My empire of dirt...

[Chizel - Founding Father]

I am up and back on the shovel..
Took Tuesday off work and started on the concrete, got 5 holes done. Yesterday I bunked off early , patched in a dodgy bearer and concreted 2 more holes.
Now im trying to dig out the last 2 stumps.
Guinness of a job!!
Once they are out that leaves me 4 holes to concrete and that is all the piles done, except the lean to!!!
I think i said some time back just after I started the piles, at the rate im going it will take me 2 years to get em done.
Guess I was about right! I'll have to look back and see the start date on em.
Anyhu, when they are done i will start the joists and laying the floor up to where the lean to is .
exciting stuff! This will use up the bulk of the materials from the lean to at the back of the garage and give me a large working space to get the windows in offa the deck.. also I'll be able to get rid of the pile of dunnage that was use to prop up the house.
I can then Crack on refurbing the last of the windows and doors in prep for when we have the money to rebuild the back en of the house.
Lack of money and pending shoulder surgery is gunna fuck us right up, could very well
Grind to a halt for the best part of a year..
Dam shame as with the money and a month off work I think I could get the exterior works completed and just have the fun stuff left to do.
Few pics, one of the bastard stump im working on. Most were rotted through but this one, the most difficult to access, has some meat on it and probably runs to 500 deep..

 

[NoGutsNoGlory]

Chiz what do you treat the new timber piles with to stop them rotting and what is the wood?
I’m asking as I’m thinking of building a new timber workshop and would rather build out of the ground myself than have a concrete base poured.
How much concrete do you use around each pile?

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

Right! That's one of the fuckers out!!!! It was in exactly 500mm..
On to go, its in a slightly easier spot as I can access it from out side as well..
We going good...

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

Chiz what do you treat the new timber piles with to stop them rotting and what is the wood?
I’m asking as I’m thinking of building a new timber workshop and would rather build out of the ground myself than have a concrete base poured.
How much concrete do you use around each pile?

These piles are pine and come treated, h5 tantalizing which is specified for piles. I believe they must have to last at least 50 years in the ground
you will be able to find an equivalent in the uk as ive used em in the past but unfortunately i can't remember the supplier.
Perhaps kings timber in wandsworth..
Bit of hunting will turn some up
As for the amount of concrete, that depends on a few factors, soil type, hight of build ect.
We have little top soil and a good clay layer and the house is only 300mm to the underside of the joists so the bulk of the holes are 500 deep 500 across , in the corners and mid way down the sides ive done anchor piles with holes 900 deep 600 across.
I leave a gap of 150 from the bottom of the pile to the bottom of the hole so there is a healthy base.
If ya build ain't to big or 2 high off the ground or in a high wind zone you shouldn't have to get to carried away. I've probably gone a Lil ott!

 

[The skitz]

Well done mate dont worry about how long it took you just say you started 2 months ago.. it's the forum way when explaining build projects

 

[Hugo Magnus]

^ or use galvanised steel posts, RSJ cross members and wooden joists

 

[NoGutsNoGlory]

^ or use galvanised steel posts, RSJ cross members and wooden joists

I’ve thought about screw piles but not sure on cost.
I’ve had a quote from a mate of £2500 for a 5m x 3m concrete base which I didn’t think was bad but I’d prefer to do everything myself.
I thought 6 x 2 joists across wooden piles.

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

I’ve thought about screw piles but not sure on cost.
I’ve had a quote from a mate of £2500 for a 5m x 3m concrete base which I didn’t think was bad but I’d prefer to do everything myself.
I thought 6 x 2 joists across wooden piles.

How high of the ground are you going?
You could get away with something like double 6x2 bearers and 6x2 joist at 400 centers ( think they span just over 3 mtrs for a floor) and at 5mtrs long put 5 posts under each of the 2 bearers, that would make em roughly 1250 centers. More than enough. Unless you are parking a car in there!
Something like this very rough sketch!

 

[NoGutsNoGlory]

How high of the ground are you going?
You could get away with something like double 6x2 bearers and 6x2 joist at 400 centers ( think they span just over 3 mtrs for a floor) and at 5mtrs long put 5 posts under each of the 2 bearers, that would make em roughly 1250 centers. More than enough. Unless you are parking a car in there!
Something like this very rough sketch!
View attachment 158759

Excellent thanks mate that’s along the lines I was thinking but probably wouldn’t have doubled up the 6x2 bearers so good info.
Would you just tosh nail or screw everything?
I prefer screws but I know you joiners like nails.

 

[Exige]

Well done mate dont worry about how long it took you just say you started 2 months ago.. it's the forum way when explaining build projects

Don't dish our CAT, 5 years is going some to change a set of wheels - oh, but he ain't finished yet

 

[Noobie]

Dig any deeper Chiz and you'll end up in the shires.

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

Excellent thanks mate that’s along the lines I was thinking but probably wouldn’t have doubled up the 6x2 bearers so good info.
Would you just tosh nail or screw everything?
I prefer screws but I know you joiners like nails.

Nails all day long!!! For post to bearers use plates like in this Pic and square shank twist nails ( not galv clouts like wha the polish do!) And or the z nails in the pic.
For joist to bearers I just skew nails with my framing gun 4 per or for belt and braces brackets like in 2nd Pic and square shanks.
Screws are shit!!!
But im sure the correct ones would work fine...
Those plates are 100 x 200 BTW. You would probably get away with doing the corners with those and z nails on the rest. Im not structural engineer , these details are usually provided to the builder but from experience , this info is very much along the lines of previous projects. If in doubt, go ott, none of the fixings are hugely expensive and dont take long to fit at all ..

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

All piles are finished!!!! Well apart from the 6 for the lean to... those will be a piece of piss as there will be no building above em..
2 fucken years that took!!!!!!
Obviously other stuff has been done along the way and it wasn't 2 years full time on em!!! Probably 2 weeks work full time but it had to be done in bits and bobs...
Madness...
Oh well, can't say I will miss doing that fuck arse of a job at all!!!!!

 

[JAT]

All piles are finished!!!! Well apart from the 6 for the lean to... those will be a piece of piss as there will be no building above em..
2 fucken years that took!!!!!!
Obviously other stuff has been done along the way and it wasn't 2 years full time on em!!! Probably 2 weeks work full time but it had to be done in bits and bobs...
Madness...
Oh well, can't say I will miss doing that fuck arse of a job at all!!!!!

You’re getting there Chiz. Won’t be long till you, B and the girls will be able to sit back and enjoy the paradise you’re living in.
Unless you’ve eaten the girls by then….
Well done you I say.

 

[West Cork Paul]

Nails all day long!!! For post to bearers use plates like in this Pic and square shank twist nails ( not galv clouts like wha the polish do!) And or the z nails in the pic.
For joist to bearers I just skew nails with my framing gun 4 per or for belt and braces brackets like in 2nd Pic and square shanks.
Screws are shit!!!
But im sure the correct ones would work fine...
Those plates are 100 x 200 BTW. You would probably get away with doing the corners with those and z nails on the rest. Im not structural engineer , these details are usually provided to the builder but from experience , this info is very much along the lines of previous projects. If in doubt, go ott, none of the fixings are hugely expensive and dont take long to fit at all ..
View attachment 158767View attachment 158768

How on earth do you hammer those Z nails in?

That looks like a regular, straight, nail AFTER I’ve bashed it with a hammer.

 

[Loz]

How on earth do you hammer those Z nails in?

That looks like a regular, straight, nail AFTER I’ve bashed it with a hammer.

No one uses Z nails. It's like tins of elbow grease or left-handed screwdrivers - builder pranks.

They are such dicks

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

You’re getting there Chiz. Won’t be long till you, B and the girls will be able to sit back and enjoy the paradise you’re living in.
Unless you’ve eaten the girls by then….
Well done you I say.

No, the girls are laying regular so they get a pass for now.. b is on the menu though...
Just have to play it smart for insurance purposes....

 

[Exige]

All piles are finished!!!! Well apart from the 6 for the lean to... those will be a piece of piss as there will be no building above em..
2 fucken years that took!!!!!!
Obviously other stuff has been done along the way and it wasn't 2 years full time on em!!! Probably 2 weeks work full time but it had to be done in bits and bobs...
Madness...
Oh well, can't say I will miss doing that fuck arse of a job at all!!!!!

That is no excuse you daft lad, so it took you 2 years and 2 weeks

 

[Loz]

That is no excuse you daft lad, so it took you 2 years and 2 weeks

How the Hell does that work? Two weeks is two weeks, right?

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

How the Hell does that work? Two weeks is two weeks, right?

Think he has been sniffing the glue left over from his kwaka kit set...

 

[Exige]

Think he has been sniffing the glue left over from his kwaka kit set...

22 years to dig some hole, you are lil though I guess

 

[Noobie]

On the plus side Chiz, at least you can say to B, Babe I've checked, Fred West has never owned this house

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

On the plus side Chiz, at least you can say to B, Babe I've checked, Fred West has never owned this house

We did find the remains of a cat under there..
Couldn't find its skull though. I would have liked the skull as a warning to other cats.
We have one the visits just to crap in the pile of builders mix.
That pile is nearly all used up and the last of it i will put on the gravel drive out the front.
Finally no more builders mix to store!!

 

[Twinlover]

All piles are finished!!!! Well apart from the 6 for the lean to... those will be a piece of piss as there will be no building above em..
2 fucken years that took!!!!!!
Obviously other stuff has been done along the way and it wasn't 2 years full time on em!!! Probably 2 weeks work full time but it had to be done in bits and bobs...
Madness...
Oh well, can't say I will miss doing that fuck arse of a job at all!!!!!

Will you be doing them by yourself again, in 50 years time, or will you bring someone else in ?

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

Will you be doing them by yourself again, in 50 years time, or will you bring someone else in ?

Hmmmm...I'd be 105 by then.. id give it a bash. Be harder next time as you'd have the concrete to dig up as well..

 

[Twinlover]

Hmmmm...I'd be 105 by then.. id give it a bash. Be harder next time as you'd have the concrete to dig up as well..

I’d be older by then, but if you need a hand like

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

So over the last few weekends ive got what joist I can put in errrr put in... got the damp proof membrane in and done loads of clearing of crap around the property.
Used the last of the builders mix up, removed the ply it was sitting on and emptied the potting mix from the now dead tomatoe plants onto the bald spot , one week on and grass is already sprouting there!
Couple of days ago a mate turned up with his digger and cleared the pile of clay from out the front, glad to see that gone, musta started piling it out there a year of so back..
All the dunage and bits of timber that were laying around have been chopped up and stacked for burning at my birthday bash in a few weeks.
The lawn is getting bigger as piles of crap dissappear, its great.
Today I am about to pull up the temporary flooring, put a straight edge on the joists and plane out any high spots, finish the nogs and start installing the insulation.
Don't know how far I will get before mates start turning up and corrupting me..
Then it permanently fix down what flooring I can. Got to do a tip run as well.
It's all fucking go here I tells yas..
Some pics of stuff...

 

[West Cork Paul]

So over the last few weekends ive got what joist I can put in errrr put in... got the damp proof membrane in and done loads of clearing of crap around the property.
Used the last of the builders mix up, removed the ply it was sitting on and emptied the potting mix from the now dead tomatoe plants onto the bald spot , one week on and grass is already sprouting there!
Couple of days ago a mate turned up with his digger and cleared the pile of clay from out the front, glad to see that gone, musta started piling it out there a year of so back..
All the dunage and bits of timber that were laying around have been chopped up and stacked for burning at my birthday bash in a few weeks.
The lawn is getting bigger as piles of crap dissappear, its great.
Today I am about to pull up the temporary flooring, put a straight edge on the joists and plane out any high spots, finish the nogs and start installing the insulation.
Don't know how far I will get before mates start turning up and corrupting me..
Then it permanently fix down what flooring I can. Got to do a tip run as well.
It's all fucking go here I tells yas..
Some pics of stuff...
View attachment 159512View attachment 159513View attachment 159514View attachment 159515View attachment 159516View attachment 159517View attachment 159518View attachment 159519View attachment 159520

You could bury someone (or several) under them floorboards - just a suggestion

 

[Noobie]

Have you put ropes strategically placed incase you fall between the floor joists and need to climb out

 

[Chizel - Founding Father]

Getting there..