Our very own secret hangout

Starting with opening up a path into the forest

So we are going to build a house and settle down in PT, but before we do that, we need a work site office and secure storage for our tools … and maybe a comfy place to crash for the night while working on the building …

Just barely enuf for crew and machinery to open up the driveway and clearing.

Here’s the plan, a temporary 12′ x 16′ building on lot 2, while we build the 1st house on lot 5. There was a natural clearing on lot 2 to begin with, so a temporary road in and some easy cutting back on the fringes, we have access to build this shed.

Building the shed floor on skids

But we are not ready to submit the house plans yet, so we cant apply for the building permit and therefore no electric or water service until we get that building permit. Alright, so we will use the car to charge the 12V batteries that would run the LED lights and laptops. We have a little wood burning stove that would provide heat for 3 hrs during the night, then Doug devised a way to use LPG heating from then till morn. And water, we’ll get a big 250 gallons tank and put it on the trailer, fill up at Sam’s yard and tow it over to the prop… we can live on that for months. .. 🙂

A little progress everyday

Now, the building …. Doug thinks it’s possible to build this shed in 1 month for less than $5K… so there he goes! And sure enough, it was less than $5K, altho unexpected days of bad weather did slow his progress. Somethings just cannot be rushed.

Framing a wall, leaving the doorway opening.

Starting with leveling the skids, then framing up the floor, insulate and plywood over to complete floors.

1st wall is up

Next frame 1 wall, brace it up, add moisture barrier. See, 1st wall is up! Doug manage to raise it all by himself! Its more about strategy than brute force.

2 walls up and roof framed

Then repeat the wall building process on the opposite exterior wall, so that the roof can be built to provide a little shelter over when building the remaining walls..

All closed in now and windows are in.

A little progress each day and viola! A shed is built!

I like the simple look of a slightly sloped roof 🙂 . And I like that vertical wood paneling too. Since the wall is 8ft, there is no need for butt joins, so it look so much neater.

Working on the inside

For now, the covering over the roof plywood is a piece of tarp, until good weather allows for Doug to go up there to apply the real roofing…

Then its time to work on the inside. Kitchen counter and sink is installed. A pair of saw horses is holding up the work table for now.

Now that the walls and roof is up, windows are in, and door installed and lockable… we have a hideout!