So. Every step seems to take a week, once codes are involved.

Actually, it was the code inspector that told me that, last week! :-D

The building permit has been rained on so much in the past month it's about ready to become paper pulp...

Sooooo ready. Ick, exposed wires and itchy insulation.

So. Here's our rough Chronology...never mind our schedule!

(Skipping all the dates that had to do with checking with the City codes and P &Z contact and thinking we were good to go. Not. Suffice it to say we started roughly about June 5, sketching, planning, talking to Mark, and laying out the ground, AND getting our ducks in a row. We thought.)


June 23--Dealt with the Surprising and Confusing Stop Work order and building permit; good to go. Again.

June 29--Electrician #1 arrives for consultation

July 1--Preliminary electrical preparation

July somewhere in here--DigRite comes again to re-mark the lines, since it's been so long the first one washed off (who knew it could take that long?)

July 13--Electrician #2 here for consultation

July 14 or 15--Electrical permit obtained by electrician (not us this time)

July 14--Joseph digs preparatory hole to make sure we miss the phone line when the trench is dug.

July 15--Mark rents trencher and digs the trench--misses phone line! GO MARK.

July 16--City inspector OKs trench; good to go. Again. But that was Friday, so we wait, over the weekend.

July 17--Wire and conduit in trench, rough covered

July 17, late--More rain, more mud.

July 18--Lay stepping stones so I can reach the shed. Sandals weigh about a pound each...

July 20--Electrician scheduled to come today or tomorrow to hook everything up

July 21-22, yes, these days aren't here yet, I know, but that's when he's supposed to come, now. Tomorrow evening or Wednesday.

July Soon, then, I hope, final inspection... ;-P


Mind you, all in here we get a number of conflicting opinions/takes on what has to be done, both official and non-official. How deep the trench has to be (3", 18", 24"), whether or not a conduit is necessary (yes, after all, even at 18"), where the disconnects go.

My head is spinning--no wonder I just want that final inspection done so I can kick back! (Not to mention being free to go out of town or whatever instead of waiting on something or other...Mark's been good about letting us know, but he can't control some stuff!)

And of course all in here there's been progress--insulation, walls, windows, doors, doorknobs, step, trim, etc.

My advice to anyone contemplating building anything, anywhere? GO DIRECTLY to your City offices, Planning and Zoning Department, do not pass go. Even if you thought you'd checked it six ways from Sunday. Just do it. Make it easy on yourself.

Easier.

And yes, we've had conflicting info from various people involved in the City or licensed by the City or experienced in this sort of thing; that's partly because they're having to update their codes to comply with State changes, but believe me, it's been really, really confusing.

Just want done. <:-}