New Home for Airstream

[10Smiles]

I have wanted a "car port" for our trailer for years (our first two trailers were of the SOB variety). Now that we have an Airstream, it seemed more important. Originally, I was going to buy one of those steel pole building kits; a steel pole building kit big enough to fit the trailer was going to cost about $3,000. A neighbor down the road built a pole building that gave me inspiration. I decided to build one instead.

The pole building is 24' by 36'. The vertical posts are 16' 6X6's for the sides and 20' for the middle posts on the ends (there are no posts inside the building). I made trussed out of 2X12's and 2X6's; I built them in place because they would be very heavy and I do not have a crane.

I used steel for the roof (it is all on, but it is not all complete yet). The total cost for the building is about $4,500 ($2,500 for the steel).

It took me all day last Saturday to clean the trailer before moving it into its new home. The roof was covered with cedar needles, maple leaves and seeds, alder leaves, and hemlock needles.

I am very pleased with the results. The next step will be to pour a concrete floor. I may close in the structure in the future.

Pictures...

[Alumaholic]

Beautiful! You'll be very glad you did this. When you pour your floor, make it a 6 inch slab with remesh 2 inches from the bottom.

[Splitrock]

Nice! I'd like to do something like that but I live in Minnehaha County South Dakota and here the government would throw me in prison if I built any building over 120 square feet. My lot is over 5 acres in the country and the county condemned my land for any use at all.

Here, RV storage is a commercial use and can only be done in a commercial zoned area. The exception is if a property is over 40 acres the county will issue a building permit for an agriculture use building. The Rv can be stored in that without challenge.

My advise to anybody looking to build or buy property . . . stay away from Sioux Falls South Dakota and especially stay away from Minnehaha County South Dakota due to the extremely unfriendly zoning laws. Minnehaha County isn't just RV unfriendly, they're everything unfriendly.

[bwoodtx]

A slab that big I would use 3/8" rebar tied 12" on center and place it on the plastic pedestals you can get in the same section as the ties. You have constructed a beautiful structure so far don't skimp on the foundation and use the mesh. On a 6" floor use the rebar and spec 3000psi concrete. You will be glad you did.

[TG Twinkie]

My building is 24'x24, the slab is 6" thick. No rebar or wire mess but the concrete is re enforced with fiberglass. I also park heavy farm equipment weighing in excess of 14k #'s in this building. No problems with the floor. Well there is one problem; It's not big enough for all of my toys.

[Alumaholic]

The key point is that a 6" slab is better than 3" for this application.
I won't argue the remesh, versus rebar, versus fiberglass.
It's been almost 50 years since took my construction materials class, and almost 5 years since I poured the slab for Airstream Haven.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f161...ven-26074.html
From what I can tell the fiberglass works and it is certainly an easy and low cost alternative to rebar or remesh.

[Lily&Me]

Very nice! I want one!

Maggie

[c_lewis77]

Looks great!
Slab wise, I have used fibermesh on driveways for the most part. WWM (welded wire mesh) for resodential slabs, rebar for commercial slabs.
Make sure you lay out your joints in relation to the structure and sy of concrete to avoid unsightly cracks.
Good luck!

[Minno]

Wow - really nice looking! Great work!

Chris

[10Smiles]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and advice. It is great to have the trailer under cover, especially this time of year.

[BrandonJenna]

Definitely pour something, and definitely enclose it.

[CanoeStream]

Looks like no new panels on your Classic between frames 1-2 and 5-7. «wipes sweat from brows» You musta already come up with "Move it between hammer swings."

Great project! What width doors will you use?

[10Smiles]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

Looks like no new panels on your Classic between frames 1-2 and 5-7. «wipes sweat from brows» You musta already come up with "Move it between hammer swings."

Great project! What width doors will you use?

Yea, pretty dumb eh?? Building the frame above the trailer. Later, I did move it out. Glad to say, nothing was dropped on the trailer!!

Not sure on the door width. I was hoping I can make them 11 feet. The distance from the corner to the center is 12 feet. I do have a receiver on the front of the van so I can push the trailer in with a bit more control.

[macofpei]

My advise to anybody looking to build or buy property . . . stay away from Sioux Falls South Dakota and especially stay away from Minnehaha County South Dakota due to the extremely unfriendly zoning laws. Minnehaha County isn't just RV unfriendly, they're everything unfriendly.

Oh-Oh-- I see your property tax going up.

[Splitrock]

I don't find property tax offensive. I did find it offensive when I bought rural property after checking deed restrictions and zoning only to find out when I applied for a building permit that the county had changed my zoning and condemned my land without notifying me. Condemned my land AND raised my taxes. Nice! :-) My advise is, stay away from Minnehaha county South Dakota.

[10Smiles]

Property taxes, aye!! I can hardly wait to get the new appraisal that includes the pole building.