Week 6: Block Party

Day 35

  

Last week the footings were poured.  Before leaving town the basement guys also marked off where the concrete blocks were to be laid on the footings and ran cross boards and string at the height that the blocks were to built up to.  By Monday afternoon about 1400 blocks had been delivered and set around the perimeter.

Above to the left  is the front garage corner which when you walk up to it the string comes to your chest which seems high but once you back fill with dirt will no seem so massive. Then as you see on the right this is the opposite corner which comes to your knees simply because the lay of the land is higher at this point thus less blocks will be needed. The intention in the end is to have a level floor (unlike our current living conditions where things roll to the center of the house.)

Materials and Tools

 

Day 38

 By the second day of work they had finished all but the back porch and breakfast nook and the front wall of the garage.  

Day 39 

This is the view of the front of the house, to the right is the garage, then the middle section set back in is the front porch, then the front library/nursery with window seat and then in the left set back is the master bathroom. Tilt your head to the left and it looks level.  Once again a little back fill and it will look level. If you were to stand on the top of the blocks (which I have without falling so far) that will be the ground floor of our home!

This area will be the master bath, closet, master bed, and guest bath

View from the fireplace area looking toward the foyer, dining room, and front porch

These blocks are where the front door will be

Crawl space, block piers for support

Worksite view: master bedroom and the corner is the master closet

View to the East front the front porch toward the garage

 Having not seen the plans it can be confusing but for us to actually see the outline of our rooms and stand at floor height is very exciting!  Once the framing begins it might be difficult to get a sense of the shape of the rooms until they are complete so these photos might be a good reference point when that time comes.  Hopefully soon!  We'll see what progress this week brings!