Orth House II Renovation blog
Work has been stalled for over a month. We had been hoping to have the slab poured before the end of last year, but the weather didn’t cooperate.
After several attempts on milder days, the concrete crew wasn’t able to complete the work. In cold weather, concrete takes longer to cure, and it is essential that the temperatures don’t drop and freeze the concrete while it is curing. Despite insulating the ground, it still froze.
Plumbing for the addition has been roughed in, and exterior insulation has been added to the foundation walls (that’s the pink stuff visible in the photos below).
Next steps are inspection, backfill, and pouring the slab.
Work continued last week despite the cold. The concrete forms came off the foundation walls, so it’s now easy for us to envision the size of the addition. The walls were damp proofed on the outsides, which is why they look completely black in the photos below. Exterior drain tile was installed around the addition. The escape window is clearly visible, and the window well drain pipe ties into the drain tile system.
It has been a cold week, but the crew has made a lot of progress. They built the foundation wall forms and poured the concrete.
Next week, they will be working as fast as they can to get our sewer line covered again. (We’re putting RV antifreeze into the sewer right now just in case.)
There is a lot to do before they can backfill (put the dirt back in the hole). The concrete forms must be removed. Drain tile needs to be installed. Waterproofing must be installed. There are inspections.
The concrete truck and crew showed up this morning to pour the footings for the addition.
The footprint of our addition is taking shape now that the underpinning is complete. The footings are formed and ready for concrete this week. The basement walls should be going in next week.
The reason for the “pinch” shape is to tie into the aesthetic of our existing house.
With the sewer line reroute complete, and the dirt dump back open after all of the recent rain, the concrete contractor was able to make significant progress excavating the new basement.
The plumbers rerouted the sewer line yesterday. It snakes around the addition.
The white section is new, and the green is existing. You can see where they cut into the old diagonal green section. That pipe remains buried and will be dug out when they excavate for the new basement.
After replacing the sewer line, the concrete contractor was able to finish the form for the final section of underpinning. Hopefully they can pour the concrete on Monday.
After a rain delay, the concrete contractor installed the second underpinning sections last week.
Notice the sump pumps keeping water out of the holes! You can also see how there will need to be a final section right in the middle – where the sewer pipe comes out.
Continue reading “Second underpinning section and waste line extension”