First Building Materials Delivered!

Yesterday, July 11, 2011 we took delivery of our first building materials - 2" rigid foam and re-bar for the foundation. What a thrill it was to see this huge stack of foam knowing it will soon make up our foundation! I have been spending a lot of time IN the trench (widening it and making sure it's straight) and I'm really looking forward to being on TOP of the trench.

Here's a picture of the delivery truck loaded with our materials.

Here's the materials just waiting . . .

There's a lot to do before then, though. Everyone says it feels like work on the foundation takes forever and I can believe it. We have to make sure we know what utilities will be coming in under the foundation and where they will be and have sleeves ready and trenches for them dug. We also need to know how we are going to brace the foam to keep it in place - one x twos cut will probably do the trick. I'm sure I'll have photos when we get there.

Also - do we order adobes now to have on site to use as bracing? Gotta figure out how many we need. Something else to do this week.

Today we're heading to Santa Fe to get 4" perforated drain pipe for the French drain that will go at the bottom of the rubble in the foundation to take any moisture out that may accumulate. I don't think the earth at the bottom of the trench has ever been moist but one never knows and after the floods we had last summer we decided to not take a chance. So the drain will go on top of a couple of inches of gravel and will be sloped to daylight at the lower corner of the site. The rest of the gravel will go on top of that with a grade beam to tie it all together. We're probably a few weeks away from that point, however.

Here's a picture from the road looking south.

In a few weeks I hope to start seeing a house arise . . . .

Rick leaves next week to go to California for his 50th(!) High School reunion so I will be doing a lot of this myself - one step at a time!

Stay tuned!