Building a hangar

[QFF]

Hi folks,

We're looking to build a hangar at a small airstrip in regional WA - small scale affair, to house 3-4 lighties. Not sure how to go about it. Have talked to a few of the larger national shed builders and so far some different options have cropped up - 1) Turnkey (most exorbitant!) 2) Buy the shed and plonk it on yourself (or hire some local tradies - if they're not working up in the mines) Would be ok if it was a straightforward tin shed but council is "encouraging" us to include toilet facilities in the hangar, with inherent complications like plumbing septics, rainwater tanks etc.

Option 2) looks attractive but smacks of owner-building - is it allowed on a "commercial" project like this?

I suppose option 3 is the compromise - buy the shed and get a local builder to manage the project.

Another Q - Slab thickness - normal 10mm or more?

Anyone done this before? Advice appreciated!

[AirSic]

build a shed

Not sure on the way to go with labour shortage, but........

I do hope the slab is greater than 10mm thick!?!?!? Me think 100mm AT LEAST!

I do have a few conatcts that maybe able to help, where is the "shed" to be erected?

[Bendo]

Any shed builder worth dealing with will be able to supply plans for council's DA process.

Those plans will specify the thickness of slab required for the floor loading AND for the footings, and it will specify the design of the footings & anchors to achieve the required rated strength.

1) Go to council and get their specs;
2) Go to your favoured shed supplier and give them the council specs and your requirements.
3) management of the building project depends on your talents - if you don't know what you're doing, talk to a local builder AND THEN to your supplier.

Good luck

[The Voice]

hey there ..

there are restrictions concerning structures built in W.A. - you would need to consider contacting the Building Board etc. etc. that should take the guesswork out of some things. It should also make a difference for other niceties such as insurance for the property and contents and public liability.

Bendo - you done and dusted all that other study?

[Zhaadum]

If its on your land in a rural setting (miles from town) then stuff the shire, do what you like. Your not going to upset any neighbors, block their view etc. The council probably wouldn't even know which buildings on properties were approved and which were not.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

We have built, or are in the process of building, 6 large sheds in the last 2 years.

In my experience, companies that supply the shed will either construct or recommend a builder to construct the sheds that they supply. While we have some very handy people working for us, the guys who are doing it all the time know how to put a shed up quickly, efficiently and safely.

Dr

[ABX]

Hi QFF,

Regarding slab thickness, I'm guessing 10mm was a typo and you either meant 10cm or 100mm... I any case I would be tempted to lay it deeper than even 100mm.

I currently work in structural landscaping we would do a concrete pour at least 7 or 8 times a month or more, when we are paving around a swimming pool our concrete base will be at least 100mm thick or greater and that is for foot traffic only, no vehicles and no structures, just a layer of paving tiles on top.

I assume the job is costing you plenty and if it is worth doing its worth doing well (etc), I suggest seeking the advice of a builder or engineer regarding slab (& footings) depth as there are many factors involved, including but not limited to:
soil type;
soil density;
surface water;
ground water;
type & weight of building;
type & weight of traffic on the slab;
etc;

Anytime we do slabs we err on th side of caution.

Lets not forget that a slab of this size will need good solid reinforcing with a good steel reinforcing mesh such as SL92 or SL102 sat on chairs.

I advise taking all this into consideration and then taking the advice of Bendo and the Doc, get the schematics from your shed supplier and soil tests done on site.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

[QFF]

Thanks for all the replies, guys - most helpful!

And yes, I did mean 100mm ...

Wrt labour shortage - spoke to a company in QLD who suggested factor in double the cost of the shed for turnkey project. Thinking about it, they obviously haven't factored in the labour situation here in WA - more like triple the cost, and then some...

[Ideal Line]

100mm slab thickness will certainly not be enough. For such a slab with that loading, you will need at least two layers of reinforcement. Add 50mm cover top and bottom and 50mm clearance between the two layers of mesh, and you are looking at at least 200mm thickness. The slab thickness around the edges would be even greater as the hangar columns would be supported at the edges.

[ABX]

...least 200mm thickness.

That sounds about right to me Ideal Line, I was thinking about 8" when I typed my response.

[Horatio Leafblower]

No sorry ABX

It would have to be 200mm

[ABX]

I wish I had thought up that PPRuNe name before you did Horatio, its a beauty, gives me a smile whenever I see it. (I'm sure Admiral Pellew would be proud of you.)

Nope 8" is better than 200mm!

[sprocket check]

Slab considerations: weight loading - 3-4 lighties? What do you call a lightie? Under 5700kg will give you a max single axle wheel loading of 57kN, requiring slab thickness of 88mm mesh reinforced, but it depends on the base soil-is it stabilised, drained, the surface size, expansion joints, concrete type etc. The footings are a different story altogether. If you don't know what you are doing and don't want the slab to crack or the shed to collapse on your aircraft, get a builder.

sc

[QFF]

Sprocket - I hear ya. It's definitely a builder job. Out of curiosity, where do you get your figures from - is there something like a builder's ERSA that has those figures?

[YoungAggy]

100mm thick reinforced slab is all that is required as when shed is erected the vertical support columns will be bolted/concreted into thier own footing first,then once shed is assembled you go in and concrete the floor last.
This is the most common method of shed building in W.A
Hope this is of some help,most country towns have someone who specialises in shed erection/builing etc rather than a house type builder.
Regards Aggy

[Peter Fanelli]

Whatever you do don't call it a hangar, you're likely to open a huge can of worms such as needing bathrooms etc.
Call it a shed.
A big shed.

[SmokingHole]

Ring Highline Sheds in Kalgoorlie. The owner is also the president of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Aero Club. Great bloke. Knows his sheds, council proceedures etc. Does a heap of work throughout this area.
PM me if you need more info.

[sprocket check]

my figures

a past life. used to have a foot in the construction industry; there are various design guidelines and calculators all over the place; many in print but also a few online. Online tend to be scarce or cryptic, usually because there are so many variations in materials and situations.

In Australia, concrete structures code, AS 3600 governs the design standards for concrete structures. It's all in there, and mostly the laws and regulations will require complying with SA specs or be based on them. FWIW.