My destiny has changed ! They moved in, pic's on on 36

I contacted 2 contractors back in November who previously did some job in our basement. I asked them to build me a chicken coop and run.They said they'll call me back in about 10 days cause they're already working somewhere else. Almost 5 months and no call ever came. January 1, I contacted another contractor (friend of my neighbors) and asked him to build me 10x10 chicken coop with 10x30 run. He said he'll get back to me in 2 days and it's been almost 3 months and not a sound. So I searched and searched, made countless calls and e-mails for shed,playhouse and chicken coops. I finally located a local chicken coop builder and I send him a picture of what I wanted and the measurement. I waited 1 1/2 and no sign. So just couple of days ago, he contacted me. Just as I started to make the run . He said he never got my e-mail . But before that, I found this amish shed/coop/playhouse builders and drove 5 hrs that day to go and see and come back with a 2 yr old that hates cars. I gave him deposit on a 6x8 playhouse Victorian style $660 and $100 for assembly and another $100 for delivery because they often make deliveries to a location very close to my house. So this was the deal I've been looking for and thought my luck has changed. He told me that the delivery would be made end of February or the 1st week of March. February month finished, nothing. I called, he said next week. First week of March came along and still no delivery date scheduled. I called, he said "well, I don't know when, maybe next week of week after that because the people they were going to deliver on the way to my house couldn't make up their minds about the delivery date" !!! And he wanted to charge me additional $375.00 for delivery if I wanted it that week. He's already 2 weeks late, I said no way, either I get my playhouse this Saturday or cancel my order and refund my deposit back. Well, I haven't heard from him the whole week. So than come Saturday afternoon, I go to homedepot and get the rental pick-up truck and load all the supplies that I need to make the coop myself. Just as I unloaded the stuff and returned the rental pick-up truck, he calls me and tells me that they can deliver it to me sometime next week. He doesn't say specific date or time, he says some time next week but when ??? He doesn't know. I said CANCEL MY ORDER !!! So, at the end, I'm building 16x32 run. It was 16x24 but change of plans. And I'll be building 4x16 or 8x8 coop that would be attached to the run.

I don't ask much from life, only the good health of my kids. I wanted to start a hobby I could enjoy with my kids, especially my 8 yr old son. My 2 1/2 yr old son just likes to chase the chicks and ducks. After much arguing with my hubby, after everyone around me have said "you're obsessed with your flock". I just wanted to have a place for them to roost that is dry and not made out of plastic and a run that doesn't have 6" of mud, water or ice. Everyone also said "you're a woman, you can not build this by yourself. But yet, no one asked me if I need help either. I came so close on giving up but I thought giving up for what or whom ? I started this, I will eventually finish it as long as I believe I can do it. Now my hubby went on a business trip and he'll be back in few days. My mom is my biggest downfall. She thinks she knows everything but in reality knows nothing about anything, especially contruction. She doesn't understand why I love animals so much. 1st week of her staying with us, she wanted me to give away my kitten, chicks, ducks. She wants me to sit back with my boys and go to salon do my hair and get a manicure. She says, what do you know about building, you're a house wife. I really wish she haven't said that. So this project became more important to me then ever !!! Now I must do it and do it myself !!! Don't ever challenge a leo, she along with other family members will eat their words !

I'm so sorry for the headache you're going through!!

You're right to not give up - and those people telling you you can't do it because your a woman?! Well phewy on them!!!

I always work side by side with my DH on our building projects. Yes, I'll admit he's better with the power tools than I am - but I can whoop his butt with a hammer any day of the week, and I'm the one that taught him how to properly read a tape measure! Ha! Of course, he's a mechanic and can diagnose a car in a few minutes while I'm still looking for the key to unlock the door, but hey, I have other skills!

AND your coop is going to be better than ever!!! And think of all the money you're saving and the personality you can add to it by doing it yourself I hope you get some cute paint or sign for it and make it a OOOHH AAAHHH coop for everyone to look at! Your husband and mother will be wishing you'd built your house when you're done with this coop, it will be so awesome!

Wow, talk about the run around! I'm sorry things went south in a handbasket like it did. Is your hubby going to help when he gets home? If not, maybe try an ad on craigslist (not that you can't do it yourself, building a setup that size at least two people would be safer). There are many handymen/women out of work right now. They would appreciate the work, and if you pitch in to help, they would most likely give you a fair price. I would say something like: Handyman wanted. Building a chicken coup and run. I have all supplies and will help build".... Maybe that will help? Good luck, and I know you will succeed, don't give up!

Thank you hon You know my theory is, if you can't help, don't talk ! People love to give out ideas when I don't need it or if I can't use it. But whenever I asked them if you like this coop or shed, somehow they don't have an opinion. My husband is only good at carring stuff but when it comes down to screwing a nail to a wood, he is clueless. He also comes late at night when it's dark, so can't make it carry anything then cause backyard would be pitched black. If you have checked out my BYC page, you'll see that all that land and my hubby chose the worse spot to put the dog kennel we had before hand. I tried to make the best of it, I spray painted the fence, made another chicken coop by myself, I've put 1sq ft stones to make a walk path outside of the run as well as inside of the run to stop the water that is going thru the run and making it look like a river. I've used pine chips, sand, hay in the run. Because of the hill, all that water goes thru the run. I put gutters so that the rain water will go somewhere else and sort of elimanet the rain water. I got those wavy plastic roof for almost $300.00 and got 2x4's 16 ft long and also 9 of 4x4 for posts and after 36 inches of snow, the roof was still there but flew off after the snow storm. God knows I tried to make that place work but I couldn't regardless of what I did. My families mentally is, you see you made a place for them and now you're changing your mind, if you do it at another spot, you'll change your mind and try to move it again !!! These people don't know common sense if it were to hit them over the head with it . Today, I put 4 posts 8 ft apart and 4 panels, and I'm really wishing none of them falling off, if so, my mom will have a picnic !

Quote:
This guy whom I found that build coop with his dad, he emailed me if I want it to get it done. I said, you're a little late but not too late. I told him the progress I've been doing and asked him if I need help with the roof, can him and his dad be willing to help me out plus their daily or hourly fee. I got a responce from him saying he'll do it and charge me $200 a day. But the good news is, that if the roof frame is done, he'll do the shingles in 1 day, if the roof isn't up, then it will take him and his dad 2 days to build the roof frame and shingle it for $400.00. I think that's fare but now I question my self it I did the post correctly for them to put up the roof frame . Or if I put up the frame my self, would I be doing it correctly ?

So I here ya, iam really sorry about the playhouse falling thru..in life I have so learned if their is a will..their 100 percent is a way..you my dear ..are going to find that way..

I just wish u all the best..I think finding someone..to help u will workmin your advantage...look in craigslist and see if their are any carpenters you can pay an hourly fee for..this way they can step in if need be with the harder part

I give u kudos..lots of kudos..

And sending u a huge Virginian hug
Xoxo

200.00 a day for two people is reasonable (for a 10 hour day, that comes out to 10.00 an hour for each guy) I would suggest that he come over to your place to see your setup so he can give you an accurate timeline. I also suggest a simple contract stating the work they are doing, how much, and how many days, and what happens if he runs over. This way there is no misunderstanding. As you suggested, I popped over to your page, and your setup looks pretty good. Something I had seen suggested for a muddy run was putting in sand (construction sand is fairly cheap. Three to four inches deep should keep the mud down (the water should drain off fast being on a slope). Keep us posted!





Quote:
This guy whom I found that build coop with his dad, he emailed me if I want it to get it done. I said, you're a little late but not too late. I told him the progress I've been doing and asked him if I need help with the roof, can him and his dad be willing to help me out plus their daily or hourly fee. I got a responce from him saying he'll do it and charge me $200 a day. But the good news is, that if the roof frame is done, he'll do the shingles in 1 day, if the roof isn't up, then it will take him and his dad 2 days to build the roof frame and shingle it for $400.00. I think that's fare but now I question my self it I did the post correctly for them to put up the roof frame . Or if I put up the frame my self, would I be doing it correctly ?

I did try putting sand in the run too but my ducks kept eating them . The run is right in the middle of 2 hills and the water goes right thru where the door is, and this winter the door got stuck due to ice. I kicked the door, I got a medal pipe and hit the door to get to the chicks/ducks to feed and give water to them and now the door is broken. It can be secure when I close it but when I try to push it in to open it, I ended up holding the door in hands LOL.

I'm goint to contact the guy to come over and give me an estimate depending what he sees and what he'll be doing and excually see if I did it correctly so far. I hope that it won't take him weeks to come over. I agree, that amount is pretty fair. I had my fence guy give me $1,500 estimate to do a run 10x20 with shingled roof . It didn't take me long to say NO to him LOL.

I will take pic's tomorrow and post it.

Quote:
You go girl! Now you HAVE to show them you can do it!

-from a fellow Leo

Thank You , Leo's are determined indivuals once we set our minds to it. I hope I could come out of this with my head held up high. Well, in this case my back held up right LOL.