New plan! (LOTS O PICS, adding them as I go)

[WhySayWhat]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing...thought they might hold "straighter" in the long run though. I'll get whatever I can for cheap...I saw them in passing last night when I was looking for the tie-down straps, lol. We took the SUV and I forgot which car we were in...bought OSB too big to fit inside, lol!

I'm waiting now for the guy Avista sent out to install a new gas meter...he has to turn all the heat back on when he's done. Then if I'm feeling any better, I'll head out to get screws and what not. I'm still feeling the pain of the vaccine, so I doubt I'll get out of the house today. I will go out tommorow for sure though!

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
Hummm ... My adage is say thank you when someone offers you something for FREE!
If they offer to help load say "THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL" but always go prepared to do-it-yourself. Next time take tools, hammer, saw, nail puller and if necessary take the crate apart or come back with help ... and tie-downs.

 

[Bossroo]

When building any housing or run for animals next to, under an attached deck/porch of your house, you WILL have a huge fly and mouse problem in your house. Also check with your building / health/ fire department as this may also be illegal. Then too, if or when you sell your house, the buyer will have difficulty getting financing because most banks/ appraisers frown upon this type of construction.

 

[WhySayWhat]

I did say thank you...and knew I "could" do it myself if I had to. But, they were rude from the minute I walked in the door. From the ad on CL, it seemed like they were having trouble getting anyone to take them, then it took them 3 days to respond to my email (in which I asked specific questions about them) and even then, all I got was a phone number, no answers to my simple, yet specific, questions. One of which was "how big are they so I can come prepared". When I called, I was abruptly hung up on after she told me they had 2 left, I didn't even get a second chance to get more info. I'm glad I got them, and I know it was my own fault for forgetting the tie-down strap, I was in a rush because they told me they only had 2 left and they wouldn't hold them so I "better hurry". If even ONE employee had been even remotely nice I would have happily marched my butt inside and bought tie-downs from them, we needed them anyway so we could return the borrowed ones we've been using.

I have worked "in the public" long enough to know what you should and should not discuss where customers can hear you. The Manager should have taken the (now-ex) employee to a backroom or office with his ONE employee witness, not held court AT the register with TWO other employees flanking him and giving dirty looks to the guy that had been fired/let go/whatever. Not only that, but when a customer walked in (and I wasn't the only pebble on that beach either), they should have at least acknowledged I (the customer, they didn't know I was there for the freebies yet) was there and obviously in need of assitence, I was standing in what I thought was a line at the register!

If I ever happen to be back at that store, I won't be there to buy anything from them...customer service is a HUGE part of any sales business! Not only that, but I will warn away as many potential customers as will listen because of the experience I had there. As for the lack of tie-down straps...I bought a set for myself and they are now at home IN my truck so I won't be caught without them again.

AND....I'm not unappreciative of the free wood, I just want a little customer service when I walk into a business.

I was mostly socked that with as many employees STANDING around, that not one of them was available to help..it isn't like I was asking them to stack 50 of them into the bed of my little pickup, it would have taken them all of about 60 seconds. I would have even understood a reply such as "we can't because of safety regs" or some such...the snotty attitude I got when I asked is what set me off...but I played nice while I was there.

/end rant...I'm all good with sticking to Home Depot and Habitat for Humanity for anything else I need for this project...

Speaking of the project... I've decided to use the pressboard to make the cats (indoors) the awesomest tree fort they can imagine! I'll keep looking for cheap slices of OSB for the exterior of the coop. I knew it was a long shot anyway, lol.

 

[rebecky1305]

This sounds like its gonna be awesome. Keep us updated with the progress.

 

[WhySayWhat]

Quote:
We didn't have any trouble buying the house, and like I said the previous owners kept rabbits in the same spot. The only difference will be the hardware cloth enclosing it, and that can be taken down easily enough with a screwdriver or simple power tool. The coop itself will be a stand-alone unit. Our cats will take care of anything that tries to find a way into the house, we very rarely get any inside except for the spiders that I can't seem to irradicate. When they do get in, the cats make swift work of make them "disappear".

If we do end up with an issue, We'll spend the $ to move the run farther away, but I doubt we'll need to. I haven't seen any evidence that there is a single mouse on the property, but that could be thanks from the local cats that patrol my yard a few times a week. Our dog makes sure they don't get to stay too long though.

 

[Dogfish]

Sorry, it has been bugging me that I didn't say anything earlier. I want your build to be a success, and that is why I am letting you know this. You would be really helping out the stability of that coop if you were to run two 4x4's under the length of the two pallet crates. Essentially, they would be perpendicular to where the two pallet crates connect, running along the furthest length of the proposed coop. 8 foot 2x4's might work, but once you start adding all of that wood to the pallet crates, the weight will cause some issues guaranteed.

Using the 4' pieces of 2x4 is a non starter as you are not spanning the joint where the two crates come together. There is no substitute for solid wood, and nailing or screwing the 4' 2x4's to make one 8' long isn't a substitute If there is anywhere on a structure not to scrimp on, it is the foundation. If someone had asked me to help on a project just like yours and insisted that they not run a wood foundation along the furthest length of the structure, I would wish them luck and take my tools home. The OSB sub floor will help, but it won't last without solid support below.

I have personally built many structures, including my own house, a shop, numerous sheds, a chicken coop, remodeled 5 homes, and built a dog kennel. (I also manage the construction of homes as a day job.) Every single one of my projects is over-built, and every single one is still standing after as long as 15 years.

Sure, it might last for a while as you have planned, but why waste your effort and not start with a sound foundation and build it right? Sometimes spending the additional $15 on a project can make all the difference. Build it right, and build it once.

I mean this with no malice, and only from kind and experienced advice.

As far as hinges go, buy the zinc plated exterior type hinges. I'd stay away from piano hinges for anything that would be outside, or was attached to anything that weighs more that a pound.

Take care and have a great weekend building!

 

[WhySayWhat]

Don't let something I said bug you! This is all "work in progress" stuff...when I originally bought the 4' pieces of pt lumber, the plan was to use only 1 pallet as the base of the coop. I did a little math in my head (4 * 3.8 = 15.2 / 3 = 5) and I decided that 5 sqft per hen just wasn't big enough in my head. That's when I got the "brilliant" idea to put 2 side by side and double the coop space.

So, you're right, I do need to get some 8' runners, just don't tell my SO I'm going to be spending that kind of money yet!

You should have seen the fit he threw when I came out of Home Depot the other night with the subflooring! Though, that was mainly due to the fact that we were in his SUV and they didn't fit in it...he had no reason to complain on the money end as I used my personal checking account and paid cash for the tie-down straps I bought (also from my personal account and not the joint account). I did however make him buy the set of bungee cords we had to go back in and buy when the tie-downs didn't work on his SUV, lol.

Today I'm making an effort to get to the Habitat Restore so I can at least start getting sections put together...what will I need to attach the 8' runner to the bottom set of pallets? Anything special or just screws (longish ones I assume)?

 

[Tartannik]

I am enjoying reading this thread and can't wait to see how your coop turns out!!
I also agree that the people that were rude to you should have been nicer, I can't stand going into a 'shop' and being ignored!
And excuse my igorance but what does SO stand for??

 

[WhySayWhat]

SO = Significant Other...easier than calling him my boyfriend, lol. We've been together for over 7 years! And, glad you like reading it, I should be able to get started this weekend or next week!