Day 5 (5/20/05)

Mud!

Wall forms removed

Exterior of wall sprayed with tar

Plumber arrives and plumbs in sewer lines for future bath, installs ejection pit.

Day 4 (5-19-05)

Concrete workers removed forms from porch walls but then had to call it quits for the day due to rain.

Day 3: Basement Walls Poured

Day 3 May 18, 2005: Here is a picture showing the basement and front porch foundation walls after the concrete had been poured. The right side of the picture shows the front basement walls of the house and the walls closest to the camera are the shorter walls that will support the front porch. They are 3'-0" tall so that their footer will end up being 36" below grade which is what is required by code so that they are below the frost line in our area. That way they are below the level where the ground heaves as the ground freezes and thaws.

Yes, this is going to be a large front porch, but I do believe that this picture is deceptive and almost makes it appear larger than the house.

Day 3: FOUR concrete trucks on our property at once. Pouring the basement walls took 6 trucks!

Day 3: The first concrete truck arrived to begin pouring the basement walls.

Day 3: The forms are removed from the porch footers. Forms are placed for the porch foundation.

Day 3: The porch foundation forms are in place and 2'-0 of blue insulation is placed inside to create a brick ledge.

Day 3: Basement wall forms are placed on the footers. They are attached together with bolts and wedge shaped pins that are hammered into the bolts. There are metal ties that connect the opposite sides together.

Day 3: Horizontal rebars are attached to the vertical rebars. This is quick work with these handy tools that wire them together.

Day 3: A connecting footer is poured between the tall porch foundation walls and the short ones.

Day 3: The footer forms are removed. Both the interior and exterior black drainage tiles have been laid in the gravel. Lines are snapped for the wall forms and marks are made on the vertical rebars showing where the horizontal rebar will be attached.

Day 3 (5-18-05)

Basement walls!

Footer forms removed.

Horizontal rebar wired to vertical rebar for walls

Interior and exterior drainage tiles placed.

Footers for porch formed and poured

Forms for walls placed

Forms for porch footers removed

Porch wall forms placed with insulation for brick ledge

Walls poured (took 6 concrete trucks)

Day 2: Vertical rebars for the basement walls are placed into the footers.

Day 2: While one man directs the concrete into the forms, another follows behind placing the rebars into the footers and packing and smoothing it. He also uses a 2 X 6 to create a groove in the middle of the footer. This will help lock the walls into place when they are poured.

Day 2: The concrete arrives and the footers are poured.

Day 2: Gravel is spread all around the forms for the footers and the basement floor.

Day 2: Gravel is dumped into the basement.

Day 2: Rebar is bent and placed where it go in the footers. This is removed when the concrete is poured into the forms and then placed back in the middle of the concrete.

Day 2: The footers for the basement walls connect to the porch foundation walls.

Day 2: Ground is excavated for the porch foundation which will be 3'-0 walls.

Day 2: Forms are placed for the basement footers.

Day 2: The first of three big dump truck deliver gravel.

Day 2: A ramp into the basement is cut.

Day 2 (5-17-05)

Footers!

*Dug ramp into basement on south side (next to living room area)
*Forms (2 X 6s) placed for footers.
*Excavator dug for deep walls for side of porch/retaining walls
*Excavator dug for short (3'-0 below grade) porch walls)
*Excavator cut old drainage tile on north side of house
*Gravel delivered, dumped into basemet, and spread around.
*Rebar bent for around corners and placed in preparation for footers
*Concrete poured into forms for footers, rebar placed horizontally into footers. Concrete smoothed, groove placed in center of footer, vertical rebar placed.

Day 1: Checking out the new "basement."

Day 1: The finishing touches are made to the hole for the basement. The hole is 3'-0 bigger in diameter than the actual house walls.

Ground Breaking!!!
This is it - the FIRST scoop!!!

Day 1 (5-16-05)

Ground Breaking!

*Digging the basement 6 1/2' below grade (745' which is the flood protection elevation)
*Perimeter dug is 3'-0 wider than actual basement walls.
*Used some of the dirt to build up elevation for future garage, driveway and rear porch. Compacted this.
*Discovered old clay field drainage tile running about 4' below grade through the front of house. Cut this off on south side of house today.
*Firm Indiana clay found for basement foundation
*Minimal water seapage