Rusk TX Build

Started by dablack, January 08, 2012, 08:21:08 PM

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dablack

So, it is finally time.  I moved out of Houston and up to Lufkin back in March of 2010.  We have been renting and waiting for our old houston house to sell.  It finally sold in June or July and had been looking for land since then until Nov of 2010.  We finally closed on some land around Rusk TX.  We are trying to do as much as we can with cash so this might be a slow build.  We already have the numbers for the usual county septic guys.  I will be calling them this week.  First up is septic, power, water, and drainage improvements for the old logging road.  We will most likely go ahead and put down more gravel as well once the drainage is improved.  Once the above is done, we will start with a slab that will become the first building.  Up first will be the garage/house.   We will most likely go 24' wide and about 48' long depending on how much the slab cost.  We will build a 1 1/2 story there.  Downstairs will be open except for some support posts and will be framed for later garage doors.  Downstairs will be kitchen along the back wall and the rest will be dining, living, and misc.  Upstairs will be three bedrooms and a bath.  We have four kids we need the room.  Once that building is done, we will start on the main house.  For now this thread will be for the "garage" build. 

I know how everyone loves pictures so here are some shots of the land.  Sorry for the phone pics but that is all I really do. 

thanks
Austin



Up at the top of the hill you can see our explorer.  That is where the main house will later go.  The "garage" will be a little more to the right.




Nice spot in one of the lower pastures.




This is a shot from down the hill looking back up. 
The wife climbed on top of the explorer to see what it would look like up on the front porch.  Yes, we already have a power pole there but it isn't hooked up yet. 

We really love the property and the kids have a great time.  Can't wait to start building.

Austin

NavyDave

Looks like a great piece of land. Ilook forward to following along as your dream unfolds. Welcome aboard!


duncanshannon

congrats on getting started!

beautiful looking land.. how many acres?
Home: Minneapolis, MN area.  Land: (no cabin yet) Spooner, WI area.  Plan: 20x34 1 1/2 Story. Experience Level: n00b. 
Build Thread: http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=10784.0

dablack

Just a bit over 30 acres.  I'm looking at tractors and brush hogs to get it mowed right now.

duncanshannon

QuoteJust a bit over 30 acres.  I'm looking at tractors and brush hogs to get it mowed right now.


droool.  thats awesome!
Home: Minneapolis, MN area.  Land: (no cabin yet) Spooner, WI area.  Plan: 20x34 1 1/2 Story. Experience Level: n00b. 
Build Thread: http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=10784.0


CjAl


dablack

I almost titled the thread that.  Nice job on your shed.  I can't believe you talked the wife into digging pier holes!  HA!

I'm hoping to get quotes for the septic this week.  If the wife gets time, she will go up to Rusk and pay the $25 to get hooked up for power. 

Also, I got four free interior doors still in their door frame.  There are three 30" doors and a smaller one.  I also got two free "door lights" or side lights or whatever they are called.  They are the type of windows that go to each side of a front door.  Someone had bought the front door from them but not the side lights.  I'm very pleased!  Gotta love home school friends.  We are going with three bedrooms and a bath upstairs in the garage so I'm just about covered with interior doors!

Austin

CjAl

Shes on an exercise kick. Lol

i said well i have some exercise for ya!!

I am still betting there wont be any more dug. Shh, dont say anything.

Sheds still not done. Only half the metal is on it and i have to trim it

dablack

Ok, got another septic bid and this one sounds much better.  Looks like it is going to be about $5200 for the aerobic system we are going to need with all our clay.  This is for 500 gallons of flow per day.  I'm thinking of going with grey water for the washing machine so that will help lots.

I also posted in the plan support section asking about going 24' wide with the 1.5 story. 

This weekend, I will be finishing up our power pole and we will be able to get hooked up.  Once we nail down the 24' question, we will be able to start getting quotes on the slab foundation.

thanks
Austin


dablack

Just a little update on the Rusk build.  I finished designing the slab (after a BUNCH of study) and sent the drawings out to locally recogmended guys.  I've gotten one bid back and should have another today.  I'm waiting to meet with the last bidder and will then be ready to start on the slab. 

I've been working on the materials list because the two slab bidders I have gotten numbers back from said they will be ready to pour in two weeks. 

We are also haveing some "driveway" improvements done while the dirt work is happening.  Should really change the place. 

I'm hoping to start framing in May or June.

Also, we have power at the property now.  We have a new meter that still reads 00000 across the board.  I need to put in a couple of plugs to run the compressor and power tools. 

Lastly, I had posted in the plan support section about how to take the building wider.  I was going to build a 1.5 story for the garage and live in it for a while, but if I build it wider, I will have more room downstairs for cars later and will be able to build it as a one story.  I will have some shed dormers upstairs to open up the "attic" a little.  We are going 26' by 52' on the garage. 

Austin

NM_Shooter

Quote from: dablack on January 27, 2012, 02:37:50 PM
I'm thinking of going with grey water for the washing machine so that will help lots.



Hook your showers and bathtub up to your grey water too.  4 kids use a lot of water. 
"Officium Vacuus Auctorita"

dablack

Quote from: NM_Shooter on April 05, 2012, 08:51:55 AM
Hook your showers and bathtub up to your grey water too.  4 kids use a lot of water.

True.  I will for sure do that.  I knew I was at the very least going to do the washing machine but now that I have the interior figured out, it won't be a problem to get the shower and tub to the grey water too.  The wife already makes our own laundry ditergent.  I'm having her switch to sodium and borate free stuff so I don't have to worry about the plants.  Right now she is looking in to potassium based soaps.  Looks like it is a little expensive to buy so we might have to make our own. 

Austin

Redoverfarm

Austin just PU on your thread.  I am not really a big fan of slab foundations just for the mere fact of the plumbing.  I built my garage on a slab and I do have plumbing in that but due to the elevation of the house adjoining that was the best I could do.  I know it is probably overkill but you might stick a couple extra pipes in there and deadhead them inside a partition just in case. ;)

My 2- car garage will eventually have an apartment over it as well.  The demensions is 26'X44'.  So in essence the width is the same.  You might check out a couple of pictures I posted to AL & Robin on their build.  I used attic truss's .  It might be worth looking into as it takes a lot of headache out of the build.  They are seen here

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=10641.msg153479#msg153479

Don_P

I agree with using attic trusses to get the clear span below. They can gang up several on each side of a dormer to support it, it's a good opportunity to pop dormers out of both sides in those places.

You do need a crosswall near the middle of the downstairs to brace the 52' wall span. Brace walls should really support exterior walls every 25' IIRC.


Rob_O

Quote from: dablack on April 05, 2012, 07:27:27 AMWe have a new meter that still reads 00000 across the board.  I need to put in a couple of plugs to run the compressor and power tools. 

I've had one of those for six weeks now, every time it starts to dry out it rains again! Hoping to put some digits on it this weekend
"Hey Y'all, watch this..."

CjAl

where he and i are building its pretty much all slab or piers. and i have seen LOTS of scarry brand new pier houses. no codes isnt always a good thing when you are hiring work done. i swear i dont think there is a builder around my small town i would use after seeing the work done to various family members houses.

all the waterfront lots i looked at were solid clay so he is probably best off with a slab. besides down here plumbing run on the outside of buildings is common. 31 degrees for two hours is considered a deep freeze

MountainDon

Problems with slabs and plumbing are pretty well minimized, IMO, with PEX as the supply piping. Around here virtually everything is built on a slab. Most problems have arisen from the use of PB tubing a couple of decades ago. That was our nemesis. In the 27 years we've been here I have not heard of an issue with anyone's DWV, but PB supply is a totally different matter. Even though we've been through the cost of a re-pipe I'd still build here on a slab again.

And a slab beats a pier any day of the week, hands down, no contest!!

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

dablack

RedoverFarm,

Yes, I actually saw you post and took note of the attic trusses.  With six of us in three bedrooms upstairs, a 14' wide room upstairs won't cut it for us.  I'm planning on doing conventional framing for the roof rafters.  The three bedrooms will be in three of the four corners.  The master will get a large dormer to open it up.  The two kid rooms will be on the other end of the building and will split that end of the "attic".  With attic trusses, the two kid rooms would only be 6.5' wide.  All the kids are 8 and under so having a room where the ceiling goes all the way to the floor will be ok.  If it gets really tight up there, I can always put a kids room downstairs. 

DonP,

Thanks for the reminder on the crosswall.  I'm planning on engineered lumber to span the 26'.  You might not remember but you helped me tons figuring this all our in the "Plan help" section. 

MountainDon,

CjAl is right.  Down here, water supply is external to the slab.  You usually have the line come up beside the building and then take a 90 to go inside.  There is usually a valve there for a easy place to turn off the water.  The DWV pipe goes through the slab but you actually don't HAVE to do that either.  I'm having all the tubs and johns upstairs so all the waste can converge before being one line through the slab to the septic tank.  I will run an extra set of line that will converge for the grey water as well. 

Austin

Redoverfarm

I actually don't see you stick building and getting over 15' width in usable space without supporting the rafter.  The attic truss are self supporting and there is no need to use engineered lumber to make that span. Maybe someone else could advise you on using the attic truss and still bumping out on the dormers.  I put three smaller dormers in my trusses by heading them off to making them structurally sound.  Mine were engineered to be on 24" Oc but I decided to get a few extra and go with 16 oc which will make them a little stouter and less spring inthe floor. 

MountainDon

Quote from: dablack on April 06, 2012, 02:08:52 PM
  I'm planning on doing conventional framing for the roof rafters.  The three bedrooms will be in three of the four corners. 


Just to clarify the upstairs and roof situation.... is the width going to be 26 feet as mentioned a reply or two back?  If 26 feet wide what are the upper floor joists going to be and are they intended to clear span the width or have a central beam? Does the design have the rafters tied into the upper floor joist ends at the upper wall plates or are there "kneewalls".  Does the rafter design encompass a ridge BEAM or a ridge BOARD?  All those details would help visualize what is going on.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.


dablack

Think of this place as a one story with a living attic.  I will have a couple of large dormers to make it work in the master bedroom.
I was going to use 16" I joist for the floor and 2 x 8 rafters for the roof.  Since the rafters tie into the floor then I won't need a beam.  I'm thinking ridge board to help keep everything in line.  Please remember this is not a permanent housing situation.  This is just to get us on the property and out of paying rent.  Later this will be the garage with storage upstairs.  DonP and I went over this plan in the plan support section and it seemed to work. 

If anyone sees any problems with this let me know.

thanks
Austin

BADB0Y

Well neighbor,  thats a gorgeous piece of property you have. I look forward to reading more and seeing what you do with it!
Please excuse my typos, I post from my cell phone 90% of the time!

dablack

#22
Dirt work has started.  My dirt guy got a full days work in yesterday.  Anybody in the Rusk area would do well to get dirt work done by kenny birdwell.  He has a website as well to see other jobs he has done.





There is about a 6' elevation change from one end of the garage to the other.  The main house will be at the peak of the hill and the garage is offset north and to the west.  Just a reminder, we are going to be living in the garage for a while.  It is going to be 26 by 52, on a slab.  Basically a one story with a living attic (some dormers). 

I haven't ruled out attic trusses but I can't find anyone to see me any that give me more than a 15' width upstairs.  I have even asked them for more over hang on the ends so we could get a little more room and they weren't helpful.  I still have a couple of places to try but it looks like I might be stick building the living attic.

We also got an RV so we have somewhere to sleep and cool off when building the garage.  We picked up a 1990 E350 Fleetwood Jamboree Ralye with 44k miles.  Very clean and runs like a top.  It has the 460/C6 combo.  I'm very familiar with both the engine and trans so I'm feeling pretty good about it. 

thanks
Austin

BADB0Y

Try http://lonestartruss.com/. They are right down the road from me and have had no issue with my needs on 20' span. I'm about an hour or so from Rusk I think.
Please excuse my typos, I post from my cell phone 90% of the time!

dablack

Thanks for the tip on lonestartruss.  They are working with me on what I want and I think we are just about there.  It looks like they are going to be able to give me a 20' wide room in the attic truss with a 3' overhang on the front and back of the building.  That will be just about perfect.

Dirtwork and driveway are both complete.  Concrete guy should be starting Friday or Monday.  We should have a slab in a week.

I will try and post more pics of the driveway soon.

NOTE:  Pad work and driveway work = $5300

I will post how much the slab is once it is done.