Rehabilitating a soggy shed into a chicken coop

— Rehabilitate Not Replace —

This was an interesting project!

A newly purchased property had a charming, but neglected, shed on it.

Sunken directly into the soil, the flooring was rotted. Deposits clearly indicated that sand and mud had flowed through the structure during high water events.

The first step was to raise the shed out of the soil to see what we were working with and see if this shed was worth recovering. Once we lifted it up out of the mud, it was clear there was no foundation, not even cinder blocks, so the wooden floor just sat in the mud and over time sank in and rotted out. We were going to have to rebuild the entire floor and lower the shed down onto it but we could recover this shed.

Planning the run, there were a few elements that we needed to incorporate, making this pretty fun.

Firstly, having large open space was important. We've built a number of chicken coops over the years, and personally, we feel that having a coop or run where you're hitting your head or can't move around freely makes maintenance a bear and detracts from the enjoyment of keeping these animals.

Next, we wanted to maintain the gable's form and carry it's shape into the run for aesthetic continuity, using larger beams to get a heftier timber-frame look.

Lastly, we wanted to include an existing crape myrtle tree inside the run, as a place for the birds to play and escape the sun. We wanted to allow it to grow up and through the top fencing and structure of the run enclosure. Establishing plants in your run can be a huge challenge with the birds constantly harassing them. Starting with a fully established, mature, large tree, however, works very well.

So here is the plan:

Why Choose Us?

At Mellman Construction Company LLC, we pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence. We love recovering, reclaiming, and giving a new life to what others might call a "lost cause"

From the initial consultation to the final walk-through, we work to meet every client's individual requirements and needs to ensure that every detail of your project is executed to perfection. Our team is dedicated to delivering outstanding results, and we use only the highest quality materials and equipment to ensure that your project exceeds your expectations.

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Rehabilitating a soggy shed into a chicken coop

— Rehabilitate Not Replace —

Replacing the floor brought this shed back to life

Why Choose Us?

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