1 Topic by CaptainCardigan (edited by CaptainCardigan 2024-06-24 08:19 AM)

  • From: Houston, Texas
  • Registered: 2013-01-07
  • Posts: 227

Topic: The Panama Palisade's Garage and Lounge Build

I'm (well, my wife Carrie, the EVR Hooligans and some general Houston roustabouts) are building a new garage, whether or not we want to. The The Houston Derecho destroyed the garage. So, while Carrie and I were hoping to rebuild the small, and outdated, structure at some point - it was not supposed to be this year. I'll try to post weekly updates, that way you can kibbitz and I can care (or not) on a regular basis. We're currently on week five, so to summarize weeks one through four - here we go.

We hired the neighbor's tree guy to chunk and remove the pecan tree, leaving behind the wood for culinary exploration later. We then used the power of friendship to demolish the garage and break up the concrete slab. Now, we have a waste container to fill. We looked into proper contractors for both of these jobs - but they were too slow and expensive versus the desire to save cash for a car lift, ensure it's done right and timely. Images will be posted as Google Drive links.

Picture: Crushed Garage

Captain of Confusion: Escape Velocity Racing
- Thirty+ Time Loser
- Judge Texas Bob (Really just an A.I. Controlled Through Cowboy Hat)

2 Reply by CaptainCardigan (edited by CaptainCardigan 2024-06-24 08:19 AM)

  • From: Houston, Texas
  • Registered: 2013-01-07
  • Posts: 227

Re: The Panama Palisade's Garage and Lounge Build

Week five saw general organization work and trash collection. Our main house is a little 2/1 bungalow from 1930 that Carrie and I have been slowly reworking - and those jobs will also feature in this build. Site access is severely limited. The rebuild location is at the back of the lot and can only be accessed by an eight foot wide gate down a 40' single car driveway. Things are going to be challenging to do efficiently.

We spent time rearranging the house to take the influx of items from the shed and garage, as the shed is turned into a shop; until we can get them to offsite storage. We moved the Toyota Century into offsite storage as well. We loaded up the dumpster. In an interesting turn, the demolition contractor wanted to charge us for two and a half 40 cubic yard waste containers. Turns out, we probably only need two 20 cubic yard containers.

We're now at the marathon stage of things. The next week will hopefully see the shed turned into a powerless shop, and a lot of the concrete removed and placed into a fresh dumpster.

Picture: American Cleaners

Captain of Confusion: Escape Velocity Racing
- Thirty+ Time Loser
- Judge Texas Bob (Really just an A.I. Controlled Through Cowboy Hat)
  • From: Houston, Texas
  • Registered: 2013-01-07
  • Posts: 227

Re: The Panama Palisade's Garage and Lounge Build

Week six featured a Texas Gulf Coast classic, a hurricane forming near the Gulf and a high-pressure zone keeping Houston pinned down. It was hot and humid. However, progress is best made in small increments, so demolition of the concrete slab was the primary focus. The mixture of a ‘Dingo’ (which is a highly underated paddock vehicle) and a Hilti demolition hammer (not as useful in a paddock) made rapid work of the old slab foundation. It's now 90% inside a skiff.

The slab was poured in a time when concrete featured large rock and old bricks in it as well as a sort of ‘base’; and the slab was not poured with much care. Not the sort of thing that can support a car lift, beyond being a little on the small side.

This next week will see continued heat and humidity, and hopefully that high pressure zone will keep hurricanes away. The goal this week, as I’m on a ‘work-cation’, is to have the terrifying shed that’s attached to the house demolished, the permit applied for, and the foundation for the new garage dug out.

Image of an AI Shopping Cart Destroying Mankind's Concrete Abominations

Captain of Confusion: Escape Velocity Racing
- Thirty+ Time Loser
- Judge Texas Bob (Really just an A.I. Controlled Through Cowboy Hat)
  • From: Houston, Texas
  • Registered: 2013-01-07
  • Posts: 227

Re: The Panama Palisade's Garage and Lounge Build

Week seven saw the back patio demolished and the skiff brimming with broken concrete. Foundation work had just begun when the hurricane started making a mess of everything. Unfortunately, week eight (this current week) has been dominated by the hurricane and its after effects. While we've been solid on electricity at Panama St., things are a mess around the house, and I've been helping out clearing trees off of houses and out of roads.

The skiff, scheduled to be emptied earlier this week, may finally get emptied today. We are expecting a couple more weeks of the costal showers which make summer dirt work so challenging on the third coast. This has led to a shift in priorities for the time being.

The rest of this week and next week will focus on in depth and muddy, clean-up and site preparation; all with handheld tools and wheelbarrow(s). Once things dry up a touch (currently, the ground water level in the backyard is about 6" from grade) digging out the foundation and the like can be considered. Until then, small and durable steps to allow work to proceed smoothly on the weekends and in the evenings.

Picture: Take That, Tree From Roof

Captain of Confusion: Escape Velocity Racing
- Thirty+ Time Loser
- Judge Texas Bob (Really just an A.I. Controlled Through Cowboy Hat)
  • From: Houston, Texas
  • Registered: 2013-01-07
  • Posts: 227

Re: The Panama Palisade's Garage and Lounge Build

Well, week nine was an annoying week. Basically, going back and forth with Waste Management, hoping to get the skiff dumped and then either refilling it or getting the driveway back. Multiple weather delays and two instances in which drivers were not entirely genuine about why the container couldn't get picked-up led to a phone call with the route manager. The route manager comes to the site and states 'we should have never delivered this container'. Well, you did. In the end, Frank and I had to modify the gate and fencing to allow for them to FINALLY come and get the waste container. The container was removed today.

While we still have needs for heavy waste removal, I'm super happy we have the driveway back! We can do simple things - like easily deliver materials, move and change oil in cars, and go store personal property somewhere that's not the living room. We'll use other resources for waster removal as necessary.

This is week ten, and it's supposed to rain non-stop until Thursday. We did harden the site against rain by building a boardwalk on the heavily trafficked sections and by building a large covered area for temporary storage of shed objects. With the delays and the weather, the plan seems to be 'make a new plan'. Regardless, goals are to move personal property offsite and continue setting up the shed as a construction shop. Hopefully, when the rain passes and the site is more cleared, we can consider excavation and concrete.

A Blissfully Clear Driveway

Captain of Confusion: Escape Velocity Racing
- Thirty+ Time Loser
- Judge Texas Bob (Really just an A.I. Controlled Through Cowboy Hat)