The new Casa de Vapor

Vapor Audio · « **on:** 28 Apr 2015, 02:45 am »

Those of you who know me will understand just how excited I am to post this picture, it has been 2 long years overdue. Thanks to legal issues with the County, and then issues with floodplain development, and then lastly finding contractors who follow through, the construction just kept being pushed back further and further. But here it is, minus the concrete floor, the new house of sawdust creation!

It's 30'x50' with higher pitch truss' for addition of a loft. Inside will be a large dedicated spray booth, separate dust and noise isolated office, and as much flat working counter-top space as we can possibly fit. We will finally have a proper facility for production, if you all had any idea the conditions we've suffered through for years, you would quickly understand just how much of an improvement this will be. Builds will be completed quicker, and with higher quality and consistency. This will do amazing good for us in being able to work more efficiently, and for our customers by receiving better speakers in shorter time frames.

I could go on and on about the history of the last 7 years leading to this point, and the challenges faced. But after a very long Axpona week, my pillow is calling. I'll simply close with immense thanks to our customers for supporting us, allowing us to get to this point. I also want to publically thank Pete for his patience, and willingness to work in (to put it nicely) sub-optimal conditions. It has been a long hard road, but we fought through, and because of that we get to wake up tomorrow with a completely new perspective on what the future will bring.

jtwrace · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 03:04 am »

That's one of the oddest ways I've ever seen a building positioned. Dump loads of rock and then place the lifted building over it. Why not pour concrete and place the building on it?

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 03:09 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 28 Apr 2015, 03:04 am

That's one of the oddest ways I've ever seen a building positioned. Dump loads of rock and then place the lifted building over it. Why not pour concrete and place the building on it?

Post frame construction, posts have to be set in virgin soil, so they were set first. Then I have to raise the entire level 3+ feet to comply with flood regulations, so the rock was brought in to accomplish that. Now that it's built we'll bring in 4-5 more loads and grade it out, and pour a concrete slab as the final step. Posts first and concrete last is just how you build a post frame building.

jtwrace · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 03:17 am »

Quote from: Vapor Audio on 28 Apr 2015, 03:09 am

Post frame construction, posts have to be set in virgin soil, so they were set first. Then I have to raise the entire level 3+ feet to comply with flood regulations, so the rock was brought in to accomplish that. Now that it's built we'll bring in 4-5 more loads and grade it out, and pour a concrete slab as the final step. Posts first and concrete last is just how you build a post frame building.

OK. Something like that would never fly where I'm from. Oh, you got a flood issue? Nope, can't build there.

*Scotty* · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 03:30 am »

Is there any evidence that this will be adequate or should you have built something like this?

Call me paranoid.
Scotty

GentleBender · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 10:04 am »

Congratulations guys! You've worked hard for this, even fighting against the current. You will be so relieved once that building is finished. Just think of all the space you will have. The pieces are coming together!

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 01:25 pm »

Looking pretty sexy Ryan. It went up amazingly fast too.

SoCalWJS · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 02:04 pm »

I'm happy for you since you say it's an improvement! Congrats!

...but I gotta say that it's definitely something I've never seen before in my neck of the woods. I'll have to show it to Anne when she gets back from work. I think I know what her reaction is going to be (Civil Engineer/Plans Examiner/Building Official)

Are the posts at least set in concrete?

Phil A · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 02:33 pm »

Local building codes and inspectors can drive you nuts. In my old house I had a basement and eventually finished it (it took me about 3 years subbing out some stuff and doing some of it myself). Basically I finished just over 1,000 sq. feet leaving about 800 sq. ft. of storage and having one big room (pic below) and one bedroom with a bathroom. On the back side of the shower, I had a few feet and built in a computer desk area (probably around 3x4 ft.) so that it didn't protrude into the bedroom (otherwise the space more or less would be wasted as it would be in the unfinished space with a long tight corner behind the shower). So that I didn't have to wrap wires (carrying a USB cable to the printer and cables to output audio to the receiver) around to trip over them, I put a piece of PVC in the wall that went from under the desk area to behind the printer stand. I had to correct some code deficiencies, which was understandable but after the third time of hearing they were going to flunk my plumbing inspection for the PVC inside the wall for a conduit to run computer cables I let them know where to go and they shut up. I had the house built and they tend to give the builders a bit easier time than the homeowner.

old house basement

Phil A · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 02:34 pm »

PS - great job Ryan.

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #10 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 04:01 pm »

Ok, you guys are seeing it wrong. It won't be some shop on posts in my back yard, we just used the longer posts to get it to the elevation required for flood regs compliance.

Next step is bring in more rock to bring the floor up a bit more, and grade out a skirt all the way around the shop. At that point we pour a slab. Then once it's finished I'll bring in quite a bit of dirt to put all around the shop, and make it look like a shop built on a quaint grassy hill ... Pete frolicking through the daisies.

The posts will be invisible when completed.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 04:11 pm »

Quote from: Vapor Audio on 28 Apr 2015, 04:01 pm

Pete frolicking through the daisies.

Yes please!

kenreau · « **Reply #12 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 04:41 pm »

That will be a very nice facility for your production shop.

Fwiw, I've been in the building construction industry for 30 years and have to raise a yellow flag of concern as other have mentioned.

Without a perimeter foundation / stem wall (cast in place concrete, or cmu block) to contain and compact your (below) floor slab sub-grade crushed rock material against, it will settle and your concrete floor slab will significantly crack. All concrete slabs crack to some degree, but pouring concrete over a non-optimally compacted sub grade is trouble for your intended use. If it was for a horse barn, or similar utilitarian function, not a big concern. If you want a long term, nice flat & level concrete shop floor, sans settlement cracks, you must get a properly compacted sub-grade first. The sub-grade should be built up in layers of +/-6" thick, properly compacted (95% relative compaction) with moisture content maintained and repeat in +/-6" layers until you get to your desired under slab elevation. Being located in a potential flood plain area you may also want a vapor barrier membrane down under the slab.

An alternative is to pour a concrete floor "mat slab" that is extra thick (minimum of 6") and heavily reinforced with rebar like #4's or 5's at 8" on center, each direction. This holds the slab together and prevents the settlement from opening up as big of cracks. Simple wwf mesh (aka chicken wire) is worthless. Only use conventional reinforcing steel (rebar). You can quickly google the topics for more info.

The safest route is to add a proper perimeter continuous foundation & stem wall, professionally compact the sub-grade and pour a conventional reinforced 4" slab. Have floor expansion joints saw cut in at roughly 10'~15' on center, each way to help control and minimize your cracking.

Best of luck!
Kenreau

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 04:51 pm »

Thanks kenreau, many of those concerns are being addressed. The rock base is 2" clean, so it doesn't compact - it's pure rock. The final rock that will go on is 1" clean, with some 1" minus on the very top, which will compact and will be compacted properly. And the slab is being rebar reinforced. A vapor barrier is also being used under the slab.

I'm not however concerned about the stem wall. The addition of rock is nowhere near complete. There will be rock even with the sill plate, and out approx. 2' from the outside wall. So this is not a raised foundation construction, stem wall IMO is not needed.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 04:59 pm »

Super cool Ryan. Now get to work sanding something!

kenreau · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 05:03 pm »

Great, sounds like you're on the right path. If you extend the base rock another ~8' to 10' out around the perimeter of the building (to get beyond the angle of repose) at roughly the slab elevation, that should contain things if compacted, etc. You're just either spending money on crushed spec rock & installation, or stem walls, neither is cheap, but you pick your poison...sounds a lot like designing and building high end speakers, we can't fool mother nature, too much.

http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete-subgrades-subbases/

All the best
Kenreau

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 05:10 pm »

Quote from: kenreau on 28 Apr 2015, 05:03 pm

Great, sounds like you're on the right path. If you extend the base rock another ~8' to 10' out around the perimeter of the building (to get beyond the angle of repose) at roughly the slab elevation, that should contain things if compacted, etc. You're just either spending money on crushed spec rock & installation, or stem walls, neither is cheap, but you pick your poison...sounds a lot like designing and building high end speakers, we can't fool mother nature, too much.

http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete-subgrades-subbases/

All the best
Kenreau

With a quarry less than a mile (as the crow flies) from the location, rock is MUCH cheaper than the stem wall. Both options were investigated prior to construction.

Plus, we WANT to bring a large level of the yard above flood elevation so that a pool can be added as well

Work all day, hop in the pool, rinse and repeat.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 05:18 pm »

Quote from: Vapor Audio on 28 Apr 2015, 04:01 pm

Pete frolicking through the daisies.

Pics, or it didn't happen.

Wait. No. Never mind.

EdRo · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 06:34 pm »

Pete, in his speedo, frolicking in the clover and daisies??? Promises he NEVER works in his Speedo. PROMISE!!!

Phil A · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Apr 2015, 06:43 pm »

Quote from: EdRo on 28 Apr 2015, 06:34 pm

Pete, in his speedo, frolicking in the clover and daisies??? Promises he NEVER works in his Speedo. PROMISE!!!

I hear he is a good dancer though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPhXZQFBeEE