# Forum More Stuff Go to Whoa!  My new building project

## Cuppa

Hi folks,
I am at the beginning of a major project. I am building a temporary home base in which my wife & I plan to reside in between travels around Australia. It will essentially be a shed with space to accommodate our mobile accommodation plus a small stud framed & insulated granny flat. The concrete slab is down (15m x 12m) & the shed should be erected soon. I wont be erecting the shed myself, its a portal frame structure with 3 metre bays, 3.8m walls & a gable roof (approx 5.5m at the apex).  I will however be doing all of the interior building & expect to have many questions as I go through this process of learning & doing. 
I have built sheds & verandahs etc in the past & am reasonably handy, but have never had a steel framed shed before. I have converted a bus to live in successfully but this, at the moment, feels like a slightly overwhelming project. However I do have faith in myself & am confident that by taking things a step at a time I will achieve what I want. Lots of stuff going around in my head at the moment, mainly around knowing what I need to know in order to know where to make a start!
Main thing at the moment is working out how best to build a ceiling in a room with clear spans of 6m x 7mx 2.7m.  Agonising between suspended ceiling (& unsure if the sheds portal frame will require additional supports to take the weight) or to use a steel beam, laminated timber beam or plywood boxed beam (DIY) to support  joists for what would then become a mezzanine floor. 
Lots more to think about.  :Smilie:     
Regards
Cuppa

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## Oldsaltoz

Welcome aboard Cuppa,
Installing the essential services first will help speed up the project. Power, water, plumbing.all need to go in before sheeting. 
Good luck and fair winds.   :Smilie:

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## Cuppa

Hi Oldsaltoz, thanks for the welcome.
Power cable is already in place, conduit set into the concrete, sparkie will install distribution box & connect up as soon as shed is up. Not sure if, when you say sheeting you are referring to sheeting the internal stud walls or the external shed walls. I suspect that you must mean the internal stud walls? If not, as the shed company is putting up the shed, the erecting process will happen over just a few days & I wont get the opportunity to install plumbing as they build anyway.    
Water supply will be from a rainwater tank (yet to be bought) filled from the roof, delivered by a 240v pressure pump via a filter. The pump & filter will be close to the tank, & water delivered to the shed via black rural poly pipe buried around the perimeter of the shed.  Hot water will likely be from an instant gas hot water heater. Toilet will be a waterless composting/dessicating one. Internal plumbing will be limited to along just one wall so hopefully will be relatively simple. 
Cuppa

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## OBBob

Interesting project! Welcome.

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## Cuppa

Hi folks, I thought I might post a report on my project, if for no other reason than writing_ myself_ a summary of what I’ve done to date. 
The shed build was completed in May & I’ve done a reasonable amount since then, but as yet have not commenced building the ‘Granny flat’ inside it. Design of the granny flat has changed to reduce ceiling span of the living room/kitchen. .  
I decided that the first priority should be to complete all of the ‘outside stuff’ before the ground became too wet for truck access. First thing was to construct a pad for a pair of 5000 gallon water tanks & once delivered to connect the stormwater pipes (including 4 separate first flush diverters) to them. The ground here is a mix of clay & quartz only a couple of inches under the top soil making burying the ‘charged’ system damned hard work.  Once completed (& painted to match the shed) the building inspector signed off on the construction.  
I hired a monster hydraulic trencher & cut a regulation depth trench from house to shed (about 60 metres) into which the electrician ran 16mm2 cables inside conduit through to a distribution board (with RCD protection) inside the shed. Whilst he was at it the entire house distribution board was brought up to modern standards.  
Next was getting a local earthmover (same chap who levelled the site for the slab) to lay a driveway, using his digger, bobcat & roller. Whilst he was here I had him dig a trench for grey water soakage & a deep hole for composting toilet (dessicating/urine separating type) contents disposal. Pipes were laid including a grease trap.  
Then there was the fencing. 200 metres of hinge joint wire fence with two lines of barbed wire above + 3 x 14’ farm gates and a smaller timber gate I made. I hired a hydraulic post hole digger, even that struggled to get down to the depth I wanted for the gate hanging posts. Fencing took me a couple of weeks as it was all done manually with shovel & crowbar (& my arm muscles certainly knew it!). To strain the multiple short runs of hinge joint fence I made a strainer out of two lengths of hardwood, a number of bolts & a lenth of heavy duty chain. An old ‘come-along’ obtained at a clearing sale years ago hooked up to my strategically placed car provided the pulling power needed. End result was quite pleasing. 
I decided to install the water pump inside the shed rather than in an external pump house. That way it is more secure against theft whilst we are away travelling, & it also allows for the water to be distributed inside the shed rather than outside around the perimeter. This will make it easier to access if required & less prone to freezing. (We had a minus 6 deg.C moring this winter).  The pump is housed inside it’s own cupboard (together with filter) to reduce noise. Pipe access from outside to inside the shed was neatly achieved using tank fittings through the cladding. A small small leaking problem was easily rectified after I realised I’d ommitted to use any sealant tape on one joint. Thank goodness I considered the need to dismantle things when planning it! Water pump was an eBay bargain. A brand new $700 DAB pump scored for $160.  :Smilie:  
As you might imagine everything to date has involved a wide variety of tools....... all of which were in my old workshop. When thinking about ‘what next’ the answer was a no-brainer. Walking between sheds numerous times for every task, & having tools laying around on the floor in piles, never being able to find what I wanted was wearing *very* thin. So establishing the new workshop became the priority. 
First thing was to build a workbench - 6 metres long - using non structural 90 x 45 pine & yellow tongue floor sheeting, with 12mm ply backboard. First time I’d done any woodwork for a few years so it was a goodproject to get my handback in before commencing the granny flat build. It came up pretty good & is solid . I did however make the mistake of making it only 600mm deep. 800mmwould have been better, but it’s still better than anything I’ve had before. Under bench storage will eventually include a second shelf & doors, but for now a few cheap plastic bins suffice.  
I have always looked enviously at folks storage when they use pallet racking, but had thought it too expensive. However the desire not to waste the potential storage space up the 3.8metre high walls saw me spending more time on eBay. Eventually I scored what Ithink was another bargain. Two lots of racks to fill 3 metre bays & 3 metres high  with 4 shelves each for $325.  Admittedly they were pretty ’secondhand & in need of a bit of straightening/adjusting, but they came good, & once dynabolted to the slab they are rock solid.  
An old desk has been given a new lease of life. By adding some additional frame work to it I was able to add caster wheels (with brakes) making it very mobile (It’s such a joy having a smooth concrete surface, beats the dirt/gravel/goat dung floor I had been used to for years). This mobile work bench has an added shelf on top of it at the same height as the platform of my drop saw, so much more stable than the cheap chinese roller stands I bought.  
A local sunday market turned up an old cast iron umbrella stand for $15 with a vertical pipe to slip the umbrella into. Replacing this pipe with a thicker walled but same OD piece of pipe of suitable height & a $10 piece of plate I welded to it’s top resulted in a good bench grinder stand for little outlay. Also dynabolted to the floor.  
Having to stop work due to lack of light & running anthing electrical from a single extension cord meant power & light needed to be addressed. I ran the cables, superised by a sparkie, who then did the connections. Cables were run inside the girts & covered with 100mm strips of melamine faced chipboard. Multiple power points were installed, all with plastic box thingies behind them. One 10 amp circuit & one 15 amp circuit (with just one outlet). More will be added for the granny flat. All circuits have individual RCD protection.   Lighting is fluorescent, another eBay buy. $22 per double T5 batten with lectronic ballast & diffuser. These were left overs from a government scheme aimed at getting industry to switch from T8’s to T5’s, direct from the manufacturer. I wasn’t sure if 12 of them would be sufficient with the height of the shed, but have been pleasantly surprised at how good they are. 10 provide general lighting + 2 directly over the work bench. Hired a scissor lift for a weekend to put them up with the electrician.  
Lastly is the current task, installing the cold water distribution system. So far this is restricted to 3 garden taps, pipes inside, taps outside, all done with 20mm ‘push in’ pex pipe.  I’ve used a 50m roll of pipe, but wish I’d bought a couple of 5 metre lengths too, mainly because the 5 metre lengths are straight, unlike the coil which has curves with a mind of it’s own. Cold water supply pipe is in place for the ‘house’. Hot water will be from a plumber installed LPG instantaneous water heater. 16mm pex will be tapped off the main supply line for Kitchen, shower, hand basin & laundry.  
Some pics which hopefully will flesh out some of above descriptions or at least give some added interest.

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## OBBob

Nice work. Shelving looks good ... it'd be tough to make it for that price.

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## Cuppa

> Nice work. Shelving looks good ... it'd be tough to make it for that price.

  Ta. Yep you’re not wrong! I was quite taken aback by the cost of having to buy the materials to build the work bench. It all seemed to add up very quickly, especially when for the past 20 years I had a virtually free supply of timber (Cypress & Radiata pine) milled off our previous bush property & a nearby small hardwood mill with prices in slabs of beer.

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## Uncle Bob

That's a fantastic [S]Shed[/S] [S]workshop[/S] factory  :Smilie: 
Nice job on the bench and dexion too.

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## Cuppa

After a bit of a hiatus the project is about to take another step forward. After researching prices for timber to build the dwelling I ended up going with a small local company who's primary business is designing & building prefabricated trusses & stud walls. They matched the average price I was quoted elsewhere, but gave significant added value by designing the structure for me based upon my drawings for no extra cost. The walls are made up of 21 separate 'panels' which I will build. Each panel has a separate fully dimensioned plan. The whole process has saved me money on material costs & more importantly saved me endless headaches about a variety of construction details. The ceiling/mezzanine floor will be constructed using Hyjoist I-beams (300 x 63) at 450 centres. Materials due to be delivered tomorrow. Feeling a tad excited.

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## OBBob

The timber I beams should be good ... easy to work with.

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## phild01

I can feel the excitement :Smilie:

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## Uncle Bob

Looking forward to some more pictures Cuppa!

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## PlatypusGardens

I'm drooling all over my iPad looking at the pics

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## goldie1

Wow   now thats a shed   :2thumbsup:

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## Cuppa

Made a start with the framing. Using the sarking on the outside of the timber frame (silver on both sides with the shiniest side facing out) is more about keeping out the radiant heat from sun on the shed walls than keeping heat in - makes a huge difference. It also gives something for the wall batts to sit against, maintaining a gap between stud wall & shed wall. However having the sarking up is problematic as it makes access to the shed walls impossible which potentially makes installation of through wall pipes etc difficult, hence some panels being left without sarking for the time being. Building around the shed columns, whilst making best use of space, has made everything from marking out on the floor to ensuring there are surfaces to attach gyprock to, much more difficult & time consuming. Nevertheless Im quite enjoying the job which seems to be getting a bit easier with each panel.   A pic from my phone.

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## Cuppa

A little more progress. Cutting & nailing timbers together is quite easy, ensuring it is all plumb & square a little less so, although to date Ive only needed to make one rectification, luckily realised before an error had compounded. A few mms out in one spot could result in a big problem 10 metres away, when things need to be precise to fit together. Marking out, squaring up &installing plumb & square represents about 80% of the time spent on each panel. A shame that trees dont grow true & straight! 
A dangerous man with a gun in his hand!

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## Uncle Bob

:2thumbsup:

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## OBBob

> Marking out, squaring up &installing plumb & square represents about 80% of the time spent on each panel. A shame that trees don’t grow true & straight!

  It takes a long time when you have to double check. You are lucky to be working in a shed with a solid flat surface to work on though.  :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

> lucky to be working in a shed with a solid flat surface to work on though.

  Yeh *sigh* I really need to rip my workbench out and re-level it....

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## Cuppa

Another milestone reached.  All the wall framing is now complete. Yay! 
All up the framing took me about a month, I expect a chippie with an offsider might have had it done in a quarter of that time, but being a first timer it fitted with expectations I had of myself.     
Standing in the kitchen/diner/living room. Bedroom to the left. Corridor to the right leads to the laundry past the bathroom toilet. That’s it. Compact, but after long periods living on the road in a 4wd & Tvan I assure you it will seem palatial! Note the LVL beam above left. Two 360 x 45’s vertical nailed together (with ‘a lot’ of nails whilst on the ground). I was pretty heavy, so I had a couple of people help me put it up. It was very pleasing when it dropped into place, fitting like a glove with just a light tap with a club hammer needed to fully seat it. On the end you can see it just sits on a ledge 60mm below the upper surface of the top ledge. A triangular bracket behind it holds it in place. At the other end the top plate is ’slotted’, so it is supported on both sides, but also has a triangular bracket holding it.  It is supported by two f17 studs at each end in addition to the pine studs attached to them.   
So has anyone noticed my big stuff up yet?  :Smilie:   What you are looking at is post rectification which involved addition rather than pulling an entire section of frame down & starting again.  
Working out this sort of stuff as I built took a fair amount of time & head scratching. It finally dawned on me that I really needed to buy the shower base & toilet first, in order to know where waste pipes had to run. This pipe which will take waste water from the kitchen sink, the shower, the bathroom hand basin & the toilet runs most of it’s length between the stud frame & the shed wall (in the space created by the width of the top hat girts). Yes you read correctly, from the toilet - that is what the black hose fitting on the tee is for. The toilet is a ‘waterless urine separating toilet’. Urine will go into the grey water (and to a dispersal trench - aggi pipe buried in gravel) whilst the ‘solids are desiccated (dried by a fan which runs 24/7, which also deals with any odours).  Details of the toilet (which we got last week are here. At under $1500 it was way cheaper than installing a septic system. We have a deep, covered pit to empty the contents into about once a month. The pit, if it ever fills, will one day be a good place to plant a tree.   
The ‘cost’ of running the waste pipe inside the shed rather than outside is that the shower will need to be built on a platform with a step to access the shower, but height will be kept to a minimum with the use of a Hepvo waterless valve in place of a P trap. Running the waste outside was problematic due to the position of stormwater pipes.  However the ‘platform’ will run the full width of one end of the bathroom, so the step up/down won’t be directly into/out of the shower. 
Other water pipes are in place, I used push in type pex pipe fittings. The plumber who will be installing our gas water heater sucked air in through his teeth, claiming that crimped pex fittings are far more reliable. I hope what I’ve got will be ok though, I’ve used similar in the bus I converted to a motorhome, & in our 4wd & it’s stood up to the mobile environment without problem. 
I still hate plumbing though.  
Ok, it feels like I’ve come a long way, but the journey ahead is still a long one. Next week all the Hyjoists will be delivered so putting them up is the next task. They are all 300 x 63 @3900. (Hence the reason for that LVL beam being set 60mm below the top of the top wall plate).  
Cuppa

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## OBBob

Nice work... a step up shower can be made to be quite nice. We rented a loft apartment on a holiday that had an elevated shower and it worked quite nicely in that modern setting.

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## Uncle Bob

Looks like the Tee to the shower waste is on backwards. Was that glue getting to you?  :Wink:

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## Cuppa

> Looks like the Tee to the shower waste is on backwards. Was that glue getting to you?

  The tee for the shower is not in the pic. I think you’re having a lend of me.  :Smilie:  
Did you pick my framing cock up?

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## Uncle Bob

> The tee for the shower is not in the pic. I think you’re having a lend of me.

  I'll just go back in my box  :Smilie:

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## Uncle Bob

> Did you pick my framing cock up?

  Now you mention it, yep  :Wink:

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## Cuppa

> Now you mention it, yep

  Creative eh?

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## Moondog55

If it can be fixed/remediated/repaired it isn't a cock-up just a hiccup
A cock-up needs a complete demolition and rebuild

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## Cuppa

> If it can be fixed/remediated/repaired it isn't a cock-up just a hiccup
> A cock-up needs a complete demolition and rebuild

  Good point. I can’t take credit though. I was thinking demolition & re-building was the option I was looking at, but the (slightly modified) remediation was suggested by my goodwife. I could have hugged her ....... actually I did.

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## joynz

> Creative eh?

  For those of us who are still wondering, what was the 'stuff up'?

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## Spottiswoode

+1 
looks fine to me, especially compared to the work that I've done using about four different types of timber from two suppliers and recovered from the demolition of renovation and original house.

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## Cuppa

> For those of us who are still wondering, what was the 'stuff up'?

  Note the amount of timber around the right hand door opening. After putting the frame section up I suddenly realised that the door was not in the right place & would not line up with the corridor wall. I had built the joining section (the part with blocks) on the wrong side of a marked line & then worked off that for the other side of the frame too. All was ‘moved’ sideways leaving the incorrect parts in place. On the LH side of the frame a stud was cut out & a new one put in, & the door header framework extended.

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## goldie1

Thats not a stuff up thats a work of art     :Smilie:

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## Oldsaltoz

Hi Cuppa,
Good to see the progress being made and the pictures, more please. 
I'm confused, did you install one of those robot vacuum cleaners? 
I don't think I have ever a floor so clean on a construction site. 
Good luck and fair winds.   :Smilie:

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## Cuppa

> I'm confused, did you install one of those robot vacuum cleaners?

  LOL.  :Biggrin:  
You should have seen it a few hours earlier. Crap everywhere,  & tools spread all over the entire shed floor. Walking around stuff. Stepping over stuff.   You know, the perfectly normal workspace! 
I decided that the completion of the walls was a reasonable marker for a clean up, which coincided with the frequency of  the where the f*** did I put that tool experience having increased to the point where I was spending as much time looking for the tool Id had in my hand only minutes earlier as I was using it. Picture me wandering around calling tools (as though they would somehow make their presence known to me!). Hammer, hammer , come on hammer, I know youre here somewhere.   Ha ha. 
More pics will follow as I progress...... they are also a good motivator to clean up now & again.

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## Moondog55

I would put another trimmer on that myself; even if that does mean loosing 45mm of height
Until you pointed it out tho I never saw it

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## phild01

You could trim it under but maybe remove and re-do it, won't be much work.  The top-plate will be your only stress member to take load, may need to take that into account for whatever goes on top.

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## Cuppa

Do you think change is necessary if it’s not a load bearing wall?

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## phild01

> Do you think change is necessary if it’s not a load bearing wall?

  Nah, only consideration is if you need to stiffen/straighten it up for what goes onto it.
A gang nail plate under may be all it needs if anything.

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## Cuppa

Ta. It’ll only be holding plaster, & the door ‘casing’ & I can happily swing on it with my full weight, but seeings I’ve got some gang nail plates it won’t harm to wack one up.

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## Uncle Bob

Hi Cuppa, just an idea, if you haven't already thought about it  :Wink: 
Maybe you could "beef up" the ceiling joists and have a storage area up there.

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## Cuppa

Hi UB, I’m currently waiting on delivery (which is why I’m sitting at the computer rather than working in the shed) of 300 x 63 Hyjoists. It _will_ be a ‘mezzanine’ storage area. 
The joists will be running in the same direction as the wall with the altered doorway & hopefully joist & wall won’t meet.

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## RONCA

Hi Cuppa,
 Having just finished our extensions,I was reminded to put in at least one large door entrance to enable access for a wheel chair if necessary. Not wanting to see you use it, but you never know.  
RONCA

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## Cecile

> Hi Cuppa,
>  Having just finished our extensions,I was reminded to put in at least one large door entrance to enable access for a wheel chair if necessary. Not wanting to see you use it, but you never know.  
> RONCA

  Along these same lines, I highly recommend you add in noggings everywhere you might want to put in a disability handrail in your bathroom(s.)  In fact, everywhere we have screwed a shelf, shower curtain rail, wall mounted light fitting or wall hung anything we added in noggings to screw to.  Makes a hell of a difference attaching things, and you never need a "four inch stud finder" and "stud finder application device." 
We are rather envious of your "shed."  Great build going on there.

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## Cuppa

Good ideas. Probably a bit late for a wider wheelchair accessible door, but putting in extra noggins is something I’l do.  
The Hyjoists were delivered & I’m half way through putting them up. I reckon I’ve been up & down a ladder at least 300 times today!

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## David.Elliott

Stumbled across this guy last week. There's actually quite a bit of takeaway from watching him do everything with the minimum of walking around. The one on framing roofs is good too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-mS76qjI0g

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## Cuppa

> Stumbled across this guy last week. There's actually quite a bit of takeaway from watching him do everything with the minimum of walking around. The one on framing roofs is good too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-mS76qjI0g

  Thanks, have bookmarked it to watch later.

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## Cuppa

The joists are up, fixed & blocked & temporary bracing attached until the flooring goes down on the roof. All reasonably plumb & parallel. I suspect I made a bit of a meal out of the blocking. Im not sure but am guessing that professionals would add the blocking & bracing as they put the joist up using pre-cut, all the same size blocks. I nailed all the joists up & then put the blocks in after, meaning I had to measure each one individually to get a good fit. Despite all my measuring  when nailing the joists up I had variations of up to 5mm between them. Im hoping that Ive avoided the problem of the yellow tongue flooring not meeting up on a joist, a result of creepage, by doing all my measuring in 1800mm sections, so if I was a bit out at 1800, it didnt compound further as I worked my way along. Fingers crossed on that one.  
One thing Ive been a bit stressed by, but have now decided not to worry about cos theres not a lot I can do about it is that the joists which were supposed to all line up directly above studs dont. I hadnt fully appreciated that the design, using a single top wall plate , was the reason for them supposed to line up. However without any second storey or roof loads & only storing lightweight stuff up there (light enough for e to get it up there) I reckon itll be OK. When I get some more timber Ill put some extra noggins directly under the top plate where the joists are more than 2 or 3 inches from a stud   
[img]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5686/23168191560_089ae2f21c_b.jpg[/img

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## phild01

Looking good.
Just in case you haven't laid yellow tongue type flooring before, have a sledge hammer handy to tap the sheets fully shut.  Use a block though.

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## Cuppa

> Looking good.
> Just in case you haven't laid yellow tongue type flooring before, have a sledge hammer handy to tap the sheets fully shut.  Use a block though.

  Will do, but likely to be quite a while yet. Lots to do before the flooring goes on.

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## phild01

Do you intend doing full insulation, lining the ceiling first would make this easier.

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## Cuppa

Yes, will be fully insulating. So I think running the power/lighting cables through the joists first, then puting up ceiling plaster, followed by insulation, followed by flooring is probably the right order. At some stage I’ll need to fit an extractor fan in the ceiling (for the shower) & an ‘insulated hole’ (drop box) for the wood heater flue to pass through the ceiling/flooring. I’m not sure if I should just put some noggins between joists in readiness for these holes, sheet over them & then cut the ceiling & flooring to suit when installing OR try to lay the flooring with holes pre cut. The former seems like a safer bet to me, but will mean being certain as to the positioning of the wood heater (which means I’ll have to buy one soon). Any thoughts on that part of the process?

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## Cuppa

Wow a couple of months since I last posted any pics!  December/January has been pretty slack, with the holiday period seeing very bitty progress. I worked out what I want to do with the shower & built the platform on which it will sit. The plan is to use signbond for two & half of the walls, with glass making up the other one & a half. No idea what the glass will cost but I guess it will be what it will be. If I can use a cheaper Bunnings style shower for the door & get a screen cut down to half size I will.  The couple of pics below dont really look that different to previously posted ones, but things have moved forward over the past week. My electrician is a great neighbour who is doing the installation for free, but of course this means that it happens when it fits in between his work & family commitments, but we are now almost finished the electrical rough in.  Ive roughed in all the plumbing & got it to a point which will allow a plumber to test his installation of a hws & am now waiting to reach a stage where one of the electrical circuits can be made live, so I can get the plumber in to install the LP gas hws. With that done Ill put in wall insulation to the walls along the shed walls & itll be time to do the plastering. This is as yet an uncertainty to me. A mate who worked most of his life as a plasterer said he would do it for me, but Im unsure how realistic it is to hold him to this due to his health issues (& living 5 hours away). If he is unable to do it, & I dont really want to ask until Im ready to go, then I suppose Ill have a go at it myself, with my wife helping (once shes recovered from the knee surgery shes having in two weeks time). I think if I do do it, I might see if its viable for me to put up the wall sheets & then pay someone local to do all the stopping & put up the ceiling sheets.  
Anyway heres a couple of pics showing bits of wood, bits of plastic & electrical wires. The keen eyed among you may have noticed the Hepvo waterless trap underneath the shower. I hope they are as good as they tell you, it helped to keep the height of the platform down, & will be easily accessible should it need cleaning out in the future. 
Cuppa

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## METRIX

> . I think if I do do it, I might see if it’s viable for me to put up the wall sheets & then pay someone local to do all the ‘stopping & put up the ceiling sheets.

  That's a smart idea, doing it yourself will be time consuming and provide a sub standard job compared to the pro's. 
We commonly hang the sheets and get the guys in to set it.
This is what I am currently doing in my own place, it's mostly double brick and all being covered in gyprock, we are using the direct stick method, and they guys come around and set it, direct stick is so easy to put up.

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## Cecile

Since you are still at the frame stage, now is the time to put noggins in the walls for attaching stuff.  In the bathroom for example, for towel rails and toilet roll holders.   
As you have put the shower on a platform, a handrail is a good idea.  You don't want to be slipping on wet tiles as you go back down the stairs.  Future proofing as well for when you get older, noggins for attaching disability handrails down the track.

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## Cuppa

Thanks Cecile, I took note of when you told me the same thing previously & have followed your advice already.   :Smilie:

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## Cecile

> Thanks Cecile, I took note of when you told me the same thing previously & have followed your advice already.

   :Oops:  
I must be getting old.  I can't remember what I have said, or to whom.

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## Cuppa

Better to say it twice than not at all. I knew someone had made the suggestion ‘cos I’d followed up on it, so looked back & found it was your goodself. Made me smile ‘cos it reminded me of me.  :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

I'll go put the kettle on

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## Cuppa

Black & two thanks .............................. IIRC.

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## Uncle Bob

Hi Cuppa, looking good there mate.
Just a hint/idea regarding showers.
If you can fully enclose them, they make you feel warmer in them and also it helps keep the steam down.

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## METRIX

That's one hell of a BIG sink for one bowl, Waiting for Marc to come along  :Rolleyes:

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## Cuppa

> That's one hell of a BIG sink for one bowl, Waiting for Marc to come along

  T’was what I was told to get by  SWWUMOTN (She who washes up more often than not).  Not being subscribers to the dishwasher age plenty of draining board space is required....... something a lot of ‘young’ens might not appreciate. 
Give your best shot Marc.  :Smilie:

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## Black Cat

'tis true - if you don't have a dishwasher then you need a place to stack the rinsed dishes and a place to put the washed dishes as they drain (or till himindoors arrives with the teatowel). Me? I bought a dishwasher - problem solved and more counter space. Use the laundry trough for the bit pots - much easier.

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## PlatypusGardens

Anything happening here? 
Hope he didn't build himself in to a corner..... :Unsure:

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## Cuppa

Strewth a month has passed - doesn't time fly!   _Some_ progress.  :Smilie: 
All the electricity is roughed in. I had hoped that the 'supervising electrician', my next door neighbour, would help me draw out a 'map', & that I would then run all the cables, with him checking & doing the final connections. It didn't work quite like that. He insisted on doing all the work himself with me acting as his 'TA'. Very generous of him. This was done over several evenings. Basically I opted for two power circuits & one lighting circuit. Interestingly instead of running actives to the lights & then running the switch cable down to the switches, he did the opposite & ran the actives to the switches & then the switch cables up to the lights (I think I've described that correctly). His comment was that "it uses slightly more copper but means less overhead work'.   I am making extensive use of LED downlights, installed in groups, but each with it's own power point. Remote control will allow both dimming & stepless change of colour from 2700k (warm white) through to 6000k (harsh white). I've tested a couple & they work well. Remote control allows control of up to 4 groups of 10 lights.   
Prior to having a plumber install the instant gas HWS I needed an external power point, so we took steps to temporarily liven one power circuit for this purpose. I completed the install of all of the plumbing so all the plumber needed to do was install a 3/4" gas supply from the single 45kg LP cylinder I had put in place & to connect copper between the hot water heater & the pex pipes I'd put in. It was quite a relief when he pressure tested all this & no leaks found. Whilst there I had him tee off a 1/2" copper pipe to what will be the kitchen area, which is capped off. We are intending to use an induction cooktop, but thought a gas supply in case we ever decide to switch to a gas cooktop was wise.  The amount of his bill was, I thought, gobsmackingly high, but when I asked around others seemed to consider his pricing to be around, or even less than what they would have expected. I know folk have to make a living, but for something I could have done myself for around one sixth the cost it seemed a lot, but that's the cost of getting a compliance certificate to keep insurance companies happy. 
Putting in some wall insulation has changed the way things look.   
My mate the ex-plasterer's health has deteriorated & he is not going to be able to help me out, so today I'll be phoning a few plasterers to arrange some quotes. In order to put up the wall sheets myself I need the assistance of my wife, but recent knee surgery means that wont be possible for at least another month, so I'll ask for quotes for a plasterer to do the whole job with me assisting.  
I'll post a couple of progress pics later this morning after I've taken some.  :Smilie:

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## Cuppa

Lots of wires.  Included in the lighting are 2 lots of 2 way lighting, 1 lot of 3 way lighting, & 4 separate groups of downlights in what will be the kitchen/living room.   
Provision for downlight. MDF covers above where the lights to maintain an air space around each light when insulation batts are installed. Decided to keep the power points loose rather than attaching to rafters to make later access easier. Each power point has an extra cable tie to ensure pulling on the cable does not pull the wires in its connections. The fixed power point on the right is for an extractor fan - larger hole in ceiling - easier access. No access from above once floor is laid.    
Looks different with some insulation filling the frame     
Hot water service & gas installed.       
Im thinking that I will line the external walls (facing into the shed) with 3mm melamine faced MDF or ply over reflective foil & insulation batts. Most of the interior will be gyprocked, but on two walls which will be lined with cupboards (bedroom & the outer wall in this pic) will probably use the same as on the outside. A bit more expensive per sheet, but I wont need to pay anyone to put it up.

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## phild01

Did you have that cowling under the HWS especially made?

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## Cuppa

No, I bought it online, its a Rinnai accessory. Buy Rinnai Pipe Cover for Infinity 16, 20 & 26 Hot Water Units Online Australia - Cheap Prices   A bit pricy for what it is (that link has the cheapest price I found), but it looks tidier & also looks a bit less vulnerable to theft (even though it isnt) which was a consideration given that we expect to be absent for long periods of time. 
Front cover just lifts off.  
The plumber inadvertently threw the covers bottom mounting bracket out with the box & his apprentice left the cover just hanging on two screws at an angle, which looked crap, so I added a couple more screws & made a couple of brackets from aluminium angle to square it up to the heater.

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## phild01

> No, I bought it online, it’s a Rinnai accessory. Buy Rinnai Pipe Cover for Infinity 16, 20 & 26 Hot Water Units Online Australia - Cheap Prices   A bit pricy for what it is (that link has the cheapest price I found), but it looks tidier & also looks a bit less vulnerable to theft (even though it isn’t) which was a consideration given that we expect to be absent for long periods of time. 
> Front cover just lifts off.  
> The plumber inadvertently threw the cover’s bottom mounting bracket out with the box & his apprentice left the cover just hanging on two screws at an angle, which looked crap, so I added a couple more screws & made a couple of brackets from aluminium angle to square it up to the heater.

  Agree, a bit pricey but good to know, have the same infinity 20.

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## PlatypusGardens

Good stuff!   :Smilie:

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## Cuppa

The gyprock is up!  A couple of internal walls still to be clad but they will be lined with 3mm melamine faced mdf as they will have cupboards built on to them. Same will be used to clad the exterior. 
Turned out that me helping a plasterer to hang the sheets wasn't going to save much cash, so he did the the whole job. Ended up getting quotes from two, a third one didn't show up. First was a younger bloke who mainly works in new housing estates. He subs out to hanging crews to put the sheets up & then does the stopping & sanding himself. Second was a 60 year old chap who's been a plasterer all his working life & seemed less phased by the couple of odd angles I'd built. I wanted to use the second bloke so was pleased when his quote was around $1000 less. Had to wait a few weeks for him to be able to do it, the first chap was going to be a 'fit it in at weekends' & I could see a potential for it to drag on if his priorities changed. 
I reckon my choice was good. 4 blokes had all the walls & ceilings up in 2 days, & the boss has been back this morning to sand. I'd asked for some extra pieces of sheet /blue board for a short wall I'll build around the shower once the rear of the shower 'cubicle' is in, & some lengths of cornice to go along the top of the cupboards when I've built them.  This morning he offered to come back & put them up for me when I'm ready for no extra charge!  I'd have to say that the experience of hiring a plasterer compared to getting the gas plumber in has been like chalk & cheese.  The plumber gave no fixed quote, & whilst doing a reasonable job, I was left feeling that I had paid through the nose for a job I could have done myself were it not for need to have it signed off. The plasterer has done what I think is an excellent job, certainly my wallet is lighter but I recognise that I could have spent a couple of months doing what they did in a couple of days, & it would have looked second rate. Not only that but I reckon I'd have hated doing it. Consequently, even though when I look around the 'new' rooms & don't see my work, I feel I got good value. 
From here on, I'm expecting that everything else will be my work, with one exception. I'll probably pay someone to install the flue for a wood stove, so I have the necessary piece of paper to satisfy insurance requirements. A mate in Queensland tells me this is not necessary up there, but here it's a licenced plumber job I think.  
I need to think about what order to do stuff in next. Thinking 1. cut holes for downlights, switches & powerpoints, 2. paint ceiling 3. Build cupboards/wardrobes (including lining the walls) 4. Install most of the waterproof shower walls, & then build the short front wall (which will have an extension of the laminex bench along it's top & a glass screen will sit on this). 5. Get the plasterer back to finish off.    
After that -> I'll think about that closer to the time!  :Smilie:  
Looks so different with the walls & ceilings filled in.    
I had always known that with south facing windows that the living room/kitchen could be dark, but when the sheets went up on the first day it was worse than I'd expected. However on day two, when there was some white on the walls from the stopping it made quite a difference. I now think that it's possible we won't need lights on all the time, once the walls & ceilings are painted with a light colour.
With the cornice (or is it cove? - can never remeber which is Aussie & which is Pommie vernacular) on it, the two 360x45 LVL beams I vertically laminated are less noticeable than I thought they might be.      
Despite the large window into the shed, the bedroom will be relatively dark, but that's ok, it's only for sleeping.   
Needn't have worried about my 'odd' corner, it came up really well I think.     
The very obtuse angle further along the corridor also came up well (see top photo).  On the outside the sheets were chamfered on their back edge & plenty of glue used to mount them. The narrow gap was then stopped without tape. On the inside a single sheet was cut at the back & hung with the front face unbroken. I was impressed with that. 
All for now.  :Smilie:

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## phild01

It's a great feeling when the sheeting gets done.
BTW, they are cornices... unless you are in the US, apparently they call them crown mouldings!

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## METRIX

> unless you are in the US, apparently they call them crown mouldings!

  Crown mouldings are typically made from Timber, we adopted the European system which was plaster, nowadays it's cardboard clad plaster, quick and cheap like most things. 
Also the Yanks call Skirting Baseboards !!!

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## Spottiswoode

And I've heard them talking about backsplash installs in the kitchen during some of their dodgy renovation to shows.

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## METRIX

Bib or Bibcock, - outdoor tap 
Carriage - stringer 
Cistern - rain water tank !! 
Door Buck - is the opening left in a frame for a door jamb 
Downspout - downpipe 
Dry Wall - Plaster or gyprock 
Jalousies - wooed shutters  
Plenum - Bulkhead 
Scuttle Hole - Man hole 
And a heap of other weird words

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## OBBob

Then there are the tools... chop saw, etc.

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## PlatypusGardens

> Bib or Bibcock, - outdoor tap 
> Carriage - stringer 
> Cistern - rain water tank !! 
> Door Buck - is the opening left in a frame for a door jamb 
> Downspout - downpipe 
> Dry Wall - Plaster or gyprock 
> Jalousies - wooed shutters  
> Plenum - Bulkhead 
> Scuttle Hole - Man hole 
> And a heap of other weird words

  
My fav is "sod" for turf   :Rofl:    
Mind you...I find lots of Aussie expressions funny as well.
Took me years before I could say "whippersnipper" with a straight face.  
And "witches hat"   :Rofl5:

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## OBBob

Cocky's gate...

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## Moondog55

White ceilings will brighten things up a lot; as will paler paint colours.
What odd corner? It's an outstanding design feature and looks great
Still not jealous of the house but I want your shed ROFL

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## Cuppa

> Mind you...I find lots of Aussie expressions funny as well.
> Took me years before I could say "whippersnipper" with a straight face.

  Yeah I reckon that's a good'un.  I knew I'd become true blue when 'Lorry' & 'Flip-flops' sounded silly.

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## fredgassit

And they pronounce solder as "sod her"!

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## PlatypusGardens

> Yeah I reckon that's a good'un.  I knew I'd become true blue when 'Lorry' & 'Flip-flops' sounded silly.

  
Haha so true. 
I still think _strimmer_ is a good word though    :Wink:

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## Cuppa

I expect you thought I'd forgotten you?  Nope I'm back again with another 'photo bomb'' of where I'm up to. I'm still pottering onward with the project but reached a milestone yesterday when the power & lights to the dwelling were able to be switched on for the first time.  
First up the 'upper floor/roof' of the dwelling. I got into this after the sparkie had put all the necessaries in for the lighting & fans. Getting 3600 x 900 yellowtongue sheets up on top was hard for us (my wife & I). Anyone who's moved them around will know how heavy each sheet is & with neither of us particularly strong & muscular, & both pushing 60 it was a major exercise achieved by utilising a ladder as a slide to push them up one at a time, & a 'chock'made to fit between the rungs of the ladder to hold the sheet part way up so's I could get up another ladder to then pull the sheet past it's tipping point, trying hard to stay on top of the rafters &not put a foot through the plaster ceiling. Actually our little system, whilst time consuming, worked quite well once we knew what we were doing. 
Anyway the floor is now glued & nailed down (except for the sides along the shed wall which are only screwed down to allow access to wirig, junction boxes, water pipes etc). I used standard liquid nails, 1 tube per sheet (in a Makita battery powered caulking gun I treated myself to).  
Looking toward the rear of the shed  
Looking toward the front of the shed  
On the outside walls which face into the shed I am almost finished lining them with 3mm melamine faced MDF.  I've also used this on a couple of interior walls which will have full height cupboards along them. It's flimsy stuff, but will do the job to hold the insulation in place, whilst being easy to clean now & then. I used it because it was cheap & because a neighbour showed me the office he had put up in his shed using it several years ago. I got a bit of a bargain with it too. Bunnings wanted $21 per sheet. Cheapest I found was on Ebay at $16 per sheet. Enquired at Bunnings Trade Centre locally & got it at trade price of $14 per sheet. I bought 30 sheets,  but discovered later they had given me 40 sheets!  My first attempt at putting it up was woeful, with crap results. I quickly learned that putting the sheets up vertically onto the studs & joining sheets between the studs wasn't the go. Grrrr. Thankfully his frst effort was for the back of the cupboards in the bedroom where it wont be seen, & where some horizontal timbers for shelving should sortit out to make it 'good enough'. After that all the sheets have been put on horizontally, & haven't come up too bad. Another husband & wife job that we've got better at as we've gone along.  
Outside - still in progress - will finish it this weekend  
Looking at the laundry. Cupboards will go were the melamine sheet is. Plaster on the rest.  
Same with the hallway. Parts where insulation is still showing will have plaster sheet put up - the plasterer is going put this up when he returns to put up the cornice along the top of the yet to be built cupboards.  
Peeking into the bathroom. Still not sure about the colour - wife wanted green - but it's up now so will see if I can live with it!  The shower wall is made from 'Signbond' (Aluminium composite panel) & I used some edging strip intended for plaster sheet on it after squeezing it together a bit more to accomodate the 3mm Signbond & 4.5mm cement sheet thickness, & then getting it powder coated. 
Bending the Signbond was nerve wracking, you only get one go at it, but I managed with help from a mate. I chose signbond as the mate had used it in his motorhome & found it very suitable as well as cheaper than most alternatives. However he had use 2400 x 1200 sheets which were reasonable at around $70. I needed a 3000 x2000  sheet which was $340! So cost wise no saving over the alternatives, but mate was off galivanting around the country in his motorhome & there was a deadline if I was going to get his assistance, so the order was made & the job got done the day before he took off. The third short side will go in after the plasterer has blue boarded the little wall. Glass above the wall.    
All the paint came from the local Dulux trade centre, which worked out to be a fair bit cheaper than Bunnings & they were good people to deal with. All surfaces had a sealer/primer & then two topcoats which had anti mould stuff added. Low sheen everywhere except for the bathroom which is semi gloss.  Architraves, skirting, window & door frames will be full gloss, but I'm thinking I'll use an oil based paint for them. I've used water based gloss previously & hated it, found it hard to get a reasonable finish.  (Feel free to comment  :Smilie:  ) 
These next couple of pics show the living room/kitchen area with the photos being taken with the camera on the same setting, just a few seconds apart to try to demonstrate the difference that the remote controlled colour changing LED downlights can make.  One shows the lights at 6000k (Daylight) & the other at 3500k I think (warm white). The adjustment between the two extrems is stepless. Not bad for 180 degree light spread downlights which cost $26 each & a remote controller which was $16!  A mate in NSW has had the same lights in his house for over two years now, loves them & has had zero reliability problems. I, my electrician & most importantly my wife are all very impressed with them.  If interested these are the lights on ebay. The seller will negotiate a bit on price & postage if you buy a few. 16W 180° Remote Control Dimming Light Colour Changeable LED Downlight KIT | eBay     
If you want to see a video of the colour being changed & dimming you can grab it from my dropbox at    https://www.dropbox.com/s/0ca4wgbl09..._8159.MOV?dl=0 
The rest of the photos are just more interior shots showing rooms from different perspectives. 
More of the living room    
Bedroom    
I expect that there are all sorts of bits & pieces I have ommitted to mention. I will look forward to any comments, critcisms or questions you might have.  
Cheers
Cuppa

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## phild01

Great stuff, those downlights seem good, do you think they get the yellow of a low wattage halogen?

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## OBBob

I thought you'd forgotten us! Interesting lights.

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## Moondog55

One of the best "Sheds" I've ever seen and I am truly jealous of all that above ceiling storage space
I do think you should put in some permanent stairway  access to it rather than using a ladder
Party space and you need some big music to fill it

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## Cuppa

> Great stuff, those downlights seem good, do you think they get the yellow of a low wattage halogen?

  At their yellow'est setting I'd say they are about the same as a halogen. Much better than other LEDs I've seen which are often too yellow or too white. The mate in NSW who has had them in his house for a while reckons after two years that the yellow _may_ have got a slightly yellow'er, but that it's not an issue as you can adjust them to what you want.  
We have a 'daylight' LED downlight in our kitchen in the house & it's not real pleasant, very bright, but one of those very harsh white lights. The lights in the pic of the hall/laundry in my previous post are a fixed colour, from the same seller, are also called 'daylight' but a 'softer' daylight & will be much easier to live with.

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## OBBob

So is the smart bit in the globe or the transformer? If the globe does go I assume you need to source a similar smart globe?

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## Cuppa

> One of the best "Sheds" I've ever seen and I am truly jealous of all that above ceiling storage space
> I do think you should put in some permanent stairway  access to it rather than using a ladder
> Party space and you need some big music to fill it

  Thanks. Yeah the original plan was to have stair access, but it would take up too much needed floor space. I might think about some sort of 'drop down' stairs down the track.

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## Cuppa

> So is the smart bit in the globe or the transformer? If the globe does go I assume you need to source a similar smart globe?

  That's a good question. The lights come complete with the transformer which says 'dimmable' on it, but I suspect that the colour changing 'smarts' are in the light itself. It works the same as wifi on RF @2.4Ghz. Pairing the remote control with groups of lights (max of 10 lights per group, & the remote can control 4 groups) is done simply by holding down a button when switching the lights on. Although the seller has been around a few years, with these in his product line it may pay to buy a few spares. Then again they should have a long life & replacement with something else would be easy if needed, as each light has it's own gpo above the ceiling.

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## OBBob

Yes, probably makes sense that it's in the globe... at least that would mean you could use a standard globe if it failed and you were tracking down a replacement.

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## Cuppa

> Yes, probably makes sense that it's in the globe... at least that would mean you could use a standard globe if it failed and you were tracking down a replacement.

  Just got an email back from the LED supplier. "_The colour change is controlled by the led driver, but the globe inside has 2 sets of led chips (1 set warm and 1 set cool white)._"

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## OBBob

Now you just need one of these and a mirror ball.   :Biggrin:    https://www.bunnings.com.au/mort-bay...emote_p4330904

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## boonce

> I ended up going with a small local company

  Hey Cuppa I really appreciate this thread, it's been very inspiring. 
I'm working on a similar project and was wondering if you'd be kind enough to share your design files for the wooden construction? I have no experience working with wooden rooms but have CAD experience so I'd be interested trying to emulate the work of professionals. 
Thanks so much for the pictures and advice it's been amazing so far and I look forward to every update!

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## NZC

I've been slowly trying convince my wife that building a house inside a shed is the way to go. I need a shed, she wants a new house, but can't do both.

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## phild01

A neighbourhood of big shed homes, I'm finding that very appealing :2thumbsup:

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## Cuppa

> Hey Cuppa I really appreciate this thread, it's been very inspiring. 
> I'm working on a similar project and was wondering if you'd be kind enough to share your design files for the wooden construction? I have no experience working with wooden rooms but have CAD experience so I'd be interested trying to emulate the work of professionals. 
> Thanks so much for the pictures and advice it's been amazing so far and I look forward to every update!

  Hi boonce, thanks.
Sorry about the delay in getting back to you, have only just seen your post.  I'm afraid I can't help you with design files, the pic you've shown was generated for me by the company I bought my timber from. When I was pricing timber one of the places I approached was a small company who build trusses & pre-fab walls for builders. Their timber price was on par with local timber suppliers, but the owner showed interest in my project & offered to put my basic design through their sophisticated computer  programmes for free if I bought the timber from him. It was a no-brainer!  As well as the 3d drawing, they provided me with fully dimensioned plans for every wall section (about 24 of them) with all timber sizing, bracing requirements etc. Included was a several meetings to pin down what I wanted. I ended up with a different sheet of paper for each wall section, had plenty of advice on putting them & the roof together, & they supplied all the timber, I beams, bracing etc at a very competitive price. I would have paid the same or more just for the materials from other suppliers, so not only did they take the headaches out of design, I also saved a fair bit by utilising their 'modern' design (eg. only a single top rail & studs lining up with the i beams)  & using 90 x 35 mainly rather than 90 x 45 timbers, plus the reassurance that the design is all 'to spec'. Essentially it was like building with lego on a larger scale.  :Smilie:  I think the owner fancied himself as a bit of a mentor & I was his pet project....... I struck lucky.   
Folks, I'm still 'plodding along' with the project, but have been laid up recently with a back injury. Wood heater is installed, some extra construction was done for cupboards I decided I wanted to be built in, & this has been plastered & painted & I'm part way through building the cupboards from scratch using 16mm melamine. 2 double door full height cupboards done & installed - 4 more to go including a corner one. A lot of work but cheaper than flat pack & of course (as long as I don't place a value on my time). I can also make them to fit my space (having failed to build the spaces to suit standard sizes).  :Smilie:   Hoping to get back into 'production' in the next few days. Bathroom has also had a bit more done. My 'unconventional use of signbond for the shower is now complete, & the shower man is expected later this week to finish it off by installing the glass.   I'll endeavour to post a few more pics later today.  
cheers
Cuppa

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## Cuppa

Right-o,  more pics.   
 Looking up the hall to the newly installed Nectre 15 wood stove (fire up for the first time)  & showing the newly plastered 'hob' wall which forms part of the shower.   
The  freshly plastered laundry 'alcove' which will house built in cupboards.   
This one is in the bedroom & will be a built in robe with sliding doors. If anyone has knowledge of and/or links to top hung rollers & channel products I can use please let me know. The only ones I've found so far are 'Robemaker' which appear to have limited widths. The full width will be 3.8 metres & I'm thinking I will probably use 4 doors which I'll make myself -  panel doors with thin ply infill rather than use melamine to try to keep their weight down (thoughts anyone?)    
Here is the first pair of cupboards I made to fit into the hallway alcove opposite the bathroom. Although I got laminate blades for both my hand held circular saw & for the saw in the Triton workbench, I'm mainly using the hand held as trying to maneouvre much of the material on the Triton by myself is just too unwieldy. I've tried using masking tape where cutting but it seems unnecessary. A single shallow scoring cut followed by a full cut seems to give acceptable results. To 'rip' the doors to width I used the Triton with my wife assisting, scoring one side & then turning over the material for the second full cut, after which I completed the edge banding with the iron on melamine which was easier than I thought it might be. Youtube is a wonderful teacher!  Had a few problems with the hinges which I eventually worked out had nothing to do with my drilling/hinge mounting. Problem was I'm using the hinges from some second had doors (I bought a job lot of 33 kitchen cabinet & pantry doors off ebay, way more than I'll need for the kitchen so their Blum hinges should come in useful I thought. I hadn't considered that hinges have a lifespan. Turns out that a number of the hinges are knackered, either not closing fully or making annoying clicks. I was quite pleased (after a couple of hours trying to make adjustments) that the loud clicking was not a result of my installation.  Fitting the made cupboards (minus the doors) - no removeable shelves here, into the alcove was quite an event. First was ok, second was very tight - made with about a 1 mm clearance vertically & 2mm along the top. Would you believe that having got it in (with no damage!) I realised I'd put it upside down. Doh! So out it came again,  again without sustaining any damage (very slowly & carefully) before putting it in as it was intended. Shelves are screwed in from the sides, bur with no back on the carcase, support across the width is provided by melamine 'noggins' at the back. I could have screwed up through the sheves into the 'noggins', & considered doing so if we couldn't get the cupboard back out, but this would have left the shelf spacing different to it's 'twin' with the larger space at the top instead of where we wanted it at the bottom. As it is I'm quite pleased with the final result (for a 'virgin' cupboard builder with no plan other than what was in my head!) . I'll see what Masters have in their 'firesale' for door handles.       
The corner cupboard to fit into the L shaped laundry 'alcove' might be a challenge. I think it may need to be built 'in situ' mainly, so will need to be done first to allow access to it's sides. Having checked out the bifold door we have in the corner of our underbench kitchen cupboards (in the house) I have decided that with a corner door 3 times higher it would not be a good design, destined to sag . Instead I think I'm going to try to use a similar design to this that I found on the 'net, but using the melamine.   
Whilst I was waiting for the plasterer & having just got the wood heater in I decided to build me a wood shelter using some old hardwood brick pallets which were piled up at the bottom of the garden when we moved here. Most of them needed repairs before they could be used, but there were plenty of 'donor' pallets.  Roof was from some leftovers kept when the shed was built. A few pieces of treated pine prettied it up to keep neighbours happy.       
Laundy sink (garage sale special) plumbed in. Will have tiles around the top (hence tap spout not yet fitted).   The upside down mixer tap is what you get when you purchase a shower tap without thinking it through!  A 'Cuppa special'.  Red hose is a temporary 'safety feature' to prevent accidental flooding were the washing machine tap to be knocked on. The water pump is quite powerful & pushes out a fair pressure.     
And finally a few bits & pieces done in the bathroom.   
The composting (urine separating) toilet is just sitting there at present, will be fitted (urine hose & vent pipe) after flooring is laid. To it's left the tap which will supply a 'mandi' - a ceramic pot will replace the plaster bucket.   (We intend trialling a cup/ladle of water to flush the urine section after each use rather than chemical blocks to prevent build up, & possible blockages, by uric acid crystals). 
Benchtop is supported by my first melamine effort, with one of the 'job lot' kitchen doors on it. It still needs 'false' sides adding to hide screw heads. The rear of one of these 'false sides will have a hinged section at the rear. The cupboard couldn't go right back to the wall because of the grey water/urine plumbing, but the space behind the cupboard will provide toilet roll storage.        
This last photo shows another 'Cuppa Special'.  I wanted to have the glass shower screen sitting on top of the benchtop so had to find a way of ensuring that water could not het into the particle board core of the benchtop. My solution was to cut the benchtop flush to the blueboard wall (with a router) & then to rout the rear of the signbond ( plastic core with a 0.2mm powder coated sheet of aluminium on each side.  I played around with a number of signbond offcuts until I was happy that I could do it without tearing the remaining aluminium face, & then bend it cleanly at 90 degrees to sit on top of the benchtop.  I found it was necessary to cut the sheet high, rout it & then use the superfluous height to give leverage to get a bend without the bent over part going (too) wavy. I did leave a very thin layer of plastic as going right down to the aluminium also resulted in 'waviness'. Even though I was only bending material of under half a millimetre it was surprisingly hard work to do it & get it fairly even. Overdo the bending process & the bend becomes a crack..... obviously not desirable.  Once done the panel was stuck in place in one go with Trex instant grab Powerbond, both on the wall & underneath the bend section. Thankfully it seems to have stuck ok to the gloss laminex surface ..... except one very short section. Silicon along the base of the glass frame will finish it off & stop any water getting in from splashes from the basin.

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## Uncle Bob

Looking good Cuppa! 
Plumb that urine right to the citrus trees and you'll be laughing. 
I really like the pallet shed, looks great I reckon!

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## Cuppa

My normally slow progress was slowed further by a couple of health issues (actually it ceased altogether for almost 6 weeks) but has now resumed. The shower glass has been fitted, & despite all my worries about using the Signbond unconventionally it has turned out as good as I hoped. Turning on the hot water in the shower for the first time revealed NO leaks (phew!) & the glass screen sits nicely on top of the section of Signbond I routed & bent over the Laminex to waterproof the bench top. I think it looks quite good. for what is essentially a budget shower in a shed.         
Further finishing touches need the floor coverings to be laid first.   Then came completing the the hall & Laundry cupboards. This turned out to be a real labour of love that Im bloody glad to have finished. Fitting them to walls not quite plumb & using 26 year old hinges from the job lot of kitchen cupboard doors I bought was the least of my problems. (Once I realised that about  30% of the hinges were knackered & that this was the cause of doors not fitting as expected I discarded them & I stopped beating myself up about being a useless door hanger!). Anyone with half a brain would have bought flat-pack cupboards, but not this little bunny! The issue was I had built the walls to enclose the cupboards to give maximum usage of the available space & what I hadnt done was to take into consideration the standard sizes that flat-pack furniture is available in, so of course they all needed to be custom built from sheet material. In addition to all the necessary double cutting  to avoid the melamine chipping & looking awful, & the ironing on of edging strips I quickly learned that the material is pretty heavy, making manipulating  the sheets & finished cupboards unwieldy & hard work on my own. This proved to be a problem when part way through the first set of cupboards I ended up with a slipped disc which combined with other health issues put me out of action. The results are good enough & Im now over the disappointment of them not being perfect.  :Biggrin:   Id like to say that thats it for melamine, but unfortunately not so, building the kitchen is next on the list. At least the kitchen cabinets will be smaller & easier for me to move around.           The hardest was the corner cabinet, built first & in situ because of its finished weight & because it made getting the shelves in easier. They rested in place prior to attaching the cupboard walls & ceiling. However the most difficult part was getting a square & clean finish on the cut away part of the shelves. Im not sure how others might usually achieve this. I used a hand circular saw & finished the last little bit on each one with a hacksaw. For all the cupboards I found it quite a challenge to get repetitive parts all exactly the same size using measurements. Cutting multiple parts together to ensure this wasnt conducive to getting a reasonably chip free finish on the melamine, & using the Triton workbench with material overhanging the table top at 90 degrees to the saw blade was too unwieldy. I used the Triton to rip the doors - one of the reasons for choosing double doors on each cupboard. Most other cutting was done with a hand held circular saw & occasional use of the router with a flush cutting bit to tidy up where needed.   And just to show those who commented on my shed being overly tidy in past photos, heres a shot of the more typical state of my working environment.  :Biggrin:  The trailer makes a reasonable workbench but bending over (because of its height) for long periods probably contributed to my back issue. The setup in the foreground is what I used for drilling the 36 hinge holes in the doors.

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## OBBob

Such a brilliant setup ... imagine not being able to sleep and just walk out your bedroom door and flick on the table saw for some 2am timber ripping.  :Smilie:

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## phild01

Still has me enthralled.

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## phild01

Does it get hot in there though?

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## Cuppa

> Does it get hot in there though?

  Living in an oven was something I was pretty keen to avoid! 
A shed is a shed, so it can get warmish in summer,  but the roof insulation  helps & the height reduces radiant heat at floor level. It's a lot warmer up on the mezzanine floor than down in the shed. Our other old shed which has no insulation & an almost flat roof at about 3 metres is an oven in comparison.  
Inside the the dwelling section it is noticeably cooler than out in the shed. Last summer on really hot days, inside the the dwelling was more pleasant than in our house. Walking on the concrete in bare feet was very pleasant. I'm not a fan of air conditioning & we found it preferable to sit in the partially finished dwelling on stinking hot evenings, in preference to staying in the house with the air con on. 
The fact that the dwelling is on the southern side of the shed means it never gets direct sun on the walls or windows. It does get the sun on the western wall toward the end of the day, & the shed cladding can get quite hot, but you wouldn't know it inside the dwelling. The wall insulation (double sided silver sarking, plus wall batts) is very effective. The colourbond cladding can get too hot to hold your hand on & radiates a lot of heat, but you would never know it on the interior gyprock walls.  
 All the dwelling walls adjacent to shed walls are insulated like this, (plus a 60mm+ gap bewteen the dwelling frame & the shed cladding) & the other external dwelling walls inside the shed have just the batts.  The sarking alone made a big difference but I think the gap is what makes the biggest difference, not only reflecting the heat back, but also channelling it upward into the shed's roof area. Ceiling has thick R6.0 batts in it throughout. 
I am confident that once doors are fitted to the dwelling it will be better still.

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## phild01

Sounds good, I thought it might be a worry :2thumbsup:

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## Cuppa

More photos. 
I finished the kitchen base cabinets today - just need to fit the kickboards (after floor covering is down) & decide what to use for the benchtop.
Unlike when building the hall/laundry cupboards from sheet I cut myself, I had the sheet partially cut for these cabinets. First place I got a quote from wanted 3 times the cost of the sheet to supply, cut & edge it for me. I declined & instead found a hardware shop which had a dual blade panel saw & just had 595mm ‘shelf’ sheets cut to specified lengths. I later cut them to width on the Triton work bench, saved heaps of time, & cost was about $100 over the cost of the sheets, including delivery. All up there is under $700 in these cabinets, including the solid timber doors, the slide out baskets & waste bins 
I made a rough sketch before I started, but worked in my usual fashion .... i.e. make it up as I go along. Sometimes I amaze myself - all the tops are level & I had virtually no waste through mistakes. 
It may not be a thoroughly modern kitchen, but it will be functional & importantly my wife likes it.  :Smilie:      
I ’sacrificed’ one of my ‘job lot’ second hand doors to make the corner door.  
Another door was ’sacrificed’ to get the matching timber for the other corner section.  
So instead of another ‘corner cupboard’, I made a cupboard which is accessed on the other side of the ‘bench’ from what will be the ‘living room’  
Under sink cupboard with slide out waste bin.  
Nope, I didn’t forget about the waste water from the sink - the shelf is removable so I can cut it appropriately when I know the pipe position.  :Smilie:     
The fridge will go against the wall between cabinets & doorway. Observant readers will have noticed that there are no purpose made spaces for an under bench oven or a dishwasher. I didn’t forget these, but decided because of the small nature of the dwelling that storage space was a higher priority. The compromise is a bench top oven, which along with the microwave oven will live on a wheeled trolley which will be parked just outside the ‘front door’, inside the shed a few steps away. This will help keep workbench space free to work on too. We did have a dishwasher once, but haven’t bothered with one for the past 25 years, no reason to start with one here - we will have a single bowl sink with double drainer.  
I know it all looks fairly ‘run of the mill’ but I have derived quite a lot of satisfaction from building it. It’s likely I’ll make either some shelving or cupboards to go above the bench tops, but will wait until the bench tops are in place to get a better idea of what I think will look right. I might even get keen & give all the doors a rub down & a fresh coat of polyurethane too if the perfectionist which lurks inside me has his way.   
At this point I would normally be saying what the next bit of the project is to be, & would if I could, but I don’t know myself yet. Maybe the wardrobe in the bedroom, maybe the floor covering, maybe the bench top. Decisions decisions - the only sure thing at this stage is that I will have a period of floundering & prevarication until I start the next bit!  :Biggrin:  
I do hope folk are not finding my project tedious, the ability to post photos when I’ve completed something help me to maintain motivation.  
regards
Cuppa

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## Cuppa

After uploading the photos in the previous post I noticed a 'faux pas'. Anyone else notice it? 
The door knob on the wire basket cupboard was preventing the corner cupboard door opening fully on it's 170 degree hinges.  
Now fixed.  
Before  
After  
Before  
After

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## Uncle Bob

Looking good Cuppa, thanks for sharing.

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## Cuppa

What with my wife being away in the UK, & having to clear up storm damage (half a very large tree got uprooted & I had just finished clearing it & the other half came down - probably a full weeks work in all) I haven't been in the shed as much as I'd like, but have done a bit whilst waiting for the kitchen benchtop to be made. 
More melamine I'm afraid ..... for the wardrobe interior. We decided we didn't need fancy stuff like drawers, shelving would do. Anything will seem luxurious after having all our clothes in two plastic boxes for many months at a time whilst travelling. 
Made in two sections. The first larger section on the left all went fine, the smaller on the right was also fine until I went to fit it into place. To say it was a tight fit is an understatement! Should've allowed a few more mm's to take into account the wall not being dead plumb. Trouble was that I didn't really appreciate just how tight it was until it was a good way in & once there there was no way I could get it out, so there was a period of sweating over whether the 4lb club hammer would do what was required. It did but with some, albeit minimal, damage.  For some reason I cant get it dead flush , it's lined up with the first section, but theres 10mm difference at the wall end. Should be ok though, as Ieven with it sticking out at that end a bit more than it should, I've still got 85mm to mount a top track to for sliding doors. 
Speaking of doors I'm blown away by the high cost of them. One ebay seller said he could do them (4 x 970mm wide ) for $670 delivered to Melbourne (from Qld) & I'd have to collect them from Melbourne with a trailer. They were 16mm Melamine with aluminium frame. Not only would they be very heavy but I reckon damage in transit would be a fairly high risk. Others are in the $1200 to $2000 range. They are also mostly interstate. In another thread mention was made of framed gyprock with a vinyl cover being a low cost option - *can anyone advise where I might best seek some quotes from in Central Vic or Melbourne?* The local companies (eg. Stegbar, Regency & similar all want to supply & fit). I can't see that there would be much to the fitting, so would prefer to do it myself to help keep costs down.

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## OBBob

Can you just get melamine cut to size and edged, then buy tracks and fittings separately?

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## joynz

If the opening is the right size, just use regular doors.  Generally need door height plus about 50mm or so depending on track.  Less for floor rollers.   
I picked up a few hanging door tracks for wardrobes at Masters recently (ezyrobe I think). 
Or use curtains.  IKEA has cheap top mount 'hospital' tracks that work well.

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## Cuppa

> Can you just get melamine cut to size and edged, then buy tracks and fittings separately?

  Hi Bob, I did originally think that’s the way I’d go, but really I’d prefer less weight. One issue is I am still not sure if the wheels at the bottom can be attached to the rear side of the door (i.e..screwed to the melamine) as opposed to being attached to an aluminium frame, or rebated underneath the door. If they can be screwed to the inside of the door then I don’t really see the necessity of a frame.  Iron on edging might suffice.     

> If the opening is the right size, just use regular doors.  Generally need door height plus about 50mm or so depending on track.  Less for floor rollers.   
> I picked up a few hanging door tracks for wardrobes at Masters recently (ezyrobe I think). 
> Or use curtains.  IKEA has cheap top mount 'hospital' tracks that work well.

  Hi Joynz,  at 3.8 metres wide & a bit lower than most doors at 2215mm I don’t think I could make those cheap doors work for me. I did keep looking at them in Masters whilst they still had some. 
Hmmm, curtains - a possibility, will have to run that past the boss. Ta.

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## Cuppa

In line with the advice given in another thread I don’t believe I am going to be able to make my own sliding wardrobe doors much (if at all) cheaper than buying ready-mades. I did a tour of local shower screen & robe door suppliers /fitters thhis morning & whilst 3 of the four wanted around the same (between $1100 & $1200) for vinyl wrapped gyprock, another place (who claim to be the only ones to actually get the doors made in town rather than ordering from elsewhere) gave a price of $839 for, as best as I could tell an identical product. All prices were fitted. I still think it’s a lot of money for what it is..... but thems the prices & given the choice of $640 freighted from Brisbane to Melbourne, with me having to drive two hours to Melbourne to pick up from a freight depot .... along with potential for damage along the way & an unknown response from the bay seller should this occur, & then install them myself, OR $839 from a local business & employer who takes all responsibility for measuring, delivering & installing...... I guess it’s a no brainer.

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## Cuppa

We won’t be moving in for christmas as I’d hoped. Nevertheless I’ve got a bit more done.  
Windows into the shed now have architraving. No big deal, but little things make for a different feel, more finished.  :Smilie:    
As per my previous post, after lots of agonising I chose to buy ready made sliding wardrobe doors, vinyl wrapped gyprock. Agonising was about value. It cheesed me off that it was going to cost me as much to make them as to buy them & the cost seemed high for what they are..... but thems the breaks & I’m just pleased to have made the decision & moved on. I would have preferred a little more overlap on the doors, but they’ll do the job.      
I ended up getting the kitchen bench top made by a Melbourne company & drove there to pick it up with a trailer. I’m pleased we went with 25mm thickness in regard to how it looks, but cutting out the sink & gas hob holes close together meant there was a pretty narrow section which worried me strength-wise, so I added some aluminium angle underneath it to provide some additional support. Whether the white was a good choice time will tell. Colour choice was an ‘economic’ decision. To have the ABS edging for any other colour would have meant going for one of the ‘big’ brands which was going to be around 30% more. As it is we like how it brightens the space up, & we intend to add a bit of ‘texture’ with timber style vinyl planks on the floor. 
I had an issue with the bench top I wasn’t happy with. The long section had been made about 12mm too long. Easy enough to trim, but having done so I realised that all the connecting holes underneath no long lined up properly. Solution was made with the router & a few ‘custom pieces of timber & steel glued in to ensure that the joiners pulled together straight as they are intended to. All up a lot of stuffing around. If I’d bought locally & hadn’t already trimmed it, I’d have taken it back, but all good now.  The splash back are floor tiles I got cheap at the Masters sale, bought on impulse. Actually I bought a few boxes intending to use them in the bathroom & laundry too, but later changed my mind about that. What I hadn’t considered about using square edged floor tiles was the fact that the edges would show both along the top & on the vertical external corners. This became immediately apparent when I laid them out. Back at Masters I picked up some hardwood ‘L shaped’ moulding during the last days of the sale for next to nothing & used this to cover the top edges. On the external corners I used a powder coated aluminium extrusion which improved the look.   
The timber reveals (I think that’s the correct term?) around the shed windows were too narrow, so I had to to add some interior lining. Pine around the sides & top, & KD hardwood for the sills. Originally we had planned on having a two burner induction stove, but changed our minds & went with gas. That’s why there is a power point so close to the stove. We’ll monitor how hot it gets, & if necessary will have to replace it with a metal blanking plate.    
The sink went in today. First time I’ve used an adjustable ’S’ trap, boy what a discovery, I doubt I’ll ever use a non-adjustable one again. The ease of lining things up during installation made the couple of extra bucks so worthwhile. Not sure if it will make much difference but I thought I’d try sticking some insulation to the underside of the sink bowl so hot water stays hot for longer. 
After watching some youtube videos showing American DIY’ers demonstrating cutting holes in stainless sinks, I was expecting the job of drilling the hole for drinking water tap to be a tough job, but it was no harder than drilling mild steel. Maybe Americans have different stainless? I glued (Soudal T-Rex Power Bond adhesive is brilliant) a 3mm aluminium plate on the underside of the sink to make the mounting more rigid.    
Getting the right clearances to allow the shelf to be removed took a bit of trial & error but success means access to tap fittings etc behind the sink bowl will be much easier if needed in the future.   
Instead of taking up limited kitchen cupboard space with an oven we decided a smaller benchtop oven would suffice for the two of us & together with our microwave they could live on their own ‘wheeled cabinet’  which we can wheel in & out from the shed as required, or just use in the shed.    
Instead of using the tiles as in the kitchen I ended up choosing to use offcuts of Signbond left over from the shower for the splashback in the bathroom (& around the laundry tub).    
Finally, after past experiences of using water based gloss paint & finding it impossible to get a decent brushstroke free finish I thought I’d try going ‘back’ to an oil based paint for the gloss work. Although water based paints are so much easier when it somes to cleaning up, it has been a real joy (if painting can be described thus!) using the oil based. I quickly sussed that the trick is is not to load up the brush too much & not to brush it out any more than necessary. In comparison to my past water based gloss attempts the result is so much better!

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## phild01

Great to see it coming together so well, though the power outlet near the cook-top, seems a concern!

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## Uncle Bob

Looking smick there Cuppa  :2thumbsup:

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## Cuppa

Between Christmas & New Year I've been giving my knees a hard time laying flooring in the whole dwelling except for the bedroom. In te bedroom we'll have carpet, but for the rest we decided on vinyl planks, looselay vinyl planks to be accurate, but I didn't loose lay them. Instead I followed the advice from the supplier I ordered the planks from to use pressure sensitive adhesive.  
First I checked the floor for level, which it was, at least within the vinyl manufacturer's tolerances, swept it, swept it again, vacuum cleaned it, damp dusted & let it dry. So much dust. I then filled the 'crack lines' which had been cut just after the slab was laid & finally vacuumed again. 
Second I applied a sealing coat of diluted bondcrete with a roller. Not sure if I really needed to do this or not. The adhesive instructions were a little ambiguous, saying to use a sealer  only if the concrete was very porous. Pretty much any concrete slab is going to be porous, but how porous it needs to be to qualify as _very_ porous was something I wasn't clear about, so played it safe.   
Next I applied a generous coating of the pink adhesive also with a roller, & left it overnight to go off. I was surprised at just how tacky & strong the then dry & clear adhesive was. The vinyl could be put down & pulled up again but not without some effort. The youtube videos on how to lay looselay flooring using a tapping block were a waste of time when using ths glue. Although possible to pull up a plank there was no way known that it could be moved sideways either by hand or with a hammer & block. Impressive stuff but a different laying technique was required.  
When laying loose lay, the planks must be laid in 'tight form'. ie hard up against the walls/skirting, no 'expansion gap'. Tapping them together & getting exact flush fit up to the skirting boards would, I think have been quite a challenge, & based upon the few places where I did have to get a flush edge, a huge amount of work. Middle of the room tiles would be as quick as the ad's suggest, but I reckon the ads are misleading. As it is using adhesive, in conjunction with doing the laying before installing the skirting boards & door frames was definitely a good decision. Mostly just measure & cut to the wall without having to be dead accurate as the thickness of the skirting (18mm) will cover it.  
In addition to having new sharp knife blades I found the drop saw & the Triton saw bench both useful - saving time & physical effort.  Had to be a bit obsessional about not walking the vinyl 'sawdust' into the laying area though as it would have been impossible to remove from the as yet uncovered glued floors.  
Anyway here's some pics of the results of my labour, I reckon it's come up pretty well. If anyone is interested the planks are Kardean Looselay 'Cambridge'.

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## OBBob

Nice. Bit of work in all that!

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## Uncle Bob

:2thumbsup:  Looks great!

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## Cuppa

On the home run now. 
Door frames & doors installed. I now know there is something I dislike at least as much as plumbing. It didn’t help that all the doors were second hand, each one a different size, & a couple had previously been trimmed to a parallelogram shape. However the obstacles were overcome, frames fitted reasonably square & doors painted & hung. Thne renovating of the bedroom door was a waste of time though. Having trimmed & hung it I realised that I had failed to leave sufficient clearance for a carpet & underlay, yet to be fitted. Further trimming would require an end of the door to be re-blocked, & frankly it’s not worth it. The door skin must have been out in the weather at some stage & the broken up internal structure of the door can be clearly seen through the skin. A new flush door from Bunnings costs less than the cost of the filler & coats of paint I put on that door. Oh well live & learn. A new door from Bunnings will be cut & re-blocked once the carpet is in next week.  
All the skirting boards inside & out are finished, This was another job I found hard, or rather my knees & back found the going hard. I bevelled corners rather than scribing the bullnose skirting, thinking I was making things easier for myself as I could use my drop saw & had bought a mitre gauge to accommodate the inevitable corners that were not precisely 90 degrees. Nevertheless I still ended up with some gaps & less than perfect joints. Subsequently two part builders bog came to the rescue (& also used to fill the nail holes in the pre-painted boards) - a lot of work needing to be done a small amount at a time given the working time of the mixed filler. The final result is I think quite acceptable, but I reckon I’d scribe if I ever did it again.  I love how much the installation of both doors, architraving & skirting has contributed to a sense of ‘finished’ though.      
One thing I have been *really* pleased about is how well the dwelling insulation works, which has only really become fully apparent since fitting the entry doors from the shed. We've had some pretty hot days recently where temperatures inside the shed have reached the mid 40's. Going from the shed into the dwelling was literally like a breath of fresh air, like walking into an air conditioned building. Remarkably so. The combo of batts in all walls & ceiling, plus the silver sarking & air gap on the shed wall sides of the stud frame, as well as the dwelling being built along the southern wall of the shed which gets no direct sun has all worked very efficiently. With those temperatures in the shed, the thermometer in the kitchen never rose above 26 degrees.  
The space between the hall cupboards & kitchen door was always intended to house some shelving to act as a supplementary pantry. Tinned & preserved foodstuffs & dry foods stored in plastic boxes. We had an area like this back on the farm for many years & it worked well for us. However I didn't want another cupboard, nor solid shelves as I thought this might make the narrow corridor feel a bit too 'closed in'. I did think about building in slatted timber shelving, but in the end bought some chromed wire shelving for $99 from Bunnings which just squeezed into the gap perfectly .   
In the bathroom/toilet I used hardwood skirting (everywhere else is mdf). Cutting & fitting it around the steps & angled wall was a bit of a challenge but again a bit of builders bog helped in a few spots.    
The edging on the steps is a 'commercial' product, 'domestic' is generally narrower. A local supplier sold it to me for much the same cost that Bunnings wanted for a plain aluminium narrower domestic alternative & I think it was a good choice. The screen is for when we have visitors as we have just an opening into the bathroom from the hall. This is to enable better daylight into the hallway which otherwise would be a bit dark.    
Fittings in the shower & on the walls added to a sense of completeness.  The towel rail required a 'plinth' to mount it on after I realised that the frame behind the plaster I built in was not going to allow sufficent clearance between towel rail & the overhanging bench top. As it is I think it looks ok, & matches the window sill. I used a similar plinth for another towel rail up on the wall opposite the shower door. The floor level door under the shower provides access to the Hepvo valve, used in place of an 's' or 'p' bend, to keep the height of the shower platform to a minimum. People who have used them told me they need removing to clean once in a while.    
Blinds fitted to all the external windows. These were Masters firesale bargains, all of which needing trimming to the required window widths, a job which proved to be easier than I thought it might.      
The 'wall hatch' in the wall between living room & bedroom  (see 2nd pic) was intended to provide a bit of extra light into the bedroom and to promote better airflow/heating. In hindsight it was extra work which probably was quite unecessary & which if starting again I don't think I'd bother with. It did however provide somewhere to use a pair of small leadlight windows my wife made or our kitchen back on the farm about 20 years ago, which we didn't end up using. They swing open into the bedroom where they sit flat against the wall. Yesterday my wife stood at the open hatch & said "I'll have a 99 please" (Pommie Ice cream van joke).  I suppose at least the hatch provides a talking point.  :Smilie:    
Finally the toilet. Or more specifically I finally fitted the toilet. It's something which had nagged away at me for long enough & I could no longer put it off. You may recall that it is a so-called 'waterless' toilet, aka a dessicating toilet, aka a urine separating toilet. The bowl has two compartments, one for urine & one for solids. The solids one has a cover which opens via a lever operated when the user sits on the seat. Everyone sits to pee. The solids & paper essentially go into a compostable bag lined bucket & are dried out by a fan which runs 24/7 (very quiet/not noticeable) which also vents any odour to roof level. Poo being 90% water, shrinks as it dries, & the makers (Separett - a swedish company with a Melbourne distributor) claim this means that it should only require emptying around once per month for two average adults. I guess we'll find out if we're average or not in time! We have large covered hole outside to tip the contents into, which will eventually have a tree planted in it. The nagging bit was uncertainty about the urine plumbing. This joins the grey water system which is trenched across the paddock in a conventional manner. The concern was about the possibility that emptying the kitchen or bathroom sink may allow the emptying water from a higher point to build up sufficient velocity to bypass the right hand turn into the trench & instead appear in the toilet. Thankfully the worry was unnecessary as it all tested perfectly. Although 'waterless', we have decided that a 'mandi' alongside the toilet is a good idea, allowing a cupful of water to rinse the urine section after each use. This helps to prevent a build up of uric acid crystals in the pipe. The space behind the underbench cupboard allows access to pipes & provides a convenient storage spot for spare toilet rolls.   
  Carpet & curtains for the bedroom still to be done & that will be about it although I'm sure there will be a few little tweaks & additions once we move in.  At this stage though I'm expecting perhaps two more updates here. One when the bedroom is completed & another once we've moved furniture etc in.  
To those of you who have followed this all the way through, I realise it's been pretty drawn out, some of you would no doubt finish what has taken me over 18 months in a third of that time, but I'd like to take the opportunity to thank this forum. I may not have asked a lot of questions, but the forum has been my 'go to'  resource more often than not & I have very much appreciated that.

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## Moondog55

i THINK THE PROGRESS HAS BEEN VERY FAST; AFTER ALL WE ARE 7 YEARS INTO A 2 YEAR PROJECT

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## phild01

Great stuff, keep the toilet updates coming :2thumbsup:

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## pinger

Looks the absolute tits

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## Uncle Bob

> Looks the absolute tits

  +1 Impressive Cuppa. Nice job all round!

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## jmg87

Hi Cuppa. Firstly well done on the build, it has come up really well. I'm about to embark on a very similar project & I'll have to deal with the City of Greater Geelong council. My question is, did you get approval to do this work or did you just do it? I was just wondering how you went getting the building permit. I don't want to build mine and then be dobbed in by a neighbour. I want to build the shed first and put a unit inside it so that we can be on the block while we build the house. Right now the block is a vacant flat 3 acres. The shed I'm looking at is an A-Line Building Systems shed, 30m long by 12m wide with 6m lean to along one side, 4.8m to the eave, 6.4m to the peak. Thanks for your help.

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## r3nov8or

Excellent job Cuppa 
jmg87, re COGG, I suggest you go with a private surveyor/certifier to firstly freely discuss your options. PM me if you want a local recommendation

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## Cuppa

Thanks folks, the place is very comfortable.  jmg87, I sent you a PM.   Will be heading off around Australia very soon. 
Phild01.... toilet has been great. Only problem has been the fine mesh on the upper outside vent clogging with dust after a couple of months & we had a whiffy few days until we sussed out what the problem was. Changing mesh size will prevent that occurring again.

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## Cuppa

In case anyone is interested I have started a blog to document our adventures around Australia.  A Nomadic Life
I realise that this is not ‘renovating focussed’ so if it’s out of line, please delete. It was however the the primary goal for my building project.
I wont post further here, so if you want to follow the blog the easiest way is to subscribe so en email notification is sent to you each time I add a new post. 
Thanks all for your support along the way in making our dreams come true.  
Regards
Cuppa

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## phild01

> In case anyone is interested I have started a blog to document our adventures around Australia.  A Nomadic Life 
> ....the easiest way is to subscribe so en email notification is sent to you each time I add a new post.  
> Regards
> Cuppa

   :2thumbsup: done,

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## OBBob

Looks like a proper adventure. I didn't know what a Paddy Mellon was... I guess you can't eat them (I'm referring to the fruit not the marsupial )?   :Biggrin:

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