Week 3: What Lies Beneath

Day 16

My what a beautiful October morning to pour a basement!  Ready to go at 7:30 am. 

The forms of the basement-11 feet tall from ground to above the ground. The top of this will start the floor of the first story.

View from the entrance side of the basement looking west.  There will a retaining wall on the left wall at some point. 

Inside the "hole" as it shall forever be known according the Sullivan.  Coming from a long line of pack-rats, I think this might just be enough room to store all of our stuff.

 

Time to pour the concrete! Scott, the man in charge assessing the scene and making sure all is ready

Scott guiding the concrete into the forms

Liquid gold

And the dance began...One by one the concrete trucks rolled in...It took 5 truck loads (or 104 tons of concrete if your counting).  That should do it...for now. 

A very tall boom which carried the concrete down into the forms

Even Grandaddy got to get in on the action!  His first time out in 6 weeks since being in the hospital.  He has been really looking forward to watching all this.

Sullivan and Patrick seem to be pleased at today's progress.  Can't wait to see the final product of the past week's hard labor...(tomorrow we think!)

End week 2

Day 10
The forms start going up. Now its really starting to look like a room!

Patrick checking out the days progress

By the end of the day 1/2 of the forms are up and stabilized. Fueled by Three Point Grocery's BBQ and Fried chicken they really got a lot of work done today!

Week 2

Well it feels like we have had our beloved "hole" for about a month now.  We have had much fun playing in it.  But...its time to move on! 

Day 7

Bright and early American Tree Service arrives to prep the trees on the East side of our driveway for our new electric poles and line. 

Throughout the day the trucks and basement equipment started to arrive.

Day 8

Its official! Our very own Building permit!

Digging the footings

Day 9

Thinks got started pretty early this morning.  Everyone was up and at it by 7:30 am.  Mr. Larry our contractor and Patrick discussing the progress and plans.

 

By lunch the cement truck had already come to pour the footings. Looking good!

The dirt walls have been "wrapped" for protection because it rained today and drainage pipes are in place and covered c gravel. 

I think the plan tomorrow is to put up the forms for the basement walls.  Its funny how at each step you get so involved and focused on whats happening now, then you look around and realize there are a whole lot of things to come to make this a home!  Every day is something new and I love watching the progress!  Hope you do too!

Day One

 Let the digging commence!  By the first day 2/3 rds of the base has been dug! It looks like a big swimming pool!

 Sullivan actually did most of the work.  He got to ride on the dozer and loved it.  We had to watch the 5 minute video Patrick shot of the back hoe working last night about 10 times!

                                                                                Day 2

                                                     Lunch time shot.  This is the basement!

 This is the basement plus the are on the side that eventually you will be able to enter through the side below the level of the driveway.

 Buddy trying to figure out how to get into the hole

 Sullivan loves this whole process, dirt and tractors...who could ask for more.

End Day 2...can't wait to see what's next.  Wonder when the basement guys are going to show up?!

The exterior inspiration for our home...but better! (we hope)

The construction site location (note the sticks).

When we got home from church this was sitting in the field!

Looks like it's really about to happen!

All staked out and ready to go!

We put down an outline of each room in string. Right now the rooms look big but I know it will shrink when the "sticks" so up and then grow again when the walls go up. So exciting !

...after

Sullivan making sure that this is the right spot

Before...