October 2014

Dirt....Who Knew???

 

 

 

So, I'm back as promised with an interesting story about dirt. Correct me if I'm wrong but when I look at dirt on the ground while taking a leisurely stroll I don't notice anything remarkable about it. Well, let me let you in on a little secret....you ready...?? Apparently there are DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIRT!!

 

Bad dirt, booooo!!

 

Once the initial hole was dug, a surveyor or dirt analyst was brought in to test the dirt. It clearly didn't meet whatever standards they had set because they had to bring in dirt from somewhere else. Our PM, Ross told us that the dirt was not suitable to hold or support the capacity of our home. So, rather than have a sinking home they trucked in a different kind of dirt and saved us from what I'm sure would be a precarious situation had building progressed.

 

 

Good dirt, yaaaayyyyy!!



 

After the dirt was trucked in, the beginning stages of laying the foundation took place. The builders began what I can only describe as mapping out the shape of the foundation of our home. They laid down wooden planks in a structural pattern and from there laid down casters which would act like a mold. Imagine an oreo cookie. You have your cookie portion on either side and that yummy cream filling in the middle. Our cookie portions were the iron casters and the cream filling was the concrete that was poured in the middle of them.

 

 



 

The casters were allowed to set the concrete for a few days and from there, they began to waterproof the outside of the foundation. They also ran a sewage line on the front portion of the home which was inspected. It passed inspection and the dirt was back filled in that particular area.

 

 

The "oreo cookie" - like effect I was describing earlier.

 

Sewage at front portion of our home.

Sewage line back filled after approval upon inspection.

 

 

The black tar-like substance along the walls of the foundation is the material the builder uses to "water proof" the home.

 

Jacques, our "second in command" PM talked to me at great length and described the next portion of building. Once plumbing is completed and another inspection is approved, they would then back fill the space between the concrete wall and the outskirts of the hole with dirt. From there, they would level off a portion of our lot and lay down concrete for our driveway. In between that, they would lay concrete for the floor portion of the basement. Once the concrete for the floor and driveway have been set, they would then begin phase #1 of framing. I honestly am excited for that portion of building because I feel that once framing has started, everything else goes by fairly quickly.

 

In the meantime, here's some pictures of the wood they brought in for framing (any day now).

 

 

Wood and supplies for framing.

 

 

I'll keep you posted and updated with feedback and lots of photos of the framing. Until next time!!