My Possible Situation

[paul s]

I recently became homeless, divorced, 58, male and in decent shape.  I have built 2 complete homes in the past.  I live in a white dodge cargo van.  My gym membership is $ 10 a month, this is where i shower.  I have an excellent part time job $ 18 per hour and work about 80 hours per month.  Small town in North Carolina, about an hours drive north of Charlotte, NC

A friend lets me park my van on 1/2 acre he owns and is willing to lease to me to own.  A 4 year lease, cost is equal to the property taxes.  The land is on an unpaved state road, which means a driveway legally.  Very few neighbors, not a growing area, Just 4 miles to Home Depot and Walmart.  On the property now is a 8' x 12' storage shed with all that I own.

The zoning department will  allow  storage buildings up to 200 sq ft.  They have been shown a 12' x 16' shed from home depot and said ok.  It really is the  16' x 16' two story one but will be built to the 12 x 16 size.  As much as possible it will look like a garden shed and small greenhouse.

For water I plan on rain water collection and a water hose from a neighbor to a 480 gallon plastic tank.  I barter garden produce and other things for this water.  Another 480 gallon tank will be connected to the toilet and serve as a holding tank.  The portapotty  company will suck it out for $ 55.

With the woods that are there [a few big trees] and some things I have planted it will be very difficult to peak in.

Propane, 8 heavy duty 6 volt deep cycle batteries, and a small generator to charge the batteries will be my energy sources.

I am not the only one doing this in the area.  Many, a dozen or so,  living in converted garages and sheds.  Ok so not all so legal, but no real harm due to the holding tank.

Now the fun begins, I do not have a mail box, cause I do not live there.  So for the few things I need a legal address for [drivers licence], I use my sons address in Charlotte.

I am going to look at getting one of those boxes at a ups place .

So I guess I could get booted out if the county came down on  me.  But that is what the cargo van is for.

I know their will  be things  I have not thought of.

Now on to the building,  looking at it from the front, 16 feet wide with a  Gambrel Roof that is 16 feet wide, this will form the storage loft, no Mr Official no one would sleep up there!

From the Home Depot model in their parking lot and another shed business in town I have figured out all the dimensions and the stair design that is L shaped with a platform to the storage loft.

Now my very big question, I have leveled and area for this building and sloped the land away from it in all directions.  I would like to put down a vapor barrier and some sheets of foam insulation , sand and then simple cement pavers for the floor.  I have seen this in books and on the net with pressure treated post and a pressure treated sill plate and a 2x6 or 8 pressure treated member perpendicular to the sill plate to contain the sand, insulation and  pavers,

Where do i get the proper pressure treated wood for this type of foundation?

Paul

[Don_P]

.60 or better treated lumber for ground contact. Would it be cheaper... certainly better, to pour a slab over the gravel/ foam prep?

[John Raabe]

There is a important "hinge" question on a project like this... Do you want to build quick, cheap and with no expectation of long term durability or safety, or do you invest in something that might have longer term value? Someplace you might expect to survive a big storm or possibly be expanded in the future?

[paul s]

Thanks for the replies,I think the slab is a good thing.  Will be very sturdy and decent looking.

Who knows may be there  got longer than I think.  Do plan for it to be more than an upgraded shed from Home Depot or Lowes.

I called a very good lumber company today and they can supply an Pressure treated wood I may need.  they also have the most lovely 1x6,8,and 10 inch rough cut wood.  Is SYP, they cut 2 inch thick material on the band saw when you order it.  I did a fencing project years ago with it and it is still lovely and in great shape today.  This material is knot free.