New Home Begins

[tkappeler]

Homeowners have no ownership until the building is completed, until then the contractor does or should (ie: fire, theft, etc.). As far as you claiming to be the General Contractor, I would urge caution using that term or insinuating you have total control over the project. That shifts the responsibility for quality, sub payments, material payments, etc to you and away from the contractor. He will have no responsibility for any of those duties if he truly is a sub working under you. His insurance will also claim no harm and place all responsibility on to you. Be careful what you wish for.

That's what I am saying. I am the homeowner, I am the one purchasing the materials, etc so I am responsible for any theft, damage. I am acting as the GC and have collected the insurance from each sub I have and have a separate liability policy covering the site and me.

[EddieWalker]

Like the video. It gives a great perspective of your site and all that you have going on. Thanks!!!

Eddie

[TnWV]

The basement looks awesome!! These pics and video give us a much better look at your project. Before, I was a little worried about how much of the basement would be above ground due to steps. Now that I see it, it really isn't bad at all. What's the square footage of your basement? Looks much bigger in these pic than the previously ones. Your gonna have a beautiful place when finished!! Can't wit to see the framing go up!

[tkappeler]

The basement looks awesome!! These pics and video give us a much better look at your project. Before, I was a little worried about how much of the basement would be above ground due to steps. Now that I see it, it really isn't bad at all. What's the square footage of your basement? Looks much bigger in these pic than the previously ones. Your gonna have a beautiful place when finished!! Can't wit to see the framing go up!

Thank you. The basement is the full footprint of the living space ... 1800 square feet. We expect the number of steps to be only 4-6 once the fill is brought in.

[TnWV]

Wow, looks bigger than 1800. Thanks for sharing. My wife and I are still trying to finalize our house plans, and right now our basement is about the same, so I think it will be plenty from what I can tell by looking at yours. 4-6 steps isn't bad at all. Again, it looks great so far.

[tkappeler]

My son finished the trenching. I will have maybe 30 minutes of cleanup of the trench tomorrow and can then get the fabric, stone, pipe with sock, more stone and top layer of filter fabric.

I really need to get it in tomorrow as they are predicting rain for Sunday through Tuesday and I don't want it to wash more dirt in and have to re-dig. At least if I get this part done, then if dirt washes in, it will only be on top and not contaminate the drain.

[tkappeler]

Backbreaking day today. 1 hour fixing/finishing what my son "finished" 10 hours getting the 2" stone around the 200' LF of the basement, dig out the hole in the footing for running the pipe through the footing, install the pipe/sock combo, line the trench with filter fabric, more stone and fold fabric over the top of the stone.

Between code and what the architect specified, the french drain is a pain in the butt. The drain pipe is to be covered in a filter "sock" and the entire trench is to be shielded by filter fabric on the outside side of the trench and then folded over the top after it's all filled.

So, the question for the day is this: If you are working alone and you have to have the fabric on the outside vertical side of the trench, how do you keep it there while you put the remaining stone in without the fabric falling in/getting damaged?

My solution was to use the thin, useless coat hangers you get from the dry cleaners, cut off the hook and then in half and use them to pin the fabric to the soil until I am done filling the trench. Worked perfectly.

Funny how friends disappear when you are knee deep in mud.

[mjncad]

So, the question for the day is this: If you are working alone and you have to have the fabric on the outside vertical side of the trench, how do you keep it there while you put the remaining stone in without the fabric falling in/getting damaged?

My solution was to use the thin, useless coat hangers you get from the dry cleaners, cut off the hook and then in half and use them to pin the fabric to the soil until I am done filling the trench. Worked perfectly.

Funny how friends disappear when you are knee deep in mud.

I was going to suggest landscape staples that are used to pin down weed control fabric; but you made your own from coat hangers.

Yes, isn't amazing how people disappear when mud is involved...me included.

[tkappeler]

I was going to suggest landscape staples that are used to pin down weed control fabric; but you made your own from coat hangers.

Yes, isn't amazing how people disappear when mud is involved...me included.

duh! That's what they are called. Landscape staples. What an idiot I am.

[Obed]

For the foundation drain pipe, did you orient the holes on the top of the drain pipe or the bottom? The holes need to be on the bottom. Otherwise no water will get into the pipes until the trench has 4 inches of water in it. That's a point that is not intuitive and a lot of people, even the pros, get wrong.

Obed