Very much following your progress.
Building a new house and shop (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter 1911
- Start date
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Perfect size for fun.Two pieces of off-road equipment, a D5 Caterpillar and an FJ40. Surprisingly (to me anyway), they are about the same length. The D5 is only rented; I wish I could afford to buy a smaller one though. Maybe a second-hand one some day.
1911
chupacabra
- Thread starter
- #125
$3,400 worth of schedule 40 PVC for the french drains, air supply/exhaust ducting, conduits for power and water under the foundation. Delivery truck could not take it down to the house site, too muddy down there that day, so he left it up by my shooting range and I have to haul it down myself on a 10' trailer. Those 20' lengths of 4" heavy wall are HEAVY. Can only pick up one end at a time, and that is almost like work.
Forms for the footers (foundation) will start going up on Monday, as long as the rain stops and it dries up a little by then.
Forms for the footers (foundation) will start going up on Monday, as long as the rain stops and it dries up a little by then.
Well is it heavy wall or is it sch40!?!? Can't be both!
Nitpicking is what you get for posting so few updates! We never even got to see the finished apartment!
Nitpicking is what you get for posting so few updates! We never even got to see the finished apartment!
1911
chupacabra
- Thread starter
- #128
Construction has started in earnest this week. The earth-sheltered specialty contractor is here from Bastrop (Texas); they laid out the lines of the house with rebar and string. We ended up moving it north about 10' and rotating the north end slightly west, to hug the excavated wall closer. Also had to move a little more dirt.
Here is a photo from the hill above the home site yesterday:
As of this morning, they are laying out forms for the concrete footers that will be the foundation:
I am back and forth this week, 46 miles away at Boy Scout summer camp with our church troop. Not the best time to be gone, but I committed to go a long time ago. I am driving back and forth some days when the boys are in classes/activities.
Here is a photo from the hill above the home site yesterday:
As of this morning, they are laying out forms for the concrete footers that will be the foundation:
I am back and forth this week, 46 miles away at Boy Scout summer camp with our church troop. Not the best time to be gone, but I committed to go a long time ago. I am driving back and forth some days when the boys are in classes/activities.
1911
chupacabra
- Thread starter
- #130
Yeah, I am really spoiled working from home. I don't like driving to or through any city now. The camp commute is all rural, but I have to be back there every night. During the day I have some free time that I can use to go back to the house and approve things if need be. I'll be glad when this week is over though.
Cool progress!
1911
chupacabra
- Thread starter
- #132
The air supply ducts, plumbing/septic drains and main conduit pipes for water and electric distribution are roughed in, and the forms for the footers (foundation) are mostly in place now but a few left to go. Shooting for Tuesday to pour all the footers at once.
Bonus points if you can find the FJ40 in the second photo:
Bonus points if you can find the FJ40 in the second photo:
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What's the deal with the plywood and sandbags? Covering a cistern, root cellar, bottomless pit?
1911
chupacabra
- Thread starter
- #134
Dungeon. Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Seriously, the builder called that a "pillow" for the bottom of the 10,000-gallon water cistern that will be cast into the back of the house. I think it has to do with forming a drain in the bottom, and making it the lowest point in the house, so that it would all drain out if required / if there was ever a leak, but I'm not 100% certain what the true purpose is.
How many yards of concrete for the first pour? Really enjoying following this build.
Bonus point, I spy a 40 just a bit up and to the left of the white pickup in the second photo.
Bonus point, I spy a 40 just a bit up and to the left of the white pickup in the second photo.
1911
chupacabra
- Thread starter
- #136
Thanks Paco. This first pour (the footings) should be about 75 cubic yards of 3,500 PSI. The domes will be another 500 yards altogether of 4,000 PSI, but they won't be poured all in one day, they will be poured in modules. Then all the interior flatwork will be another 180 yards. Then whatever exterior flatwork we decide (when everything else is done) for patios and driveways.
Bingo; you can barely see the white roof behind and to one side of the big fifth-wheel RV behind the white pickup.
1911
chupacabra
- Thread starter
- #137
Rebar for the footers is mostly in, and a lot of the plumbing and electrical lines are roughed in. The HVAC ductwork is all in the footers also, that is the large-diameter PVC. A learning process for me; I didn't realize how much had to go in or under the footers before you start pouring any cement. I'm happy so far; the rebar is all heavy thick stuff cut to length, raised on chairs and wired together. Also, the cement volume has been re-calculated based on actual measurement of the forms (and the lengthening of the two retaining walls on either end) to 90 cubic yards instead of the previously-reported 75, just for the footers. One more day of banding the forms with metal strapping, and a little more plumbing rough-in and the footers are scheduled to be poured on Friday.
Awesome. Thanks for taking the time to take the pics.
1911
chupacabra
- Thread starter
- #139
More photos to come; tired tonight after pouring in 100-degree heat. The crew was one guy short, so I helped scree the tops of the forms all day, and hauled water. Almost like work - the young guys doing it get $20/hour for it; would not be enough for me to do it for a living! But at least the old guy in his 60's could keep up with them.
