Filling the Large Hole Part I

As you will soon hear, the large hole (that is to become the basement) has really been a pain in the @$#. Not so much for me, I have been running around with a gock block behind a bunch of high schoolers during percussion camp and band camp. The fella, on the other hand, has been digging and shaping and digging and measuring and digging for what has seemed like an eternity.

I am going to provide a pictorial commentary (because I’ve been at band camp and was not so much involved in this process).

So let’s revisit the beginning, shall we?

Then we disassembled the addition.

Then we learned the concrete slab wasn’t done correctly (improper depth and what-not), so we had to break the concrete up.

Then measurements were taken to make sure the hole was dug to the proper size.

Next, a really big hole had to be dug.

Then more measurements ensued for placement of walls and footings, etc.

The hole size and depth had to be refined.

Later on, when all the measurements were complete (with string!), the footings were laid.

Then the beam placement and sub-pump were laid out, rebar was added and the bottom was filled with pea rock.

Next, the first layer of concrete was added.

Concrete has to “cure” so several phases went into to laying all the concrete until the floor was one even pad (minus the slots for the beams).

After several layerings and removing the wooden forms that helped lay out the beam measurement, the foam bricks are laid and carefully measured get the walls square and plumb.

The bricks are to be filled with concrete and stay on the walls as the foundation. They are reinforced with wood to make sure they don’t move during the filling process.