A New House-Update #5 Long-With Pix

[Karl Laustrup]

Well, after an off day yesterday [Monday] the foundation crew was at it early this morning. It was about 30 degrees and gloomy, as opposed to 45 yesterday, with a stiff NW breeze that made it feel about 15 I think.

By the time I arrived, at 8:15 they had about 1/4 of the forms up for the foundation. I went to work in the garage/shop which was difficult as I have no electricity in there. No I wasn't neandering it. I was cleaning up and putting stuff away from our move. A lot of stuff just got put in the garage and I've still got a days work cleaning and straighting. I did the preliminary measuring etc., so that I can put up the cabinets that I saved from the old house. They will come in handy to keep some of the smaller stuff organized.

About 10:15 the first cemet truck showed up, but the crew wasn't ready, so the truck had to wait for about 45 minutes. In the meantime another truck showed up and now both were waiting for the crew to finish prepping. Finally, about 11:00 they started the pour. It went pretty quick and both trucks were gone before noon. The crew was outta there by about 12:15 after putting the blankets over the concrete.

They'll be back tomorrow to pull the forms and another crew will put the drain tile in around the new foundation tomorrow also.

As it's scheduled now, the flat work concrete guy will be here Thursday to pour the floors in the new sections. As far as I know backfill will still occur next Monday and framing commence immediately after that. I think we're still on track and I am still hopeful for a mid April move in.

Thanks for looking.

Karl

[Frank Pellow]

Things appear to be moving along both quickly and well, Karl. :)

My wish for you is that they continue that way for the rest of the project. :)

[Jim Becker]

Man...you must have hired "Lightning Speed Contractors, Inc"...

[John Miliunas]

Dang it, dude! They just aren't wasting any time with that, are they! :) This keeps up, you may need to get your move-in date pushed up a bit! :D :cool:

[Jerry Olexa]

Karl: Usually, you have to plan on Delays. Yours is moving right along. Big day coming when the forms are removed. Looking good...

[Art Mulder]

As it's scheduled now, the flat work concrete guy will be here Thursday to pour the floors in the new sections. As far as I know backfill will still occur next Monday and framing commence immediately after that.

I agree with the others -- I'm impressed with how speedy this is going.

However... what about the block wall height increase? That has to happen before the framing can commence. Did they fix the problem with the bowed wall?

[Karl Laustrup]

I agree with the others -- I'm impressed with how speedy this is going.

However... what about the block wall height increase? That has to happen before the framing can commence. Did they fix the problem with the bowed wall?

Art, you just woke me up from my self induced state of euphoria. I've been so excited about the new foundation I had forgotten about the addition of the two rows of block. I know that it won't take long to do, in fact it's probably going to be an annoyance for the masons. Probably only 2-3 hours work.

As far as the bowed wall, it will be determined when the masons do the blocks. I have suggested some rebar and filling at least some of the columns. We'll see what happens, although I am going to want some type of resolution to the problem. Or at the very least some assurance, in writing, that the problem will not become worse.

Thanks again,

Karl

[Art Mulder]

Hey Karl,

Those pictures really drive home the rather large size of that crawlspace. If I read your comments correctly, that is going to receive a concrete floor? Wow, that is a ton of storage. I hope you leave a nice large access panel/door into the old basement.

I can also see it as a great play area, either for your own grand-kids, or for a future owner.

I knew a fellow several years ago who lived in a split-level house, which had a fairly large crawlspace. The crawlspace was tall enough that he could sit in a (low) office chair without cracking his head. His plan was to put in a long/low table, and then build model railroads on the table, and he could sit in the chair to "scoot" around the table to work on it. That was one way that he could gain the space to do a big model train layout, without taking up space in the main living part of his house. Hmm, I wonder how that worked out for him.

[Jim Becker]

I really hope that when we do our addition, we are lucky enough to have a contractor that is as expedient as yours. (Of course, the township will likely be the glue that slows things down with frequency...they are "busters")

[Frank Chaffee]

Karl,
I still can’t get over that you started this build in mid-January in Wisconsin! We could be having a couple feet of blowing drifting snow and 30° below temps at night.

I still half suspect that you did this last fall and are just getting around to posting the pics now. Think I’ll ask Spring where you live and check it out for myself.

Lookin’ good, Guy!
Frank

[John Miliunas]

I still half suspect that you did this last fall and are just getting around to posting the pics now. Think I’ll ask Spring where you live and check it out for myself.

Lookin’ good, Guy!
Frank

Sorry, Frank. No help here. I know where he used to live, but there's basically only a hole in the ground there now! :D Don't know where he's presently hangin' his hat! :) :cool:

[Bill Lewis]

John,
I can't believe the speed of your progress. Frank may be on to something. Your yard did look awfully green for those demo pics.
Other explanations include, strapping your contractor to a chair and forcing hime to watch naver ending stream of "Extreme Home", or slipping caffine pills in the doughnuts for the workers, or maybe these guys know what's in store for them weatherwise, and want to get dried-in asap. Either way it looks like you're going to be moving in at the end of February at the latest.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

You are still humming right along Karl! I sure hope that this project continues on time for you!!

[Karl Laustrup]

Hey Karl,

Those pictures really drive home the rather large size of that crawlspace. If I read your comments correctly, that is going to receive a concrete floor? Wow, that is a ton of storage. I hope you leave a nice large access panel/door into the old basement.



The existing basement will be in use with the new house. As the crawl space is supposed to be right about 4'9", I have decided to have a door cut into each new section for ease of access and to store stuff. Like Christmas stuff.

[Karl Laustrup]

I really hope that when we do our addition, we are lucky enough to have a contractor that is as expedient as yours. (Of course, the township will likely be the glue that slows things down with frequency...they are "busters")

I am really lucky Jim. I had good feelings about this contractor when I first met him. Of course it doesn't hurt that this is their slow time. They currently have two spec homes going and an apartment building. So guess who gets all the attention as soon as something can be done. :)

Even the inspector is right on target. He signed off on the footings the day they were done and signed off on the foundation this morning while I was there. :)

Karl

[Karl Laustrup]

Karl,
We could be having a couple feet of blowing drifting snow and 30° below temps at night.

Think I’ll ask Spring where you live and check it out for myself.

Lookin’ good, Guy!
Frank

Thanks Frank. The probability of snow and cold temps is one of the reasons they have put the concrete work on the fast track. The last few weeks has been unseasonably mild by any standards for Wisconsin. I mean they were playing golf last week just outside Madison.

I'd say come and see the hole in the ground, but if you don't get up here in the next couple of days, it won't be a hole anymore. :D

Karl

[Karl Laustrup]

John,
I can't believe the speed of your progress. Frank may be on to something. Your yard did look awfully green for those demo pics.
Other explanations include, strapping your contractor to a chair and forcing hime to watch naver ending stream of "Extreme Home", or slipping caffine pills in the doughnuts for the workers, or maybe these guys know what's in store for them weatherwise, and want to get dried-in asap. Either way it looks like you're going to be moving in at the end of February at the latest.

Funny you should mention "Extreme Home Makeover" Bill. I just asked last week how long the construction might take. I prefaced my question to the GC rep by saying "If you say "TWO WEEKS" [the movie "The Money Pit"] I might have to deck you right here. ;) :D

I then mentioned something about the above show and he just kind of mumbled. But he did say 2 months from the time of getting the house framed, which he said should be completed by no later than mid February. Of course because this is going so fast we may have to wait on roof trusses as well as windows.

Karl