DIY is my favorite section of TBH. bring it on! You'll get some good advice before you start and probably along the way!
Go for it. I imagine there are a bunch of TBHers that can offer their two cents, having done something similar.
Having joined within the last year, I saw the tanning thread for the first time a couple days ago. Immediately I realized the date but assumed i'd still see results. Read through nearly 6 pages before I realized there wouldn't be any.
Last edited by BlackHogDown; 11-30-2017 at 12:59 PM.
I love the shop/barn build-along threads - even though it pegs the needle on my jealousy meter!
I like looking at these as well no matter the period of time it takes. Best luck!
Work got underway about a month ago on the drive. This is how far we got then experienced some wet weather. It takes about a week for this ground to dry out and we got rain every 3 days. The drive is 1,240 ft total length. Excavator finished drive and rough grade of building pad yesterday. Footers are scheduled to start Monday. I’ll try to grab some more pictures this weekend.
The barn is phase one of our build project. We plan to start designing our house the first of the year. Wanted to take advantage of the agricultural exemption and get drive, barn, water and electric back to the build site. Water line is 2” and running a 400 amp electric service. Electric company sized primaries to increase to 600amps should we need more juice in the future.
I’m going to do something similar starting in a few months .
Last edited by Ohio Darin; 12-01-2017 at 10:31 AM.
After the excavator finished the drive he popped the levee on the pond to drain. We’ll let it dry out good and bowl it out, grub around it and add structure before refilling. This farm had been neglected for several years as the previous owners had gotten up there in age.
The concrete guy dug footers today and will pour on Monday. They’ll be 12” thick and a 6” by 4 ft wall will be formed and poured on top the following week. This is a long time coming to get to here. Originally talked to everyone in April but hit weather, water company BS and then everyone got busy. Happy to see progress.
Last edited by Ohio Darin; 12-02-2017 at 01:16 PM.
This is a shot from our pond levee looking towards the barn. Our house will go about where the yellow hoe is sitting.
Last edited by Ohio Darin; 12-02-2017 at 01:17 PM.
I am definitely following this one. My wife and I are talking about downsizing into something like this once our son is out of the house (about 10 years). I love seeing all the different designs.
Good day at the farm today. Concrete went in for footers and recovered this guy I shot yesterday evening.
Last edited by Ohio Darin; 12-04-2017 at 03:29 PM.
House is coming along, man look at that buck!!
Looking forward to the build. Sounds like a nice place.
I helped my folks build a similar structure back in 97. 40x60 building, 20x40 as a living space, and a 40x40 shop. I still try to get out there almost every weekend.
Once you get the pond dredged out, make sure the lining clay is in good shape before you allow it to refill. I’ve heard one too many sad stories about leaking ponds after reclaiming the muck.
Good point on the pond. The excavator set aside the blue clay he pulled out when opening up the levee. Not sure I would have thought to do that so good thing he's done it a time or 2.
I enjoy the heck out of these threads, and wow on your buck..
Like your barn project and congrats on a really nice deer.
After having a plumber waste my time for the last 4 months I found another outfit that got started today. Pressure check in the AM then pea gravel to stabilize it all in. Hopefully will get the slab going next week or so.
Did you draw those plans and if so with what?
No we have an architect that did the plan.
Love the thread. Keep sending us new pics.
In for this build, keep the updates coming. That buck is a beaut!
Looking good, can't wait to see it finished.
With the first plumber wasting everybody’s time the concrete guy got busy. Putting in gravel today and hope to get slab in tomorrow weather permitting. Amish barn builders scheduled for first week of August. Hopefully that holds.
Concrete guys got the slab in today. Now just a waiting game for the Amish builders to put the barn. Luckily they tell me that it will only take about 5 days from start to finish.
Is Amish builders a company or the actual people?? We are a ways from Amish country here in Dallas!
Slab looks good - i bet it's a relief to have that done.
Actual people. The Amish community that’s building the barn own the construction crew, the lumber mill and the metal rolling outfit. They are about half the price of the next guy and they know it. They just make what they need. Only downside is they stay booked out for a year so you got to jump in line. Fair amount of Amish in PA, OH and IN. These guys are out of Indiana. Don’t use computers but use power tools and will fax you a handwritten quote. Been interesting so far and super nice folks to deal with.
Electrician got underground in for the power company. During inspection the power company decided it needed an additional pull box and 250 LF of additional primary cables. $1800 additional dollars later I’ll be glad when we’re done dealing with them.
Finally some progress. It’s been a trying couple months for sure. Had temporary electric inspected on 8/24 which the inspector failed stating we need ground fault breakers. Electrician called to let him know they are combination breakers (written right on them) and he said he would release. So he sends the release to the power company and they come out a couple days later. Unfortunately the big red not approved sticker was still on the equipment so they left even though they had the release in hand. Electrician called the inspector again and he said he would take care of. The power company arrives the next day and still a red sticker. They call me at this point and say call us back to reschedule when the sticker is changed. The electrician called the inspector several times and each time it was he was very busy blah blah blah. Finally we got the green approved sticker on 9/7. Called the power company on 9/10 and they said it would be hooked up in 3 days or this past Thursday. So I go out there Friday evening and the power is still not hooked up. Call Monday AM and they said they would look into. Call again later in the afternoon and same thing. Called this AM and said they would look into at which point I asked for a supervisor since nothing seemed to be happening. They lady on the other end seemed to really want to help at this point. Called me back and said they are short crews for the hurricane but did point out there wasn’t a hurricane last week when it should have been done. Supposed to be on sometime tomorrow. We’ll see.
After running a generator out there this AM the Amish guys got off to a rough start today. Thinking things will go smoother tomorrow. Not supposed to be any material deliveries and they also know where they are going. Google wants to put you back in a subdivision sometimes when using GPS. Hopefully we have a dry roof by the end of the week.
In for build. Congrats on what looks like a really nice piece of land.