4.25.2015

This was an exciting day because after quite a bit of time spent digging trenches - we started filling them up!  The goal for the day was to be able to fill in over the driveway so we could get the truck back to the carriage house.  That will allow us to get the welder back and be able to move on to deck work.

So...first off, sand.  Jim used the Bobcat to dump the sand in, and we made sure it was all nestled around the pipe.

Because of the brutal cold temperatures we've experienced since we've been here the last two winters, Jim wanted to make sure that the pipes didn't freeze - these aren't that far down.  While they aren't water lines, we still want to protect them as much as possible.

So Jim decided to use some of our sheet insulation that we used to keep our footers cozy this winter over the pipes.  We had to carry the saw over from the truck so Jim could plug it in and use it to cut the foam board.

We first cut small narrow strips and put them in this area because the pipe is kind of close to the side of the trench - this will keep a little layer of insulation between the dirt and the pipe.

Then more sand over that...

After we had a good first layer of sand down, Jim brought the compactor back and compacted everything. 

Then we started laying the cut sheets of foam on top of the nicely-compacted sand.

Insulation is all down over the driveway area...

Then another layer of sand on top of the foam board.

Of course some hand shoveling is required...

Unfortunately, over the winter we had a few cave-ins around the pipe area where we had stopped backfilling.  So Jim shoveled all that dirt away from around the pipes.

Then we started extending the electric conduit through the trench.  This will allow us to have electricity eventually on the other side of the driveway.  We hope to put a timber-frame barn in at some point to house some of the equipment and keep them out of the elements.

Electric conduit is all complete past the driveway area...

More sand then had to be put around the electric conduit.

This is a good cross-section view of the underground utilities and all the layers in the trench.

Time for the last layer - dirt!  We had to be very careful and make sure no rocks were close to the pipes.  Jim used dirt that he had pulled a lot of rocks out but there are always rocks in the dirt!

Building up layers of dirt and then grading it off...

The trench is gone!

After it was all filled in, Jim used the compactor again to compact the dirt and all the layers.

Then it was time for some flattening out ...

For the first time since last year, the Bobcat was now able to be on the other side of the trench!  So we decided to spend a little time cleaning up.  We had pulled out lots of rocks and had various piles located around the site and even some down the driveway.  It just makes the site look so much better to have things cleaned up!

 

Mission accomplished - the truck is now in place next to the carriage house! 

 

 

High 55/Low 31

 

 

4.24.2015

Our sand was delivered early this afternoon...

Our new sand pile!

Jim spent this very cool and windy day working on all the shoring for the pour stops.  He got it all done for the pour stops that he has attached.  He still has to do the other end, but that requires a different approach - the pour stop has to be welded to the beam.  Since we still have an open trench and can't get the welder back to the building, that has to wait.

Here's the completed back section...

 

High 42/Low 30 - windy and cold

 

4.23.2015

Jim worked today on coming up with a plan to stabilize the pour stops on the deck - he's using more cold-formed steel channels to shore up the outsides. 

It's kind of hard to tell, but if you look closely at this picture - it's snowing!  The snow actually came down in a few hard bursts that left the ground briefly covered.  But it was windy and felt cold to be outside for long - especially after those beautiful 70 degree days we had last week!

We're starting to get some exciting deliveries - today we got some Pex tubing and one of the manifolds for the system.

 

High 45/Low 30

 

4.22.2015 - Septic System Inspection!

Our inspection for the septic system was set for bright and early at 8:00 this morning, so Jim headed out with his coffee in plenty of time to get things opened up.

The inspector showed up on time and Jim walked him through the system.  He said everything was great - basically just drew up a diagram to make sure it fit with his design for the official approval.  Jim was able to talk to him about using the risers and the lids and he said that was all fine and would work for the "locking" caps required by the plan.  That's good news - now we can put dirt on top of the tank as required but still have access to the tank without digging up grass in the future.  So...whew....another inspection done and passed!

The inspector told Jim that he needed to stop at the building inspector's office and tell him that the septic system passed.  He said that the building inspector would need to come out and inspect too.

So Jim headed there next.  The inspector wasn't in but Jim talked to his associate.  She said - he doesn't need to look at the system.  He's not an engineer and he stopped looking at them years ago.  As long as the septic designer approved it, that's all that was required.  Yay!

Later in the day, Jim received a pdf of the approval form that was sent to the building department so all is official now!

So that we can work on backfilling, Jim ordered 20 tons of sand to be delivered on Friday.  We still have had a little rain on/off so hopefully by Friday things will be dried up enough that the truck won't have any problems getting up the hill.

 

After lunch, Jim went and ran some errands.  He picked up his electric boxes and also bought this heavy gauge wire to make an extension cord for the 220 volts required for the welder.  Jim has lots of welding to do and up to now has just used the generator.  But this cord will allow him to run power right from the temporary post and make it more powerful for some of the heavy duty welding that will be upcoming.

 

Very grateful for the passed inspection - another big milestone!

High 54/Low 32

 

4.21.2015

It rained some overnight too but dried out around lunchtime, so Jim headed out to the land.  Unfortunately, the rain that we got caused some of the sand that was around the sewer pipe in the trench to wash away.  So he built kind of a dam with more sand and then gravel on top to prevent any more run off.  Then he had to get the laser level out and get everything set again and put more sand in to hold everything in place.

Gluing up the last connection from the tank to the distribution box.

All the lines are complete!

The last thing to do was to glue down the T-baffle on the inside...it's now all complete and ready for inspection tomorrow!

 

Jim decided to go up and see if he could get the pump working for the water.  Remember that this has been outside, exposed to the brutal cold we had this winter.  Jim had it covered up, but still, it sat out in all the cold and snow.  He got it hooked up again and...water!

 

High 55/Low 37 - drizzly morning

 

 

4.20.2015

We had our first on/off rainy day that we've had in a long time, so Jim headed out in the morning to go talk to the septic designer.  We have an inspection set up for Wednesday morning at 8:00!

That will be such a big block to check - we can then backfill and be able to drive up to the carriage house again, which will enable us to keep moving forward.  So fingers crossed!

High 50/Low 41 - on/off showers

4.19.2015

Jim spent the first part of the day working on the new door lockset.  He's really impressed with the quality, so all of the work tracking it down was worth it. Because of the way the lock is, he even had to drill a couple more holes in the door to attach it.

But...drumroll, please...we have our first lock and key for the property!

 

Then it was back to the septic system.  He got the run from the septic tank to the distributor box all figured out and in place - it just needs glued together.

 

 

Jim saved the worst for last...this is the hardest connection because both ends are fixed - you can't adjust either one when you are trying to glue and attach.  Plus, you are working inside the tank basically so it's tough to get the right pressure when gluing. 

 

Getting the first connection...

Whew...done!  We'll have to get the laser level back out and get the grade of the line from the carriage house to the box all perfect again, but the connection is in and set.

 

We cut the day short because it was the Cavs first playoff game and we wanted to be home to watch it - and they beat Boston so it was a good day!  It looks like we may be in for a rainy few days coming up but we feel good about the progress we've made on the septic system.



High 61/Low 35