Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I Built a Shed (2020)

eduardosasso.co

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 323 posts

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#121

Post by detaro »

hddherman wrote: post #119
progfix wrote: post #110

Two other posts from today: * Ask HN: Why does a busy man build a shed? ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29767682 ) * Why I Live In a Shed ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29762145 ) Does HN have some kind of mechanism that promotes posts with similar keywords?

I've noticed this happening as well, and the explanation that I've stuck with is that the follow-up posts are posted by readers who recognize a similar article they've previously read that's deserving of a (re)post on HN.

That, or they go searching for additional information and find related articles.

Another easy one to spot: there's sometimes clusters of articles from the same site if it's not a well-known one - people look around the site, find other good stuff and submit that too.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#122

Post by yurishimo »

progfix wrote: post #110

Two other posts from today: * Ask HN: Why does a busy man build a shed? ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29767682 ) * Why I Live In a Shed ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29762145 ) Does HN have some kind of mechanism that promotes posts with similar keywords?

No. A lot of people in tech really like to live vicariously through other makers (woodworking, esp). It appeals to both the DIY crowd, which in a way is basically our entire career, and a real life problem of programmers not being able to work in peace, whether at home, or in a bullpen of peers.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#123

Post by hamburglar »

hinkley wrote: post #100
tharkun__ wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like your parent's explanation of why screws are not allowed by code in some places and also saying that yes, screws actually can be used, if you use the right ones, even if they aren't allowed by code in some places. I really like that because just mentioning code doesn't do any good. Just because code says something doesn't mean that it makes sense. There's tons of omissions in codes or stuff that is unnecessaril…

Overlapping rooflines allow you to make a “detached” building that is functionally an addition to your house. The downside is that if you want to build a breezeway to a detached garage you’re going to have to get permits to do that. It sucks but otherwise you get people who make a long narrow house that’s a series of rooms that were built over time, and never inspected. You may see properties that have three fairly l…

This still doesn’t explain why overlapping rooflines are actually problematic, though. I have always wondered this myself, as I actually own a house with a detached garage where the previous owner and next door neighbor put an easement on file that allowed the next door neighbor (whose ground level is about 5 feet higher via a retaining wall) to build an outbuilding very close to the property line with the roofline hanging over my garage by about 6 inches. So far, the only practical downside is that my downspout ends up getting all the water from half of his roof, which means the problem is worse if I don’t keep it clear. Not a terribly big problem in my book, since I have to keep it clear anyway. What else am I missing?

(Note: there are other things that are suboptimal about my garage, namely that it was built 100 years ago right on the property line and when it was rebuilt sometime later, it was allowed to stay there despite normally having a 5 foot setback requirement. As a result, this concrete block structure itself actually serves as part of the retaining wall and has moisture seepage issues from the uphill side. I actually think having the neighbor’s outbuilding covering that patch of land and managing the rainwater via my downspout helps the matter, because the ground between them gets no rainfall at all.)

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#125

Post by 14 »

ohazi wrote: post #33

Not that anything about this shed is built to code, but this takes the cake: > PRO TIP Use screws for everything; if you mess up, remove the screws and redo it; with nails, it’s a lot harder to do that. You absolutely should not do this for framing, and most building codes specify the type and size of nails that you must use when fastening load-bearing structural components. Screws are convenient, sure, but they are…

That was the first thing I noticed as well. I don’t blame him mind you since I would have assumed they are better and easier as well but recently my brother who is a carpenter told me you have to use nails they are needed. This just reminds me that being handy is good but knowing code is critical for some thing. In this case he will probably get away with just screws.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#126

Post by [deleted] »

pjc50 wrote: post #113
ohazi wrote: post #33

Not that anything about this shed is built to code, but this takes the cake: > PRO TIP Use screws for everything; if you mess up, remove the screws and redo it; with nails, it’s a lot harder to do that. You absolutely should not do this for framing, and most building codes specify the type and size of nails that you must use when fastening load-bearing structural components. Screws are convenient, sure, but they are…

> Not that anything about this shed is built to code This is why we can't have nice, or at least affordable but slightly less than perfect, things. I would also note that, while I'm sure everyone's right about the rules in Santa Cruz, this is jurisdiction specific. In the UK, if your shed is less than 15m^2 and is not used as living accomodation, no building regulations apply, and you can build it with screws, nails,…

[deleted]

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#127

Post by rectang »

14 wrote: post #125
ohazi wrote: post #33

Not that anything about this shed is built to code, but this takes the cake: > PRO TIP Use screws for everything; if you mess up, remove the screws and redo it; with nails, it’s a lot harder to do that. You absolutely should not do this for framing, and most building codes specify the type and size of nails that you must use when fastening load-bearing structural components. Screws are convenient, sure, but they are…

That was the first thing I noticed as well. I don’t blame him mind you since I would have assumed they are better and easier as well but recently my brother who is a carpenter told me you have to use nails they are needed. This just reminds me that being handy is good but knowing code is critical for some thing. In this case he will probably get away with just screws.

> being handy is good but knowing code is critical for some things

The subject of building code seems vast. How can you get to the point where you even know what you don't know?

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#128

Post by 0xbadcafebee »

hinkley wrote: post #65
ohazi wrote: post #33

Not that anything about this shed is built to code, but this takes the cake: > PRO TIP Use screws for everything; if you mess up, remove the screws and redo it; with nails, it’s a lot harder to do that. You absolutely should not do this for framing, and most building codes specify the type and size of nails that you must use when fastening load-bearing structural components. Screws are convenient, sure, but they are…

I was going to post about code violations but I’ll just tuck it under yours here so we don’t flood the top level (although one could argue that this really deserves it). I had to stop reading r/diy because half the stuff in there made me angry. Especially people building lofts to store heavy stuff without knowing anything about construction. You can’t overlap rooflines like this. That’s how they allow people to build…

You just went from concerned citizen, to person with anger management issues lashing out. If your thoughts here were in good faith, you would help the author learn about code compliance so that he could make the necessary modifications and learn about the real-world consequences of not being in compliance. Instead you're making a threat to send code enforcement after him so that he can be punished for being ignorant. Please try to re-evaluate the feelings you have and ask yourself if there is a more positive, less harmful way to use those feelings.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#129

Post by hinkley »

hamburglar wrote: post #123
hinkley wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Overlapping rooflines allow you to make a “detached” building that is functionally an addition to your house. The downside is that if you want to build a breezeway to a detached garage you’re going to have to get permits to do that. It sucks but otherwise you get people who make a long narrow house that’s a series of rooms that were built over time, and never inspected. You may see properties that have three fairly l…

This still doesn’t explain why overlapping rooflines are actually problematic, though. I have always wondered this myself, as I actually own a house with a detached garage where the previous owner and next door neighbor put an easement on file that allowed the next door neighbor (whose ground level is about 5 feet higher via a retaining wall) to build an outbuilding very close to the property line with the roofline h…

It’s a “this is why we can’t have nice things” situation. There’s no physics problem with overlapping that I know of, but it’s a giant loophole for people who are up to no good.

It’s not so much that you shouldn’t be able to do it as that there’s no way we can do it without a permit.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#130

Post by hinkley »

lazide wrote: post #84
hinkley wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was going to post about code violations but I’ll just tuck it under yours here so we don’t flood the top level (although one could argue that this really deserves it). I had to stop reading r/diy because half the stuff in there made me angry. Especially people building lofts to store heavy stuff without knowing anything about construction. You can’t overlap rooflines like this. That’s how they allow people to build…

Keep in mind, while yes this is a huge code issue mixing low voltage and high voltage - ‘it depends’ in a lot of jurisdictions on other elements. Following is for other folks running across this, in case it helps them. At least in California, I’m pretty sure it’s code compliant to use rated non-metallic conduit for outside high voltage runs for instance. That conduit is made of PVC. It’s the grey plastic electrical c…

Ah yes, I know about the grey PVC but spaced on it. Typically this is for external runs bolted to the side of a building though. Or at least, that’s almost all I ever see it used for. Can you use it for open air horizontal runs? Say between two buildings?

Data you want shielded, for the reasons I stated. Stringing Ethernet between buildings often ends in tears.

Post reply on HN