Limbic Acres... | Page 2 | Construction and DIY projects | Forums

Some of the first to go.

Clearing limbs and brush

Some grading going on.  Orange fence is drain field area

Knocking down the rubble pile and moving over to make a 8ft high x 400 ft privacy/security berm on the far side.

You can see the berm taking shape on the Left there.

Wrapping up...seeding and mulching came next...house will be facing towards the equipment.

Trees on the left will be behind the house and will be a good wind break.

K, it will be spring of 2016.  How early depends on the weather for the most part.  Hit a bit of a snag at this point.  We were supposed to have the well and septic in by now along with the pad dug out and stone on it...our guy has gotten a bit behind and it is November...really want that pad to settle for the winter.  So talked to him and said ... can we at least get the pad done...I know he is trying...I will feel better when it's done.

I know the pad could be done from scratch in the spring...I also know that the base would settle best with the winter freeze/thaw cycle.  Maybe I am over thinking this.  The plan is to dig out for the pad and put down a few inches of washed #1 stone (which does compact about 85% when placed) then when we are ready to do footings bring in coarse sand  and layer/compact to about 10-12 inches deep.

So...me being a picky so and so about this pad getting dug this year vs next...a big deal to us...but, probably not enough to postpone the build.

Abnormal winter here.  We have had no measurable snow fall this season...first time in decades and this week it's in the 50's!

Good news for me...

Ok...long time in the coming...tomorrow morning...at 0800...we are getting excavation for a pad for the house!!!

Simple dig, about 2 feet on one side down to about 1 foot on the other side, then cover it all with 3 to 4 inches of washed 1-A stone. 

The 1-A is spec'd at 98% compacted when it is placed. I want it in now so it goes through the freeze/thaw of the winter and really settle in (is that overkill??).

I will get some before and after pix.

We are so glad this is getting done. 

I told the wife...not to late to sell and relocate...hmm...

Good day at the farm.  We got 95% of the digging done.  There is a corner that has some sedimentary ledge, looks like we can rip it out by switching to a narrow bucket. 

Good hard packed gravely loam; good drainage and good weight bearing.  Only found a bit of sandy clay in a small pocket.

In the morning we clean out that ledge then spread #1 washed stone.

We will have done before winter and that means the freeze/thaw cycle will really lock it all in and we will be able to start footers when Spring breaks.

About 60% of the what we dug out is heavy with gravel, not much dirt soil...not really what we want for berming and grading.  Our excavator guy figures there's about 4 10-wheeler loads there and he offered to swap 3 loads of dirt/soil for the gravel.  Thank you.  We will do that in the spring.  He is a hell of a guy and it saves us $$ to move the gravel and then bringing in dirt.  A real gift for us.

1)  We had it laid out and here we go with the laser level.

2) Looking from back left corner. Pretty much the end of the day. 

3) This photo is taken from the opposite side of the one above.  The fore ground is where the garage will be.  The distant corner is where that ledge is. If you look at the mounds you can see the heavy gravel content.