A funny thing happened the other day.....

[Shannon]

Just thought I'd share one of those moments of embarressment to make others feel better about themselves.

Been looking into the whole cubby house thing - build or buy etc. I wanted to build, SHMBO quite rightly pointed out that by the time I got finished, it would be better than a bought one, but probably cost almost as much and our 4yo would be 7

Found a goodun on ebay, got my dad to help me pick it up on the back of the trailer. Get it home to discover that the distance between our garage and studio (self contained behind the garage) is a distance of 2100.
Cubby is 2400 X 2400.

Let me tell you after all the planning of will it fit, levelling the yard to accomodate etc, this really was a kick in the guts. I don't know why I didn't consider it, I guess in my head I felt sure the gap was bigger than this so wasn't a problem.

The guy who sold it must have bought himself a nail gun at the same time as the cubby so every joint has about 1/2 a dozen tacks in it, so dismantling was out. Thought about just sticking it back on ebay, but then 4yo's don't really understand "heres your new cubby - oh but now someone else is going to take it away before you can play with it"

Out with the circular saw goes I - I am half way through, the rest will happen tomorrow - we decided it was an OK cubby and cutting it in half to get through to the backyard was a bit of a pain, but not that much drama, I will just run an extra set of studs and rafters to reconnect, and then waterproof the sucker and all will be sweet.
Hopefully our daughter will be playing in it by Sunday arvo.

Hope you got a chuckle - I am laughing now, but I tell you on saterday I was nearly ready to chop a 10 M gum down just to create some side access!!! Amazingly, we have 4 neighbours (one on a battleaxe block) and none of us have side access of 2400 - we don't live in an estate either, its a 35 year old suburb, it just happens that with trees, garages, brick fences etc, we have closed ourselves in more than we thought.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Yes I am afraid that I did get a chuckle out of that probably because that its something that I would do! I hope your daughter didn't have to watch you dismember her new cubby!

[silentC]

Wonder what crane hire would have cost?

[Zed]

10 yrs ago it was $400 an hour (from the time the crane leaves and returns to the yard... even if the job only takes 5 minutes...)

[DavidG]

What was the height of the cubby?
Could it fit if laid on its side?

[Shannon]

I thought about the crane thing for about a minute, then shunned it for the cost - and the fact that in 10 years when we sell the thing, I would have the same problem. At least this way I get to remove it reasonably easily.

David, the height is 1900, but it is 2400 square, so tipping it on the side would still give me grief - garage is 2300 high.

You know I am sitting here typing and thinking though - tipping it on its side might give me the room I need to send it down the side if I dismantle the garden shed...... bloody hell why didn't I talk to you guys BEFORE I ran the circular saw through the roof the other day!!!!

It won't fit and I have to cut it in half......
It won't fit and I have to cut it in half......
It won't fit and I have to cut it in half......
It won't fit and I have to cut it in half......
It won't fit and I have to cut it in half......
It won't fit and I have to cut it in half......
It won't fit and I have to cut it in half......

If I just keep telling myself this I might be able to stop the stanley imbedding itself in my wrist

Talk to you after the big event.

[DavidG]

[oges]

hope your daughter spends every waking minute in it after all that effort

[RETIRED]

Shannon might move into it.

[Rossluck]

A good story anyway, Shannon. We've all done these things.

[ozwinner]

If I just keep telling myself this I might be able to stop the stanley imbedding itself in my wrist

That brought back some memories.
Ouch....... :eek:

I did that some years ago and still feel the pain in my wrist, 26 years after the event.

Al

[Shannon]

Well it is in the backyard now.

I ended up having to cut it up to get it there, I did the measurements of turing it on its side and taking it around the side but it still didn't fit - I tell you loving trees all around the yard sometimes has its disadvantages - wouldn't make it between the roof line and a couple of 30yo gums.

So I cut it up and got some mates over to lift it through the garage. Even that took some coaxing, but it is there now. I am yet to reattach it as sydney weather has not really been condusive to outdoors work since Saturday. On the weekend it will go together - Trinity is still playing in it though which is great.

At least I will now have an upmarket doghouse for those "special" times in every relationship

When it is up and painted I will post some piccies of the process.

[Wild Dingo]

Shannon mate

your a woos!!

I mean okay so it didnt fir side on down past the side of the garage

and so it didnt fit any other way around the house

And a crane was always gonna be expensive

So you think aarrgh aargh aarggh me man me gots sharp blood letting cutting thingy me cut in harf argh argh argh

Mate lissen up!!

What woulda been wrong with gettin them couple of mates wrappin a few lengths of rope around it tossin the ropes over the roof or even up over a branch of that 10 mtre tree (whats a 10 mtre tree doin standing anyways? shouldnt it be slabs by now?) and hoistin it OVER the house and into the backyard?

I mean easy as mate!

Might have to rest it on the gable for a few tics while you and the mates have a few coldies to quesnch the thirst but mate the photo ops would be bloody brilliant!!

AND BONUS!!! You coulda made up a wee seat on the porch of it with a seatbelt put a crash helmet on little Trinity and given her a ride she wouldnt forget in a hurry (forget Luna Park or the Sydney show rides!!) hey you coulda tossed mum up there with her "just be brave dear wont take long and just for you we will stop for a few tics when your on the top so you and little bub can have a gander around the neighborhood be cool eh? oh and dont look down alright"

woos!!

[havenoideaatall]

Time for your medication Dingo mate!

Great idea, probably harder than it seems!

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

ROFL!

Just one question for ya Dingo... have you ever tried doing this yourself?

I used to install Swampy's (evaporative air-conditioners to the uninitiated ) and they were a right bastard to get on the roof. Not heavy, just awkward because of their size. Basically, one bloke on the roof with a rope, another on the ladder lifting/pushing/steering. Any more blokes just got in the way. Mongrel job, wouldn't want to do it with something bigger and a LOT heavier!

Just trying to hoist it onto the roof by ropes has this nasty tendency to remove guttering. DAMHIKT.