645

[crowie]

How long before construction can start on the shed and the house???

[Enfield Guy]

So that's the shed slab, yes?

Cheers

[rwbuild]

I pick the shed up next Wednesday so with a bit of luck it will be locked up in a week 1.5 weeks.

The house kit doesn't come till mid April, gives me time for external drainage, etc

[Bob38S]

Sounds like a plan. :D

[rwbuild]

Well, the best laid plans of mice and men, a hold up on progress, only had to fit the ridge capping and roll-a-doors on the shed and it wood have been finished.

Woke last Friday morning, right eye had spots and dark floaties, had this before with left eye, was a small tear in the retina, had that fixed with laser, all good, so I ring my specialist, tell them same thing with right eye. Ok, come in Monday morning first thing (Blacktown, I'm at Woodstock) but if gets worse go straight to doctor.
Friday afternoon, right eye goes beserk, almost impossible to see through thick fog and spiders web of floaties, daughter-in-law takes me to doc, I explain, doc rings optometrist and says "see him NOW'. Optometrist investigates thoroughly, rings Westmead eye clinic and says "you will see him tomorrow as soon as he arrives, get emergency staff in ready"
Train from Bathurst to Parramatta Saturday morning, daughter picks me up, straight to Westmead, much examination, eye drops, ultra sounds, you lucky man, you win jackpot, got 5 tears in retina. More drops, start laser, no luck, too much gunk around eye, need someone with more experience, go back 6:00pm Saturday, lovely Indian lady does as much as she can and laser's 3 worst tears,
I go back yesterday (Monday) get bumped up the ladder of experience to the top man, does more and says very confident it is fixed.
I go back Wednesday next week for check up and any residual laser work if required.
The only discomfort was when they hit the laser button each time, other than that no pain or discomfort at all, and not a single cent in costs other than train fare.

Vision is 95% again, but a minor amount of fog and floaties but will clear up totally in about 4 weeks. No work for a week, have to sleep sitting up for a week to allow the blood vessels to settle down.
The cause, no-one knows, just one of life's mysteries

Nothing but absolute praise for All the people involved from my initial phone call to now.

[NCArcher]

That sounds a bit scary Ray. Glad it all seems to be fixed. If you're not careful you'll have us descending on you to help get the shed finished. :;

[crowie]

WOW Ray, that's one eye popping story so to speak; very pleased to hear all is now progressing back to well again.. Cheers, Peter

[Opelblues2]

if that is the house slab in image #182 its small, I all ways like to see it all coming together, you have a start

[Uncle Al]

That all seems to be very scary Ray, glad you are on the mend. Anything to do with the eyes gives me the heebie jeebies.
Alan...

[old1955]

Get well Ray.

Ross

[Bob38S]

I'm sure you will be able to "look forward " to the completion of the shed.

I hope it all works out soon.

[brontehls]

Glad it is working out for you - I got enough of a shock being told I'm developing cataracts.

Serious stuff

SWMBO was visiting her daughter in Washington DC in the winter and the slush etc and slipped on the pavement landed on her bum and tore a retina (????)

Taken straight to hospital where the first question was do you have insurance and how much

Yes she had plenty - $500aud excess and they paid the rest

We have it pretty good here but we are loseing some of it - at least maintain ambulance cover and full medical cover if you are going o/s

Neil

[rwbuild]

Went back today and had a check up, all good, she asked me to read the 3rd last line on the chart so I read the last one quicker than she could keep up.

They have advised me to get a full peripheral laser done on the retina to make 100% sure that it will never happen again so I'm going back to my specialist that did the cataracts for that next week or so. That will be the only thing I will have to pay for.

Yippee, I can finish me shed now and I can post some pics. The frame, windows, hardware, cladding and roof got delivered last Friday so that will be next.

[DaveTTC]

Glad your eyes are ok.

Looking forward to following your build and hanging around again as much as I can now Ihave a new job

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[rwbuild]

At last, some progress

346843 Getting ready to fit-out and organize

346844 Saw bench, drawers and shelves tomorrow

346845 Trying lighting configuration, 2 LED and 1 halogen, will wait to rest of shed laid out for final configuration

346846

346847 A sunrise 2 weeks ago, go back to the burbs? NEVER

[crowie]

Great to see you back on track Ray with the shed looking ready for business....or should that be a house to build!!!

I'm assuming the eye doctor has given you the all clear which is top news.....cheers, Peter

[DaveTTC]

I like that Ray. I'll have a shed too soon

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[rwbuild]

You won't know yourself Dave once you get it set up, you deserve it.

I made a nifty gizmo for the saw bench, pics tomorrow.

[DaveTTC]

Ill be looking out for it

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[Bob38S]

Looking good, now comes the "work" but it will be more enjoyable.

Keep the WIP coming.

[rwbuild]

This is the gizmo I was talking about. Its just a variation on common practice and commercially available, can make separate ones for L & R mitres or any angle if there is a lot to do.

I'll let the pics tell the story

347127 347129 347130 347132 347133 347134

[DaveTTC]

Im looking at it Ray and thinking maybe a secondary fence with zero clearance at the blade.

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[rwbuild]

Then you still have to change the fence every time you change the angle to maintain zero clearance and still set up a stop as well, screw/unscrew as well as having to remove the secondary fence when you go mobile with the saw. This is literally a 5 second swap around.

[rwbuild]

Well is been almost a year since my last post here and a lot has happened.
Snow, major eye problem requiring several major laser sessions (all good now, don't need glasses any more), bad back (thats the problem of having a young mindset trying to lift stuff that an old body cant), my nearest and dearest has had her ups and downs as well (now losing sight in her left eye but injections will keep it at bay for a while), so the budget has taken a severe hit.

Dave came for a week and helped fix the plasterboard and I have to say after 40+ years in the building trade I have never seen such a fantastic job as he has done, perfection is his second nature and 4+ sheets left over, unheard of.

Al and Anne dropped in for a couple of hours today, good to catch up again between GTG's.

Will post some pics when I get a chance.

[DaveTTC]

Looking forward to pics

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[Uncle Al]

Looking forward to pics

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art
I didn't take any photos yesterday Dave, but I can certainly see where you have been. Good looking job, having the Gyprock in place really transforms all the construction work from a pile of framework into individual rooms.
Many thanks to Ray and his lovely wife for the afternoon tea and guided tour of the new mansion.

A bit of rain up there might slow the building work a tad, but it sure is dry up that way, with big cracks in the ground that would swallow any dropped tools.

Alan...