Moving and Grooving!

The beginning of this week is VERY busy! 

I was up at the land for over 6 hours yesterday meeting with plumbers, inspectors, concrete workers and anyone else who happened to drop by.

I brought out my camping chair, set it up under an oak tree and just watched, learned, set plans and such.  I am not sure if I will be there quite so much as the summer sets in - because we left all the trees up, they offer shade, but no breeze.  It is quite hot and you sweat and sweat and sweat, but not a relief of a wind to catch that sweat and cool you off.  I did walk to the road a few times and just stood there in the sun, but letting the wind cool me.  I could not stay long though - it was much hotter there.

So, yesterday, I saw the beautifully packed dirt pad get ripped up to shreds.  You almost wonder why they put the pad down at all!  LOL  First it was the plumbers, laying down the ingoing and outgoing water pipes.  The drains for the showers and bathtubs, toilets, etc.    They filled the pipes with water to see if there were any leaks and left the water in them in case of a problem.

Well, when the concrete guys came, they hit a pipe while doing their digging.  It is going to be repaired today and more water put in the pipes.  Those pipes will not be vulnerable for long - if all goes well today with the inspection, the concrete pad will be poured tomorrow.

I have pictures, but not on my camera - I will do that by tomorrow.

The most interesting thing about the concrete pad is how they they do the supports beams.  I never knew this so it is really quite a fascinating thing.  It is all done in a grid - the entire perimeter and then in a grid  - these areas will get almost over 30" of thickness!  WOW!  Our flat pad is going to be 10" thick just alone, but there is quite a large area that will be super thick! 

Cannot wait to show you the pictures.  I am waiting to get a few more today after all the hustle and bustle is done and it is clean and ready for concrete.

With the builder, we went over the rebar and flexible rebar (cables) that will go in the foundation. He explained how inside corners get more support than outside corners because they are more vulnerable - so they have the cables, but long rigid and short rigid rebar are also put caddy corner to support them a little better.  It is amazing really how this has all evolved. 

Oh, and watching them work, you will find a newfound respect for what they do and how skilled they are at it.  Even the ditch digging has to be done with such precision.  They work hard in the heat and keep smiling and laughing the whole way through - playing tricks on each other and then getting back to it.

Although there are very stressful times to building a completely custom home, it is really with the paperwork aspect.  I LOVE sitting there watching them build for me.  My builder said I am the only one he has ever worked with that is there every day shaking the contractors' hands, telling them thank you and being so nice.  I am just in awe!

This is truly amazing seeing our home come up from the ground.  Just amazing.