Ground Breaking!? Try Heart Break! - Orchid Board

cowboy51278 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 05:18 PM

Well I have worked very hard on my greenhouse this week. All of the posts for the knee wall are in. The studs are in place. The sheeting is on. Concrete has set and today was time to begin assembly of the end wall. Or so I thought. The previous owner had given me some tips as well as the origional dimensions for reconstruction. With one minor error. The greenhouse is not 12x24 feet. It is in fact 14x24. Which means one of two things must happen. I have to either add some lateral supports to the top of the wall with some bracing on each side wall to bring it out to 14 feet. If I do it this way I can make a two teared shelf on either side of the two long walls. However its going to cost me an extra $200 in materials as well as make my greenhouse look like a giant mushroom.

Let it be known that Im a perfectionist. Which means........I have to re dig out the south side wall, by hand, down 2 and a half feet. Remove the knee wall from the posts and dig out the concreted in 4x4 posts. Costing me about 6 hrs of time. $65 in posts and new concrete and a whole lotta cursing.

So at this point there has been some whining. Followed by a glass of wine. Some digging. More wine. and now a break....with wine. Its about a third of the way redug and Im trying to be optomistic. Like I need all the exercise from digging to burn off the wine and I have 48 more square footage to grow in than I previously thought.

Whats one minor miscalculation......RIGHT?

kiki-do · #2 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 05:31 PM

Oh Paul, that is awful! You must have been "p ----- off!" Sorry you have to go through all that!

RoyalOrchids · #3 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 05:39 PM

I hear wine is good for your kneewall.

John D. · #4 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 05:47 PM

What a bite in the a--. Thats why my grandfather who built houses told me "measure twice and cut once" At least wine is good for the heart so with the extra exercise you get double benefit.

cowboy51278 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John D.

What a bite in the a--. Thats why my grandfather who built houses told me "measure twice and cut once" At least wine is good for the heart so with the extra exercise you get double benefit.

if only i had something to measure by. the greenhouse is a small pile of disassembled parts

jkofferdahl · #6 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 07:21 PM

Yeah, it's a pain. BUT . . . you're gonna have a GREENHOUSE!

gmdiaz · #7 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 07:24 PM

After the pain and agony and frustration fades. . .the greenhouse remains!

masda · #8 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 07:32 PM

Don't try looking through the wine bottle as this will cause your measurements to go all to hell and could cause you knees to wobble and stuff up your perpendiculars, best to finish the wine and look at it in the morning.

Ross · #9 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 08:01 PM

I'd say, ten years from now all this will be behind you and you won't even remember (well, maybe dimly) the pain and cost. Been there done that myself. I still couldn't tell you the cost of my first greenhouse. Got photos to prove I had it, but nothing else. Go with your heart and your gut. I know you know what you want and I'd say go with it. Extra work? Yep! But is is worth it? I don't know, only you know. To me, I would redo the footings. 14 is way better than 12 anyways

Sandy4453 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2008, 08:19 PM

And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

...so enjoy yourself as you go!

P.S. Wine is very good for you.