Brick Pool House

A couple of good links

I think I've posted the invasives one before, but here it is again.

http://www.texasinvasives.org/plant_database/index.php

Here's an interesting one about expansive soils, which ends up showing how you could do a swimming pool in such a place (yes, it's complicated!).

http://web.mst.edu/~rogersda/expansive_soils/DAMAGE%20TO%20FOUNDATIONS%20FROM%20EXPANSIVE%20SOILS.pdf

Angies List recommendations for Garages/Sheds/Barns is rather short.

One builder that looks pretty good is Miller Custom Garages.

Their 3 most recent grades are straight A.

One very old report gives them a B because the reporter had a problem with one thing on the roof. It's not clear what or how important that "one thing" was. You would think if it were leaky or something very important, the reporter would say that. It could be "one thing" that simply had to be done that way.

Online construction guides

HUD wrote some of the best and most comprehensive guides to construction ever written. Very large PDF files:

http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/destech/rehabgds.html

I've been looking at the foundation one, it's mind boggling.

Here's a Green Building Advisor blog about venting roofs. It starts out "simple" but then a lot of builders get into an argument in the discussion part:

Speaking of which, the main Green Building Advisor website is always interesting.

Interesting security gadgets

Though I now have very nice Swann surveillance system, I stumbled upon this outfit that sells lots of interesting looking security gizmos. Their stuff is expensive, for example camera inside AC adapter for $199 (that was one of the best looking deals), or inside alarm clock having Ipod adapter: $500.

http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/

I already have one of these cheap ActiveEye motion sensors outside the front door, was thinking of adding one near side gate, only $29.99:

http://www.x10.com/products/x10_ms16a.htm

Solar Blog

Here's an interesting post on solar power charge controllers I haven't had time to read yet. It's part of an interesting series also.

http://blimpyb.com/diy-solar/mppt-charge-controller/3880/

Maximum Span Calculator

http://www.awc.org/calculators/span/calc/timbercalcstyle.asp?species=Alaska+Cedar&size=2x6&grade=Stud&member=Rafters+%28Roof+Live-Load%29&deflectionlimit=L%2F360&spacing=24&wet=Yes&incised=No&liveload=20&snowload=-1&deadload=20&submit=Calculate+Maximum+Horizontal+Span#answer

I'm not quite sure how to set all the adjustments, but it looks to me like 2x4's at 24 inch spacing would be very close to safety margins, if not beyond.

2x8's are probably too much...I doubt I could get builder to go there for such a small building, though they work exceptionally well for having vaulted ceiling.

2x6's seem to work nicely, and I think 2x6's at 16 inch spacing would be the kind of over-engineering I'd like to see.

QuietRock EZ Snap

I can get QuietRock EZ Snap for ceiling and front walls from local branch of Building Specialties in San Antonio. No drive to Austin needed (in fact, Round Rock dealer didn't have any in stock. The San Antonio dealer has 77 pieces in stock, price quoted is $58.38 per piece (actually, that was price quoted at Austin dealer) no minimum. 764-1110.