I haven't posted this here, but have mentioned this in several threads. I have owned a piece of land up in Lake County, CA for about 24+ years. I started to build on it about 5 years ago, it took me that long to get the plans approved and permit...this is an owner-builder project being done out of pocket, so that has been slow. There have also been some contention with the local water district, as they purchased a piece for their water tanks, and the original driveway cut over the corner...I won't dwell on that...this is what started this dream...back in 2000, this is shortly after I bought the property. My wife and kids were in Japan when I put it in escrow, and the title was recorded on my daughter's 5th b-day. She is 29 today. My son is almost 34 today. Understand that this is how I bought the property and have done quite a bit of work since, but it took some vision to pull this off. The lake is about 500 ft. on a 50% slope down the bluff, to 90' of water frontage. The street is about 230', so it's a long pie shape that is just over 2 acres. Without much deeper pockets than I possess, this is about as big of a shop that I could comfortably have excavated and built. The first pic is Mount Konocti, and my home project is called Konocti's Wigwam. The name comes from an old Indian folklore story told by Chief Konocti to the Pomos. My original plan was to use the basement for the shop, so I built the basement 10' tall. I then realized difficulty in working with a piece of property like this...and after getting my forklift stuck (rough terrain, but NOT 4WD) I did the shop. Now the bad news is I had to halt anything else I have done by contractors. The good news is I have quite a bit done, but the home is a log home, built in traditional Georgeion Bay and/or Appalacian style. This is kinda how it's sitting now, in Morgan Hill, CA. I rent a small contractor yard, it's about 25 miles from my current home. These were taken on Jan 21st. Shop Parts Washer Jib crane We were going to cut the post down 6", which would clear the shop door when the section is rolled up by 4". But currently I have to put things on hold until I can find some work. My intention was to get help reassembling the log shell on the foundation, but I may have to do that myself as my pocket is empty...... NOTE: This post was modified by the moderator to remove a political name within this post. I am making a notation so others know. Anytime a moderator changes a post it should be noted. I did not know this, and will not use any similar in the future. ajd EDIT: Just got a call from contractor, local welder will cut the jib post for $350, so that's being done, the last piece. This 'ol man is pretty much tapped.
Was a long day yesterday, but shop is getting close. I had a couple problems, the worst was the recent storm blew the tarp apart that was over the foundation...it's been on there for about 5 years, I hate to say, but I tacked it back to the subfloor the best I could. Then I open the septic, and it's running...that puzzled me, but the neighbor helped me figure out that the leach field valve was closed from when my contractor was testing with the county. Opening that valve allowed the water to go down in the liquid holding tank and it stopped. This means it was running for about a week. All operating pretty good now. My neighbor also commented what a nice septic system it was. Everything is Orenco. I got most of my welding equipment up to the shop, sans a small welding table that I tig weld on. All the tig rod and stick electrodes sure get heavy... All in all, I have a good amount of space in the shop and was able to park my taco in the shop with my contractor's skid steer. As a bonus, I picked up some magnum primers I had ordered at Sportsman's Warehouse. We don't need to pay hazmat if we can find them in stores, over the counter, and reloading components are not taxed with the new 11% tax on guns and ammo...so, I get what I can!
Well, we are where we are at this point. I am flat broke if you could relate. There is no more work other than what I can do myself until I get work. The boulders are an interesting situation in themselves. About a year ago, the Water District had the bright idea to put 3 large boulders in my driveway, claiming they owned the land. This was primarily due to the grunge the @$$#O!E across the street has for me, and he's the President. The county told me we could move them any time we wanted, but that they couldn't rule on it, that needed to be done by a judge. They are fuming, my contractor moved them over by the kitchen window of the @$$#O!E, and my contractor saw them throwing a tizzy at the encroachment inspector's office...but she already gave me the green light a year ago...as well as another encroachment inspector that is still in lake county, but not in my area. I think this will end their #OR$E$#!T once and for all. Now the President got their t!t in the wringer, and I'm about to squeeze down on his nipple. If you look where I put my thumb up after the 3rd boulder is moved (sequence is reversed...), the @$$#O!E's house is the one with the red steel roof. He won't be able to see my house from where he is. Yet, he's given the most grief...
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