Time for the Ratman to stop lurking

[ratman2]

AND START POSTING. We finally got our new house and garage build underway after delays buying the land and waiting out one of the nastiest winters on record here Site guy came today and started work. Here's the required pics. These were taken on Friday:

Temporary Service

Shot of the land

More of the land

Yet more of the land

The old garage foundation, this thing was TINY!

The old basement entrance and well location. This well is scheduled to be abandoned.

The site guy's excavator has arrived!

Clearing a big tree

More of the big tree

Let's see some comments!

 

[930dreamer]

Hello, what size garage are you looking at? Who cares about the house, just kidding.

 

[ratman2]

Today's progress pics:

Site guy starts stripping topsoil

The well driller shows up and parks his truck on site

More of the site guy working

When I went over there late this afternoon he had most of the topsoil stripped. Tomorrow he's supposed to grade and the well driller is supposed to begin drilling.

 

[ratman2]

Hello, what size garage are you looking at? Who cares about the house, just kidding.

Garage is about 750 Sq. ft. and will be fully insulated, well lit, and heated . FINALLY!

 

[HSpencer]

Beautiful Area. Looks like a great place to live.

 

[ratman2]

Beautiful Area. Looks like a great place to live.

It sure is going to be a nice spot when done and it's really going to revitalize the neighborhood. The house that was there belonged to an old guy that lived in it with a big hole in the roof and the house just about falling apart. He then moved out and sold the land to the guy that we bought it from who had the old house and garage torn down and was going to build a new house on it in 2005. Unfortunately for him the big D word came and then the economy went bad and he is a house builder. The house never got built and the property was left abandoned. After some big title issues got worked out we got over there in November and started clearing the land. I do not have pics of what it looked like when we got in there but it was like the Amazon jungle. All overgrown and the next door neighbor had cut down 4 trees and let them fall into the old yard (previous owner gave her the OK to do so). We had to cut up those 4 trees and clear the land so contractors could even get in there and do work. Then we had 2 more trees to cut up and remove after that

 

[tinbender 66]

That looks like a nice piece of ground. I don't know how much property you have but it looks like enough. I've got a couple acres and I could never go back. Keep us posted. Hope that guy hits water before he hits China!

 

[Kevin54]

Looking forward to the progress pics. Make sure you keep all of us updated so we don't have to hunt you down!!!!

 

[ratman2]

Looking forward to the progress pics. Make sure you keep all of us updated so we don't have to hunt you down!!!!

I SHOULD be able to get more pics this weekend

 

[Pneuking]

Personally I can't wait to see more. This looks like a cool neighborhood with some hills. What style architecture are you going with?

 

[DEV0]

It's nice to see builds in such lush areas.

I sometimes wish we had real seasons here in the desert.

 

[JCQuick]

looks nice what part of the country are you in

 

[ratman2]

Personally I can't wait to see more. This looks like a cool neighborhood with some hills. What style architecture are you going with?

Single floor ranch house, built to full ADA codes (wheelchair user here).

 

[ratman2]

Another progress update:

The well driller came out today and started drilling the new well. He hit rock ledge at 28 feet (this is good). It means we won't have to use a ton of casing pipe (saves money). The site guy was not there today but he HAS to be out there tomorrow because we have the foundation contractor scheduled to start forming footings on Friday. This also means that the CL&P monkeys need to get out there and do final hook up on the temp service in the first pic. I will be talking to the clearing desk tomorrow and finding out when they are coming out there to get me live.

 

[ratman2]

looks nice what part of the country are you in

Western CT here

 

[ratman2]

Another progress update:

The well driller came out today and started drilling the new well. He hit rock ledge at 28 feet (this is good). It means we won't have to use a ton of casing pipe (saves money). The site guy was not there today but he HAS to be out there tomorrow because we have the foundation contractor scheduled to start forming footings on Friday. This also means that the CL&P monkeys need to get out there and do final hook up on the temp service in the first pic. I will be talking to the clearing desk tomorrow and finding out when they are coming out there to get me live.

Well, we just had our first screw up on this build. I talked to the CL&P monkeys today and they want their hookup fee. I was told I'd get billed for this AFTER the service was hooked up. NOPE. I called the foundation contractor and told her to have a generator ready

 

[ratman2]

Major progress! Well is at 75 feet and drilling, forms are being poured today and the site guy is still at it. Pics soon

 

[dlenkewich]

Lookin' good. I want a toy like that EX... A guy could get introuble with that thing.

 

[ratman2]

Re: More pics

Went over to the site tonight and got some more progress pictures:

Footings formed and poured:

More footings:

The well driller was still at work:

More well driller:

A general site shot:

That old garage foundation is GONE!:

Well driller video:

 

[slimpickins]

Re: More pics

Went over to the site tonight and got some more progress pictures:

Footings formed and poured:

That's an odd shaped footing! Have you got a plan drawing, as I can imagine what this is going to look like, except I'm already interested to see what's going on top of that footing!!!

 

[bluesman2a]

Re: More pics

That's an odd shaped footing! Have you got a plan drawing, as I can imagine what this is going to look like, except I'm already interested to see what's going on top of that footing!!!

If I read that correctly, I think that's just around the well-house where they drilled maybe?

 

[ratman2]

Re: More pics

That's an odd shaped footing! Have you got a plan drawing, as I can imagine what this is going to look like, except I'm already interested to see what's going on top of that footing!!!

That's not to get around the old well, that's the actual shape of the foundation. I would post the drawings however they are too big to scan

 

[slimpickins]

Re: More pics

That's not to get around the old well, that's the actual shape of the foundation. I would post the drawings however they are too big to scan

Take a pic of the plan?

 

[ratman2]

Re: More pics

Take a pic of the plan?

Yeah, I can do that

 

[ratman2]

After a big weather delay the walls are poured and forms are stripped. Pics coming

 

[ratman2]

Got the foundation walls poured, inside walls insulated and the drainage system installed:

The well is done at a depth of 220 feet and 15 GPM. This coming week we do underground rough in and some more site work in prep for the slab pour. It's moving along

 

[ratman2]

Re: More pics

Time to update the thread with some more pics finally!

Utility conduits are going in

The large pipe on the bottom is the well conduit

Getting ready to pour the slab!

The slab is now poured. I don't have any pics of this yet because of the lousy weather here this weekend. The framer is scheduled to start on Thursday (YES!). A tip for you guys in CT, if any of you need a GOOD sparky I got the man to call. Jon Breda from Pro Electric. He mostly does commercial jobs but is work is top notch. If you want his number shoot me a PM.

 

[ConCretin]

Very nice looking foundation. Looks like they even rubbed the top foot or so (?). You don't see that much anymore. Thanks for posting.

 

[ratman2]

Very nice looking foundation. Looks like they even rubbed the top foot or so (?). You don't see that much anymore. Thanks for posting.

WE ground down the top foot. I have a 7" 5/8-11 grinder and Dad works in construction and picked up the wheels for free

 

[jwillis]

Lookin' good......

 

[ConCretin]

WE ground down the top foot. I have a 7" 5/8-11 grinder and Dad works in construction and picked up the wheels for free

Nice touch.

 

[ratman2]

Nice touch.

Thanks, We got the wheels because some idiot was running then on a 10,000 RPM grinder when they were only rated for 7,500 and one of them blew up in a guy's face. Next week Dad had a little talk with the guys on grinder safety

 

[ratman2]

Got the tops of the foundation walls rubbed, framer starts on Monday

 

[ratman2]

After big weather delays, we have FRAMING!!!

 

[neonnblack]

Looking good. I like the garage/home simultaneously builds.

 

[ratman2]

Looking good. I like the garage/home simultaneously builds.

Thanks

 

[ratman2]

The roof trusses are now up! Tomorrow they should start sheeting the roof!

 

[Nighttrain]

Looking good, I wish we had weather delays down here in Texas. Those are some heavy timbers going in at the center of the house.

 

[ratman2]

Looking good, I wish we had weather delays down here in Texas. Those are some heavy timbers going in at the center of the house.

Thanks I bet it's hot down there

 

[ratman2]

Some sheeting is now on the roof. Not as much got done as I thought would get done due to manpower issues. The roof felt and shingles are now on site as well.