At Home In The Woods
- Thread starter Obed
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2manyrocks
Super Member
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- Jul 28, 2007
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For clay, a tine fork like you use to dig potatoes works well. You pierce the clay with the tines, and then lever it out with the handle. A narrow trenching shovel will also cut through the clay if you sharpen the edge and keep it sharp. A regular shovel has too much resistance in clay.
If it is a drain problem, I'd fix it right. Once you have your grass established, you won't want to tear it all out again to fix it. You could dig the whole area out with the BH and front loader or get a bobcat in there. Yes, it's a pain. Sorry that you've had this issue.
If it is a drain problem, I'd fix it right. Once you have your grass established, you won't want to tear it all out again to fix it. You could dig the whole area out with the BH and front loader or get a bobcat in there. Yes, it's a pain. Sorry that you've had this issue.
OP
Obed
Elite Member
Today the new framing crew started. They fixed the height and width of the garage doors. The previous CM had made the garage door openings 7 ft high even though the house plans said 8 ft high. The new crew had to build a temporary support wall before tearing out the garage door openings because the wall that contains the garage doors is a load bearing wall. You can see the temporary support wall behind the LVL in the picture.
I really like the new framer. Tonight I talked with him about how to fix some of the issues. He seems very easy to deal with. We worked out some solutions together. He observed that our exterior doors were framed 3/4 inches too short and is raising the headers above the doors. We did not know know there was a problem before the framer brought it to our attention. He found that issue and is fixing it and isn't charging extra for it. Keep in mind that he must have gone around measuring things to make sure they fit the house plans.
Very happy.
Obed
I really like the new framer. Tonight I talked with him about how to fix some of the issues. He seems very easy to deal with. We worked out some solutions together. He observed that our exterior doors were framed 3/4 inches too short and is raising the headers above the doors. We did not know know there was a problem before the framer brought it to our attention. He found that issue and is fixing it and isn't charging extra for it. Keep in mind that he must have gone around measuring things to make sure they fit the house plans.
Very happy.
Obed
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Coyote machine
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- 22 SANY SY 50U, '10 Kioti DK 40se/hst KL-401 FEL, loaded tires, KB-2485 bhoe, Tuffline TB160 BB, Woods QA forks, MIE Hydraulic bhoe thumb & ripper tooth, Igland 4001 winch, & GR-20 Log Grapple. Woods BBX72" Brush Mower. Diamondplate aluminum canopy
Hi Obed,
Once again I have been paying sporadic attention to your project as I am concentrating on finishing my own addition and separate barn and apartment building.
I'm sorry to see you've had more than your fair share of headaches with the fired CM. Good you kicked him now when you can still get to fix things fairly easily.
Here is what has worked for me to stop the flow of shoddy overpriced material.
I put the name of those I want to have access to my lumberyard's charge account on the store's approved chargers and they buy items or order stuff over the phone to be delivered to my site. I get 10% off the regular price and my GC charges me 10% on materials, so it is a wash. But I have control of what gets returned and many many times things are ordered to be delivered by crane/boom truck which makes location of delivery go the way we want it to. Also it saves time not having 'my crew' having to unload and move stuff all over the place.
I go to HD on occasion for things like lighting fixtures, etc.
Sometimes I take my GC, or I should say I go with my GC and we pickup stuff in his larger than my truck; like mold proof sheetrock, for way less per sheet than I can buy it from my lumberyard.
I would encourage you to completely excavate out to the footing of the retaining wall and install drain tile, (with a sock over it to reduce the possibility of silt/ dirt, etc. clogging the holes), instead of just digging 1/2 way. Here is why. If you go halfway and it does not work you will have to go the rest of the way to fix it. If you fix it now while the ground is relatively 'soft' from having been recently back filled it will be easier than later when it has turned to stone. And if the wall kicks then you are.... well you get the drift.
And for point of information the guy who did the concrete should have done the drains around the entire house and retaining wall. That type of work is the excavator's job to complete unless some special arrangements were made?
Maybe you could get him to bring a piece of equipment to dig it for you since he had the concrete pour job? Its a thought.
I agree with Eddie and others who say get the tractor in the right position, even if you have to level off and then reset your house wall's adjacent grade- (if you are going to do it yourself). You don't want to add injury to insult by digging it at the precarious angle you're at now.
Good luck- I'd seriously consider what might be saved by having the foundation wall guy come do the work. He ought to give you a big break on doing it too since it should have been done in the first place when things were open and accessible. At least consider pricing it out with him or someone else if you prefer. That way you can decide what if anything you are saving by doing it yourself. Some jobs are just not worth the aggravation to do when someone else can do it fast and you can move on to more important items.
Once again I have been paying sporadic attention to your project as I am concentrating on finishing my own addition and separate barn and apartment building.
I'm sorry to see you've had more than your fair share of headaches with the fired CM. Good you kicked him now when you can still get to fix things fairly easily.
Here is what has worked for me to stop the flow of shoddy overpriced material.
I put the name of those I want to have access to my lumberyard's charge account on the store's approved chargers and they buy items or order stuff over the phone to be delivered to my site. I get 10% off the regular price and my GC charges me 10% on materials, so it is a wash. But I have control of what gets returned and many many times things are ordered to be delivered by crane/boom truck which makes location of delivery go the way we want it to. Also it saves time not having 'my crew' having to unload and move stuff all over the place.
I go to HD on occasion for things like lighting fixtures, etc.
Sometimes I take my GC, or I should say I go with my GC and we pickup stuff in his larger than my truck; like mold proof sheetrock, for way less per sheet than I can buy it from my lumberyard.
I would encourage you to completely excavate out to the footing of the retaining wall and install drain tile, (with a sock over it to reduce the possibility of silt/ dirt, etc. clogging the holes), instead of just digging 1/2 way. Here is why. If you go halfway and it does not work you will have to go the rest of the way to fix it. If you fix it now while the ground is relatively 'soft' from having been recently back filled it will be easier than later when it has turned to stone. And if the wall kicks then you are.... well you get the drift.
And for point of information the guy who did the concrete should have done the drains around the entire house and retaining wall. That type of work is the excavator's job to complete unless some special arrangements were made?
Maybe you could get him to bring a piece of equipment to dig it for you since he had the concrete pour job? Its a thought.
I agree with Eddie and others who say get the tractor in the right position, even if you have to level off and then reset your house wall's adjacent grade- (if you are going to do it yourself). You don't want to add injury to insult by digging it at the precarious angle you're at now.
Good luck- I'd seriously consider what might be saved by having the foundation wall guy come do the work. He ought to give you a big break on doing it too since it should have been done in the first place when things were open and accessible. At least consider pricing it out with him or someone else if you prefer. That way you can decide what if anything you are saving by doing it yourself. Some jobs are just not worth the aggravation to do when someone else can do it fast and you can move on to more important items.
radioman
Super Member
Looking at your tractor diggin on the slope, you are indeed a little brave. However, I am surprised you didnt use your bucket as an achnor. Curling the bucket all the way forward and back and then drive it down will cause the bucket to dig in giving you tuggin power.
2manyrocks
Super Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2007
- Messages
- 8,442
Please stay off that grade with your machine.
Somebody told me one time when I was looking to buy a home. Owning your own home is The American Scheme. Now why would they say something like that?
Thanks for posting! KK
What is the current height of the door headers?
OP
Obed
Elite Member
Today is the second day the new framing crew has been on the job. They worked Monday then went to finish another job and were back today (Thursday).
Yes those are shingles! The back side of the house still has felt. Sheathing on half the garage roof and on the portion of the roof that joins the garage to the house has been removed in order to redo the rafters so that the upstairs will accommodate the floor plan.
This picture shows the overhead garage door openings that had to be redone in order to match the house plans. The door openings are now 8' 1 1/2" tall to fit 8' high doors. One door opening is 10' 3" wide to fit a 10' wide door. The other opening is 9' 3" wide to fit a 9' wide door.
Tomorrow morning will we meet with the truss guy to try to come up with a plan to fix the trusses that are in the wrong place and interfering with the fireplaces and chimney.
We are also meeting with the electric company in the morning to discuss where to put the cut-off panel that will be near the transformer. We will be installing a 400 A panel outside beside the transformer so that we can so that we can cut off all power to the house. That way I will be able to do work in the 2 electric panels inside the house without having to call the power company. I intend to dig a trench between the outside cut-off panel and the house in preparation for running two 200A lines to the house.
Yes those are shingles! The back side of the house still has felt. Sheathing on half the garage roof and on the portion of the roof that joins the garage to the house has been removed in order to redo the rafters so that the upstairs will accommodate the floor plan.
This picture shows the overhead garage door openings that had to be redone in order to match the house plans. The door openings are now 8' 1 1/2" tall to fit 8' high doors. One door opening is 10' 3" wide to fit a 10' wide door. The other opening is 9' 3" wide to fit a 9' wide door.
Tomorrow morning will we meet with the truss guy to try to come up with a plan to fix the trusses that are in the wrong place and interfering with the fireplaces and chimney.
We are also meeting with the electric company in the morning to discuss where to put the cut-off panel that will be near the transformer. We will be installing a 400 A panel outside beside the transformer so that we can so that we can cut off all power to the house. That way I will be able to do work in the 2 electric panels inside the house without having to call the power company. I intend to dig a trench between the outside cut-off panel and the house in preparation for running two 200A lines to the house.
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OP
Obed
Elite Member
The framing and sheathing for the roof got finished today. Felt is covering the roof except for the eyebrows. Some more shingles got installed today. The roofers had to quit because they ran out of Ice & Water shield. My wife went to Home Depot this evening to get another roll (Home Depot brand) so the roofers can continue their work tomorrow.
Today I started digging the trench for the electric line between the pedestal cut-off/transformer and the house.
Painted a line then started digging beside the line.
You can see the temp elec. pole and transformer in the background. We will install a pedestal a few feet behind where the temp pole is. The pedestal will hold the power meter and a panel with two 200A breakers. Each 200A line will each run from the pedestal to its own 200A panel in the basement. One panel will feed the basement; the other will feed the rest of the house.
I dug the initial part of the trench so it will be 4 feet deep below the final grade. We need a 2 ft separation between the electric line and anything that crosses it. Unfortunately, the water line from the well and the gas line will both have to cross the electric line in order to attach to the house at their designated spots. So in order to run the water line 2 ft deep for freeze protection, I had to make the electric line 4 ft deep where the two cross near the house. I'll dig the electric line 2 feet deep the rest of the way.
As you've heard me say before, digging here is tough. I hit this rock during the 1st 5 minutes of digging. If you look closely, you can see a glove on the rock for perspective. It took quite a while to get this rock out of the ground.
Here's how far I got on the trench today. It took me about 3 hours to dig this much. I hope I make faster progress tomorrow.
I then spent 90 minutes scraping gravel off the area where I will be digging tomorrow weather permitting. This will be the front yard so I don't want gravel there anyway.
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