Bought the place
mid July of 2004. Talked to a couple of contractors about bids to install a vinyl
bulkhead. They either
had no barge or couldn't get their equipment in the back yard with out
removing the shed or roof supports. So, after talking to my across the canal
neighbor, he convinced me to do it myself. I went down to Building Product
Plus and talked to them about what I wanted to do. Rented a trailer and picked
up the bulkhead material, whalers and hardware. Opted for 10' long sheets as I
was able to push a ½" pipe down into the clay 6' which would leave me 4'
above the water line. This way I could effectively level the backyard so it
could be used. All of the lumber was in 12' lenghts just so it was trailerable. Started installing it that weekend by water jetting them down and driving them with an 8lb sledge. Finished 20 that weekend until I broke the handle on the 8lb. Went and got a
16lb sledge which expedited the process a bit. As I got down to the 45degree bend I took a break and decided to start installing some of the whalers. Then finished the
bulkhead to behind the shed. Installed the whalers to the shed. Had a
contractor with a backhoe and extendable boom push in the deadman and installed
what tiebacks I could until I get the shed moved. Lotsa bad weather and rain so haven't been able to backfill yet. Once thats done I'll get the shed moved
and finish the installation of the last deadman and 3 tiebacks. Then contract
to set 12 poles in the canal for the boatlift and dock. Pics to follow ! Finally got a break and was able to get a couple of truckloads of dirt in and have it leveled just in time for some more rain, which actually helped to settle the dirt in behind the bulkhead.
Getting ready to skid the shed so it can be moved up and away from the bulkhead so we can get equipment in to drive the pilings for the dock and boatlift.
Spent a week here for Spring Break. Had some time before we could get a boom truck in the yard since it was still very wet. Built a 12' x 20' Deck off the back of the place under the metal roof. Had some time (and money)left so I went and built a step down to another deck which is 12' x 12'. Came out pretty good I think, considering I've never lifted a hammer before !
Finally got some good weather and the ground dried up enough to get a boom truck in the back yard. Hooked up to the shed after skidding it with 4x6x20's, cut the legs off of it and swung it over into the next lot and set it down. Backed the boom truck in and setup to stuff the 11 - 20' poles with 8" tops into the canal for the boat lift and dock. Finished that and drove the last few sheets I had left for the bulkhead which would have been under the shed and drove the last deadman. Moved the boom truck out pick up the shed, spun it around and set it just inside my lot line (was 3' on the next lot).
Easter weekend took off Friday and Monday. Spent time finishing the decks closing the sides off so no animals can get under it. My son and I finished installing the last 3 tie-backs to the bulkhead and trimmed off the top of the deadman. I picked up enough lumber to build the support beams and floor joist's for the dock as well as the remaining caps for the bulkhead.
Finished installing the rest of the bulkhead whalers and caps. Before we got started with the dock, my son and I disassembled the old dock and sucked out all of the old poles with a come-along. Started to build the dock. Didn't want any of the wood to be in the water so I used the waterline on the bulkhead and added 6" and set the beams there. My son and I installed the 2x10x12 beams by drilling through the poles and used 12" galvanized carrage bolts to attach them. Once all the beams were up I started to install the floor joists which were 2x8x12 and 2x8x10's. Once they were installed I added some cross bracing to stiffin it up.
Had some time left before dinner, went ahead and ordered 5yards of clay/sand backfill for the remaining bulkhead. Threw about 2½ yards and decided to get some dinner as I had to work in the morning. Went over to Lindas and enjoyed some fried oysters, french fry's and a salad.
Picked up some 2x8x12's for the Boat lift roof joists and started installing them. Neighbor had ordered a load of fill to level his yard so while he was running back and forth to the gravel pit I had him bring me a load and hired the same tractor guy he was using that day to level the entire back yard and then fill in the ruts we made a few weeks ago on the vacant lot next to me. In between cooling down from the framing I spent time inside doing some sheetrock work around the windows and installing trim around them. Wife talked me into installing some trim shutters on the front of the house which added a better look to the front.
