Starting a new home

[sr160009]

Update 5/16,

Well it has dried out enough for us to start working again. We have had the sand truck deliver the sand and we are starting to dig the trenches for the plumbing. It looks like we are going to be to pour the concrete on Tuesday, the pad will be ready before then, but we are not able to get the concrete until then (The concrete company is booked till then). Here is some pics of the pad right now.

 

[sr160009]

Here is a pic of the waterline trench coming from the meter to the house. We are going to put a temperary facit on it right now till the construction is done.

 

[fishpick]

Here is a pic of the waterline trench coming from the meter to the house. We are going to put a temperary facit on it right now till the construction is done.

Being a northern climate guy - this is awesome to watch you building this house completly wrong... I'm learning and loving this - keep the pics coming!

 

[sr160009]

Being a northern climate guy - this is awesome to watch you building this house completly wrong... I'm learning and loving this - keep the pics coming!

I know you northern guys build houses totally different, due to the cold winters. I am Glad we don't have to build like ya'll do, because the way we can build a home we will save a lot on costs. This house will be a little over 2900 sqft of living space and a porch of 950 sqft, also we will have a 28' x 24 detached garage with a 2 story on it. We are looking at $220,000.00 for the entire Project and we are not skimming on stuff eithier. I think that is very cheap for what we are doing.

 

[jinman]

Scott, I just have to ask one question. Why is your waterline trench curved? I like to use straight trenches with 45º, 60º, or 90º corners. It makes finding the waterlines easier in the future. I do curve trenches when they follow roads or driveways, but yours doesn't seem to do that.

 

[sr160009]

Scott, I just have to ask one question. Why is your waterline trench curved? I like to use straight trenches with 45º, 60º, or 90º corners. It makes finding the waterlines easier in the future. I do curve trenches when they follow roads or driveways, but yours doesn't seem to do that.

Jinman,

My uncle did the waterline trenchs and I asked him that also. He told me he needed to go between to pine trees that was in front of the house. I think he was just using that as an excuse because he had not ran a ditch whitch in a while, and was not paying attention. Just mark it as a bad job lol.

 

[sr160009]

Update 5/21/07,

I made a trip up to the place yesterday to check out the progress, we have just about ready to pour the concrete. The pad is plumbed now. We decided to use PEX pipes for the waterline in the house. It is about 35% the cost of copper and all of the plumbers (that use PEX) that we spoke to said they would not go back to copper pipes.

We started to put some of the steel in but we are waiting till right before the concrete is expected to arrive (we have is scheduled for Wedesday morning) to put the rest of the steel in, because if it rains we would have to redig the ditches. The weather people are calling for rain all week, so hopeful it will hold off till after we pour on Wedesday. Here are a few more pix......

 

[sr160009]

Here is one of the temp. water faucit.

 

[sr160009]

A few after I mowed.

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't know your concrete guy, so this might not apply, but be very careful of those guys who don't use chairs for the rebar. I've only seen this done here in East Texas, but for some reason, they like to leave the rebar on the ground, then pull it up by hand to center it in the pour.

I've seen enough jobs done like this to know it doesn't work. They get some of it up, but it's not consistant, and you will have areas where the rebar is at the bottom of your pad.

Rebar needs to be in the middle of the concrete to have it's maximum strength. At the bottom or top of the pad, and it's almost useless.

A very large bag of plastic chairs isn't very much money. If I was you, I would insist that they have chairs under the rebar befor pouring. Don't rely on them saying they will, be sure to make sure!!!

When I'm the General Contractor on a job, I make the concrete subs angry by doing this, but I'll supply the chairs and force them to do it my way. They grumble and tell me it's a waste and it's not needed, but when it's all said and done, I know the rebar is where it's supposed to be.

This is also why I don't like wire for pads. It's impossible to get it centered in the concrete, and even though wire is stronger then rebar when poured correctly, it's rarely true because the wire is always at the bottom of the pour.

Your place sure looks nice after you mowed!!!!

Eddie