New Driveway and Polebarn

[rswyan]

Looking North towards the top of the building pad. What's left of the original topsoil pile is on the middle left side of the image. There was a huge amount of it (10" 12'+ inches thick) - this area used to be a farm field where old man Combest grew field corn for his cattle, 30 years ago when my parents built here. My neighbor Jeff took out probably 15 to 20 loads with his son Stacy's 1-ton dump truck and then some more with the Bobcat. JASTN70D and Pineridge also moved alot more to the rear of the property with boxblades to create the path back to the stump pile. The woodchip pile is in the upper left corner of the picture.

 

[rswyan]

I had the gravel supplier tailgate spread the base gravel but I still had to spread it some to cover the edges of the driveway. The stuff that got pushed to the edges didn't have many fines in it so I had them bring 3 loads of "crusher run" to fill in the voids and stabilize the base.

 

[rswyan]

Almost empty. I'm spreading the crusher run by backdragging with an empty bucket and using a shovel and 3' dirt rake .... to avoid distrubing and bringing up any of the larger stones. Once we get a decent rain and the driveway gets driven over a little bit the fines from the crusher run should work their way down into the base and make it alot more solid.

 

[rswyan]

Final comment (for the moment anyways /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

I just wanted to acknowledge PineRidge for his help - unfortunately the day he came over we were pretty busy and I failed to get any pictures of the action.

Mike ... thanks again - it was greatly appreciated.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

What a terrific series of photos. Very detailed and interesting. That's a major project to undertake, but it looks great. Thanks for taking the time to post the sequence.

Cliff

 

[Nasty135]

rswyan, What a great project , very informative and good pictures with thorough descriptions /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif That is a BIG job!!

Great to have friends and secret weapons.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Some of those boulders looked nice enough that they could be used as landscaping accents around the property, and speaking of property your place is beautiful... are these pictures recent? reason I ask is because everything is so green ... Here in Md. we just got our first rain in about 2 months everything is brown here /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Looking great ,nice spread ! can't wait to see more of the project /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Inspector507]

The pictures were a nice way for us to see what you're going through. Keep 'em coming as you progress.

 

[rswyan]

Thanks guys .... glad you enjoyed them. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Yeah it definitely is a major amount of work. I have several other ongoing projects besides these ... unfortunately those will have to wait until next year I think. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

There's definitely no way I'd be anywhere close to as far along as I am without the help of some very good friends.

We're planning on using the boulders as landscaping accents - we have a number of them around the property from when the house was originally built. At some point we'll have to come up with a plan to incorporate them.

Thanks for compliment on the look of the place .... that's a big advantage of a wide-angle shot from a distance ... just don't get too close, or you'll see how it really is /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif It does have potential, but there's a lot to do to make it really nice.

The pictures of the upper road/driveway/french drain construction are from last year (when I was keeping up the lawn a little better) All the rest were taken over the last month so .... we have had periods of really hot, dry weather this year but then we will get a big rain so it hasn't been terribly bad.

I should have some more pics in the next week or so ... if this stinkin' rain ever stops. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( All the way out finally. It kept wanting to roll while I pulled it so it took a bit to get it all the way out. )</font>

Nice job, Randall! It looks like I'm not the only rock-o-dile hunter on TBN. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif That's a nice round boulder. Is it going to find a spot in your landscaping? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

EDIT: Oops! Nothing like posting before I finished your thread. I see you will have several really nice landscaping rocks. I'm also starting a rock farm of my own. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rswyan]

jinman,

Thanks.

We managed to snag a few rocks .... but because of being pressed for time there's alot more we're having to just pass by and just leave in the topsoil piles for now. Maybe this winter I'll have some time available for building a soil screen .... or rock bucket similar to yours. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The building will be delivered Monday morning, a day early, between 10 and 12. I'm really nowhere near ready for it .... no gravel down on the pad, pad still not completely levelled, and many other things not done.

Thinking about having them spot materials about 125' away .... but I don't know how easy it would be to move the 42' trusses later, after the semi with the crane leaves .... imagine they weigh a good bit. Don't want the building crew to be unhappy with me right from the start. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The good news is that the actual erection date has been pushed back a couple of days which will give me more time to get the pad ready.