Bigger, Stronger, and a Lift!

[don_w]

January 13, 2009

Finally!!! Some progress is visible again. When I took these photos, the plumbing subcontractor was just finishing up with the sewer lines. He told me that they hoped to get an inspection the following day (today, January 14). After that, then the trenches would be backfilled, and it would be time for the concrete sub to do his thing. From what I was told, they will add some steel, level the grade, and lay down a water proof barrier. After one more inspection, the concrete will go in. That is scheduled for sometime next week.

And the 10-day weather forecast is looking quite summer-like… sunny and upper 70s!! Exactly what we need right now!

Drain for the Kitchen Island

Drain for backyard BBQ sink

 

[KIM_05_GT]

So they pour concrete over the plumbing? What if something happens in the future and you need to fix or replace a pipe?
Sorry if thats a dumb question..I live in michigan (we have basements)

 

[don_w]

So they pour concrete over the plumbing? What if something happens in the future and you need to fix or replace a pipe?
Sorry if thats a dumb question..I live in michigan (we have basements)

Well, I guess that's just a regional difference. Every house I've lived in for the past 50 years had the sewer lines under the slab. Never had an issue.

 

[KIM_05_GT]

Yeah I guess you don't have to worry about freezing pipes as much as we do

 

[cekim]

Yeah I guess you don't have to worry about freezing pipes as much as we do

much less of a problem when wild temperature swings are 5 degrees - brutal winters, I tell you, brutal...

But hey, we have a driveway encrusted with ice despite all my best efforts this winter. So there - HAH!

 

[don_w]

Freezing?? Only place that happens here is in the left side of my refrigerator.

 

[freebass55]

So they pour concrete over the plumbing? What if something happens in the future and you need to fix or replace a pipe?
Sorry if thats a dumb question..I live in michigan (we have basements)

My parents house has their plumbing like that...they had to cut the concrete to fix the pipe. It was a mess in their kitchen. We have a raised foundation, with a crawl space. When ours burst, it cost half as much. My house is also 30 years older than my parents.

 

[freebass55]

BTW, It's looking good, Don. I'm really happy for you guys that things are rolling along.

 

[don_w]

My parents house has their plumbing like that...they had to cut the concrete to fix the pipe. It was a mess in their kitchen. We have a raised foundation, with a crawl space. When ours burst, it cost half as much. My house is also 30 years older than my parents.

How does a sewer line "burst"?

BTW, It's looking good, Don. I'm really happy for you guys that things are rolling along.

Thanks...

I can't wait for the slab to go in next week. We should see big changes coming quickly after that.

 

[freebass55]

How does a sewer line "burst"?

My parents line was the hot water, they have a tri-plex so the copper had to go through the concrete. Ours didn't "burst" per se, but we did have to get the sewer line re-done from the kitchen to the street, because of movement of the ground and roots. We actually have video from when they put the camera in the pipes to find the problem. I don't think it would have been a problem if it were in concrete.

 

[don_w]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the only water lines I'll have in the concrete would be for the island in the kitchen. I assume everything else would come in from overhead.

 

[JA BoostedSTANG]

My friend is a plumber and pretty much all the plumbing in the houses here in florida are done like don's house.

 

[don_w]

I can't wait for the slab to go in next week. We should see big changes coming quickly after that.

Well... things never seem to go as planned, do they. Our home is one of about 8 homes that the builder is doing concurrently. The latest word from them today is: "We hope to still pour the first slab Friday. Your home is the sixth house in sequence."

OK, so my first thought was that the slab should go in late next week (assuming one per day for them). But then I saw the weather forecast...

Guess I'll just have see how much rain we actually get. Hopefully, it is not heavy.

 

[ZmanM3]

So much for it always being sunny in Ca.

 

[don_w]

So much for it always being sunny in Ca.

Well, winter is the "rainy" season here. On the other hand, rain is extremely rare from April through October.

The last time it rained here was Christmas Day... so its been dry for the past 4 weeks.

 

[ZmanM3]

Well, winter is the "rainy" season here. On the other hand, rain is extremely rare from April through October.

The last time it rained here was Christmas Day... so its been dry for the past 4 weeks.

So it only rains when you need to pour your slab.

 

[don_w]

So it seems...

 

[don_w]

January 22, 2009

As I mentioned before, things never seem to go as planned. Our home is one of 7 or 8 homes that the builder is doing concurrently. Last weekend, they provided the following update:

-- Ground work plumbing is now complete and inspected by the City on all homes.
-- The first four homes have had the sewer backfilled and compacted
-- The sand and visqueen has started on the first homes in sequence
-- We will start installing steel on Monday Jan 19 on the first homes in sequence
-- Pre slab inspections will start Wednesday Jan 21 on the first homes in sequence
-- We will begin pouring foundations on Thursday Jan 22 or Friday Jan 23 depending on inspections on the first homes in sequence and we will pour two homes a day once we start pouring.

However, the MLK holiday on Monday added another minor delay, and the latest word from them on Wednesday Jan 21 was: "We hope to still pour the first slab Friday. Your home is the sixth house in sequence." If the weather holds and they actually pour two homes per day, we should see concrete early next week.

The status of the work at our house as of Thursday Jan 22 is:

Backfill Plumbing Trenches (completed)
Grade Inside Slab (completed)
Install Layer of Sand (partially completed)
Install Visqueen (partially completed)
Install Layer of Sand over Visqueen (partially completed)
Install Steel and Hardware
City preslab Inspection
Pour Slab

Here are some photos from Thursday, January 22, 2009.

The garage has some additional dirt work that needs to be completed before the sand and Visqueen can go down. There is an area measuring 15’ x 4’ that has to be dug out an additional 4 inches. The slab in this location will be 8” thick rather than 4” thick. This is to provide additional support for the 2-post automotive lift going in there.

 

[TexasKyle]

Progress is progress buddy. I am sure it's tough to wait so long though. It would be driving me batty as well. Good luck with the weather holding out.

p.s. Why is there a layer of plastic??

 

[don_w]

Progress is progress buddy. I am sure it's tough to wait so long though. It would be driving me batty as well. Good luck with the weather holding out.

p.s. Why is there a layer of plastic??

I'm trying to resist the tendency to be impatient... but its hard. Starts and stops are inherent in these "group" builds, and I know it. It's the price I have to pay for saving a nice chunk of money of the cost per SF of the home itself. It will get done, and when I look back on it then, I'm sure the time will have flown by.

But dayum... I have a full set of drawings laying on my dining room table that I look at many times everyday, and I am dying to see it built. haha

Oh, the plastic is used as a moisture barrier. Among other things, it helps the concrete properly dry and cure by isolating any moisture in the soil from the concrete.