Slow Progress... But Progress All the Same!

It's been a while since I posted our last update o the project.   We got the site staked, which is the surveyor coming in and establishing with pins on the ground where the new structures will be located.  In our case, this is easier said than done, as the new addition and garage have to be square to the house, but also have to be carefully planned so as not to extend over any critical line setbacks or property line setbacks.  We used a combination of the surveyor's pins, the drawings, and some field "adjustments" to get the layout "right".  At least that's what we hope.  We will not know for sure until the surveyor comes back and surveys the now-complete block walls to ensure we haven't crossed over any critical lines. 

Site Completely Graded and ready to Layout Footings

We had some significant personnel changes occur at the onset of the project, which I am coming to find is a very normal thing.  Getting subcontractors to show up on time, do quality work, and follow the plans is a difficult thing, more so here in Charleston for some reason than in Atlanta or most other places I have worked.  We had to let the first sub go for failure to start the job (lost 3 weeks or so waiting and waiting).  Finally came to an agreement with another concrete sub and off we go!  Sort of.... more to come on that.

Once the site was graded and laid out, the footings crew moved in with heavy equipment and began the process of excavating for all the footings, establishing proper top of footing elevations, laying out batter boards to guide the block masons, etc.  The layout process alone took almost a full week due to the complexity of the foot print, the weird angles, and other personnel factors which will go unmentioned.  In the end, I missed alot of work, but it got done.  Mostly correct.  Sort of... more to come on that as well.

Batter Boards in Place to String Out Wall Lines

Rebar Tied in Footings to Reinforce Footings and New CMU Walls

More Rebar

Garage Footings Near Existing House

I expected to have to be out at the site quite a bit to make sure things got done per plan, but the time I ended up spending far exceeded what I had planned.  Interpreting the plans for the subs, ensuring footings were dug in the proper locations, based on the plan dimensions, and that the rebar hooks (hooked bars sticking up for the future block walls), was a serious challenge.  In the end, the footings are far larger than necessary (which is great), and the rebar is pretty much all in the right place.  We had to make some field adjustments to the plan dimensions to make things fit on the lot within the allowed setbacks, and still result in the interior spaces we want without having to redesign major elements like the roof trusses, or the steel components.  All in all, all parties have agreed that I am a lunatic and that this is the most over-engineered foundation to ever be constructed in Charleston.  Mission Accomplished!  I think the major obstacle was getting the guys out of the mindset that this is a normal tract house with a wood floor in some neighborhood.  I fully expect this foundation to be inundated with saltwater at some point in my lifetime.  I am confident at least the foundation will remain intact during that event. 

Poured Footings at Rear Porch

Poured Footings at Rear Porch Facing North

Main Addition Side Footings and Intermediate Footings

Garage Footings at Existing House

Once the footings were poured, we brought in the block mason to start laying block.  At that point, I thought I would be way less involved, but I was very wrong.  After numerous mistakes we had to let the mason go, and some of the work that has already been completed will have to be re-blocked to get it to match the drawings.  I believe the complications are stemming from the 2-3 different heights of finished blocks, which will allow us to have the porches and decks lower than the main house slab for drainage purposes.  The porches and decks will also need to have some slope on them, so getting all that information across has been difficult.  

Test-Fitting the Truck in the New Garage!

Garage Floor Formed and Ready

Back of the Garage

Bump Out at Rear Porch

Main Addition Wall 

All of the rebar sticking up out of the tops of the wall will ultimately be bent into the slabs once the metal pans are put in place.  The new masonry crew will be starting today or tomorrow, and hopefully finishing the block work in 2-3 days.  Once the blocks are in, we will order another huge mass of concrete to place the slabs in all the crawl spaces, and the garage, as well as grouting full all the block walls that have rebar in them.  At that point, I can grade the remaining site around all the new walls, clean things up significantly, call the surveyor for a foundation survey, which will the allow us to get a draw from the bank.  At this point, all the work has been out of pocket, as the bank will not release funds until they are sure the structure has been built inside the allowable setbacks.  In actuality, I will have the survey completed before the concrete is poured so if we have any issues, we can correct them before it becomes very permanent.

More to come soon...