[TomH]

Another busy day - put in about 10 hours. Lots of little stuff to do to get everything ready to go. I pulled the forms from yesterday and then decided I needed to clean out a path in the basement because I had crap scattered all over my small work area. Of course by the end of the day, it was pretty much back to the way it started.

I then got to work getting the outside forms ready. I trenched out about six inches along the foundation so I could set the forms there and then backfill with dirt so they would be rigid. I established the height and cut the form and did a temp fit to make sure it was going to work.

Then the fun job of cleaning the top of the foundation for the Weldcrete. Vacuum, scrub brush, water, and vacuum again. Came out really clean - way better then the post holes I did the previous day. Applied the Weldcrete and started tying up the rebar.

I went ahead and did the final setting of the outside forms and backfilled. For the inside I wanted to attach at the bottom plate of the first floor floor joist. This was done for two reasons, first there was nowhere else to attach and second it seals off the house from outside. Added a few braces at various locations and I was ready to pour concrete.

I'm still kicking myself for not buying a cheap mixer but 16 bags of concrete later, I was done - almost. I troweled the surface and installed some anchor bolts. The bolts are probably a little overkill but it's what the concrete store had. Plus I bought to many so I spaced them pretty close.

A little clean up and I was done for the evening. I still have to clean up my mess and haul the scrap to the dump. I think I'm going to leave the forms until next week, unless it's bad to leave the forms on too long. I have to clean up the basement a little so I can hook the dryer back up. Can't go a week in this house without a dryer. Then next week I'll put in the wall and set the house back down.

Some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Tom