New cooker deck!

[rlozinak]

I agree with the rest, get the plug. Congrats!

[Sid P]

Congrats Dave, I just know you’re going to enjoy that space! In regards to the PB cord length, surely one of those rocket scientists you work with could swap in a longer cord in 5-10 minutes…?

[DaveD]

We'll see how it goes once the deck is built. If I find that I really want the PB up on there too, I'll have a power outlet put up. Our main supply is to the far left in the third photo, you can see the meter. Simple to run a line from there if I decide I need it.

[pjayt]

Looking forward to seeing it finished

[DaveD]

Hey, bringing this back up - I hit the Go button today with my winning bid outfit. I'll put down the deposit on Monday and get with whomever they assign as the project manager. As mentioned in the OP, I'll be taking them up on their "flex scheduling" option, which gives a 4% discount, and they will slot in the job when something opens up - guaranteed by end of June but for a job this simple, it will certainly come up long before then. The rate limiting step will be getting the inspections and permits done from the county.

Speaking of which, I learned that our county requires that any open deck like this have a power outlet included. So I'll be getting that outlet from the get-go after all. Fine by me, it can't hurt! Stay tuned...

[Dan Deter]

No such thing as too much power on a deck...

[Alan Brice]

They just don't want you running an extension cord which they know you will do for what eva you may decide you need power to. Radio, Lava Lamp, pellet pooper??

[smokenoob]

cool! like the flex schedule idea!

[DaveD]

Another update. Deposit is down and the process is underway. Now that I know I will have power on the deck, reconsidered the layout and figured I may as well have the pellet smoker up there from the get-go. So the storage box will go where the p-smoker sits now (its footprint is only a tiny bit larger) and I've relocated the planned spots for the others.

Here's the current sketch, and I'm guesstimating that the power outlets (will request a box of 4 on 2 circuits if possible, min 20 amps each) will be located roughly in the center of the "western" side, indicated with the flashy thing.



Put myself together a wish list on Amazon with the stuff I know I'm going to need, such as the grill mats to go under each rig, which are the shaded rectangles. Decided to put an NSF-grade stainless work table there along the western side, which will allow me to use (i.e. plug in) portable gadgetry such as an induction burner (great for messy work instead of in the kitchen!). I might get a bit more usable space on the east side, it all depends on what it takes to put in the low steps to return to grade.

Definitely got warm fuzzies from the outfit I went with. Hit it right off with the guy who will be the project manager, who happened to come over to do the final site visit on the Friday we had recently where it hit 80 degrees. I was out in shorts and flip flops smoking a rack of baby backs on the SnS kettle, and he's a Kamado & gas grill guy so we had plenty to yak about. And he also understands exactly what I'm up to here. So far, so good!

[RiverJeff]

This looks Great! Dave now show us the end view of what the roof covering will look like along with lighting and the fan. Remember with the power supply a new refrigerator will be a must have.

[DaveD]

I wish! No way we could afford that, sadly. And I'm super reluctant to mess with the roof...

[DaveD]

Hey hey! Sure enough, a window has opened up in the schedule, and the deck construction is set to begin tomorrow! Way sooner than I'd thought likely. So I got out there and cleared the area, and fortunately it was a very springlike day with high-cloud filtered sunshine and temps in the high 60sF/20ishC, very comfortable indeed. With equinox less than a month away, the days are lengthening increasingly quickly...

So these will serve as the official "before" photos I reckon...!

This is from before I moved the kettle onto the patio, but all the other stuff was in the same area.


Lotsa leaves.




Hopefully have some progress to show soon.

[Panhead John]

Congrats Dave! Look forward to following along.

[RiverJeff]

Great looking start Dave!

[Alan Brice]

Gonna be sweet!

[DavidNorcross]

Looking forward to the build Dave

[hoovarmin]

Let's Go!

[Andrrr]

That's awesome it'll be done so soon, well ahead of the really nice weather months.

[fzxdoc]

Giddy up!

[DaveD]

Process is underway. Rough layout marked up on the ground, and today they'll do the footers. Tomorrow they've got the footer inspection and they expect to finish the framing as well, and hopefully get that inspection done too. There are some rain showers in the forecast but not until late tomorrow afternoon or early evening, so hopefully they won't be a big obstacle. Ignition sequence started...!

[RonB]

Looks like a plan to me. I know you will keep us posted.

[Panhead John]

DaveD If it’s not too late, what would you think about having them make and add a shelf for you, attached somewhere along the top of the railing? Could come in very handy while cooking.

[DaveD]

Definitely too late PJ (I've already signed off on the design as Final), and I don't think it'd be worth it anyway. Take a look at the layout a few posts above, I've got the gas grill with its two shelves on either end, plus the fold-up shelf on the SnS kettle, plus the 2x5ft/60x150cm utility table for flat surfaces, that ought to be ample.

[Panhead John]

Aah, missed the table part.

[DaveD]

Holes dug for the footers this afternoon. There's rain in tomorrow's forecast, so it might slip a day. And we have a days-long stretch of showery (but warm) conditions arriving Saturday, so there will doubtless be some delays. But we have liftoff!

[DaveD]

Uhhh... please tell me that you're not serious about fake Moon landings Dave!!

[hoovarmin]

Should have included an emoji 😜

[DaveD]

*whew*!