I've been planning a 30x50 garage/shop build, have everything lined up and am breaking ground tomorrow. 2-post lift is ordered and should be delivered next week. Pre-engineered steel building kit (from Mueller in LA) is going to be picked up May 2nd. Concrete contractor lined up for mid-April.
Rented a 100hp track loader (Bobcat) for the site prep, already have some 54 tons of crushed stone on the ground for slab base. Found a fellow on FB Marketplace that was renting out the Bobcat; that saved me almost $1,000 compared with what the rental companies were charging. I did have to rent a toothed bucket for the weekend though, probably $79 well spent. That's this weekend's project is to get site prep complete and then the aggregate laid down. Then my 14 year old son can get started with the plate compactor, compacting the stone (good job for him). Still have to get footers figured out, whether I do them myself or hire it out.
Glad I pulled the trigger when I did (couple months back); costs are going up like crazy, though I'm going to eat it on a few things that I haven't purchased yet (rebar, wire mesh, vapor barrier, few other odds and ends). I'll update this thread as the work progresses. Here's some before pics I took this evening before we get to digging tomorrow. And one back when the rock was delivered.
Rented a 100hp track loader (Bobcat) for the site prep, already have some 54 tons of crushed stone on the ground for slab base. Found a fellow on FB Marketplace that was renting out the Bobcat; that saved me almost $1,000 compared with what the rental companies were charging. I did have to rent a toothed bucket for the weekend though, probably $79 well spent. That's this weekend's project is to get site prep complete and then the aggregate laid down. Then my 14 year old son can get started with the plate compactor, compacting the stone (good job for him). Still have to get footers figured out, whether I do them myself or hire it out.
Glad I pulled the trigger when I did (couple months back); costs are going up like crazy, though I'm going to eat it on a few things that I haven't purchased yet (rebar, wire mesh, vapor barrier, few other odds and ends). I'll update this thread as the work progresses. Here's some before pics I took this evening before we get to digging tomorrow. And one back when the rock was delivered.