Day 10 - Friday - Installing Forms For the Foundation

Gary reported that things picked up on Friday. The saw mill came for the last load of logs. Because of the torrential rain the day before - the log truck bogged down in the mud. Luckily we could pull it out with the bulldozer still on site.

Gary and Joe Shiver spent the day laying out the foundation. It is basically just a big 60 feet by 60 feet square. The roof will be 64 x 64 - hanging over the foundation on all sides by 2 feet. the indoor part of the house will be 40 x 60 - with two long 10 x 60 porches on the front and back. Steel will be placed in the slab to support the walls of the house. The heat/AC system will be in the attic - but will be supported by steel in the foundation. We have to be sure to pour a concrete ledge to support the brick around the perimeter covering the foundation.

Gary is using all brand new 2 x 12 planks to build the foundation forms. We will then wash them off and use them as headers to build the walls. It reminds me of Henry Ford. When he was ordering engines - he even specified the building of the shipping crates. He then tore apart the shipping crates and used them as Model T floor boards.

Since we are building the house to Americans With Disability Act specifications - we are trying to make the floor perfectly flat - having 36 inch wide doors - with no threshold bumps. The concrete foundation will be shaped to make drive-in showers with no doors. All of these "bumps" must be planned into the foundation now. The porch floors will slant on a 1% grade away from the house to prevent puddle on the porch - or worse - water running into the flat floor house.

Also - the two-sided fireplace between the living room and dining room must have a floor air intake vent to feed the fire with fresh air from outside. It will not draw the air from the rooms. That air vent must be place in the foundation.

All water - sewer - and gas lines will be buried in the foundation. Even a few floor level electrical outlets will be poured into the concrete. The finished floor will be 3/4 inches of hardwood on top of 3/4 inch plywood.

All of the above must be built into the the forms before you can pour the floor. So Gary and Joe have a lot on their mind when working.

Gary already pitched a tent for me. I will be back on the site on Sunday night - and do not plan to leave town until the house is done. Lucky Gary :-)