MikeB wrote:Matt, we haven't seen any updates lately on the greenhouse "saga". How are things going? Were you able to get everything set up by now?
Wow! This was over 9 months ago now and we're
just finally getting started on the big greenhouse build!!
I'm sorry for not posting more here, but there really weren't many updates to give other than frustration with red tape. We finally got it all sorted and had an inspection for pouring the concrete last week and we passed! We broke ground last week, drilling the holes for the concrete piers with a skidsteer that we rented.
I've hired a local handyguy, Jimmy, to help with the build and he's great. We got all the holes bored out last Tuesday (Sept. 13th) and poured the cement on Thursday (Sept. 15th). Everything went really well! So now we are waiting for the concrete to cure and then we can start construction for realz!!!
Jimmy thinks we can get it done in about a month, but perhaps as quickly as 3 weeks. We shall see -- it is a lot of material to assemble! Nothing seems particularly challenging but it will be laborious.
Below are a few photos of the process to this point. My dad is in the first photo holding the auger to steady it for drilling the first hole for where the concrete pier will go. Then we had to cut 24-inch Sonotubes (basically really thick cardboard tubes) to the right height to make the top of the piers level all the way down the 108-foot run of the greenhouse. Then, after stabilizing the tallest ones, we were ready to pour concrete!! As mentioned, we got the concrete done on Thursday, September 15th and it is now curing for a week or so before we can start bolting the column bases to the top of the concrete piers. So excited to actually start putting this beast together!!
Drilling out the first hole for the piers 1-Breaking-ground-1.jpg (1.09 MiB) Viewed 3108 times
Sonotubes are cut to size! 2-Sonotubes-in-place.jpg (1.17 MiB) Viewed 3108 times
Different angle of the Sonotubes. 3-Sonotubes-in-place2.jpg (1.18 MiB) Viewed 3108 times
Concrete is flowing!! 4-pouring-concrete.jpg (1.05 MiB) Viewed 3108 times
All done with the concrete! 5-concrete-is-done!.jpg (1.16 MiB) Viewed 3108 times
6-concrete-is-done!2.jpg (1.1 MiB) Viewed 3108 times