Vapor Barrier, Interior Ground Prep, Insulation & Heat Lines–November 2011

Task – Vapor Barrier & Prepping floor for concrete

The Process – We had to take and roll out the vapor barrier in long strips and then staple it to the rafters.  We had to tape the edges & seams with tuck tape once it was up.  We did the same for the floor after we leveled it with gravel.  Then we put down Styrofoam on the ground followed by wire mesh to make the concrete stronger.   We took heat lines and laid them down in certain patterns on the ground above the mesh.  We zip tied the lines down to the mesh so they wouldn’t float to the surface of the concrete.

What I Thought About It – Definitely not something I would want to do for a living because it was boring.  It was kind of like a giant mind puzzle because you had to figure out where the lines went. 

Backfilling the foundation and tamping–October 2011

The Office – is a shed that me and my dad built out of old fence boards and that is where we stored all of the tools and supplies for the build until the roof was on the new house.       This is the shovel that dad drove over with the bobcat.

Task – Backfilling the footings.

The Process – We ordered in all of the gravel.  Then we took the bobcat and move the gravel into the area inside the forms until it was level.  Then we had to pack it and make sure it was level after we packed it.  Then we got a tamper and packed it in again and we did that four or five times. 

What I Thought About It – I liked the tampering… it relaxed your arms… gave you a good massage. 

Pouring the Footings–October 2011

Task – To pour the concrete footings.

The Process – We ordered concrete to be delivered.  When the truck arrived we extended the concrete shoot to the forms and then started pouring the concrete and shoveling it to be level.  We went along with a stick of rebar and push all the air bubbles out.  Then we leveled off the top with concrete trowels.  We put rebar vertically every 4 feet to attach the walls to.  Once the concrete was set up we removed the forms and backfilled the center with gravel (pit run gravel then 1/2 inch and smaller gravel).

What I thought About It – It was interesting watching everyone working to level it all out before it set up. 

Drilling in the Screw Piles–September 2011

Task – Putting the piles into the ground.

The Process – We had someone come in with a big drill powered by hydraulics.  He hooked up the drill piles onto the drill and then drilled them into the ground.  He would continue drilling until the pile reached a certain amount of torque (how many PSI it took to turn it).  The piles were 10ft and if they needed more than 10ft they added extensions.  We decided to use screw piles because we tried to use concrete piles but the ground was soup about 8ft down.

What I thought About it – It looked like it would be a long boring job.