I Spy with My Little Electronic Eye

So 6:30 am this morning, three cars turn up, one of them towing all the tools a fella could want - to be able to put sheds and such up. Yes, the Rigel (Titan's erector group) peoples were here. No slackers in this mixed bunch, we had a couple of blokes and a sheila doing the hard slog today. The target was to get a double carport (gable type) erected out the front of my place for my car and trailer to sit under, as well as a second double carport out the back to act as my new patio, for me to sit under.

So we started the day with two nice clean slabs of concrete and the building materials that arrived a week or so back.

The front carport was the first to be built, starting with the gable ends being laid out and the fascias for them cut out to fit and then fixed to them.

Then the ends were stood up and propped in place for the time being.

The main 7.2 metre side beams were then added and the main roof A-frames put into place and all bolted together.

Then it was time for all the base plates to be bolted to the concrete. They take three concrete bolts to hold each one down.

Next to go on were the metal tophats. These are named because they sort of resemble a tophat in cross section.

After the tophats were on, then the diagonal metal straps were cut and bolted into place - these help to keep it all square.

Then of course there are the braces between the posts and the roof beams to add more strength. This thing is bullet proof! (OK then, cyclone proof)

Coloured side panels came next along the main beams. Then of course the guttering brackets were screwed into place.

Following this was the obvious - the guttering.

Here are our two intrepid blokes. And nope, the lady of the group was not out making a run for pies and sausage rolls - she was actually starting on the patio and getting roofing materials ready for the front. No mucking around here - the fellas have to go get their own tucker!

It was now time for the roof panels to go on. Whilst our lady friend was getting the roofing iron and handing it up, one of the blokes was screwing it down. Once he had it roughly screwed into place it was time to put the 5,000,000 screws into the iron to hold it down against the gravitational pull of the sun... and wind.

After all the roofing screws were in, it was time for the ridge capping to go on.

With the neat cutting tool, they can cut the ridge capping to match the curves of the corro iron sheeting - beats hand snips, that's for sure.

The front and rear fascia edges were the last to go one and that was it - complete - fini.

After the guys had cleaned up and left, I got the hose out and cleaned the footprints off the cement and we were done.

I'll do the back patio and videos of both in the next few days. Needless to say, I christened the back patio tonight with a few beers, wines and tokays with the neighbours and upstairs :o)