Just had a big hole dug in my front yard

[Iplayfarmer]

I'm trying to figure out how you maintain frost protection for the now-exposed portions of the footings?

In the midwest, we have to keep the bottom of footings at least 36 inches below grade per code.

Obviously they're unprotected temporarily.

I think the big concern with the 36 inches below grade is to prevent the lifting that can occur from chronic freeze-thaw cycles.

At least that's what I hope. Projects like this are not uncommon around here this time of year. If the temperature drops much below 0 degrees F they'll cover and insulate, but warmer than that they just rely on a little extra calcium in the mix and other accelerators. I've never heard the concern about the footings freezing.

Here are a few pictures of what it looks like today. We got some snow overnight.

 

[dieselsmoke1]

Wow I put my construction project on hold waiting for warmer weather and you're gung ho in the snow. A good looking project and if I understood the intent, one that might actually pay for itself unlike most of mine.

I'd have probably had to commit the Bride if I stirred up that much mud for me and the dog to track in the middle of winter.

On second thought the real reason is my free labor doesn't like working in cold weather. Cuts down on their beer intake too much.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Wow I put my construction project on hold waiting for warmer weather and you're gung ho in the snow. A good looking project and if I understood the intent, one that might actually pay for itself unlike most of mine.

It should pay for itself and then some. We refinanced the house to do this project. Due in part to the current financing situation in the country, our house payment after the refinance will only go up $7/month over what we were paying, and the payoff date is within a few months of what we would have had before.

I'd have probably had to commit the Bride if I stirred up that much mud for me and the dog to track in the middle of winter.

In all reality, there's very little mud. It all freezes, so there's nothing to track in.

Even still, I have my speech already prepared about how this is her project for her hair salon. She's pretty good about that kind of stuff, though. She understands that the comfort and peace of living in the country comes with a little mud on the floor.

 

[charlz]

Awesome project.

"cut the door" as in your existing basement wall ?
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((OT, why is "cut" automatically underlined with dots ?))

I noticed this throughout the site the other day, I think it is some kind of keyword highlighting feature. On other sites you can click on those words and get a definition or be taken to an online store etc.


So, Iplayfarmer is there going to be a larger porch installed that covers this new entrance etc?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...So, Iplayfarmer is there going to be a larger porch installed that covers this new entrance etc?

The porch will extend over the actual doorway for the walk-out basement but not the stairs. I don't know if I can explain it in words. I'll post pictures when it's done. We'll eventually cover the outside stairway, but we won't do that until later. We don't have any plans for a cover over the porch.

 

[Kfbeal]

If you hover over it, it says "compact utility tractor". You can use it for external links, advertising, acronyms, etc like what was mentioned earlier.

Awesome project.

"cut the door" as in your existing basement wall ?
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((OT, why is "cut" automatically underlined with dots ?))

 

[Kfbeal]

BTW, I think you all are crazy for working in that weather this time of year. It's been in the 40's and 50's and I don't even care to get outside down here. lol

Looks good, and hope you wife enjoys it and appreciates the work you are putting into it.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

BTW, I think you all are crazy for working in that weather this time of year. It's been in the 40's and 50's and I don't even care to get outside down here. lol

Looks good, and hope you wife enjoys it and appreciates the work you are putting into it.

I realized long ago that if I live in Idaho I have two choices... I either declare my independance from the weather, or I only live 3 months out of the year.

BTW: I don't disagree with your evaluation of my psycological condition.

 

[Kfbeal]

I don't see how you folks take it. We rarely get hard winters and can normally do things outside comfortably throughout most of the winter. If I lived up there, Idahopped on a plane down south to the 100+ degree summers. What a trade-off.

There are few homes or buildings with basements down here so I find it interesting.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Northern living is definately not for everyone. You'd be surprised, though, how you become accustomed to it. We buy big coats, 4X4 vehicles, and good furnaces. The first snow every year brings out the bundled up people and cars litter the barrow pits of every road. By spring everyone's running around in light jackets and fully capable of maintaining the posted speed limit on ice covered roads.

As for the basement, I love it. I love how cool it is in the summer, and in the winter our gas fireplace warms it up real nice. I'm excited for the new storage room we're adding. We figure it will maintain a temperature of about 50 degrees year round.