Meeting with Subcontractors
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June 27, 2007--Yesterday my builder, Dan met with Mike and Ryan, the block
stackers of New Stone Age Builders, here for about an hour. They discussed the trucking necessary to get my
blocks from Granada, MS to here and when to begin it. We also discussed what
equipment will be best for the block stacking job and the different options to
consider--buy, rent, or lease...
The next day the concrete subcontractor,
Scott, who did the foundation , slab and block back-fill work on the Phase I part of this
job is meeting here w/ Dan at 10 a.m.
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 Big "D" Construction showed up
with equipment operator, Dustin Wilson and Matthew Sherman.
Unfortunately, the few trees that had not died from hurricane related
injury were located exactly where the house needs to go. Because the
roots would be under the foundation, all the large and most of the small
ones were removed. Dustin is really, really good at what he does. He
operated that huge machine as if it was a ballet. He took great care to
stay off of any area that wasn't absolutely necessary. They worked all
day Saturday July 7th and all that was left was a big pile of trunks and
pine needles. |
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Monday, July 9, 2007
The Big "D" crew was back and dump
trucks came and went with the debris from the trees. They scraped the layer of
dense St. Augustine grass off too....watching that made me sad ! It is just too
hot and dry to try to transplant any of it right now.
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| The machine called a Lull was delivered
today. It is here to unload the blocks as they arrive from Grenada,
Mississippi.
Mike is up in Granada with a Lull there
also to load the flatbed trucks with the blocks.
Mike called and said that there had been
a big rain there yesterday and the trucks couldn't get very close to the
blocks. He commented that it might take longer than anticipated to load
them. He had planned to load and send out two trucks a day. |
Builder Dan Zehentner and his son, Joe measured out the area to be
scraped. The survey markers had gotten removed during tree
removal. |
July 10, 2007...Blocks are getting loaded onto the
trucks in Granada, not sure when first truckload will arrive.
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Meanwhile, Dan Zehentner and his son, Joe
did some elevation measuring yesterday. Dan picked up plans for the
electrician, Michael Bates that he will be meeting with soon. Michael
did the electrical work on Phase I of Villa Lagoon.
Dan is very pleased with the height of
the property in terns of what is required to be over mean high tide
level and the new code.
There is discussion going on between Dan
(builder), Anil (engineer), Ted (manufacturer), Scott (concrete) and
Mike (block-stacker) as to best way to handle the position/ elevation of
the slab. As drawn, part of the basement slab would be under ground
level and in this sandy soil with a very high water table, that might
not be a good idea. Hopefully, after everyone ponders the options, a
conclusion will be reached soon. |
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The grass is all removed and everything is
ready for the foundation work to begin. I had them leave me a small pile
of dirt to fill in some eroded spots in the yard near the water.
Sunny, Sunny, sunny...
No trees now to provide shade in the
afternoons ! But the track hoe operator was very careful not to disturb
the bamboo I have planted along the fence line, so one of these days,
the new house will shade the small one and the bamboo will shade the big
house in the afternoon. |
July 11, 2007 The report from
Granada is rain and a slow-down. My blocks are out in a field and it is now
muddy. Dan OK'd a second piece of equipment to load the blocks up there. We have
two men up in Granada. We sure could use some of that rain down here instead.
Dan and I discussed the location of the outside
air conditioning unit today. Also discussed using Smart Vents in the upper parts
of the basements walls. I will be meeting with Garrett Tirpak with Smart Vent, Inc this next week. This is an innovative
new product designed specifically for projects like mine. A bimetal coil (like a thermostat, no electricity is needed) automatically opens and closes the ventilation louvers as temperature changes. They will be closed when it is freezing outside and open when it is warm outside to provide natural ventilation.
More on that later.
Yesterday I got a full set of plans to Island Air Heating & Air Conditioning
Specialists, a local Trane Dealer. John Burkhardt with Island Air
wants to partner with us in the Villa Lagoon project. Should hear back
from them next week.
Thurs, July 12, 07
The surveyors are back out here, Seems there was
an error in the previous elevation figures. It will make a lot of difference as
to what is required or allowed/not allowed in terms of flood zone
construction.
Our first load of blocks from Mississippi arrived
last night. We had tornado warnings and came over to unplug the computers. While
here the truck pulled in. Mike and his son had portable lights set up to help
them see what they are doing. A second piece of equipment has been delivered in
Grenada to help load the trucks. Two trucks are suppose to arrive tonight and
get unloaded tomorrow morning. Photos coming....
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05/05/2008
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