Day 07: Basement Wall Forms

This is what our walls are going to look like...jk

We stopped by the lot after work today not expecting to see much of anything.  I thought maybe they would have staged the wall forms but that might have been it.  I was wrong!  They were putting our wall forms up...and making quick work of it.  They had 4 more hours of sunlight, so they probably finished before knocking off for the day.

We're hoping they will pour the concrete tomorrow and have the forms off by the day after (Friday).  If so, then maybe we can get the water proofing done and inspected some time next week. 

We still need the rough plumbing to be put in, the slabs to be poured and the steel beams to be set.  If the 3 week lead time for the wood package is consistent than the week of May 6th is our target date.  Probably closer to the middle or end of that week.  So there is time.

Our new drainage system hard at work...darn rain!

 



Look how high the walls are above the grade..



Another shot showing the wall height above grade



Day 06: We Have Footings!

Lots of stuff going on today.  They finished the forms and holes for the footers; finished the drainage system and brought in gravel.

Forms for Footings Done and Gravel In

The county inspector came by and approved the footings inspection.

Concrete trucks showed up and they poured the footings.

Shortly after they started to dry, they removed the forms and snapped lines for the walls.

Next stop basement walls.  Hopefully some work will happen on that this week (e.g. Forms Put Up).

Day 05: Not a Swimming Pool After All

Spring Sunshine

Finally a day or so of sunshine (Until Wednesday).  They were able to muck out the water/mud and finish digging the basement down to grade.  It turned out really nice.

By noon, the excavator was complete and the concrete guys were hard at work setting up forms and the drainage system. 

Looking from Front Right to Back of House - Family Room

Looking from Front Right to Kitchen and Dinette

Standing on Driveway and Looking into Garage - Trenches for Garage Walls

Another Shot of Garage Wall Trenches

I stopped back by after work and they were just finishing up.  The footings inspection is scheduled for tomorrow and then they can pour the concrete.

Forms for Footings - Note Sump Pump Location in Lower Right Corner

Setting Footing to Support Stoop (Front Steps)

Looking at Left Side of House into Dining Room, Kitchen and Garage

Footing for Fireplace

The entire 1st Floor has to be bricked, and normally they would run the floor joists out 2' past the edge of the house and put the fire box on top of them.  This doesn't provide enough support for the brick so they will be extending our foundation wall out a bit for support.  This gives us a 2' x 5' niche in our basement.  We are building a kitchenette here so this will become a pantry of some sort.  Either using cabinets or framing it in.  A great use of space.  Same goes for our Dinette.  They normally just extend the joists out 2' and extend the dinette 2' x 15'.  Again, we get an additional 2' x 15' in the basement.  It will be split between the main space and the media room.  This will make for a nice place for some shelving.

Looking forward to seeing the basement walls go in.  It's really tough to see what the true dimensions of this space is going to be.  The hole isn't dug to the exact dimensions of the walls (because then need room for the waterproofing system), and while the forms follow the outline of the house, they aren't exact either.  Hopefully  are there for

Also they loaded the tractor up from my site and drove it right over to a Courtland being built right across from me.  They also requested the permits for an Avalon that will be a few doors down from me and across the street.  The lot has been staked and the Temp Power Pole is already in and inspected.

Added a Future Projects Page

After using the Pages Section of Blogger to help organize our thoughts on Furniture, Design Ideas and Appliances... I thought maybe I should capture some projects that we want to do after moving into our home.  So I created a Future Projects page. 

I found it helped me get my head around all the stuff we have been talking about (and haven't written down anywhere), and the associated information, links, pictures, etc. that go with it.  A great tool for us and an idea generator for others.

Like the other pages, this is a living breathing page.  As we do more research, find new products and even do these projects I will try to update the page.

Enjoy!

Day 03, 04: A little less conversation, a little more action, please!

...a little more action please!

From the wise words of Elvis Presley, "A little less conversation, a little more action, please!"

Looks like nothing happened on the lot since Day 1.  Days 2, 3 and 4 had no activity.  I'm sure it's due to the rain and hole full of water and mud.  We have rain on the horizon mid week next week, so they will have to be double timing it to get the basement mucked out, footings poured and more importantly passed inspection.

Day 02: Building a Swimming Pool

This Has Been Me this Past Week!!!

I had mentioned yesterday that if it didn't rain last night we would get footings today.  Despite my best efforts and prayers to the rain gods, it stormed like we haven't seen in a while.  It rained from 2am on and is still drizzling.  Supposed to start clearing up this evening and tomorrow.

The PM called this morning and said he had been by the site and it didn't look too bad.  The plan was to muck out the water, finish digging out the 6" they left in yesterday and dig the garage.

Went by after work  and nothing had been done.  Based on the fact that it was still raining and drizzling, I don't disagree with their decision.  If they would have dug the garage, then it would have filled up with water too.

They had originally scheduled our footings inspection for today, then cancelled it and rescheduled for Monday but I'm not so sure they will meet this schedule either.  Hopefully Tuesday or Wednesday and maybe Basement walls by the end of the week.

I wanted to put in a pool at some point but wasn't quite ready for this.  You can see our wonderful swimming pool below.

Filling Up Our Swimming Pool

More Water in our Pool. Missing the 2x5 Bump Out for Fireplace in Family Room.

The Formal Living Room in the Corner was Finished

Close up of Living Room. The Stoop isn't Dug Yet.

Day 01: Started Digging

Got a call from the PM this morning.  Unlike the past two mornings, this one was good news (Weather was not our friend). 

Well the day is finally here.  Definitely a mental milestone... the first tangible event of the process.  Apparently we were worthy and the Deere Tractor succumbed to our pleas.

Some pictures below.  Never knew I would be so excited to see a hole in the ground.  We will probably stop by at the end of the day to see the finished product. If it doesn't rain we may have footers by tomorrow and a county inspection early next week.

Deere Tractor Hard at Work

Dining Room and Kitchen

Update.  Went back after work and they were almost done.

Big Mound of Dirt in Front Yard Now

Anybody need dirt?

Standing in Garage Looking into Foyer

Looking into Kitchen / Study on Opposite End and Family Room on Left

Last Corner to be dug and then garage and stoop

They left 6" in there just in case it rains tonight