Adams Workshop Build Thread.... got walls & a roof!!!

[Adam]

Well, Byrons seemed like a good idea, and I don't want interupt all the good questions and answers coming through.

I decided to start with the trench to bring the power. I managed to 'acquire' a piece of armoured cable from a mate whos an electrician.

Right, we all know that electrical circuits in gardens now come under Building Control under Part P regulations don't we? Well, you have three choices as a result (OK the fourth is not to tell them). A) Get in a part P certified electrician who does not need to tell the council. B) Get an electrician who works to BS7671 and submit this certificate to building control, or submit a building control application before you start, do the work yourself, and get the somewhat agitated building control to come and test and sign it off. Apparently, I'm the first DIYer in my entire local authority to take this approach and noone in building control is permitted to sign off electrics, nor have they got into place a firm of electricians with test and sign off to work on their behalf. Fortunately, it doesn't cost me for that aspect, and as I was already submitting the building control notice anyway (to knock out a wall in the house), I just "added" on a comment about adding some electrical circuits.

Anyway, for those who know I suffer with a bad back - no cutting and lifting the trench by hand - so I hired one of these.... (from HSS)

I cut a trench minimum 45cm deep, laid the cable, added some of this

Whilst I had the trench open, I also laid some CAT5 (computer network cable), Telephone, and Burglar Alarm, and some plastic water pipe. Then I called building control to sign off the trench.

"How deep is it she said".... "45cm I said"....."Err I can see it is, but I don't know why its 45cm" she said..... "err, thats two spade depths, enough for armoured electrical cable".... "ohh" she said, "where do I confirm that?"......."its in the regs" I said..... "where?" she said, "all I could find was something about 'sufficient depth'......"it is sufficient depth" I said.... "is it written somewhere officially" she asked....."err, I'm the DIYer I said, thats your job, but why not look into "BS7671".... 2 hours later, a phone call to say that is OK......

I'm very interested to know how much it'll cost them to get an electrician to attend my property, test all my electrics, issue a certificate and sign his name to it. Phew.

 

[Adam]

More progress, tree surgeons came yesterday and took all the dead wood out of the tree at the bottom of the garden. You know its rotten when you can pick up a log, probably 14-15 inches diamater, 2 foot long without even trying. When the climber got the top, the first branch (probably 12 inch diameter) snapped off. He said the next big gust would have taken it.

So, I'm on the way to being able to prepare the base......

Also, the timber and shiplap has been delivered!

Adam

 

[dedee]

Well done Adam,

I do like these workshop build threads. Any designs/drawings for use to see.

With ref to your electrics I am now a bit concerned by my "power cable in a house pipe hung on the fence" method. It was there when I bought the house - honest, and is connected to the consumer unit in the house and another fuse box in the shed. Never had any problems but I doubt is to part P.

Andy

 

[StevieB]

Congrats Adam. I personally would have taken option 4 :twisted: Your conversation with buildings control seems to confirm many others have done the same - unless you really are the first person in your area to have done any electrical work in the last 9 months :shock:

What is the final size going to be if you are adding computer cable and water?!

Steve.

 

[StevieB]

Andy, if its armoured you will probably be OK. If its not then you will not be. Technically it should be buried or suspended on an overhead wire - what happens if your fence blows down, do you have enough slack to stop it pulling out of the CU?

The screwfix electricians forum can be quite helpful (although quite sarcastic too!) so long as you dont take the first answer as gospel and wait for a range of opinions :wink:

Steve.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Adam,

that 'Ditch Witch' looks like a fantastic bit of kit. Was it difficult to use? Did you come across any awkward roots or did it just chew them up? When I get round to building my new workshop I've got a 130 foot trench to dig. I thought I was going to need a digger but the 'Ditch Witch' looks just the job.

Dave

 

[RogerS]

Adam...brilliant choice to go option 3! Very interested to see furhter progress.

One thought re water. Well, actually two. How are you going to get rid of any water that goes down the pipe? Also, BC get sniffy when water is around as they tend to think someone is going to start living there...so maybe do it on the QT?

Other thoughts...why not run some ducting (as in large rainwater pipes) and a pull through cable for those items you may have forgotten?

 

[Chris Knight]

I like the Ditch witch - I wonder if you can get a guide rail to run some really big dados up a tree trunk..?

 

[Alf]

I like the Ditch witch - I wonder if you can get a guide rail to run some really big dados up a tree trunk..?

:lol: 'Course up the trunk would make them grooves...

Coat, door, I'm gone.

Cheers, Alf

 

[ByronBlack]

Adam, glad you have also started a thread, i've not even thought about electrics yet, so i'll be interesting and informative to follow your progress.

 

[mel]

it a bit quiet from your end adam
have you got bad weather stopping play ???
mel

 

[bobscarle]

Adam

When I built my shed I laid 10mm armoured cable in a trench from the meter box. Inside the shed, I installed the ring main and lighting circuit. An electrician came and made all the connections and tested my wiring. He provided 2 new consumer units, one in the shed, the other inside the meter box as we had run out of connections on our existing. I paid him £350 for all the work and bits and I got a certificate about 2 weeks later.

I could have done the connections myself and my wiring checked out OK but I thought that if there was ever a problem, perhaps even a fire, the insurance my not be keen to pay out.

Bob

 

[Adam]

it a bit quiet from your end adam
have you got bad weather stopping play ???
mel

Yeah, I've had to switch back to decorating. We're planning to move in on the first week of October, so finishing the house takes priority. The reason I needed to get the trench done, was so the cable could be laid, I could then bash a hole under the house, and pull them through under the floorboards. I've done that, got the floorboards back down, and am ready for carpets. Its annoying as everything has to go in a set order.

Tomorrow, I'm building one of these summerhouses,

which is mainly for my beekeeping equipment, but I may squeeze the tablesaw in temporarily (I also provisioned cabling for that too) as it helps to have a tablesaw operating when building a workshop.

I won't be starting the actual "workshop" build itself, until October. Need to get a concrete slab base built first as well :roll:

Hi Adam,

that 'Ditch Witch' looks like a fantastic bit of kit. Was it difficult to use?

No, but you wouldn't want to get on the wrong end of it - it'd have you arm/leg off in seconds. Hiring from HSS was interesting though. I think they only have one or two in the country, and as far as I could tell, not only do you need to give plenty of notice, (couple of weeks), but they don't allocate travelling time in the booking, so if your previous hirer was in Birmingham the day before, they won't get it in time. As me and Dad were both taking the day off (it is a two man job, you can't turn it on your own! - although in use its fine on your own - everything is hydraulic) I was a bit nervous about it not arriving, I managed to pull a few stings as Dad knows the big cheese in HSS, and word came down from head office via the area manager to make sure we got it. They arrived bright and early on the day in question. Superb.

 

[Adam]

OK, so I was a bit slow on the photos..... but a bit of progress at least.....

Firstly, heres is the "trenching" machine in action...

Then the finished trench. About 120 foot total in under a day. Becuase of my bad back, digging, and heavy lifting is out for me. I have to find mechanical machines to do the hard slog now. Only probelm with that is the £££.

Heres where I hope to have the workshop. its not level and lots of hardcore.

I hired in a local lad with a digger. Levelled and moved some hardcore around.

I've managed to get the woods in, and Dad is helping. This was this morning. I'm in the yellow jacket.

I hired in one of these "miximate" concrete mixers. The concrete is not premixed - its seperate water, cement and ballast. They mix it on the spot - and then I also paid for the use of the "powered" barrow - it takes 0.5m3 per run - fantastic - no way my back would be able to manage that amount of weight at the moment. (as in a normal barrow load - not 0.5m3 !!!

Almost done. 5.2 cubic meters mixed and in position in 1.5 hours. I'm not kidding we didn't even have a shovel full left over. Because we didn't have to barrow - we were using a rake to level, and a tamping stick to get it flat and we finished in the same time. the main base is 7m x 4m, and an extra bit on the back just for general storage. Again, its 6 inches thick, no metal reinforcing, one expansion joint across the width. Pouring neat concrete is an expensive way of doing it, but as mentioned, swinging a sledge hammer is a no no, and by the time I've hired a labourer - it was cheaper to just get more concrete.

Adam

 

[wizer]

very well done Adam. I suffer from a very severe back injury and I can understand your approach. I tend to think mind over matter, then end up in bed for a week :roll:

Can't wait to see it progress.

 

[mel]

looking the part adam
a concrete base . now theres a nice touch
is it kit form , the new shed . or have you changed your mind and starting from scratch ??

 

[Shultzy]

I've only just picked up this thread. Are you sure there won't be a problem having the cat5 and telephone cable in the same trench as the mains cable?

You are lucky, I have a back problem but I have to dig the trench myself as the back entrance is too narrow to get heavy machinery in. I also have to get the armoured cable under the house without lifting the floorboards!

 

[llangatwgnedd]

That concrete raft is looking good. :wink:
Hey, whats that big old tree at the bottom of the garden? Looks ready for planking.

 

[Adam]

looking the part adam
a concrete base . now theres a nice touch
is it kit form , the new shed . or have you changed your mind and starting from scratch ??

Ahh, I'm building two. The summerhouse is already built - you can see it on the far right of several of the shots in dark green. The main workshop - I'll build myself. Stud construction with shiplap edge. Insultation and damp membranes etc.

I think its unlikely I'll even use the CAT5, its just provisioned, but no, I don't see any reason for problems, I've seen loads of installations where it runs side by side.

The armoured cable has already been pulled under the house (when I had the floorboards up), and pulled through and up under the main electrics distribution box.



Adam

 

[Freetochat]

Adam - a good start. Are you going to overlay with a wooden floor, or work off concrete?