After fixing plumbing and digging even more, we started to lay our rebar

Our 2 steel columns complete with impaling rebar rods were delivered by this truck that somehow fit in the alley.

I was wondering how were going to install the columns since we had no machinery or pulleys or anything around.  Turns out we just get everyone to pick it up.

After delicate leveling with sledgehammers, we tied the columns into the grade beam with more rebar.

Normal foundation footing on the left, grade beam on the right and sand everywhere else.

After getting structural observation and inspection we were ready for a pour.  A concrete truck with 3000 psi concrete and a pump came to pour the grade beam and foundation.  Good thing we told them to bring a lot of hose.

Pouring concrete is not quite an exact science but it is pretty entertaining.

After passing a compaction test, we laid more rebar for the ground floor slab.

When I got there in the morning, there was no concrete truck in sight… because we had to hand  mix and pour the slab.  I only dropped the wheelbarrow twice.  Also, I somehow ended up 3x dirtier than everyone else.

Once we poured the slab, we smoothed it out to a hard trowel finish.  Most of the below ground work is finally done.

I just realized that I forgot to carve my initials in the foundation.  I must have been too tired for any such carving.

What I Learned: Tying rebar is an art form and a potential competitive sport.  Though steel has a higher density of 7.85 kg/m³ compared to concrete’s 2.4 kg/m³, concrete feels heavier if you end up moving it around all day.  There is a reason why the warnings on cement bags say to avoid direct contact with skin or eyes.  I should wear glasses and perhaps, long-sleeved shirts on concrete days.  I need to work on my core muscles and/or my wheelbarrowing technique and/or use the wheel barrow with the properly inflated tire.  Construction work makes you appreciate a lot of things.

Le Corbusier Birthday - 1887

      Ronchamp

 La Tourette

  Villa Savoye

After spending the week under the house moving around utilities, we demolished the cripple wall under the house in order to excavate the new foundation.

the whole house was braced to the sides on the sandy ground.

Eventually, we replaced the large braces so we could dig the rest of the footings and grade beams.

As of now, the whole end of the house is standing on a few of these caps.

With the house secured, we did a lot of digging…

and ran into some issues.  That sewer pipe ran right where a column was supposed to go.  So we took that opportunity to install new ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) below all the foundation work.

While breaking up the old cast iron pipes, we found a ton of roots growing through.  It was pretty amazing that anything could actually drain out at all.  No wonder the roto-rooter people break tips and equipment here regularly.

What I learned: How to shovel properly. Proper plumb bob technique.  Not to step on the sides of trenches.  Why plumbers get paid well.  Dimensions for the building department are not necessarily what are needed for construction.  Dimension better on the next project.  Your foundation IS pretty important.

Interior Office area

SITE: Here is the back of the house along the alley.

Step 1.  Demolish existing garage - BEFORE

during…

AFTER - note the water line that snakes up and down.  Easy to understand why they have low water pressure.

STEP 2- Demolish concrete driveway and diffuse a near neighborhood revolt by agreeing to start (noisy) work later in the morning.

Step 3: Reroute water heater to side of the house and spend a few days in the crawlspace piping water, heat and electricity accordingly.

What I learned: Watch your head.  Eat a real breakfast before construction work.  Bend back nails.  No jackhammers before 9am.  How to sweat copper pipes.  Pipe wrenches are amazing.  Avoid mummified rats in the crawlspace.  Think ahead.