Here's BLOCK #1... it's a thang of beauty, ain't it!?... ONLY 727 blocks to go.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
First AAC block gets laid
I know it doesn't seem like a big deal but I got the first AAC block laid today... actually I got blocks #2 and #3 laid as well (two of the other corners... one corner left to be laid). Getting the corners accurately set makes "filling in" between them much easier. Tomorrow - assuming I can drag my sore self out of bed - I should be able to make some real block laying headway.
Here's BLOCK #1... it's a thang of beauty, ain't it!?... ONLY 727 blocks to go.
Here's BLOCK #1... it's a thang of beauty, ain't it!?... ONLY 727 blocks to go.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
We're electrified!
As of this afternoon we are electrified! Our temporary pole passed inspection and Lee Pettes, the Duck River Electric Coop supervisor, can be seen below "plugging us in." I've been struggling with getting over my gout for over a week so I've not made much progress since our last post 4/21/08. Tomorrow's the BIG day when I start laying the first course of AAC block. Getting the first course level is VERY important so David Musser brought his transit over late this afternoon and we shot the grade on the four corners. The first course will be slow going because I have to get it PERFECTLY level so the rest of the blocks will go up quickly and easily. I met with Joseph Sumpter this morning about our putting in a rain water collection system. Collecting our own rain water will move us one step closer to being off the grid - our ultimate long term goal.
This is Lee Pettes installing our meter:
Here's the Duck River boom truck connecting the electric wire from the pole on the road to the temporary power pole on our property:
David and I have just completed shooting the grade on all 4 corners of the house so I can begin laying the AAC block tomorrow morning. Baxter is bravely guarding the pallets of block.
This is Lee Pettes installing our meter:
Here's the Duck River boom truck connecting the electric wire from the pole on the road to the temporary power pole on our property:
David and I have just completed shooting the grade on all 4 corners of the house so I can begin laying the AAC block tomorrow morning. Baxter is bravely guarding the pallets of block.
Monday, April 21, 2008
AAC blocks arrive... feels like a "donkey" stepped on my toe
Today our AAC block arrived from Ringgold, Georgia. They off-loaded the 28 pallets with a forklift that piggy backs the flatbed truck and is called a "donkey." Unfortunately my gout moved from my right ankle to my right big toe... it feels like the donkey stepped on my toe. As the day progressed the pain increased but I tried to keep working. By day's end I was wishing someone would shoot me and put me out of my misery... I felt BAD!
Getting back to the block: we needed only 20 pallets for our house but Derek at SafeCrete wanted to clear his yard (because they are moving the manufacturing facility to south Georgia) so not only did I get a 50% discounted price... he sent 8 extra pallets. Granted some of the blocks are cracked and chipped but out of 28 pallets I'll be able to finish the house and build Alexis some planters in the front of our Irish cottage.
David Musser and Shane Pickett worked until 2 PM and finished decking the 16' X 20' storage building. They are really doing a GREAT job... I am impressed with their attention to detail. Both are experienced construction workers so we are benefiting from all of their skills.
Here is the donkey coming down the driveway with a pallet.
This is a picture of Terry, the truck driver from SafeCrete, setting two pallets on the slab.
This is the west end of our slab with several pallets of block.
Now it's time to learn how to lay AAC block.
Getting back to the block: we needed only 20 pallets for our house but Derek at SafeCrete wanted to clear his yard (because they are moving the manufacturing facility to south Georgia) so not only did I get a 50% discounted price... he sent 8 extra pallets. Granted some of the blocks are cracked and chipped but out of 28 pallets I'll be able to finish the house and build Alexis some planters in the front of our Irish cottage.
David Musser and Shane Pickett worked until 2 PM and finished decking the 16' X 20' storage building. They are really doing a GREAT job... I am impressed with their attention to detail. Both are experienced construction workers so we are benefiting from all of their skills.
Here is the donkey coming down the driveway with a pallet.
This is a picture of Terry, the truck driver from SafeCrete, setting two pallets on the slab.
This is the west end of our slab with several pallets of block.
Now it's time to learn how to lay AAC block.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Concrete sawing and the Templeton Library
Lots of pictures today... not much text... this is Pete Clark sawing the slab.
David and Shane stripped the forms off the slab while Terry Stephens (not shown with his backhoe) dug the hole so the water line could be repaired from the concrete truck crushing it during the slab pour.
I spoke of our neighbor, Sir John Templeton, several posts ago. His library is out our driveway and one mile to the west. This is a shot of the $33 million library almost jumping out of the ground as you approach the building. It's very out of character with the mountain and should be on the set of a horror movie.
The library sans even one book (Sir John gave up his American citizenship and lives in the Bahamas):
The statue in the center of the circular driveway is to glorify Sir John by Sir John. Note the tacky paint job. We don't expect to be invited over for tea.
There are 6 or 7 apartments in the library and they do have a magnificent view of the valley and Winchester, Tennessee.
David and Shane stripped the forms off the slab while Terry Stephens (not shown with his backhoe) dug the hole so the water line could be repaired from the concrete truck crushing it during the slab pour.
I spoke of our neighbor, Sir John Templeton, several posts ago. His library is out our driveway and one mile to the west. This is a shot of the $33 million library almost jumping out of the ground as you approach the building. It's very out of character with the mountain and should be on the set of a horror movie.
The library sans even one book (Sir John gave up his American citizenship and lives in the Bahamas):
The statue in the center of the circular driveway is to glorify Sir John by Sir John. Note the tacky paint job. We don't expect to be invited over for tea.
There are 6 or 7 apartments in the library and they do have a magnificent view of the valley and Winchester, Tennessee.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
I'm so thankful for friends
We didn't get much work done on-site today because David Musser & Shane Pickett were working another job and I was still afflicted with my ankle gout. All I was able to accomplish was to drive to Lowes and buy the siding for our storage building. I'm making the south wall of the (16' X 20') storage building into a green house of sorts so Alexis can grow vegetables most of the year. To that end 12' of that wall will be clear corrugated plastic and I'll install a substantial shelf or 2 to double the area for her plants. We're also considering making the back corner into a chicken coup so we can produce our own eggs. We're still learning about chickens so "these plans haven't come home to roost."
The best thing that happened today was that I received an email from my close friend (Tulsa) Craig Buis who paints murals in high dollar homes and custom stains concrete for a living. Craig advised me not to cut the concrete to look like tiles but to use the system he uses to stain the floor. He explained the step-by-step system of blending/applying the stains to me over the phone tonight. Not only will the finished floor knock your eyes out but it will save me hundreds of dollars in concrete sawing plus savings using his recommended brand instead of the one I spoke of in an earlier post. I'm excited about the possibilities of mixing and blending several colors. Here are some pictures of Craig's work... all of this is concrete... floors, back splashes and countertops:
I ordered my AAC block today and it will be delivered Monday. I got a great deal on the block so the next biggie is to learn how to lay it. My new friend Sonny Gonzales who stuccos for a living called and said that coincidentially he was plastering an AAC wall like mine and that he had discovered a stucco product that he really likes and that goes up very quickly. He's appreciative for me getting him some local work and promised to be ready to stucco our Irish cottage in 3 weeks. I guess I better get rid of this gout and learn how to lay AAC block, huh!?
The best thing that happened today was that I received an email from my close friend (Tulsa) Craig Buis who paints murals in high dollar homes and custom stains concrete for a living. Craig advised me not to cut the concrete to look like tiles but to use the system he uses to stain the floor. He explained the step-by-step system of blending/applying the stains to me over the phone tonight. Not only will the finished floor knock your eyes out but it will save me hundreds of dollars in concrete sawing plus savings using his recommended brand instead of the one I spoke of in an earlier post. I'm excited about the possibilities of mixing and blending several colors. Here are some pictures of Craig's work... all of this is concrete... floors, back splashes and countertops:
I ordered my AAC block today and it will be delivered Monday. I got a great deal on the block so the next biggie is to learn how to lay it. My new friend Sonny Gonzales who stuccos for a living called and said that coincidentially he was plastering an AAC wall like mine and that he had discovered a stucco product that he really likes and that goes up very quickly. He's appreciative for me getting him some local work and promised to be ready to stucco our Irish cottage in 3 weeks. I guess I better get rid of this gout and learn how to lay AAC block, huh!?
The slab is poured!
We got the slab poured today... 21 yards of 3,500#, fiber glass reinforced concrete... Steve Franklin and his crew (John & Robbie) did a really nice job for a very reasonable price... thanks, Steve! Meanwhile, David Musser and Shane Pickett almost got the floor built for our 16' X 20' storage building. I am recycling my concrete forms so I'm getting a lot of storage area for a very reasonable amount. David and Shane also did a really nice job too. Thanks!
Here is Steve Franklin directing the flow of concrete from the first truck. Unfortunately, the weight of the concrete truck crushed my water line and Terry Stephens has to come back on Friday with his backhoe to dig up the line so we can repair it... stuff happens:
This is John Watson on the slab with the paddle machine doing the final finishing. I wanted a slick finish which I will score with a concrete saw tomorrow to look like 3' X 3' tiles. Sometime before we move in I'll stain the concrete to look like leather:
Here David Musser and Shane Pickett are building the floor of my 16' X 20' storage building reusing the inside forms from the stem wall pour for the floor (it doesn't look level but it is). We'll strip off the outside forms on the slab tomorrow and they will be stood up and used for the walls in the building. David Musser has already built the roof trusses and I found the perfect length of used tin for the roof on CraigsList for less than half of retail. Having this new storage available will allow me to close out my other two storage buildings in Monteagle for a savings of almost $150/month.
Here is Steve Franklin directing the flow of concrete from the first truck. Unfortunately, the weight of the concrete truck crushed my water line and Terry Stephens has to come back on Friday with his backhoe to dig up the line so we can repair it... stuff happens:
This is John Watson on the slab with the paddle machine doing the final finishing. I wanted a slick finish which I will score with a concrete saw tomorrow to look like 3' X 3' tiles. Sometime before we move in I'll stain the concrete to look like leather:
Here David Musser and Shane Pickett are building the floor of my 16' X 20' storage building reusing the inside forms from the stem wall pour for the floor (it doesn't look level but it is). We'll strip off the outside forms on the slab tomorrow and they will be stood up and used for the walls in the building. David Musser has already built the roof trusses and I found the perfect length of used tin for the roof on CraigsList for less than half of retail. Having this new storage available will allow me to close out my other two storage buildings in Monteagle for a savings of almost $150/month.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Ready to pour the slab
I have been stricken with a "bout of gout"... OUCH! I can hardly walk but David Musser and Shane Pickett (David's friend and helper) were able to complete the last of the gravel leveling and tape down the vinyl-bubble-foil insulation/vapor barrier. I met with Steve Franklin, the concrete finisher, late today and he approved what we had done. He and his crew will be on site at 7:30 AM Wednesday morning (4/16/08) to pour and finish the slab. A finished slab will be our first major milestone and I'm PUMPED! Hallelujah!
This is a picture taken from the head of our driveway looking west towards Sir John Templeton's library which is a mile down the road on the bluff. Sir John (a billionaire and founder of the Franklin-Templeton Fund) built a $33 million library to house his books (presently there is not a single volume in the library) and to glorify Sir John. There's even a painted, life-size statue of himself, briefcase in hand, striking out from Franklin County as a young man to seek his fortune. The library looks like it belongs on the set of a horror movie... VERY out of character with the mountain and in a word... noveau riche.
This is a picture taken at the head of our driveway looking east towards Sherwood Road. You can see the white truck on Sherwood Road so you can see that our driveway is about 800' in off the main road. Ain't spring in Tennessee BEAUTIFUL!?
This is a picture taken from the head of our driveway looking west towards Sir John Templeton's library which is a mile down the road on the bluff. Sir John (a billionaire and founder of the Franklin-Templeton Fund) built a $33 million library to house his books (presently there is not a single volume in the library) and to glorify Sir John. There's even a painted, life-size statue of himself, briefcase in hand, striking out from Franklin County as a young man to seek his fortune. The library looks like it belongs on the set of a horror movie... VERY out of character with the mountain and in a word... noveau riche.
This is a picture taken at the head of our driveway looking east towards Sherwood Road. You can see the white truck on Sherwood Road so you can see that our driveway is about 800' in off the main road. Ain't spring in Tennessee BEAUTIFUL!?
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