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I Built a Shed (2020)

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Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#201

Post by ErrantX »

jacquesm wrote: post #107
raytube wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just expose the armoured cable. Hardly an issue, and you know where it is.

Not a good idea. The outer layer is plastic, underneath that something that is best described as an oversized shower hose. Burying it will allow you to take vehicles, wheel barrows, lawnmowers etc over it without damaging it. I bought a ton of this stuff surplus from a dam construction, that served me quite well in Canada, some of the outbuildings were quite far away from the main house. It's pretty easy to work with…

You can get armoured cable specifically with UV rating for this. I'd only ever run it against a wall etc. But it is designed to be above ground.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#202

Post by alistairSH »

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…

In this case, the shed will have rain runoff into the house. Possibly not a problem, but generally not a good idea.

Also, as mentioned, sheds don’t usually need inspected. Sheds with power that act as extensions to the home should be (should = good idea) but might not be required, depending on location. Basically, some of these rules are to prevent uninspected/unpermitted extensions to the main dwelling.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#203

Post by ErrantX »

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,…

You can. But some esoteric rules apply, and there are fire regs if it's close to a building. Oh and electrical regs apply.

But yes building in the UK is much freer.

I sense it is much less common (beyond a basic shed or conservatory) though therefore less of an issue to solve.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#204

Post by ErrantX »

CodeGlitch wrote: post #45
atlgator wrote: post #5

Is the roof slanted in the right direction? You are sending the water toward your house instead of away from it. This might create drainage problems in flash flood conditions.

Also in the UK it's against regulation to have a wooden structure so close to a residential property... Although this is the US where most properties are made of wood... So probably no such rule?

Your fine if it's under (iirc) 2m. The only hard rule is in front of your property line.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#205

Post by ethbr0 »

horsawlarway wrote: post #156
hinkley wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

The water management issue is a bigger deal in some locations. In the original post, he's sloped the new roof back towards the house - huge issue where I live (Atlanta - we got a lot of heavy rain) since that's going to cause water entry in the basement or erosion on the foundation. It can also be a fire hazard in many situations. Ex - in my area there's a mandated 10ft gap between the property line and any structure…

Rainfall treatment around foundations is the most bizarre "new city" difference.

Previously lived on clay soil above the freeze line: everything needed substantial gutters and routing away from home.

Now live in sandy soil below the freeze line: most people don't even have gutters.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#206

Post by fock »

jjeaff wrote: post #168
jopsen wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Screws are convenient, sure, but they are necessarily much harder than nails and are prone to embrittlement and cracking,... That sounds like bike-shedding :D

Ya, it is bike shedding in most cases. I've seen a few side by side comparisons of nails vs screws for framing and while it's true that screws are more likely to sheer off, nails are more likely to pull out. And assuming you used a reasonable size and quantity of screws, the load required to sheer them will be so far and above anything required by code that it becomes a distinction without a difference.

as a dumb european: what are non-structural screws? I've only ever seen people building their bike-shacks and terrace stuff, using "Spax". Which are sold as "structural" screws in the US. Then, if you somehow fix together things with a classic nut and bolt-screws (from mechanical engineering): well, for most real things you probably would think about the force anyway I hope. And then screws are used in like any industrial machine...

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#207

Post by ErrantX »

I did this too!

It genuinely is not that hard. I did spend most time working out the right spec (ie safety, structural etc.) and the main build took me about 2 months. I was in by month 3 and fully finished by 4 months.

I am ok with big structural stuff, interior (drywalling for example) I don't have the finesse for, but it looks OK.

I love DIY, it gets me off a keyboard! And scratches the engineering itch I miss as a people leader.

It's not hard though. Like anything it takes a bit of planning and practice. Plus the confidence to have a go.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#208

Post by ethbr0 »

hamburglar wrote: post #146
hinkley wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

So you think my garage is fine? Seeking anonymous expert-sounding internet validation :D

The thing to remember about building codes is that they're one solution to a problem. More often than not, one good solution. That isn't to say they're the only solution.

So for new construction or reno, absolutely follow code! Why not?

But for old construction that doesn't have obvious dangers and has served its purpose across decades? Why fix what ain't broke? It's entirely possibly it's a perfectly viable alternative solution.

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#209

Post by kingkawn »

pengwing wrote: post #56

Would you be interested in purchasing this partially pre-build and delivered to you? (pre-painted, Including windows, door, insulation, electrical and Ethernet wiring, fire-proof compliance, able to resist heavy rain) Six elements total, clickable into each other. Assembly time under one hour.

The point is to build it yourself

Re: I Built a Shed (2020)

#210

Post by chrisdhal »

sokoloff wrote: post #174
adventured wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The home insurance people will absolutely nail him on this. They'll eventually send someone out to inspect the property on a policy renewal. They'll refuse to renew the policy until the code violations are corrected. And they'll definitely notice and have questions about the odd 'shed' that looks new and very out of place. If he has really wired it as it seems, if anything consequential (unrelated) happens to the pro…

Where do you live that insurance companies send inspectors ‘round? I’ve owned 2 houses for a total of over 25 years and never had an insurance inspector visit nor heard of them visiting anyone else for a renewal. Is this common elsewhere in the world?

I have rental properties and it happens about every other year before a renewal. They definitely find things that need fixing. That being said, I've never had it happen on my primary residence (20+ years).
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