This day in 1997, of my house build

[buckeyefarmer]

19970118 - started framing. Installed sill plates on top of foundation walls with foam seam sealer on concrete side. Bought an 8’ step ladder, as my 6’ ladder I had wasn’t tall enough . The basement walls are 9 ft high, to have 8 ft clear under the center beam and ductwork.


The sill sits flush with outer edge of foundation for the side and back walls, but front foundation is centered on the front edge of the house, so it will also support the porch slab.


Used my truck to pull the 41.5 ft basement steel beam up onto the foundation walls. There is a pocket in the foundation that the end of beam sits in, plus 3 steel columns. You can see the pocket on the far wall.

Post 3 has 2 more photos from this day.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Found these on a shelf in the basement today. These are the broken off ends of the metal ties that got embedded in the concrete to hold the forms apart. After the forms are removed they got broken off. I kept them to use as large washers.


Dug some more and found some of the unused ties

 

[buckeyefarmer]

19970120 - the beam is set.
19970110 - steel beam was delivered

Had my first two volunteer helpers, hutch and a kid who’s name I forgot.

A day ago I pulled the steel beam onto the foundation. The beam has 3” bearing at each end, so we put the beam across the basement opening, with 3” bearing, and carefully pulled it across to the middle of the foundation. I filled the pocket holes with blocks of wood and got the beam on the blocks, them I jacked up each end and removed a block at a time until I got it lowered to the bottom of the pocket.



Once in place I attached the steel columns. When I ordered the beam, they asked if I wanted it punched. I said sure, not knowing exactly what they meant at first. Well, they had holes punched in the right places to bolt on the poles, and holes on top to bolt on the sill.
I later borrowed a transit to adjust the poles to level the beam.


Also once set in the pockets, I added some temporary braces to hold the beam in the center, until I got joists on.

Once I got the sill on the beam, I began installing floor joists.

 

[Citydude]

So far, so good

 

[two_bit_score]

Good thread BuckeyeFarmer! Very interesting.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

So far, so good

Just wait, lol. I got a couple “Oh crap” moments coming up.

 

[ovrszd]

Love this project. It's intriguing to wonder if you got to work on the house "today".

Sure hope the weather holds up for ya!!!!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Love this project. It's intriguing to wonder if you got to work on the house "today".

Sure hope the weather holds up for ya!!!!

I was fortunate it was a mild winter that year, unlike when I added the garage on, and had to shovel a lot of snow off the deck. I do remember some very cold nights and brutal winds.

 

[ovrszd]

Probably told this already. My builders closed my house in during brutal weather. Scooped snow off the floor twice after the interior walls were framed.

Then after they got it closed in I wired it in T shirt weather. Life of a Carpenter.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

19970121 - start 1st deck joists.

Took day off from work and got joists installed to the stairs.

My neighbor was building at the same time. I ended up using his excavation contractor and got a great deal as they dug both at same time. He was getting his 1st deck on before I got my basement poured.
Today he was setting trusses on his 1 story house with a crane and needed help, so I helped him most of the day. I always joke he got his house built first because he had more friends. As you will read later, he helped me a whole lot, so even though I really wanted to get my joists on, helping him when he needed help ended well. They are the best neighbors you could want. His wife ended up being our daycare for several yrs. they have a combo code to my house door and help look after things when we are gone. He’s a plumber, and now has his own business, and he helped me get my plumbing pass inspections.

When I pulled corners on my foundation, it was off about an inch. I had to set my back right joist about a half inch off the seal plate to square the deck.