Above 1200 Sq/FT building my BIG PARTY garage

[don long]

Nope
It's all good!!!

 

[harley jim]

It must be a suggestive thing because you convinced me its leaning also.

 

[Toolfool]

Buddy if you show up to any event I have here I'll put you right next to the door

Thank you, Don. A visit is on my bucket list.

 

[don long]

No work in the garage today. when I woke up this morning I found this in front of the house



The guys are here to start digging up our driveway to lay down pavers.
What a mess

Before






And they are off and running








It is a full circle driveway and approach and 52 pallets of pavers waiting to go down

 

[drivesitfar]

Talk about getting up every day to something that keeps improving you sir must be in heaven. That said a lot of this happens cause of all your hard work so keep it up. I’m trying to talk my bride into pavers instead of concrete for our little driveway so I’ll certainly pass on pics of yours to her.
Thanks for sharing AGAIN!!

 

[harley jim]

That is a **** ton of pavers Don! My knees hurt just looking at them.

 

[don long]

Talk about getting up every day to something that keeps improving you sir must be in heaven. That said a lot of this happens cause of all your hard work so keep it up. I’m trying to talk my bride into pavers instead of concrete for our little driveway so I’ll certainly pass on pics of yours to her.
Thanks for sharing AGAIN!!

Thank you Drives
Good luck with your negotiations. Ann talked me into the pavers. I do think it is an investment in home value and looks too.

That is a **** ton of pavers Don! My knees hurt just looking at them.

That was my first thought too Jim.
I've laid pavers in the back of my shop and know the pain that comes with the job. Fortunately I'm not doing ANY of this work.
There were 10 young guys and 1 older guy (the boss) here today swinging picks and patching water and drain lines all day.
They took most of the D.G. out today 60 yards of it and piled it up in the old orchard that we just cleared. It will be spread out and compacted again for the new parking lot.

 

[Finallygotit]

Don, I think your wife is spot on with the pavers for the front of that gorgeous home. Curb appeal and then some.

BTW, 52 pallets??

 

[mybigwarwagon]

Fun stuff. Did you get to at least play with the skid steer?

 

[Bears Fan]

WOW!!! You and Ann have a beautiful place there Don, I'm glad I'm not there this week, that looks like a lot of work

 

[jbmatth]

52 pallets, that is nuts, I've helped to lay around 8 pallets of pavers once and that was a heck of a few days work. I bet this will look really good when complete.

JB

 

[don long]

Don, I think your wife is spot on with the pavers for the front of that gorgeous home. Curb appeal and then some.

BTW, 52 pallets??

Yes Dan
She is always right. Even when she's wrong she's right.
This will be a winner for sure!!

Fun stuff. Did you get to at least play with the skid steer?

No Uncle Willie
I'm not involved with the work on this project.

WOW!!! You and Ann have a beautiful place there Don, I'm glad I'm not there this week, that looks like a lot of work

Thanks Tony
It is being a ton of work so I'm stayin on the porch this time. LOL

52 pallets, that is nuts, I've helped to lay around 8 pallets of pavers once and that was a heck of a few days work. I bet this will look really good when complete.

JB

Yes JB
I was involved when laying pavers in the back yard a few years ago and want no part of this project. So I hired the best crew that i could find for this job.

 

[don long]

The paver crew are moving right along. Today they finished pulling out all the DG in the drive and moved it all out back for future use. They started bringing in the road base and got about 20% of it spread out.



Then they started compacting it down with water and a viberator They have it ready to lay pavers down in front of the porch and walkway in the morning while the other half of the crew spread more road base

Here is a shot to give a good idea how deep the base will be. It is about a foot deep

 

[Grizz1963]

Really taking shape Don.

 

[PugetDude]

Pavers are going to look great, Don. Place really looks nice. Any issues with the water restrictions on your landscaping?

 

[don long]

Really taking shape Don.

Thanks Grizz
I'm anxious to see it done.

Pavers are going to look great, Don. Place really looks nice. Any issues with the water restrictions on your landscaping?

Thank you Dude
No water restrictions because the property is rated as a farm property because of the avocado trees but my water bill is higher than an average house payment. I have 3 acres of manicured property.
Here is a shot of my back yard from the back porch
(just a quick shot of a little bit of it to give you an idea of why my water bill is so high) lol

 

[Homebody]

That's gonna be stunning when done!!
Much respect for any crew that does that job correctly. Holy **** that's a lot of pavers.

 

[don long]

That's gonna be stunning when done!!
Much respect for any crew that does that job correctly. Holy **** that's a lot of pavers.

Yes Homebody it is and will look great.
They are doing a fantastic job These guys don't usually do residential work the mostly do industrial work but because the new neighbor is tightly related to the owner of this company he got them to do his and my driveways together (Son in law)

 

[ambenz]

I can only imagine what your water rates are like...I imagine you get most of your water thru a salt desalination plant and the Prado wetlands and Lake Mathews.
Piping Colorado river water to Lake Mathews, over 180 miles, has to cost a pretty penny!!!!!
Here in my town we are paying over $23 on a 5/8" line per 1000 gallons of drinking water piped in 30 miles from Lake Michigan (includes that they charge you for sewer service on that 1000 gallons too.)
I can buy all I want at that rate with no penalties.
I'd be curious what your municipality is charging for water in a drought stricken area?
Looks like Corona, California is charging based on 55 gallons per person per day and some other factors (overuse tier factors) that make it just about "IMPOSSIBLE" to actually know how much you pay for water!!!!!
I did find a 2020 graph from your area and you are about double of what I pay or more as I believe yours is based on 745 gallons a month use....about $40 per 745 gallons? Reclaimed water meaning sewer fee? maybe.

Between the wife and I, we use about 2000 gallons a month, 4000 to 5000 a month in the summer to keep the lawn from burning up, even with over 200 gallons of rail barrel water though we were in a drought here this past summer.
For us 2, about $120 or less a month....and we think our rates are wacko!!!
Even with farm rates, your bigger line has to add to the cost.
I imagine your water bill must have been north 0f $700 dollars, each month!!!!
Total speculation on my part though....

 

[don long]

They finished putting down the road base and compacted it so the dirty work is done. They brought in the base sand to spread over the base to create a cushion for the pavers and dropped a wheel barrow load every few feet



Then 2 guys to a pile started throwing the sand over the road base. I bust be 1" thick and flat so after the sand is spread out 1 guy with a 4' steel level starts floating the sand



1 shovel guy works with this guy to remove the excess sand. They run the compactor over the thrown sand before the level guy starts so it is a firm base for the pavers.

So all that is going on while the rest of the crew start throwing pavers off the stack and onto the sand.
They started the paver line at the end of the driveway by the corner of the house



The string is put down to leave room for 1 coarse of pavers (the soldier coarse) then off they go.



Quitting time is 3PM and this is what got done the last 1/2 hour of the day




All the edge pieces and the cutting takes a lot of time.

 

[don long]

I can only imagine what your water rates are like...I imagine you get most of your water thru a salt desalination plant and the Prado wetlands and Lake Mathews.
Piping Colorado river water to Lake Mathews, over 180 miles, has to cost a pretty penny!!!!!
Here in my town we are paying over $23 on a 5/8" line per 1000 gallons of drinking water piped in 30 miles from Lake Michigan (includes that they charge you for sewer service on that 1000 gallons too.)
I can buy all I want at that rate with no penalties.
I'd be curious what your municipality is charging for water in a drought stricken area?
Looks like Corona, California is charging based on 55 gallons per person per day and some other factors (overuse tier factors) that make it just about "IMPOSSIBLE" to actually know how much you pay for water!!!!!
I did find a 2020 graph from your area and you are about double of what I pay or more as I believe yours is based on 745 gallons a month use....about $40 per 745 gallons? Reclaimed water meaning sewer fee? maybe.

Between the wife and I, we use about 2000 gallons a month, 4000 to 5000 a month in the summer to keep the lawn from burning up, even with over 200 gallons of rail barrel water though we were in a drought here this past summer.
For us 2, about $120 or less a month....and we think our rates are wacko!!!
Even with farm rates, your bigger line has to add to the cost.
I imagine your water bill must have been north 0f $700 dollars, each month!!!!
Total speculation on my part though....

That covers about 2/3 of the bill

 

[jbmatth]

I feel for your water bill Don, that is crazy to think about. I have my own well here so don't have a water or sewer bill. Granted I don't water the lawn but do water three horses when they don't have access to the pond. The electric bill averages $150 a month, more in the summer and less in winter but I consider myself very lucky to have that. Drive is looking great, it's impressive how fast they are getting the block set.

JB

 

[RADcustom]

Don, the drive is looking great. Is there a repeating pattern to how the blocks are laid or is it just random?

Can you drill a water well on your property or is that not allowed in your area?

 

[don long]

I feel for your water bill Don, that is crazy to think about. I have my own well here so don't have a water or sewer bill. Granted I don't water the lawn but do water three horses when they don't have access to the pond. The electric bill averages $150 a month, more in the summer and less in winter but I consider myself very lucky to have that. Drive is looking great, it's impressive how fast they are getting the block set.

JB

Thanks JB
I'm getting anxious to see the finished driveway but after the driveway comes renewing some of the older landscape and that will be me and my helpers doing.

Don, the drive is looking great. Is there a repeating pattern to how the blocks are laid or is it just random?

Can you drill a water well on your property or is that not allowed in your area?

Thanks Rad
LOL there are 3 wells here on the property all in working order but the cost of electricity to run the well is higher than buying the water
And we don't even want to discuss the power bill here.

 

[bcoke]

Don i do not want to **** in but the numbers you talk about staggers the mind.......when we built the"big house" in 2011-12 I had it sighted for solar panels to be most efficient ..........put 22 on the main house and 11 on the cottage...............cost $30,000 but there was incentives $9000 of my taxes from Feds and 4500 from state VT...........so out of pocket @ $16,500 and they figured the payback at 8-9 years........all the cottage, barn, **** shed are powered from the 11 units of course it is empty most of the time the 3700sq ft main house is on the 22 panels.........heat is gas in all..........so far we have received 3 electric bills in the last 10 years the highest being @45 dollars...........payback was 7 years and and no more bills well runs off it also....we live in vt so Jan-March electric production is low due to short days and snow but we always have credit going into winter ,living in the land of self combustion you would havemuch more sunshine to work with I do not know about any incentives now but the cost of the panels is way down and the production up you should look into it to run those wells cut out/down the water/electric bills you have remember it is a one time cost that will keep paying back long after we are gone............hope all is well with you and yours........bobbycoke

 

[harley jim]

Pavers are my favorite hardscape, I would have them everywhere.
It will get a little dusty when they start the edging.

 

[drivesitfar]

Sounds and looks like you found the right guys to do this job. Man that’s a lot of pavers but since you’ll feel every bump in your golf cart I bet it will be great getting to and driving out to start your day restoring all your cool old finds.

that new neighbor sure has some good benefits that he’s provided you and Ann with since started building his new home. Good locations are somewhat easy to find but getting great neighbors is where the real value is for quality living.

hope the pacing job turns out as nice as you hope.

 

[don long]

Don i do not want to **** in but the numbers you talk about staggers the mind.......when we built the"big house" in 2011-12 I had it sighted for solar panels to be most efficient ..........put 22 on the main house and 11 on the cottage...............cost $30,000 but there was incentives $9000 of my taxes from Feds and 4500 from state VT...........so out of pocket @ $16,500 and they figured the payback at 8-9 years........all the cottage, barn, **** shed are powered from the 11 units of course it is empty most of the time the 3700sq ft main house is on the 22 panels.........heat is gas in all..........so far we have received 3 electric bills in the last 10 years the highest being @45 dollars...........payback was 7 years and and no more bills well runs off it also....we live in vt so Jan-March electric production is low due to short days and snow but we always have credit going into winter ,living in the land of self combustion you would havemuch more sunshine to work with I do not know about any incentives now but the cost of the panels is way down and the production up you should look into it to run those wells cut out/down the water/electric bills you have remember it is a one time cost that will keep paying back long after we are gone............hope all is well with you and yours........bobbycoke

Thanks for stopping by Bobby
The solar issues have popped up often and I have considered turning an acre or 2 into a solar farm but haven't pulled the trigger on it yet but it is surely on the table. I'm not complaining about the cost of running this place and I really do enjoy it here so all is well.

Pavers are my favorite hardscape, I would have them everywhere.
It will get a little dusty when they start the edging.

Hi Jim
Yes I know about the cutting dust my neighbor had this crew over at his new house laying aver 100 pallets of a different style of paver and when it came time to cut in , You couldn't see his house and my porch was covered in his dust so I told the guy incharge no to cut until the wind was blowing in the neighbors direction lol

Sounds and looks like you found the right guys to do this job. Man that’s a lot of pavers but since you’ll feel every bump in your golf cart I bet it will be great getting to and driving out to start your day restoring all your cool old finds.

that new neighbor sure has some good benefits that he’s provided you and Ann with since started building his new home. Good locations are somewhat easy to find but getting great neighbors is where the real value is for quality living.

hope the pacing job turns out as nice as you hope.

Drives
The pavered front driveway will be a nice addition but I'm not doing the back drive yet.
The pavers are looking very impressive.

 

[don long]

32 pallets of pavers are on the driveway tonight. I moved every one of those pallets with my fork lift one at a time and it was about a 10 minute round trip from where we had the pavers dropped off to where they could get to them to lay.
There were 9 guys here all day working with wheel barrows moving and laying pavers while other guys worked getting the sand just right



Looking across the front porch of the drive



Looking toward the house from the east side of the drive

 

[Kevkx125]

Looks great so far Don!!

 

[PugetDude]

Wow! I thought I had a lot of pavers but it looks like you’ve got me beat!

 

[zmotorsports]

Don, that looks absolutely STUNNING!

 

[Jayman17]

Don the paver project looks amazing! Best part is hiring someone else to do it.

Jay

 

[mybigwarwagon]

It is a crying shame you can't afford a nice place. Maybe you could start a gofundme.



Things are looking gorgeous.

 

[don long]

Looks great so far Don!!

Thanks Kev

Wow! I thought I had a lot of pavers but it looks like you’ve got me beat!

Dude
Didn't know we were having a contest lol
Thanks

Don, that looks absolutely STUNNING!

Thank you Mike

Don the paver project looks amazing! Best part is hiring someone else to do it.

Jay

It is a crying shame you can't afford a nice place. Maybe you could start a gofundme.



Things are looking gorgeous.

Uncle willie
You start it for me and You can have a cut lol
Mama is happy so it's all good

 

[y'sguy]

That is really beautiful, Don.

 

[Bighead38]

Don, the drive is looking great. Is there a repeating pattern to how the blocks are laid or is it just random?

Can you drill a water well on your property or is that not allowed in your area?

It should be done in a pattern.

Don I would strongly suggest getting them to hook up a hose to the demo saw. Well actually now that I say that it made me think to ask if they are using a demo saw to cut them or a different tool? I use a demo saw when I do pavers and so does everyone else around here. The water hook up makes a huge difference, you’ll still get dust but can’t down by a huge amount.

 

[Bighead38]

You can see the hose hook up in this picture.

 

[don long]

Thanks Y'sguy

Bighead That's what they have

 

[drivesitfar]

Sorry for forgetting the front of your property is that big cause 53 pallets for it and OMG I wonder how many it would take to do the back. Looking good and I know you’re smilin!!