Adventures in building a forever home (Move in date 12/2024)

[Sniggle]

The footers were poured yesterday, the forms are going up today and will be poured Monday. Finally things are moving

Digging the foundation was relatively uneventful. There were no rocks...like nothing bigger than a pebble. The soil is a sandy loam on top and a sandy clay underneath. They did have a slight challenge finding enough good dirt to build up the garage and driveway to the garage, but by the time they got the basement to grade they had enough.

When they went to dig the footers for the front porch they hit a patch of bad soil, and the decision was made just dig to basement depth and do full walls, creating a 'bonus' room under the front porch. Could be a safe room or wine cellar, but I think I will turn it into an Arms Room.

That 'bonus' room will not cost me more than $800, as we were able to eliminate one retaining wall and reduce another, which balance it out.

For those who want to see ugly numbers, the foundation and associated supporting pours, + waterproofing the exterior of the concrete came in at about $75K. Concrete is gold.

It was a bit of a challenge fitting the septic system in, as I am building the house in the corner of the lot, but the soil/septic engineer I used was flexible and allowed us to move things a few feet to make it all work (per the builder, this is not always the case).

I attached a few pictures of the forms being erected.

 

[Fermion]

Nice! I bet it is exciting huh?

It looks like they excavated the entire site for the footings? Or do your footing not need to be very deep (frost level)? I had to dig down about 4 feet for ours so the whole site was like trench warfare.


Did they establish an Ufer ground across 20 feet of rebar? That was a new one I found out when doing the foundation. We left two points sticking up from the concrete walls so the electrical inspector could verify the Ufer foundation grounding.

 

[Sniggle]

Nice! I bet it is exciting huh?

It looks like they excavated the entire site for the footings? Or do your footing not need to be very deep (frost level)? I had to dig down about 4 feet for ours so the whole site was like trench warfare.


Did they establish an Ufer ground across 20 feet of rebar? That was a new one I found out when doing the foundation. We left two points sticking up from the concrete walls so the electrical inspector could verify the Ufer foundation grounding.

It is exciting, indeed, and stressful. I tend churn things over and over in my brain, and the house build combined with the financial commitment it represents have kept me tossing and turning, and will probably disrupt my sleep until everything has been resolved (house built, current house sold, final cost known).

They dug down about 3 feet in most cases to find good compact dirt to set the footers, a little more in a few places. Lots of concrete and rebar. It looks like they excavated the whole site in these photos because only the front and right side of the house are significantly above the bottom grade, with the front grade level being about 9 feet above the footers (positioned the house on the military crest of a small hill, 1st picture shows the front grade). It is a true walk out lower, which worked well on the site.

I picked up nothing about the foundation grounding when I was onsite....but seems like it must have been done. Interesting stuff.

One of the things that kept me up last night was questions around the foundation in the back of the house. Because it is a true walk out basement, they are just pouring footers for the back wall and some of the back sides of the house, then putting pressure treated sill plates, caulking, etc. to seal it prior to framing up. I started thinking about the fact that that will mean that the concrete footers will be almost at grade, with wood above. Builder explained that they will grade back exposing a few inches of the footer, and ensuring everything runs away from the back of the house. I will definitely keep my eye on this and verify it when the time comes.

 

[Fermion]

Are they installing any kind of footing drain system? We did that using 4 inch perforated drain pipe, gravel, and a weed mat type material to keep the dirt out of the gravel. This went around the outside of the house at footing level.

I actually think it was unneeded because even after heavy rains I have yet to see much of anything come out of the drain end.

 

[Sniggle]

Are they installing any kind of footing drain system? We did that using 4 inch perforated drain pipe, gravel, and a weed mat type material to keep the dirt out of the gravel. This went around the outside of the house at footing level.

I actually think it was unneeded because even after heavy rains I have yet to see much of anything come out of the drain end.

There are no plans for French drains on the sides. As the house sits on a small hill, standing water/ high water table during heavy rain should not be a problem, as long as the grading is done well.

The only real tricky area is the elbow where the garage meets the main house/ laundry room. Any mistake in grading in front of the house (driveway, small front green area) could cause water to accumulate and pool in this elbow, and pooling water will find a way in eventually. Both I and the builder are keenly aware of this, and this is on my 'check and double check' list

 

[finnski1]

Looking good. Exciting times. Just as a fun reference . When I built our house over 25 years ago now. Cost of 8.5 acres + driveway + septic system + well =$75k. Foundation another $8k. 2000 sq ft house 2 story approx 872 sq ft basement in New Hampshire.

 

[Ronstar]

…One of the things that kept me up last night was questions around the foundation in the back of the house. Because it is a true walk out basement, they are just pouring footers for the back wall and some of the back sides of the house, then putting pressure treated sill plates, caulking, etc. to seal it prior to framing up. I started thinking about the fact that that will mean that the concrete footers will be almost at grade, with wood above. Builder explained that they will grade back exposing a few inches of the footer, and ensuring everything runs away from the back of the house. I will definitely keep my eye on this and verify it when the time comes.

Walkout footers at grade would keep me up at night too. Hopefully you live in a warm climate where no frost protection is necessary.

 

[Sniggle]

Looking good. Exciting times. Just as a fun reference . When I built our house over 25 years ago now. Cost of 8.5 acres + driveway + septic system + well =$75k. Foundation another $8k. 2000 sq ft house 2 story approx 872 sq ft basement in New Hampshire.

That was back when our money was worth something

 

[finnski1]

That was back when our money was worth something

Yes indeed.

 

[skyking1]

Very exciting to see you moving this along. I have a walkout basement too. 75K sounds about right.
Also a true walkout first floor with no steps to use the first floor, anywhere. It is the way to do it.

 

[Sniggle]

From footers to forms.

Next up basement plumbing, then slabs.

 

[street]

Wow!
I missed this thread entirely so late to the party. I love it and new builds are very exciting and intriguing for me.

Looks awesome and please keep us posted.

 

[skyking1]

excellent! bring out extra conduit, think of everything you could want and add a couple. Roll them up in the equipment room in the same wall line as the electrical panel.

 

[Sniggle]

excellent! bring out extra conduit, think of everything you could want and add a couple. Roll them up in the equipment room in the same wall line as the electrical panel.

Good idea....thinking maybe run conduit to 3 location in the center of the large lower level main room. I am not sure how I am going to use this large space, but a center outlet or 3 might come in handy.

 

[skyking1]

the Internet Service Providers (ISP) like 1.25" conduit. put at least 1 of those to the equipment room.

 

[Sniggle]

Getting the plumbing ready for the slab pour.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/g1qkSLuDc4Ghh4UQA

 

[street]

Getting the plumbing ready for the slab pour.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/g1qkSLuDc4Ghh4UQA

Excellent! Love to follow building projects coming along nicely.

 

[Sniggle]

When building off the road a bit, plan for pain when you contact your electrical company to run power to the house. The house is approx. 500 feet from the pole to the meter base, and the power line will run underground. The invoice from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative is.............




































$14,300....If someone asked me where the pain is I would point to my wallet.

I knew it would not be cheap, and I mentally prepared by hoping it would be below $10K, considering under $15K acceptable, and being prepared to pay $25K. After they met with my builder, I told my builder that I would be ready to fork out $25k to get it done. He strongly suspected it would be less than $25K (as did I), but did not retort it should be less....which quite frankly made me fear my high end estimate was realistic (that was cruel). When talking to him when the invoice was provided, he admitted he did not want to disabuse me of that $25k number until we had the invoice.

Maybe I should have just retired from my job, lived in a small house, and travelled? (Nah, my job is easy and kinda sorta enjoyable most of the time, the wife and I are home bodies, the building process is interesting and fun (and stressful, yes) and I don't like to travel for more than 2 weeks at a time)

 

[Fermion]

I assume it is something like aluminum 4/0,4/0,4/0,2/0 service wire? 500 feet of that is over $3,000 alone. Add in $500 or more for conduit, maybe $500 for disconnects, outside panel, other bits.

$14,000 is a lot but a fair bit of that is actually bare cost of materials I guess.

 

[Sniggle]

I assume it is something like aluminum 4/0,4/0,4/0,2/0 service wire? 500 feet of that is over $3,000 alone. Add in $500 or more for conduit, maybe $500 for disconnects, outside panel, other bits.

$14,000 is a lot but a fair bit of that is actually bare cost of materials I guess.

If you exclude the cost of running the wire from the pole across the street to the new pole that will be at the entrance of my driveway and removing the tree that interferes with that (this kinda falls into providing basic service), they will be trenching and burying the 200 AMP cablefor about 400 feet, putting in a pad (I think, although maybe I need to do this) and a transformer 100 feet (yes, they own the transformer but I buy it) from the house, then running the cable from the transformer to the meter base I provide. I do not believe they will need to use any conduit, as the cable does not run under the driveway.

But yes, they will provide substantial materials and the transformer, probably accounting for around half the cost.

I posted this not so much to complain about the cost, but to forewarn folks planning to build a bit back in the woods.

( the invoice does not break anything down...just says 'Contribution to aid construction')

 

[ncbill]

Getting the plumbing ready for the slab pour.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/g1qkSLuDc4Ghh4UQA

Make sure the none of the drains get covered up in the pour.

While working construction during college I got to take a sledgehammer to the slab after one of the bathroom drains got covered in the pour.

 

[Sniggle]

Some more picks. The slab is poured and the framing has begun.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HsrkhDoQhk5AXp6c6

We are getting into 'making decisions' mode. We purchased a front door (https://www.doors4home.com/p-4289-wi-mah-bellagio-atd-80.aspx#tab-info), decided on the siding (Everlast Willow), shingles (Tanko Titan X Rustic Black), looking at granite and flooring.

Trusses should be up by the end of next week, with shingles on and windows in (delivery 4/9 to jobsite) by late April.

 

[Sniggle]

A couple more pics, courtesy my builder. Steel going in to support the fire place/wood burning stove. Yes, this is what $15 K of steel looks like....wish our money was worth more.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VZRfLHinWcyV8vc86

 

[Scrapr]

Some more picks. The slab is poured and the framing has begun.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HsrkhDoQhk5AXp6c6

We are getting into 'making decisions' mode. We purchased a front door (https://www.doors4home.com/p-4289-wi-mah-bellagio-atd-80.aspx#tab-info), decided on the siding (Everlast Willow), shingles (Tanko Titan X Rustic Black), looking at granite and flooring.

Trusses should be up by the end of next week, with shingles on and windows in (delivery 4/9 to jobsite) by late April.

That's a lot of concrete. Off hand do you know how many yards? I'm curious on the "brick" pattern on your foundation walls. Was that pattern on the inside of your concrete forms? Never seen it before. I kinda like it

 

[street]

Thanks for keeping us posted on progress. Looks great!!