Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Well House Project

We acquired electricity out at our place last June / 2015. In July, we had a water well dug near the future home-site. With PVC coming in and out of the 84 gallon tank, the well guy suggested that some kind of well house be built to protect from freezing lines as we do not live out there yet. He also suggested that the top to the well house be removable in the event that the tank, pump, and screen would ever have to be removed. Thank God, for a mild winter in SE Texas. I started on this project the middle of November. So, after 3 holidays, hunting season, not so perfect weather, and a few health issues (working weekends only), I finally got it completed.

Got it formed up and the slab poured the first weekend. Studs were sunk in the slab to bolt the bottom plate in place.

About a month later, I managed to get it framed up (remember, it was hunting season).

Got the shed sheathed and blacked in shortly after.

Drilled and bolted the top plate to the top of the stud walls for removal if necessary (in the future).

Used 105 Drop Siding. Almost completed less the door casing and paint.

Completed this past weekend; painting, hanging the door, and putting on hardware. It was a fun project, but am glad to see it complete.

Very nicely done Charlie! I really like the forethought to allow roof removal later.

Thanks Bill...It complicated things on the construction side, but we got it all worked out. Hopefully, I'll never have to pull it off.

Looks really good!

No one would ever dare do that around here tho. Freeze solid.

Thanks...What do you'll normally do up there? I've got the pipes wrapped with insulation and if need be, we hang a light inside, to give just enough heat to keep from freezing. We seldom experience temps in the mid 20's here in SE Texas.

For year-round use, a lot of well houses in this area are actually well pits, with concrete block walls going down about 4-5 feet, and a removable roof on top.

Submersible pumps and bladder tanks in the basement/crawlspace have done away with a lot of well houses.

Like the construction detail....very nice!

Nice looking well house. Mine is 6 feet in the ground. Nice we got to turn ours off this year. We finally ran city water. Couple of things that I learned the hard way with a well house: insulate it better than you think you need to, you might want to put heat tape on the hose bib, put in plenty of light fixtures, and it will be the best thing you have done. Running water is one of the necessities in life! Now we are going to convert ours to keep our pond full. Enjoy!!

Everything underground below the frost line and tank in the basement if it is a full basement, or tank on the main floor that's heated.

Have not seen a well house in many years, but they would line them with straw and put in a light bulb to try keep it from freezing.

Thanks, it was built to kind of (sort of) emulate the house we are starting to build later this year. We plan to build an Acadian Style home with 7' wrap around porches. Pond #2 will be about 25-30' behind the well house. But, that's a ways off in the future.

Did you design the house yet? Took my bride and I 9 months with a draftsman to get ours on paper. IMO take your time and design in everything you can that suits your preference. Making changes on paper (computer these days) are way cheaper than part way thru construction.

Charlie, you will, sooner or later, have to pull the pump. They don't last forever. I use a small thermostatically controlled heater to warm mine. Of course, in a bad storm, I generally lose electricity.

Dang, that's a purdy well house. Nice job!

Bill,
Yes, I have a nephew in LA that is an architect (by education). We sat down with him (several times) and got the house designed. Not my favorite part of the process. But, I'm glad it's done. I'm not that hard to satisfy. My better half...well, that's another story. Ha! We were hoping the oil and gas industry would rebound soon so we could get started...that may still be in the distant future.

DD1,
I hope not any time soon. 4 bolts and a couple of wood screws and we should be able to remove the roof. I also built it big enough to house a little gas powered generator for electrical failure purposes.
Charlie

"For year-round use, a lot of well houses in this area are actually well pits"Anyone that has watched Joe Dirt knows that Hoosiers are big fans on digging pits.Seriously though, the well house looks very well built.The trouble I usually have is scaling and setting a firm budget for most of my projects! I would like to build a storage shed by my pond but I am afraid it might morph into a storage garage.I find myself thinking just one more truss and a few sheets of plywood would give me so much more room!

tubguy,
....what budget??? Lol...I just started on the project and got what I thought I needed until it was done. Wanted it to last. It will be behind the new house when we build. I've thought about a storage shed by the pond as well, but not sure I would go to that detail and expense for it. I would definitely not pour a slab by the pond, even though it would probably be the cheaper way to go with regards to lumber. The lumber yards in SE Texas indicated that building material prices are going out of sight. I understand the US is sending mass quantities of building materials to China in exchange for the junk that they send over here. I understand it is creating a shortage of material. Doesn't that sound about right? It's all about the dollar....

Looks really good Charlie! I know what a pita it is to do everything by yourself..... Good job

Thanks, Pat....Yes, you do...