Another step closer – seamless rain gutters
We are finally getting seamless rain gutters on the pole barn. It’s the strangest thing. There was a sign on the corner down from our house. We called the number; the guy came out and gave us a reasonable estimate. A few months later, hubby tried to get ahold of him with the go ahead but no answer and no return phone call. We waited on 
that guy for over a couple months. We were psyched
into thinking that we were another step closer to seamless rain gutters!
There were others that came out who gave estimates, but they were beyond the price we wanted to pay. That went on for several weeks until we saw another sign at the corner of the Meijer grocery store parking lot. When we parked the car hubby called the number. The guy gave us a run down right on the phone from the measurement’s hubby gave him. The guy even answered hubby’s questions about materials and options. A few days later he walked through it with us, gave a written estimate and a date when the work would be started and finished. He was hired!
The seamless rain gutter process
Our pole barn is 40×80 and two-story height. No small task. It was amazing to watch them mold 80′ seamless rain gutters then carry it up on ladders to the roof. I certainly appreciate the young guys that were doing the job. They had to make sure the highest part was in the middle. Then they allow each end to be slightly lower for water flow. They cap the ends to contain the water, add the downspouts and a couple hours later they are done.
Hubby had the front down spouts angled to the back of the pole barn because there is better draining back there. We are thinking about digging a couple of trenches and burying tile to the drainage pond for the fields. A small section of it is on our property.
So, with that off our “to-do” list I asked my husband what was next, thinking it would be the floor. He said “electric”. He needs the lighting to prep the floor for the concrete. With running the pex lines for the in-floor heating, laying the insulation and putting in drains, I can see his point.
Next step
We went online to check out the electric company’s procedure for installing new service. There was an application online, but we didn’t know the answers to some of the items on the page. We are also at the pricing phase, not the installing phase. Hubby wants to bury the line but if it’s expensive we will have to go the overhead route. Some of our concerns are:
- Can we dig our own trench for burying the line to save money? (no – unions won’t allow it)
- Can we place the meter on the west end of the pole barn? (Yes)
- How long will it take? (several weeks)
- When can they start/be finished? (paperwork to complete, easements to be granted…)
With our electric company, there cannot be two dwellings at the same address. The pole barn will be listed as commercial even though it’s not. The rate for our electric will be higher on the pole barn. I thought the lady told me it was $7.00 just for having a meter and .90 something cents for access to electric. I don’t believe that is all it will be. Others have spoken about having to pay $25.00 monthly just for the service being connected.
Side note
Our electric company is one of the highest (if not THE highest) charging electric companies in Michigan. While there are several different companies providing the service, they are in different locations across Michigan. In other words, there is no choice for the consumer. The company gets to create a monopoly for service. Our no-good legislatures allow them to continuously raise their prices and charge fees for things like opting out of the smart meter. Why? Because their lobbyist has money to grease the palm. They should! Our electric company charges customers for their employee retirement fund!
I won’t leave on a bad note but read my post tomorrow. It will be a meltdown rant on our electric company! I got started now I need to vent it off.
At any rate
At any rate we are making progress towards our goal. I’m happy to be mobile in our plan! After the electric thing we will be putting the floor in the pole barn. Then hubby will be sectioning of a paint booth, putting a loft in for my craft space, a man cave space for some of our household furniture and other items. So exciting!
A little back story: The seamless rain gutters we had put on the house 11 years ago are still functioning with no real maintenance issues. We knew it would be worth the cost. The area around the pole barn is very soft when we get a lot of rain. Hubby did not want that to potentially damage his floor during the wet fall and freezing months.
I will keep updating as we go along. I hope you stay with us! Please comment if you like
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