[lugnutt73]

So here's the thing. I live in Central Texas. With a Southwest facing property at the end of a cul-de-sac and have a funky trapezoidal shaped property. The back yard is by no means “massive” but it has a good size to it.

I’m thinking of building a mancation (Man+Vacation) space, since there will be no caves involved (CURSE YOU Bruce Wayne!) I’m looking into a 24’x24’ space for a Northeast facing porch, gambrel barn shed and a miscellaneous area in the back. In front of the porch I’m thinking about a 15,000 Gal pond. The picture I attached gives a rough idea of the locations I’d like to place everything.

So now you’re asking yourselves…. Water tower? Okay, Water tower, cistern, above ground water reclamation tank, 500-gallon rain barrel, whatever you want to name it… I have some ideas. A) I can make it look like a Shetland water tower. B) I thought of placing it inside the shed in a loft at the SE end. Or C) I can just as well set it on the ground out back of the shed in the SE corner. It just depends on how creative I feel as this design progresses.

Now that you have the big picture let me ask a small question…. Foundation for the 24x24 area… The house is on a pad and I reckon the rest should go onto a pad as well if I want to keep any resale value. Otherwise it’s technically a temporary structure and I don’t foresee anything being temporary about it.

And now I await comments and criticism…. Just not in the face please…

Lugnutt

 

[Mingledtrash]

I think the pond is a bad idea. mosquitoes, algae, insects. Your prob thinking of a pristine image in your head but it rarely ends up this way. after a couple years you will probably get tired of maintenance and/or slack off a little and it will turn in to a slimy green pain in the @ss. For most of your question you need to talk to your local zoning authority they may not even allow the pond. I love the reclamation tank idea more people should do this just make sure it has good support if its off the ground, water is heavy. Your zoning may allow a "temporary shed", or one that is not bolted down, to be closer to your property line than if its built in. i would recommend putting even a portable or temporary shed on a pad even if its not bolted down it will extend the shed life.

If your still in love with the pond idea maybe check out a smaller water feature with a waterfall you will get the ambiance without as much hassle.

https://theponddigger.com/pond-design-gone-wrong/

Look into pondless water falls they are pretty cool.

 

[lugnutt73]

Mingled, Thank you for your reply. The pond idea I can set aside for a hot sec. Although I have been doing quite a bit of research (The Pond Digger site is one I visit frequently) on the pond and honestly it’s more of a moving my aquarist hobby to the outdoors and combine it with my gardening in a general move towards landscaping.

Attached is the current info I have for my area: I highlighted the section I reckon I’d be using.

As for the shed. Its use would be mixed. The buildings primary purpose would be to house garden, pond and landscape equipment. Second purpose would be to use the shed as a TOC (e.g. electric, plumbing control center for the pond). Third would be recreational (i.e. after incorporating the pond it’d be a place to just sit and enjoy a coke, watch the animals and the landscape as I frequently do with my dog). The roll up door on the end is mostly because it looked cool, broke up the structure and could be opened to allow airflow and light. It’s not a necessity for massive equipment (other than the water tank) or a vehicle or anything any larger than a riding mower (that I don’t own). I’d like the porch to have a roof covering its full footprint.

As for the water reclamation tank. I was thinking of having two (one at each end of the building). I was basing the size of one on what I calculated for 1” of runoff from the roof of the shed and porch roof. I believe it came out to roughly 525 gallons per inch of rainfall.

This is the calculation I used: http://www.friendsoflittlehuntingcreek.org/description/roof.htm

This is the tank I chose based on the calculation and local availability: http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/water-storage-tank-550-gal

I figured about 2.5 tons of live weight with one tank, plumbing, mechanical and water. As for engineering of the shed frame I can’t seem to find a paired down explanation of code and design to support that load. I guess I just am not seeing how to figure the live load into lbs per square foot. I’m probably grossly off but I was thinking 2x8 framing 12” or 16” on center for the walls and the loft floors.

This is the basic shed design that started all this: http://www.derksenbuildings.com/buildings/urethane-lofted-barn.I realize that actual construction of my idea will require different materials and connectors based on my geographic location and its intended use.

 

[lugnutt73]

As for the water reclamation tank. I was thinking of having two (one at each end of the building). I was basing the size of one on what I calculated for 1” of runoff from the roof of the shed and porch roof. I believe it came out to roughly 525 gallons per inch of rainfall.

This is the calculation I used: http://www.friendsoflittlehuntingcreek.org/description/roof.htm

DOH!!!

Thought about this last night....not 525 gallons... 255 gallons per inch or rain. Must have been my dyslexia acting up again...

 

[Bud9051]

Hi lugnutt, I came over here to see if I could help. Not. Thread is far too involved for my time and frankly, when I have anything like this it goes directly to the architect. No since wasting my time when he will have all my local answers and he will generate all of the required drawings for permits. My town would not accept my sketches even if I knew all of the rules. You have to get into the habit of getting the local code people involved right from the start. They don't like being hit with a big project that has a lot of problems. Find an architect that frequents your local planning board meetings and talk to him/her.

Bud