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[Erik Irvine]

Originally Posted by Cleck

check out 3D Home Architect. That's what I used for mine. Much better I think.

Do you have any screen shots or pictures of the drawings you made in that program? I want to find one that I can draw the garage pad, slopes, driveway etc.

Originally Posted by Cleck

I need to find out what a slab is gonna cost to pour. I thought I read that because it's attached it doesn't need a footer? So that might save some costs, but I still need to find out what it's gonna cost to pour so I can work that in for me.

Are you planning on doing the slab yourself, or have a contractor do it? If I haven't made up my mind between a contractor or myself, I get a bid from a few local contractors, then use that as the budget. I am 95% sure you will need a footing for at least the exterior walls of your shop even if it is attached, unless your house was designed with a cantilever system for a future attached garage where you plan to add on.

Originally Posted by Cleck

Looking at your planning, it looks like you've got a lot more to do than I do. Sucks doesn't it?

No this is what I live for!!

[Cleck]

http://www.instructables.com/id/SI0NY7HF90573V3/ This is where I'm getting my info from. Of course I have to check my local codes, but I'm just following this on my own.

As a detached garage, I was able to do a slab on grade foundation rather than having to dig footings below the frost line as would be required for an attached garage.

Like I said, I'm gonna check my local codes on this.

As for this whole thing, not sure if I'm gonna contract it out or not. I guess I'd need to see what it'd cost for materials and to pour it myself vs having a company come in and do everything. I guess the upside to having a company doing it would be having them also expand my driveway too. We'll see I guess.

Yeah I've got screenshots of what I've been doing in 3D Home, they're in my intro thread. Let me get them and post. I'm pretty sure it can do some terrain too, at least the version I have does. I just haven't explored that. I know it can do driveways too.



The driveway you see there I drew myself.

[Erik Irvine]

May 2009 Update:

1. Funding -Still saving money. I have over 50% saved, and my wife is going to pitch in $20,000 (her life savings before we got married in 2008). If I started now, I would have all of the funding by the time I finished. The total budget is $65,000 ($33/SF)

2. Engineering - There are three points I need to have an engineer involved with my project.
A. Civil/Soils: Need to have the amount of dirt that was graded already verified and stamped as being acceptable ($200) - this is in process
B. Civil/Structural: I want to have taller walls (12 ft.), and an open span interior which are both outside the scope of "standard light wood framed construction" so, I have to have a structural engineer stamp my drawings. Once I get them back from the grading calcs, I will send them to the structural ($1,000)
C. Civil/Soils: I need to have the dirt where the shop will be compaction tested and issued a set of compaction reports prior to permit issuance ($1,500) I am going to wait to do this until I get into plan check

3. Clear Area - I am working on that right now, I have a couple of sheds and RV's that are sitting where the shop will go, I am moving one shed, and going to demo the other. Working on this in my free time while the engineers do the paper work

When I get my plans back from the structural, I am going to head to the county offices and submit the drawings for plan-check. Then I have to get a bunch of admin clearances (fire department, comapction reports, site inspection etc.) Once all that is done, I can get a permit issued, and start construction! Start in 2009??? I hope so! I will snap some pictures if anything of interest comes up.

Sorry for the long winded post, my wife gets tired of hearing about the plan everyday haha

[belvedere]

Erik-

Cool project you have going! I'm finally started on mine, after years of planning/wishing! It won't be as big as yours, but will work for me. Anyway, good job, and keep us posted.

[Holtff1074]

Nice build Erik and though i'm a lil slow,i wanna welcome ya to the site.Interesting build you have going!

[thomask]

Erik, I agree with you on your approach. Planning is very important and really saves in the end. These days due to so many regulations/etc. that at the point you get all your reviews and permits in hand then you are half done.

Your house looks great (any new pics/) and I know the shop will too.

Good luck and keep us all posted.

Keep the banks out of your shop if at all possible, you will be glad you did.

[Erik Irvine]

End of 2009 Update:

Had a few setbacks, but haven't we all?

1. Funding - I am $12,200 shy of having 100% saved. I figure if I started now, I would have the remaining money saved by the time I needed to write the last check. This has been the hardest part of the project yet.

2. Engineering - I had the structural engineer perform the required calculations, and markup my plans. I incorporated the markups, and dropped the plans off at the truss mfg. for truss calculations. The new set of drawings, and truss calcs are ready to be dropped of with the structural engineer for review and a wet stamp. Waiting on a couple of details I need to incorporate from my framing sub-contractor regarding the balloon framed walls at the gable ends.

3. Clear Area - The pad is cleaned off, temporary sheds in place, and roadway cleared. Also ran 2-1/2 in. PVC waterline to top of slop with a fire hose attachment to use during re-compaction of pad.

4. Permitting - You non-California guys have it good! This process will probably take as long as the actual build, and cost about 30% of the entire project budget. I will post all of the administrative fees associated with building a garage here in San Diego County as I pay them. I hope to meet for Plan-Check sometime in January 2010, if not I'll be happy if I make it in February too.

[Erik Irvine]

Middle of 2010 Update:

What a year!!! I hope this post finds everyone in good health, good moods, and around some good family. Quick update on my personal life, since I will use it as an excuse haha. We got our butt's kicked late 2009/early 2010 at work. I worked over 500 hours overtime between November 2009 and February 2010 (that works out to 70hr work weeks fo 4 months straight), it wasn't the hours that were bad, it was the stress! But as soon as that was over, I got the privilege of having a progressive lower back problem that went from missing a week of work in February, two missing two weeks in May, to now going on 8 weeks. I kept getting these really bad muscle spasms in my lower back that would put me to the ground, and take about 3-4 days until I could walk further than the bathroom. In June I finally got an MRI after my third reoccurrance, and found out I have a severe disc herniation. I am working my but off in the pool, at home, and at physical therapy trying to get over it on my own, and hoping I won't need surgery. My work has been WONDERFUL and is allowing me to work from home on a laptop instead of having to go on long term disability and start down the awful road of non-productivity. I am counting my blessing daily, and seeing progress too which gives me the motivation to keep working at it.

I haven't made any progress on the shop project since November of 2009, but the good news is I haven't gone backwards either..especially the shop savings. After I worked all those hours, I was burnt out at work and wanted to have cash in the bank in case they made me mad enough to walk out. Now I am too gimp to build anything since I can't quite carry a bag of groceries yet, but I am getting close. So maybe 2011??

[thomask]

ERIK:

We were wondering how things were.

Take good care and keep positive in your rehab.

Setbacks will just make you more determined in reaching your goals.

Wish you the very best and keep us updated.