New Home Begins

[tkappeler]

Well, a slight stand delay. I am getting used to it. The framer was actually doing a small job at my brothers the other day and he became suddenly and severely dizzy and nauseous. He was taken to the hospital and was going to have some tests yesterday. I have not heard anything other than he feels much, much better.

I am sure there are going to be some delays and his health is way more important. Still, I hope the crew can start soon, even if they start without him.

In the meantime, the french drain will be dug out tomorrow and the raycore walls will be delivered tomorrow as well.

At least some things are moving along.

 

[tkappeler]

Well, a slight delay. I am getting used to it. The framer was actually doing a small job at my brothers the other day and he became suddenly and severely dizzy and nauseous. He was taken to the hospital and was going to have some tests yesterday. I have not heard anything other than he feels much, much better.

I am sure there are going to be some delays and his health is way more important. Still, I hope the crew can start soon, even if they start without him.

In the meantime, the french drain will be dug out tomorrow and the raycore walls will be delivered tomorrow as well.

At least some things are moving along.

 

[mjncad]

The framer was actually doing a small job at my brothers the other day and he became suddenly and severely dizzy and nauseous.

It sounds like the framer inadvertently ingested a pot brownie. From Denver's Channel 4.

CU Pot Brownie Suspect Faces 18 Felony Charges
CU Pot Brownie Suspect Faces 18 Felony Charges « CBS Denver

 

[sdkubota]

I have always heard frost follows the moisture down, so wet soil = deeper frost. Deep (18" +) snow cover = less frost depth.

Tom, I don't think you have any worries about slab heaving since yours will be covered in a relatively short time and your location has much higher average temps than here. But, it never hurts to ask. I don't think they put any insulation under the slab across the road either. It's down a ways from our house, so I can't be too nosy :laughing:

It really wasn't intended as something you should worry about, we were talking slabs and the neighbor created a test case to observe.

Snow is a good insulator and if you get an early good cover that stays, the ground will never freeze below it. Roads,sidewalks, etc. are the worst place for frost as any snow cover is promptly removed.

 

[tkappeler]

Today was a busy day. I hired my son, who does basement waterproofing to dig out for the french drain. Nothing like putting shovel in the hand of a young-un (26). The framer and crew showed up today to review. The one who became ill earlier this week is not allowed to work just yet but the remainder of the crew was there and they are beginning tomorrow with sill plates.

The Raycore panels arrived today also. Unfortunately, the four 1100+ pallets were inside a box trailer, not a flat bed, and they were nose to tail. Add to this that since the framers were not starting until tomorrow, the telehandler was not on site yet. The forks I have on the T293 are not long enough to offload the 9' wall panels on a double skid. Heck, the T293 is not strong enough to handle the full weight of each pallet so some creative off-loading was used to get them down and drag them to a better location. A fun time was had by all.

We also received 7 truckloads of fill from a local home site ... for free. The builder approached me the other day and the conversation went something like this:

builder: Hey, I am doing a basement for a new home nearby and need to get rid of the fill.
me: How much?
builder: about 7 truckloads
me: No ... how much will it cost?
builder: Free. I just don't want to pay to get rid of it. Take a look at it yourself and let me know. We will bring it over for free.

Sweet!

 

[sdkubota]

Be extremely cautious about doing any help unloading etc. I just had a construction project where the city worker was "helping" the contractor level some asphalt that was piled at the dump with the contractors payloader. Long story short the city worker tipped the payloader over on its side. The bill is $40k and the city has to pay for it. The city worker had no obligation to help the contractor and a seemingly good deed turned into a $40k bill.

 

[dave1949]

Scoring free, clean fill dirt is always sweet.

 

[tkappeler]

Be extremely cautious about doing any help unloading etc. I just had a construction project where the city worker was "helping" the contractor level some asphalt that was piled at the dump with the contractors payloader. Long story short the city worker tipped the payloader over on its side. The bill is $40k and the city has to pay for it. The city worker had no obligation to help the contractor and a seemingly good deed turned into a $40k bill.

I completely understand the liability aspects and always heed that. Unfortunately for this one, I am the homeowner/GC and it is my responsibility to unload my pallets from the truck. It was my tractor as well. I know I would have been on the hook for any damage to my equipment and/or the panels.

Luckily all worked out fine.

 

[sdkubota]

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.

 

[tkappeler]

Nice morning! Framers are here and snapping lines and prepping for sills. Sill inspection will be scheduled for the start of the week. PSE&G (local electric company) had been scheduled to put up the new pole sometime in the next two weeks. They arrived without notice this morning and will have the pole and secondary run over this morning.

Go figure ... a roughly 200' run for electric. If I do overhead, the entire cost is $0 to me, including pole, wire, installation, etc is truly free to me. Unfortunately, this would mean I would have to put up a mast to get the service up high enough. If I do underground, then the entire cost of trenching, conduit, wire, etc is all on me. So we came up with a compromise. PSE&G will set an intermediate pole since they can only go about 100' between supports and the cost of that and wire is on them. I will do underground from this pole. It's a win-win. Their costs are reduced since distance is less. Mine are reduced since the amount of underground is reduced and no mast!

Here are some pics.



Here are some pics of the raycore wall panels. Notice the studs cast directly into them. I am very impressed so far. Framers checked them out on line and excited to use them as well.



And finally, one panoramic video from one of the piles of topsoil ... sorry for the panning speed.

 

[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.

View attachment 293088 View attachment 293089 View attachment 293090 View attachment 293091

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. :laughing:

 

[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. :laughing:

duh! :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