|
|||||
|
|
Spring 2004 finally arrived after the worst winter here in at least 18 years (according to the neighbors). We decided we should hire an excavator to finish the excavation of both the home and the yard and dig the trenches for the plumbing. The skid steer did a great job but is really slow and we wanted to get going on the actual building. They brought in a huge backhoe, a bulldozer, and a loader backhoe and completed the job in less than two days. It probably would have taken us two months and was not nearly as expensive as we thought.
|
|
|||
|
After the excavation was complete, we staked out the house again and put up batter boards to get the tire bales lined up right. We wanted to make sure the house would be to the exact size as the plans specified, so Steve spray painted the ground where each tire bale would go. Now we can start putting the bales in place. That's when it starts to get exciting. In this picture you can also see the plumbing trenches that will be under the floor.
|
|
||||
This picture shows Steve drawing more lines for the tire bale placement on the west side and also the excavation depth. We wanted to go deeper, but right about where Steve is standing is solid rock. We had to alter the bathroom layout because of it. Our soil here is clay, shale, and then solid rock. Not much fun to dig in by hand. |
|
||||
|
It's not unusual to have critters drop by while we work. This mule deer is one of several that have been curious. Now that we have opened up the area, they have more access to vegetation. |
 |
||||
|
__________
|
|||||
