My man cave build

[rfuerst911sc]

Finally pic worthy Today I decided to offload the used two post lift I purchased last year . It's been sitting on my car trailer . Anyway my wife and I with the help of moving dollies , a car jack , a long 2 x 6 for leverage we were able to get both posts off without injury . Here is a pic of the two posts and the top cap in the horizontal position in the garage , getting them upright will be the next challenge

[rfuerst911sc]

About an hour after I posted my buddy sent me a text stating he could come over and help . The two of us were able to get both posts upright........ yeah ! And I'm able to wiggle them around by myself so I'll be able to position them where I want them . Today was a great day .

[rfuerst911sc]

Today I ordered the lift install kit which consists of the bolts and shims . While I wait for that to arrive I decided to frame up the compressor room floor . Did some digging/leveling then framed it up with 2 x 6's . Filled in with some dirt then gravel . Hard to believe this 3 ' x 6 ' floor will take 800 lbs. of concrete but that's what the online estimator said . So I picked up ten 80 lb. bags of concrete mix along with some pre-cut rebar to pin to the existing floor . Weather is iffy for the next few days so not sure when I will pour but I am ready .

[rfuerst911sc]

It's been rainy and cooler the past few days so haven't done anything . Weather looking good for Wed. and Thursday so will pour the concrete then . I met with a dirt/gravel guy last Friday for some driveway correction . We started talking about the man cave and my horse trading instincts kicked in . Bottom line is he's going to bring in a mini back hoe and clean up the three " walls " around the garage . This will make it much easier for me to do the retaining walls . We agreed on how much to cut back . All I will pay for is one day's machine rental , all his labor will be paid for by me giving him the dirt that was excavated from the original dig .

So I end up with a cleaner area to start my retaining wall , I get rid of TONS of dirt that I don't need and I kept the cost down by a pretty good amount . A win/win in my book . He's going to try and start this Thursday he believes two days to do the dig , fix the driveway and start pulling the dirt pile . I also received in the mail yesterday the shims and bolts to install the two post lift . It will be a little while until I install the lift , I was a " little off " when I set my floor concrete frame work so the top of the lift posts is a little higher than the bottom of the rafters

So now I will have to box a portion of the ceiling to allow the height , a set back but it is what it is . This is the fate of a DIYer vs. a pro I guess . The good news out of this is I did plan ahead just in case and positioned my concrete 9 " thick pads between rafters just in case I made a mistake . So I have the room for the boxed in ceiling , I just wish I didn't have to do it

[rfuerst911sc]

Another step forward, today was a chamber of commerce type day , low 70's sunny blue skies just perfect . So I gathered up the wheelbarrow , shovel , trowel and went to town on the compressor room floor . The online estimator said for a 3 ' x 6 ' x 4 " thick pad it would take ten 80 lb. bags . Hard to believe because it looks so small . But for once in my life I took the estimator at its word and purchased ten bags .

I was getting a little nervous after 8 bags poured because it was looking close . By the 10th bag I was scraping everything out of the wheelbarrow and I just made it ! The new pour is pinned to the existing floor so shouldn't have any issues with heaving/movement . Tomorrow I will figure out what I need for studs and go purchase . I'm hoping to have it enclosed by the end of the weekend . This is the last piece of the puzzle to get me 100 % weather tight . After this it is mostly interior work to complete . Stay tuned gentleman

[rfuerst911sc]

Another beautiful day so tackled studding up the walls for the compressor room . Those are now done so tomorrows task will be to get plywood on the roof/walls and get them covered with house wrap and roofing felt before this weekends forecast of rain . I'm hoping the rain holds off as I'm not sure I can get everything done tomorrow

[john70t]

I still think you should dig that uphill dirt all the way around on both sides about 2-4ft down with a channel dropping downhill and fill with 3/4 compacted.

Then drill/punch down a bunch of steel pilings to hold up a solid retaining wall uphill.
Cause 100 year rainstorms is gonna happen tomorrow.
Then y'all are allowed to see me in my office. (cluck cluck ducking)

That is very nice work sir.

[rfuerst911sc]

john70t I hear you but I do have a plan and it starts today . The " dirt guy " is supposed to be here today with a mini bucket machine . He will clean up all three sides to give me aprox. a 4 ' to 5 ' clearance all the way around to the building . When he gets that done and roughly level I will ask him to dig down about a foot and the width of his bucket , giving me a trench . That trench will be my starting point for the retaining walls .

I have made up my mind due to cost that I will go with pressure treated 6 x 6 x 8 ' as my wall material . I will put down a bed of small gravel and set the 6 x 6 onto that pinned with rebar into the ground . Flexible drain pipe will go around the perimeter exiting on both sides at the front of the garage . The 6 x 6's will be screwed to each other with offset seams and overlapped at the ends to the side walls . Dead mans will be positioned accordingly with all of the walls being back filled with # 57 gravel .

Then between the building and the walls dirt will be filled in and slanted running away from the building towards the base of the walls . Then more # 57 gravel will be installed making my final walk surface . The dirt will be held down at least 3 " from any floor seam so even if it rains for 40 days and 40 nights there is room for a pond to form , which won't happen if I get all angles correct and natural flow to the front .

[rfuerst911sc]

OK the compressor room is now covered in plywood/roofing felt/house wrap ! It is supposed to start raining later today and I finished up around noon today . I still have to install the metal roof and metal siding plus some vents so the compressor can breath Yesterday the dirt guy did his thing around the garage , I now have about 6 ' of clearance on the two sides and about 5 ' on the back . I have some hand digging to do by the compressor room the mini back hoe just couldn't reach but it's not that much . I've pretty much decided on holding about a 4 ' walkway around that will leave room for gravel/dirt backfill along with drainage pipe and dead mans . Here's pics of yesterdays/today's progress .

[rfuerst911sc]

Man am I glad I got that room enclosed it is POURING rain !!! We were supposed to go to our grand daughters soccer game this afternoon I don't see that happening . I haven't looked yet but I'm sure my garage is surrounded on 3 sides by the red sea............ of red GA. clay I will go out later and see where I have any ponding but I think the grading is close . I think next week some time I will go rent some rolling scaffolding and get the radiant barrier stapled to the bottom of the perlons . I can't reach the peak safely with my ladders so scaffolding is needed . That's it for now .

[rfuerst911sc]

We got a lot of rain yesterday and it has turned colder only 40 degrees at the moment . I'm happy to say the compressor room was bone dry when I checked it late yesterday . And the new dirt dig/grading is draining nicely with only minor ponding near the front . I have something I can work with now but need some consistent warm/dry weather . Hoping to have radiant barrier up this week .

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

We got a lot of rain yesterday and it has turned colder only 40 degrees at the moment . I'm happy to say the compressor room was bone dry when I checked it late yesterday . And the new dirt dig/grading is draining nicely with only minor ponding near the front . I have something I can work with now but need some consistent warm/dry weather . Hoping to have radiant barrier up this week .

Excellent.

[rfuerst911sc]

Went to HD today and rented scaffolding it's the only way I can reach the peak of the rafters to install the radiant barrier . Like all projects it took MUCH longer than anticipated I have four 4 ' x 13 1/2 ' strips left to go in the morning and it's done . It was hotter then hell on that scaffolding today ! I'll take pics of the completed barrier tomorrow......... man am I sore all over I must have climbed up and down a thousand times . I'll be glad when this part is done , and for anyone doing this in the future install the radiant barrier BEFORE the garage doors/tracks ! Just more crap in the way .

[rfuerst911sc]

It took 2 days but we are pic worthy Man I am one sore puppy but the job is 98 % done . I was working against the rental clock so decided to turn the scaffolding back in . All of the radiant barrier is stapled in place , but like my last garage I ripped some plywood strips to install over the stapled areas . Probably not needed but I did it anyway . So I got 90 % of the strips installed these were the ones I needed the scaffolding for . The balance I can do from my ladder .

So in the next few days I will work on installing the balance of the plywood strips . I'm using 1 5/8 " brads from an air nailer to put the plywood strips in place . I stretched the barrier as tight as I could but one man doing this is like fighting a 4 ' wide fly strip ! Based on my last garage I know this barrier makes a big difference and I had it laying around anyway so a no brainer . So here are two pics of the sea of silver

[rfuerst911sc]

I haven't touched the garage as I came down with the flu I'm one sick puppy . It started on Monday I'm now just starting to turn for the better but still have a few days to go . Glad I'm retired and can rest as needed but this sucks !

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Went to HD today and rented scaffolding it's the only way I can reach the peak of the rafters to install the radiant barrier . Like all projects it took MUCH longer than anticipated I have four 4 ' x 13 1/2 ' strips left to go in the morning and it's done . It was hotter then hell on that scaffolding today ! I'll take pics of the completed barrier tomorrow......... man am I sore all over I must have climbed up and down a thousand times . I'll be glad when this part is done , and for anyone doing this in the future install the radiant barrier BEFORE the garage doors/tracks ! Just more crap in the way .

My wife calls that "male optimism." Most men underestimate the time it will take to do almost every tasks. They use the time it would take if they were 21 again, but had the experience they have now, and they estimate the time based on everything going perfectly.

No doubt working on a toilet is the worst. What should be a 20 minute project will take 4 trips to the hardware store, and a virtual gut of the bathroom, at least when I do it.

You will have a great toy box when you are done. We all are jealous!

One of my friends bought a 1,200 sq foot house with a 4,000 square workshop in the back yard. He does knife making, and tinkers on all sorts of projects out there.

[rfuerst911sc]

Went to the doc today confirmed it is the flu but say's I'm at the tail end of it . Gave me a prescription for a Z pack so started taking that today . I feel like walking death

[rfuerst911sc]

Hey guys I'm still alive Man this flu knocked me on my a$$ ! The weather was nice today so I installed the metal roof on the compressor room so that is done . I also put drip edge on all 3 sides before putting the metal roof panels down . All I have left is to purchase a trim piece of metal to transition from the vertical siding to the roof .

Tomorrow will be a mix of working on one of my JD tractors to get ready for mowing and starting to install the metal siding on the compressor room . The weather is supposed to be great all week so I should get the compressor room 100 % done on the exterior . I didn't take any pics of the roof it's really no big deal but my lungs were huffing and puffing I am not 100 % yet from this flu I guess I'll just power through !

[rfuerst911sc]

Hey guys I am working on the garage just nothing pic worthy . Today I finished all the " vents " for the compressor room . I have vents on all three walls up at the top that are shielded by the roof overhang . Plus I used louvered vents so should keep any rain/bugs out and provide enough air for the compressor to run properly . I installed the J molding along the top so tomorrow I start installing the metal siding .

When I complete the compressor room on the exterior I will then do the interior , main goal will be soundproofing . Once the compressor room is done I have to get back to the " notched ceiling " for the 2 post lift , it is a show stopper for me . I finally have it in my head how to do it just a matter of execution . While I am retired and have all the time in the world with the warmer/nicer weather my mind wanders and I just want to drive the Porsche Have to stay disciplined to get this done !!!!

[URY914]

Vents at the bottom as well as the top for the a/c room?