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knock
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# Posted: 18 Aug 2013 22:11
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Well I went down to my cabin this weekend to install a new electrical service. I apparently bit off a little more than i could chew.
I rented a trencher and had everything I needed to install the service about 200 feet away from the utility pole. The first task was pick the location to set my pedestal/disconnect. I used the trencher in efforts to make a hole almost straight down...got about 12 inches deep and hit a large bolder. So I tried another spot and same thing. After my 7th try and my mounting frustration, i decided to start trenching out from the cabin ( I needed a win). While working the trencher tearing up some clay I thought about how I was not going to be able to get this all done with a trencher and how I would have to hire someone with a bobcat because of all the rock. Decided to call it quits at 3:30 and spent the rest of the day getting in touch with someone who could get it all done using the material i already had.
So I wasted one day I could have been getting more done and the rental fee.
So while I wanted to do everything for the cabin myself, I bit off a little more than I could chew.
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Kudzu
Member
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 07:52
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Everyone has days like that, it always works out in the end.
Don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff.
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razmichael
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 08:31
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Quoting: Kudzu Everyone has days like that, it always works out in the end.
How true. Always a hard balance to decide what to do yourself and what to let the experts do. I've saved a bunch of labor costs by doing much of the work myself - but this does not really balance out when I honestly look at the time spent (when I do not get paid) and the time lost relaxing at the cabin. On the other hand - the satisfaction when something does work out is pretty hard to measure. Chalk it up to an adventure that went slightly wrong. Perhaps you can rent your own bobcat? Much easier to drive than you may think and lots of fun (again - the expert will get it done in much less time but where is the fun in that).
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 09:06
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All the money I've spent on backhoe and trencher operators on my site would have made the down payment on a tractor, which I still need to buy at some point.
But, the tractor I will buy won't do most of the work I have hired out so far.
Half the trenching I did could have been done with a rental, but the rental trencher is not big enough to grind through the rocky parts. Of course, you don't know where the rocks are til you dig.
One backhoe operator doesn't charge a show-up fee, and is very generous with his pricing. The other charges $200 to show up and charges for every second his feet or tires are on the dirt.
It's a struggle. that's why they call it 'homesteading'
Two steps forward, one backward.
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GomerPile
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 12:36
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I have a Kubota BX-25 and had to trench a 200ft water line in fairly sandy soil. It took 16 hours and 10 gallons of fuel. There were some areas I had to dig around.
If I were to do it over again, I would hire out the trenching and fill it back in myself. There is no substitute for size when it comes to digging trenches and stumps.
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Truecabin
Member
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 14:26
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>>two steps forward one step backward
only on the internet is this a problem
for everyone else this is the way of moving forward
i think bldginsp knows this too knock dont beat yourself up now you know where the rocks are
maybe its ok to settle for less then 12" and raise the grade a little or add a conduit
dont waste money pleasing people on the internet just geter done
save money for when your between a rock and a hard place 
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larry
Member
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 20:40
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Quoting: Truecabin maybe its ok to settle for less then 12" and raise the grade a little or add a conduit
200 ft. of service cable and about a 100 ft. is about 8 inches down. so far no problems just let people know not to get stupid with a shovel.
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silverwaterlady
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 20:54
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Don't feel bad. We have found that part of building a cabin is the fact that there are going to be times when it takes longer and costs much more. It will be all worth it when you can sit back with a cold drink and look at all you have accomplished.
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knock
Member
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# Posted: 19 Aug 2013 21:00
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Glad to hear that others have run across similar experiences.
While I really enjoy doing everything myself, I am starting to realize how much relaxing time I have passed up.
I was able to find an operator who would do the entire job for less than the cost of renting the equipment for two days. If I would have know that in the first place I would have surely subbed it out and spend the time on other projects.
Since the lot is very steep and wooded it is likely that the conduit will run down under the driveway (so I was not willing to put it in too shallow) and the electric co-op regulates the depth from their pole to my meter.
I am excited to have electric so it can speed up the rest of my work (instead of relying on batteries). Maybe I can use the extra time to relax.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 20 Aug 2013 08:38
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"Experience" equals "ouch"
Been there, done that
Got any pictures, Knock?
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241comp
Member
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# Posted: 20 Aug 2013 10:06
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Been there myself. I've had a few times I bit off more than I could chew, but fortunately I've recovered each time so far. Glad to hear you found a contractor to complete the work for a reasonable cost.
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TheCabinCalls
Member
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# Posted: 20 Aug 2013 10:42
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It is all about how we receive the setbacks...
each thing we add, each inspector we get, each decision maker there is complicates the build.
learning to accept and roll with the setbacks was my great challenge. How do you laugh, relax and sleep with all the horror going on? Because it really isn't that bad. Once it is done and the $500 we wasted is forgotten it is water under the bridge.
Just remember these minor setbacks won't keep you from fulfilling your dream. Press on!
two things:
- a day is never wasted if you learn something or meet someone
- as long as you spend less then you bring in then you don't need to sweat the dollars and cents during the build.
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knock
Member
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# Posted: 20 Aug 2013 21:26
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The Cabin Calls - I like the two tips. Word got back to my wife how my day wasn't going well so she was very supportive when I saw her.
bldginsp - don't have any pics of the trenching by I do have a thread about my cabin build "16x20 in mo by Knock"
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