We've been hit up a lot more than expected off the back of our 'New digs. Phase 1' blog which loosely summarised us dipping our relatively unqualified container-space-toes into the world of modular-studio-space-construction. Without further a do here is our latest, albeit somewhat uneventful next update.
We hit the ground running getting the containers in, organised and level as our relatively short summer retreated quickly last year. After painting them black we've been actively using them as storage and a workshop and that's about it. The brutal winter climate keeping us at bay. Progressing the project into the full blown setup we had in mind has been on the back burner. . . until recently that is.
Since we launched our new 'contemporary moving space' programme on the 1st day of 2018 the need for our own van-sized workshop has grown significantly. We should have seen it coming really. Over the years, during our life on the timber yard, we've always managed to lean on the boys to borrow one of their out buildings, to prototype for a few days, or develop a product etc. But it's become evident it's time for us to get something more permanent and that's actually ours.
I must stress, we are not builders. We are creatives who are handy enough to wield spanners and tools. Design lead problem solvers perhaps? Certainly not trade spec hardened concrete slab laying blokes…. (until now apparently.)
I will admit the idea of laying out, measuring, levelling and creating a foundation for the workshop excited me. I am a self proclaimed 3rd generation small shed builder extraordinaire and love building anything. A product, a surfboard, a boat, a van conversion, a small shed or a big shed I love the process of hunting for the right materials, putting them together in the right way and executing a finished item/ project in a particular style.
After visiting the church of youtube and being armed with a bit of math we reckoned we had it pretty figured out. We chose the cheapest ready mix quote we could find for two cubic meters and accepted the rather narrow delivery time slot that left us three hours to create a level frame box and get prepped for the imminent delivery. Yep, unnecessarily stressful. Apart from the two cubic meters being not as much as we hoped (my maths being out) and the infinite jabs from the old boys who frequent the joinery factory watching and waiting for us to slip up at every stage, things went surprisingly smoothly. We had their attention all day...
'You checked the weather?'
'Yea, its not gonna rain'
'No, I mean freeze, if its freezes tonight you know you've fucked it right?'
'Of course I have checked, yes it's fine. It's warming up'.
I obviously hadn't checked, I had no idea about that. I had also neglected to check if it was going to rain too.
After giving it two days I can now confirm that after all the scrutiny, all is surprisingly well. Praise the lord for it actually warming up and not raining.
We've actually managed to lay 'quite a good slab, shame that corner is down hill' being the best accolade yet.
Now we've got the momentum, actually more the fact that Jeff leaves us for his home town of Margaret River, Australia for good next week (Sad times), construction will re commence tomorrow.
New digs phase 3 available imminently. *(S+S have no connection with the author and his unrealistic time frames.)
