My latest home project

[ScottsGT]

Irrigation!   Been wanting to get a system installed ever since we moved here just over 3 years ago.  I finally found someone that didn’t quote me a ridiculous price and was willing to actually show up!  
Had one crack smoker quote me $14,500 and went on and on about the $5000 pump I needed.  He looked like of those cartoon characters with the dollar signs rolling in his eyes when he showed up and saw the house and view.  
Do these people think we got here by being stupid with our money??  Seriously!  
Got this one done for $8000 and that includes a pump that gets water all the way to the street.  
What I didn’t expect or think about was my responsibility of “clean up” after the job.  This ground is slam full of rocks and roots.  The crew filled in the trenches they dug, but the rocks and roots on top are mine to take care of.  And in this heat and humidity, it’s a little at a time!  
Wife had her last reconstruction surgery on Wednesday, so she can’t drive a garden rake for 3-4 weeks.  But she can drive herself to the nail salon and restaurant for lunch with our daughter. 🤣

Heres a few pics.  

Yea, I had to unbolt the ramp I built into the barn. I made this thing to go on.  Not come off! 
 

And the pump system to draw water out of the lake.   I’m going to break out the Krylon camo colors and make the pipes a little less obvious.  

This is a really nice way to do it.  At my last home I was using city water and my summer water bills were $225-$350.  Of course water out here is much cheaper from the county than my last home.  But the filtered and chlorinated water just barely kept the grass green.  This lake water is making it grow like crazy and it’s only been installed 4 days.  
 

Here’s a big plus I had done.  The contractor ran county water from my line out by the street and put in two spigots for me.  One at the barn in the front yard and one at the start of the dock.  

 

I’ll use these for pressure washing the driveway and dock.   I’m also planning on running some PEX inside gray conduit PVC to hide a water run down to the dock for boat and dock washing.  Apparently they tell people to remove them if they want permits for something, so I’ll just hide it. 
it’s all designed to be easily winterized as well.  

[KevinM]

Very Nice Scott will be worth it's weight in gold in the long run.So...let's think about some more work for Scott?? Insulation for the pipes a removable box of sorts with insulation for the pump....I think I am starting to understand Scott "I'll just keep a good drip going Kevin"

[ScottsGT]

No need to keep it dripping. It’s got a winterizing drain plug!  We get about a week or two of dangerous temps here.  Preventing a freeze up was a big concern. 

[KevinM]

13 minutes ago, ScottsGT said:

No need to keep it dripping. It’s got a winterizing drain plug!

Familiar with those Scott at the in-laws house keep it greased when it breaks you are almost F__ it's brass and for some reason still turn to junk might be when you are done and gone though.The in-laws is probably 30years old.

[ScottsGT]

I just posted this in my Cutlass build thread.  Thought I’d repost here. 
BE CAREFUL OUTSIDE FOLKS!  It’s hot outside! 

I actually got some bench time today since it was just too damned hot outside for yard work. Although I tried…I wasthisclose to getting hit with heat stroke.  It was like 98 degrees (36.6C) with high humidity. I was working in the shade raking up rocks from the irrigation install.  All of a sudden I was thinking it didn’t feel all that hot out, and was actually kind of cool feeling there for a second.  That was my “Oh shit” moment from my managers training on recognizing signs of heat stroke.  I got my behind inside and sat in front of a running fan with a bottle of cold water.  Then it hit me how bad it was.   

I should have known better because I discussed this with my MD years back when he changed my BP meds.  Almost passed out laying sod one summer day. He told me my meds and age made me a little more susceptible to the heat and I need to be a little more careful than your average bear.  
 

I’m just trying to hurry this up because now the yard is getting plenty of water and will need mowing sooner than later.  I probably need to just get out there at day break and do what I can do for the first few hours of daylight. 

[CANicoll]

Oh wow.. Nice work on the piping, but definitely take care of yourself.  This heat is unprecedented and can be a killer - actually!  Supposed to be 100 here in Northern Va today.  Unbelievable.

[ScottsGT]

1 hour ago, CANicoll said:

Oh wow.. Nice work on the piping, but definitely take care of yourself.  This heat is unprecedented and can be a killer - actually!  Supposed to be 100 here in Northern Va today.  Unbelievable.

My son is in the Norfolk area for Captains school with the Army.  He had to wear full dress blues last week in the heat.   Off to the dry cleaners after that one.  
And our daughter and SIL are in Lexington VA. They’re closing on a house Tuesday and have to move in this heat.  Yuk!  I did that 28 years ago.  Moved on the hottest day of the year. 

[CANicoll]

I moved mom last Tuesday when it was 99.  Hired a young man and his two buddies but of course had to 'help out'.  God, I was exhausted.  And yes, felt a bit dizzy but like you was smart enough to get inside, get some cold water and sit for a bit.  Whew.  getting old sucks, but the alternative is not attractive, either!

Just sprayed the Phantom with clear to seal the decals, more on that in my thread shortly...  Nice to be indoors!!!

[KevinM]

17 hours ago, ScottsGT said:

 I probably need to just get out there at day break and do what I can do for the first few hours of daylight. 

I cannot do that maybe the location being 1/3 of a mile from the Gulf of Mexico.I saw this morning like 87/88' at 8AM with a heat index up around 100' you sweat like a pig and everything sticks to ya.I use to wait  till like 11AM/12pm to start work on the shop the humidity will drop from 80% to 60% still hot but we get a gulf breeze about 12PM everyday 5/10mph it helps.

[ScottsGT]

Well the back yard is finally safe to mow.  I got my lazy retired butt out of bed yesterday morning and today at 6:30 am before the heat set in. Humidity was much worse at 97%. But temps were 73. I had to go over and around all the trench work area with a garden rake to not only smooth it out, but to get the rocks up.   Big rocks. Like the size of a baseball or bigger that would surly destroy my mower. 
I’ve already done about 90% of the front yard as well.  I have a half dozen piles of rocks still out in the driveway I need to shovel up now.  
Needless to say, I’m wiped out and bench time just isn’t happening because I’d fall asleep!  My wife is a bit upset because I think I dozed off about 4-6 times yesterday and she couldn’t get there. She envy’s my naps and ability to sleep through the riots brought on by the grandkids.