Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Full Time Job(s)

Great question I was asked, and funny that I was contemplating the very topic this afternoon while putting the last of the ground-services in before backfilling the foundation.

With acting as the general contrator as well as the electrician, plumber, HVAC installer, owner and general laborer, it's looking like a full-time gig. But I have a job already!

Yes, there's conflict with our time, both Sandi and I. We both work at OSCS, which is struggling a bit in this economy. We're battling through it, and there's lots going on, but it also takes time. I could easily put in 50-60 hours a week there, and should, but I'm actually getting like 40-50 maybe with week-day distractions to deal with the subs. Early on we had hopes of taking weeks off at a time, but the business demands our attention right now.

It'll even out I know, especially after the shell is up and we are the only subs around. Stay tuned for that!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Rubber Hits the Road

Our eyes are propped wide open with the to-do list. The role of General Contractor puts plenty of responsibility on us to ensure the flow of the subs.

Our foundation is done, but not really. Footing drains are going in, and then backfill. Before that, though, there is lots for us to get done. I trenched between the house and utility junction, and laid a 2-1/2" conduit for power, a 2" conduit for communications and a 1-1/4" water line. Because the power comes up at a certain spot, I needed to put up a peice of strut and a clamp to hold the pipe before I could position and stake-off the lines in the trench. There is a required separation between water and power, and because it's a driveway I took pictures before backfilling in case the electrical inspector wants to see it. I suppose we should get an electrical permit, before I get us in a bind.

The water and comms pass through two of the sleeves we put below grade into the crawl space, and the geothermal loop uses the other one. After Cal finishes laying the footing drain, and before he backfills, we'll have to put in a water line for the rainwater collection system. More on that later, I'm sure (after I figure out what to do!). If I stay on it, we could conceivably have power and water in the house shortly after framing starts, though I doubt I'll be that organized or "bored".

Sandi just chimed in about typing in "her" blog. That's pretty funny, and I'm pretty happy that she is into it. That means you'll keep getting updates in a not-so-technical manner with lots of pictures. I'd put a picture in here, but I'm lazy and left my camera in a box outside and it's late.

Oh yea, before I forget, I also put in dual ground rods for the electrical system. I did it now because I don't have to pound the rods into the clay all the way as about 3' will be buried in the backfill. That's not lazy, it's working smart! .

I'm tired, and it's only the beginning. But it's a good kind of tired, and a very nice bonus, though rare, is that I'm much more likely to get a back rub after working on the house than after a hard day working on skis!


We have one week until Nick the Framer comes work his magic. Tom is digging the trench for the power to the house. This didn't look like the very best approach to trench digging in my opinion but what's done is done. I sure hope he doesn't come to me with the same sheepish look he had when he got the 'little' tractor stuck...



And here are the beautiful stem-walls without the forms. *sigh*


Yep, still have some water issues to deal with.

Friday, March 27, 2009


I'm innocent. It LOOKED solid enough...

Thursday, March 26, 2009

More fun ways to pass the time in the mud...



As if Red-Neck sledding on the dirt piles isn't fun enough. Tom has come up with Hillbilly Tractor hauling!
That wet, mucky mud that we've been talking about tried to eat Tom's tractor but Snort saved the day. I'm sure those of you with children have read 'Are You My Mother' by PD Eastman and will know what I'm talking about. Not sure how we're going to get that whole geo-thermal field compacted but that's a problem for another day. Right now I'm going to relish the stem-walls that were poured this afternoon. Not to brag, but they are the prettiest stem-walls in the neighborhood... :-)


Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Spring has arrived, in the form of rain. Water + Big Dirt Pile = Big Mud Pile. We put a tarp over, and it blew off overnight. So we re-tarped it this morning after change OUT of business attire into DIRT attire. Now I want another cup of coffee so here I sit-n-sip. The foundation crew is here again. They snapped lines and placed all the cleats yesterday and today they are beginning to set forms. And the hole fills.....I wonder if they know how to swim?

We have not verified any measurements, but will be doing so today. I need to be sure they have the right drawing set, including the enginneering so they know where to place the hold-down straps.

The weather outlook show Thursday being partly sunny with no rain, the only such this week. That would be good for the anticipated pour that day. It's snowing-mad in the mountains, which is great because dad is taking his little girls to Mission Ridge to meet friends for a play-day/weekend. I feel guilty because they is so much to do, but the kids need a break and we haven't skied much because of the Hyak slide.

More later!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Step by Step (footing by footing)


OK, the footings are poured. They ended up being lower than originally planned, due to the crappy soil we have (lots of organics). So they're on the clay layer for stability. We then measured yesterday to check where the sewer line is, which is pre-existing. Plan 'A' was to have a 2-foot foundation wall, now we a in Plan 'B' with 4' walls to accommodate the crap-line. So much for the budget :-(

Now, Tuesday, the crew is back and forming up the main foundation walls. Definitely progress!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Underway

OK, I'm not sure if this blog thing's going to work out. It'll be sporadic at best unless one of us gets completely into it. Computers take so much time, at least as much as they save. But at least it makes sharing stuff easy, so I'll try to keep it up to date.

We off and running, with the foundation dug Friday, the footings laid out and prepped Saturday, to be completed, inspected and poured on Monday.

I finished to geo thermal heat exchange field, and Hayward with Northwest Energy came by and we heat-fused all the loops in a manifold and ran the supply/return lines to the house. It is now charged with air and after the last of the backfill we'll just have to deal with the yard. What a mess, and now it's raining. It may have to be icky piles of mud until it's dry for weeks and I get another machine to push it around with.

We meet with the framer and lumber vendor this week with framing tenatively slated for April 6 start.

We're going to have a ground-breaking party, probably late April. Anybody reading this is invited. We'll also be doing lots of "work parties", where you can come by and wear most any hat you like. Learn with us how to wire, plumb, heat, paint, millwork or the myriad of other stuff that has to get done, eventually.

OK, I'm done for now. How about some pictures?




HERE WE GO!!!



Can this really be happening? Can anything wipe off the huge grin Sandi is sporting all day, every day now?



We got our permit, and are now Mired in Mud.



Saturday, March 7, 2009

Well, Sandi started a blog entry. I was thrilled, but laid low on the praise or even acknowledgement as she gets shy sometimes. She didn't post it, though I have it and may do it if she doesn't. The problem is, things age and we keep going whether we post or not.

It looks like our permit will be ready early this week. I've given a heads-up to the earthwork and foundation guys, and am in contact with our supplier for the geo-thermal system. I'm going to get a big machine to cut the building site and while it's here we'll bury the "slinky" loops in the ground. An 800' spool of pipe yeilds about 100' of coils. And we need five, buried 5' deep and a few feet apart from each other.

If all goes well we should have significant framing completed by the end of May.

In the meantime, I'm working furiously on the media room in the garage. I know once the house is going my time will have to be over there. My goal is by the time I have to change focus the room will be in a substantially-complete state so we can use it. We painted this last week, and this weekend we'll put the faux finish that Sandi picked out. She really is good with color and style, and is guiding those finishes. I'm getting the lighting going right now, which is almost done and looks really good. A Lutron RadioRA system is going in, and having dimmers really makes the room look cool. I'm sure flooring and furniture will help too!

It's been a good experience doing this room right before starting the house. It's reminding me of how much there is to do and how long all the little stuff takes. And you can't skip any details, for rish of having a crappy outcome or more work later.

I have taken pictures, kind of sporadically but I have some. Perhaps next time I sit down for a sec I'll post some (if I can find them!). Until next time.....

Think Snow! (OK, we're not done skiing but Spring is in the air!)