Frame Stage

They are moving really fast at the moment. Started with the framing. Will be done in a couple of weeks. Weather is still pretty good. Will post progressive photos.

Frame stage material delivered

The slab is still curing. Noticed that porch  floor is a bit lower than garage. It's in the plan and I should have picked it up. Have to think about the driveway design.

Slab Pour

Today is the big day. LC popped in early and they had already started pouring the concrete. Jason reassured us that he had fixed all the issues we found during inspection over the weekend. I got worried when it started raining after lunch but luckily it did not affect the concrete. By the time I dropped in after work they have already removed the frames and they were smoothing the surface with the helicopter. I was impressed at how smooth and pristine the concrete surface was.

Pre-pour Inspetion

Met Theo from New Home Inspections early this morning. He picked up a few things that needed to be rectified before they pour the concrete next Monday. There were missing reinforcement steel rods at some places, poor seals around some pipes, and an off set drainage pipe in the kitchen that has to be underground below the slab. He also mentioned them using metal spikes for the frames that has punctured the moisture sheets. Other that I think the whole site looked fantastic. I could finally see where and how our new house would be seated. Thankfully it didn't rain yesterday. Weather forecast is dry and sunny for the next few days. Fingers crossed.

Waffle Pods

They are super busy trying to get everything done before the Big Pour on Monday. Brought in loads of foam pods and steel meshes and positioned them over the concrete piers. I did of bit reading and found out that modern foam waffle pods are much better than plain concrete slabs in terms of insulation and soil movements. It will save up to 12% in heating cost in winter. Our old house only had a thin concrete slab sitting directly on the ground sucking all our warmth in winter.

Plumbings

They have done the waste and storm water drains today.. They all seemed to be in the right place. They have also built the agricultural pits and drain in the front right hand corner near the retaining wall. Somebody has gotten rid of the orphaned concrete slabs. (Phew!). I noticed that our meter box is up on a pole near where it is supposed to be when the house is built. They certainly prettied up the place since the piers borers left mounts of hard clay all over.

Bored piers.

So far they have bored over 20 large holes to about 2.5m deep and poured in concrete. Thankfully they did it before the deluge of rain on Saturday. When I checked on Sunday it was a huge muddy mess.  The old house I demolished had only a thin concrete waffle with no piers.  No wonder it was cracking and sinking at the back.

Site Cut

Site cut and filled today. Apart from the front right hand corner, our land is actually quite flat. They found 2 orphaned concrete blocks left by the demolition people. Jim was not too pleased when I called him to pick them up. Maybe we'll keep them to landscape the front ; ). Mobile toilet has arrived and wooden grate was put over the driveway.

Retaining Wall

Retaining wall at the front built. Timber with steel posts. Would have to think about my front landscaping and drainage. There is a porous pipe at the bottom of retaining wall.