Home Improvement: Cheapskate Dept. (Updated) 3

Not having any training gigs lately, I’ve been doing some work around the house.

The past two days, I’ve been rebuilding the shed. It was guaranteed for five years when I got it 15 years ago, so I can’t complain.

It’s been falling down for the past three years. For the past two, I haven’t been able to close the doors, because they were supporting the building.

So, yesterday, I ran down to 84 and got some lumber. Then I thought a while and, on the way back from the dentist, stopped at Home Depot and got some more lumber. (I generally try to avoid Home Depot, but it was right there on the way home; if it’s something I can’t find at the local hardware store, 84 is my first choice, Lowe’s, my second choice.)

I jacked up the lowest side with my trusty hydraulic bottle jack and placed supports under the roof, then boarded over the side with a 4′ X 8′ sheet of plywood. I then jacked up the other side and supported it.

Using my pipe clamp, I squared the front, which was easily five inches out of square, and nailed everything down.

Today I built and installed two new doors.

Tomorrow I am going to skirt in the bottom with plywood to cover the rot, then paint.

For an outlay of about $150, I’ll get at least five more years out of this puppy.

Of course, I would rather have a new shed, but I’m not ready to drop three grand on the vinyl 10′ X 8′ number I want, at least not until I get a new gig.

Addendum, 6/22/08:

Finished.