The last post I talked about getting my shop insulation done. If you are just jumping into this page, then check out the overview of posts in ascending order: The Truckee Workshop Project.

The Nevada County had to check the insulation before I could start my drywall work. This was fairly easy, as the inspector called me on the phone and asked me a few questions. I sent him some pictures, and it was all good to go. The main thing he was concerned about was having the proper attic venting; however, I opted for spray foam insulation to avoid having to doing this, as it acted as a complete barrier. Don’t ask me more about that, because I don’t fully know how all the building science works, and just go with what I’ve been told by engineers and contractors.

I initially decided to use 1/2″ drywall. I knew it was way lighter and easier to install than 5/8″, and I was contemplating doing it myself. However, the high cathedral ceiling made me realize this would be too difficult, and I decided to contract out the hanging of the drywall. I talked to a few people and got two quotes to do the job; I was going to get a third, but the person didn’t want to do the job do to the high ceilings. One of the two quotes was about 15% higher than the other, so I decided to go with the more affordable option. I hate telling contractors when I don’t want to go with them, and the guy was fairly unhappy that I didn’t choose them for the job. He was disappointed that he wasted time looking at my project and not getting the job. But, in reality, it is quite normal to get multiple quotes, so I was surprised he was so unhappy.

I also decided to use 5/8″ drywall. Some parts of a building require 5/8″, such as between a garage and the living spaces…however, my project is not official living space so I wasn’t sure if I needed 5/8″. I eventually talked to an inspector, and he told me 1/2″ would be fine. But, I opted for 5/8″ since I wasn’t going to be doing the hanging; it is stronger, sags less on the ceilings, and has a slightly stronger higher R-value. But the biggest reason is that helps for future proofing in case the building is ever converted to livable space.

The hardest part of the drywall was coordinating the delivery of the drywall. I estimated that the job would take about 135 sheets or so of 12’x4′, and the guys who gave me quotes were thinking 150 would be a good number to target. This makes sense to allow for some extra waste and is pretty standard process. The guys doing the job said 12′ was good, and I was okay with it since I wasn’t doing the hanging. But each sheet is over 100 pounds, so I was looking at 15,000 pounds of drywall!

The cheapest quote for materials was from a building supplier in Reno. Home Depot might have been cheaper, but I wasn’t so sure they could deliver it to my house up my long driveway. After a month or more of sunny days the delivery happened on the day it snowed! A large semi-truck appeared at the bottom of my driveway around 11am. I knew they were coming, and plowed my driveway and our shared private road to ensure they could get up. The problem he had was too much ice on my driveway; he wouldn’t be able to drive a forklift and drop off the materials. He was also unsure he could even make it out on the private roads, as they were not plowed past my driveway, and there wasn’t any place to turn around. My simple solution was to just plow the road for him, and it allowed him to get out okay. We rescheduled for 3 or 4 days later, and most the snow had melted and delivery ended up being pretty smooth.

The hangers were pretty fast. They did it over two half-days. There were a few minor things I had to to touch up, and my part of the work was to cleanup and remove the extra drywall waste. I ended up having about 22 extra sheets – so my estimate was spot on! They were about $20/sheet..and this is where I wish I would have bought them at Home Depot. I could have easily returned them and gotten my money back. Instead, I had to sell them, and the best I could get was $10/sheet.

In the next post I’ll talk about the radiant floor heating for my workshop.

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Shop Insulation - The Truckee Workshop Part 15

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DIY Hydronic Radiant Floor Heating - The Truckee Workshop Part 17