j.e.d. Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Well this started way back in July last year.. was getting over a break up & needed to spend some money (not mine but the banks) so thought what better thing than to build a big shed which I've always wanted so I have somewhere to work on my car's.. Borrowing money wasn't a problem..apparently it's ok to have a massive mortgage, so did the ringing around thing for quotes & settled on Waikato Shed Company to supply the kit. Building/Resource consent got approved September/October. Was waiting for a mate to drop his digger around so the old man could prep the site but that was taking ages so got a guy in to do it for me - well fuck me if that didn't blow the budget! Here's me thinking we'll just scrape the surface a little bit & lay down some gravel & shit, but the digger guy suggested I keep the floor level up high to prevent potential flooding off the driveway. Good advice at the time, but 160 cubic metres of metal & $5,200 later I was kinda scratching my head thinking hmmm...what just happened here.. Anyway's, it was all a good thing (convinced myself of this) & the job he did was bloody good I thought.. This got completed back in mid November so I was thinking yea, I'll get this shed up by xmas time!!...yea right.. Tee'd up another mate who is a concrete layer, & he came around when this was done & said "yep looks really good, we'll get this done by early December"...well, let just say I had better communication with his wife than I did with him over the following 2 1/2 months of trying to pin him down to get the job done... Roll on the middle of January & I got a quote from a well known guy in Pukekohe to do the job, & after a bit of phone tag - namely me doing all the ringing & him choosing not to ring me back (same as my mate), I eventually gave up on him too. All I wanted them to do is box & pour the frigging thing, as I was happy to dig the holes, lay the polythene & mesh to save some coin. So, third time lucky - sent a text to Garth at Waikato Shed Company asking if he could recommend anyone. Next morning he gave me a name, called the guy & that afternoon he was around taking a look. So a few days later (Waitangi Day) he came around with his wife who labours for him, & they set up the boxing.. Next day I dug out all of the pad footings & roller door thickening.. And the day after that, I started on the polythene & a good mate of mine came around to help finish off laying the mesh.. Slab got poured the following Thursday by another crew, & they did a mighty fine job.. Even had a little bit left over to fill in some patio squares in front of the house.. Next stage, erection!!! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threeonthetree Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 This is going to be even sweeter once it's full of old Holdens!!!!! I'm no longer with my company anymore so I don't think I'll be able to help with the wiring, but I can provide labour if required. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danger Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 So how big is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.e.d. Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Absolutely!! Bugger about your job mate, cheers for the offer of labour though One question I have if your good self or anyone else can advise me on - what is the depth of the trench required for laying the main power cable from the house to the shed? Also, do I have to get s sparky to lay the cable & all associated protection measures in the trench or can I do this myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.e.d. Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 So how big is that? The shed is 7.5m deep x 12m long. Will be a 3m eave & 4m ridge height which is what I was after for when I chuck a hoist in there in the next couple of years. Getting old so I gotta make the car come to my height as opposed to me crawling under the car for servicing etc.. haha 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 600mm, I'm sure if you laid it all yourself and got the sparky to look at it before you filled it in it would be fine. Look in the DIY house thread, I posted how to wire up a sub box if you are keen to do it all yourself. I'm not an electrician BTW. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.e.d. Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Cool man, I'll take a gander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I'd be inclined to put the power cable overhead where it's visible. It's easier and cheaper plus you won't get some silly prick putting a digger through it years later cos they don't know where it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corbie Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 buried cables is better, just make sure you do it properly and put some warning tape about 300mm above the cable. and you shouldn't have silly buggers digging it up.. overhead is more of a hazard imo. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickity Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I'd be inclined to put the power cable overhead where it's visible. It's easier and cheaper plus you won't get some silly prick putting a digger through it years later cos they don't know where it is. Might get some silly prick driving a truck into it or similar though. If you keep a record of where it is, you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I found it for you //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/37174-house-diy-thread-thing/?p=1328386 And yea Danger tape at 300mm is the regs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Danger tape is fine if one is excavating but no use at all when mole ploughing cos you can't see it. Neighbour had a drainage contractor stray into the wrong paddock and they got the buried telephone cable fourteen times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Using a drainage contractors stupidity as a reason to do anything should be avoided... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.e.d. Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 I found it for you //oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/37174-house-diy-thread-thing/?p=1328386 And yea Danger tape at 300mm is the regs. Ah cool, thanks mate.. took a little look & couldn't find it! Yea, overhead restricts access as the house eave is only about 2.2m above the ground. Will definately mark where it is with one of those little tags at either end & install it legally with the tape & protective strip so there shouldn't be any issues. I've got a digger here as well so that'll save the back breaking work of digging a trench too (it'll just be a little wider than normal cos of access issues) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempy Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 14 times!?!? Someone had a grudge You may want to chuck in some PVC conduit with a couple of network and a draw cable, always nice to be able to hook the shed up to the internet, streaming music, burglar alarm etc... if you're that way inclined Water is always good to throw in as well..er I mean that's a spare conduit pipe Mr. Inspector Looks awesome btw. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.e.d. Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Cheers, and that's some good idea's there with the network cable etc.. the house is wired for an alarm so might as well continue it through to the shed as well More updates soon.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post j.e.d. Posted March 3, 2015 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 3, 2015 Work done..time for more pic's to get me up to date Concrete got cut a couple of days after the pour & the guy who did the boxing who happens to install these shed's as well, made a start on the structure.. now I had all intentions of putting this together with my old man, but with age comes common sense (well, sometimes) & I quickly realised that I'd earn more money in front of the computer in half the time that the builder would take to put this up, so I tee'd it up for him & his son to construct the majority of it with me doing as much of the menial tasks as possible Only took him 2 days to get the structure up & squared off.. At the end of the second day he set up all the wall cladding sheets & predrilled them for me so I couldn't fuck up a straight line (I am a draughtsman btw so what are the chances of that?) made my job easier.. Did the front & back wall with my oldest boy..he's 13 & any chance to drag him away from a screen is good in my book.. Next day, Dad helped me with one end wall, then came back the next day to do the other one.. Decided I'd give it a go trimming the gable ends down with my trusty old tin snips...what. a. shit. job. Pain in the arse & managed to rip my forearm up pretty good, but got it done eventually..computer hands got a coupla blisters but I'll survive.. Saturday just gone, builder came over with his son, & with me on the ground doing all the grunt work, we got the roof on in less than 4 hours...Roof shout!!.. After this I spent the afternoon starting on the roller door framing, & this is where I'm at as of yesterday.. Hoping to get the door framing & front cladding done by the weekend, & the builders son is turning up on Saturday to put in the PA door & finish off trimming back the wall cladding with his nibbler - don't fancy trying to use tin snips to trim those corners up!.. Will update as progress continues.. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post j.e.d. Posted March 9, 2015 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 9, 2015 It's been a productive last 3 days - will let the pic's show progress.. Really happy with the natural lighting in the shed. These pic's were taken at about 4:30pm.. The shed makes my new toy look little!.. Just gotta order the flashings now & I'll get the builder back to do this & the guttering then she's all done bar the electrical & stormwater tank. Hoping to paint the floors in the next week or so as well, and then I can start setting it all up to make a start on the new HQ...good times! 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny.race Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Cool shed bro ... but not big enuff, hehe. Really. I have one a little deeper and wider than your one and I could do with another bay or two, lol! You watch you fill this up. When I was at the stage you are currently at - I wish someone had of said to me to take some time thinking about 'work flow' ... and to put down a covered slab (carport style) in front of one of the roller doors. Sheds like the ones we have are friggin' heat boxes in the sun plus if you are doing grinding and stuff - it makes the hell mess over everything close by. I saved dosh by doing the same as you in terms of electricity line laying etc. I also got the electrician to show me how to place/lay/install the power flex cabling and put all that in myself so all he had to do was hook everything up. We catch a heap of water from off the sheds around here and use it for stock and garden watering. Another thing I regret not thinking about either during the early days was the installation of a waste oil burner/heater for winter heating. Too late now as I've got big arsed 3PH gear sitting around all the good spots for something like this. But yeah ... exciting times for you mate. Go well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.e.d. Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 Thanks mate - yea a bit bigger would be nice but budget constraints was my first hurdle, then council planning requirements as another but thankfully my neighbours signed off on it (12m side boundary & the shed sits right inside that lol) A lean to out the front sounds like a good idea so might have to look at that later in the year, cheers I'm gonna do the same & put in a stormwater tank to feed the chook run & animals, as well as putting a sink in the corner of the shed for cleaning up & making coffee's. What's the go with a waste oil burner/heater? is that something that can be made up or picked up from somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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