My Industrial Cabin Build

[s219]

I always thought block walls seemed like a lot of time/work, originally coming from a part of the country (New England) where we always setup forms and poured walls. But down here in VA, block walls are the de-facto standard it seems. I am seeing some new homes use the "Superior Walls" system, but otherwise it's all block.

 

[dstig1]

A good block mason is fast. That foundation looks like a couple days or so. How long does it take to bring in forms, set them, add rebar, level them, align them, tie them off, then pour, vibrate and finish, then come back and strip forms and clear out? That is easily 2-3 days. Now I prefer poured for the overall structural solidity of it, but the points against block are not time, they are in the strength and resiliency of the block vs poured. Plus - Up here block is cheaper.... I know my foundation walls took at least 4 days by a large crew. There was 2 days of forms being delivered (being used on other jobs). Then they sat for a couple days. Then they showed up and set them and the rebar. Next day they poured. A day or two later they stripped. Then they picked the forms up within 1-2 days. Total time was easily a week, week-and-a-half, but actual work time was much less. All that overhead time of moving crap around and scheduling adds up.

 

[rScotty]

A good block mason is fast. That foundation looks like a couple days or so. How long does it take to bring in forms, set them, add rebar, level them, align them, tie them off, then pour, vibrate and finish, then come back and strip forms and clear out? That is easily 2-3 days. Now I prefer poured for the overall structural solidity of it, but the points against block are not time, they are in the strength and resiliency of the block vs poured. Plus - Up here block is cheaper.... I know my foundation walls took at least 4 days by a large crew. There was 2 days of forms being delivered (being used on other jobs). Then they sat for a couple days. Then they showed up and set them and the rebar. Next day they poured. A day or two later they stripped. Then they picked the forms up within 1-2 days. Total time was easily a week, week-and-a-half, but actual work time was much less. All that overhead time of moving crap around and scheduling adds up.

That's right. They are different foundations for different purposes. Cost rarely enters into foundation selection because foundations just aren't a whole lot of the cost of the house. Engineering wise, which to use comes down to surrounding soil type. If you are up on a hill side well above any perched water level and on stable soil...then a laid block foundation coupled with a 100% perimeter french drain will do the job.

Now if you are down lower in a valley or near water on ground with a variable water table and with soil having too much of either sand or clay (you want a little of both, but within limits) then your situation is more unstable. For building there you want a poured concrete wall with an expanded footer and lots of cross connections. If there is any chance of movement, double the steel and go thicker on the poured walls. You can do that and still not spend lots of money.

Good luck on the project. We did the same about 12 years ago in the Colorado Mountains. Everything you are considering sounds so familiar....even to the selection of roofing material. We put in our own well and water purification, made the house passive solar and got lucky to tap into enough geo-thermal heat to establish a house base temperature above freezing. Floors are 6" thick stained and waxed concrete encasing hydronic heating pipes. In some areas the concrete floor pour was depressed to allow for a hardwood floor to be laid flush. Yours is so different, but so many of your decisions sound so familiar!
Enjoy,
rScotty

 

[EddieWalker]

How did they fill the block? did a cement truck bring it and then drive around the blocks? wheel barrow? or did they mix sacks by hand and fill it that way?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Just found this thread. Looking great!!
Getting power early is great. I built most my house with generator power.
Cant wait to see the work continue.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

How did they fill the block? did a cement truck bring it and then drive around the blocks? wheel barrow? or did they mix sacks by hand and fill it that way?

Pump truck with 2 inch hose. It's a cement grout. I wasn't there to take pictures.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I had gravel delivered yesterday for the foundation fill. And I mounted my temp service pole for electric.

 

[japody]

Woodchuck - are those ash trees in the background? Reason I ask is because we've gotten an infestation of ash borers that are killing ours. Several trees have fallen and I've cut a lot out.

 

[rScotty]

I had gravel delivered yesterday for the foundation fill. And I mounted my temp service pole for electric.
View attachment 525012View attachment 525013

Some hints: place the gravel around a perforated PVC pipe and wrap gravel & pipe in a layer of geotextile to form an underground French drain along the entire perimeter of the foundation along the bottom of the foundation block.. Combine the perf pipe into a single larger pipe and slope (1 to 2 degrees of slope is plenty) all of this French drain to a central spot well away from ....and slightly downhill ...from the house. Very inexpensive to do & you'll be glad you did.
For the electrical transformer... They vary in the amount of buzz noise they make. If you get a noisy one ask for an exchange or see if they will put on of their sound insulating boxes around it.
Enjoy,
rScotty

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Woodchuck - are those ash trees in the background? Reason I ask is because we've gotten an infestation of ash borers that are killing ours. Several trees have fallen and I've cut a lot out.

I have not noticed ash on my property
I have seen a fair amount of butternut or walnut. And tons of different types of oak. There was a large stand of white oak that I had marked to keep but they got cut down. I was mad but I choked it down. It seemed like a miscommunication from my forester to the logger but my gut says this is business as usual. It didn't leave a good taste in my mouth.