Building our new retirement place

[skyking1]

I did have an exceptionally high point Friday when the building inspector finally contacted me after several phone tags.

When you are down and out, nothing brings you up like a conversation with somebody who is really easy to work with.

He had a few red lines on the review and we talked through all of them and then some

We sorted out the energy worksheet and he wanted far less details than are called out per the instructions.
He does not want my HVAC ducting drawn out, or the plumbing.

Everything about this phone conversation was easy going and productive.

In our state, the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) can allow plumbing 4" and greater to be run at 1/8" per foot, or he can deny that and require everything at 1/4", for example.

When I asked about that, he paused and started looking on his computer for the codes. I work for a commercial plumbing contractor and know this situation well. I was not going to assume anything and he said " if it is possible I will allow it".
The 1/8" slope will come in handy to keep the plumbing in the basement joist space, and also in the groundwork to keep the pump elevation as high as possible.
I really needed this and to know that once the building starts it will be fun and not confrontational, I can slog through getting the civil engineering done on the Public Works issues.

 

[street]

Well that is some good news. Really looking forward to your build.

 

[Ronstar]

Sounds like you have a good building inspector skyking.

I understand the minimum slope issue, but what do you mean by keeping the pump elevation as high as possible? Do you mean sewage ejector pump? If so, shouldn't the ejector pump be in the floor of your lowest level to collect waste water from lower level bathroom, floor drains, etc?

 

[skyking1]

yes. there is ~55' of plumbing that starts at 18" below finish floor in the basement.
Running that at 1% raises that pipe invert at the pump chamber ~7" and I will take what I can get there.
I want it outside and that part was relatively easy. It is a walkout basement.
The other place I can use the 1% is coming from the main bathroom toilet. I can upsize to 4" pipe, and change up the routing to avoid the HVAC better.
I get to put on all the hats here ( plumber, HVAC, Electrician, Hydronic installer ) and I have some pinch points to work around.
When you use 4" you can trap arm 8' before venting. This is also handy.

 

[skyking1]

Meeting with the civil engineer on Wednesday to walk the property and make a plan. I am hoping to get something from him In January, and break ground in February.
I'll go out early Wednesday and stake a centerline for the driveway, stake a retaining wall, and freshen up my elevation marks on the steel posts on the house corners. Then he can visualize what is what.
I got a quote for $1300 to rent a Caterpillar D3 over the weekend. That's delivered and picked up, etc.
Once I get the permit I'll get the dozer, rough in the road, get the PUD going on the power.

 

[street]

Meeting with the civil engineer on Wednesday to walk the property and make a plan. I am hoping to get something from him In January, and break ground in February.
I'll go out early Wednesday and stake a centerline for the driveway, stake a retaining wall, and freshen up my elevation marks on the steel posts on the house corners. Then he can visualize what is what.
I got a quote for $1300 to rent a Caterpillar D3 over the weekend. That's delivered and picked up, etc.
Once I get the permit I'll get the dozer, rough in the road, get the PUD going on the power.

So, how did that meeting go with civil engineer go. I haven't seen you post since last year on your new home build.

 

[skyking1]

The engineer kinda sandbagged me and did not communicate well.
Today I called him and just got off the phone. We are cooking now, he is sending me a proposal and I will hand deliver a check Wednesday.
My permit application will be abandoned on Tuesday, so today I am making a partial response to their letter to kick that down the road another 120 days.
I think we will have all our ducks in a row by the end of March and then it is how long the city takes to get back to our letter.
I just need to take a breath and look at the long view here.
I had checked on maps the distance to the YMCA from the property. It is 1.5 miles on back streets. My wife likes to swim and I need to look at the rewards of this move. It is 1.5 miles to anywhere in town.
His fee is 1700~2500, which is just nothing in the scheme of things.

 

[MC Rider]

Eat that elephant 1 bite at a time Skyking1.


Mmmm, tasty.

 

[skyking1]

Yes, I am taking the long view. We also may be hiring more of it done.

 

[skyking1]

We met up, went over some details and I wrote him a check.
The new development is in full swing, and they cut down all the trees.
This opened up new views of the San Juan islands to the north.
We can see more water now.

 

[skyking1]

They are going great guns on the development next door. My truck is sitting at the approximate house location in this picture from a week ago.

A couple of weeks ago I brought up some good doughnuts and took them to the crew trailer before the shift started. I got my money's worth out of those 'goodwill pills'.
It turns out the the general foreman had worked at a company I had worked at, and we traded stories, and then the dirt foreman volunteered to give me a benchmark on my property with his GPS equipment, and also gave me the preliminary lot elevations of the 4 lots closest to the house. That was pure gold!
Preliminary is right. Since that picture above, they have made a tremendous cut and even if they bring back 2' of topsoil that house is 10' below ours.
I can hide it completely with some low plantings.

 

[street]

Very nice!!!!

 

[skyking1]

The civil engineer emailed the final stamped stormwater plan yesterday. I have to do a few edits of elevations on the print and draw in the new side sewer. Just a quick sketch and I will shoot that off to a Dropbox file I share with the lady in the city office.
Send her an email and then the ball is in their court again.
I have about 10 days of work, and then the big machine and the dump truck will be idle and not too far from the homestead. I'll ask the boss about using them and hopefully get a permit with the right timing.

 

[MC Rider]

Would be convenient and I guess save a bunch of money if you can use them.

 

[skyking1]

Yes. I have not called the pit on the 3" crushed base rock, but I need 15 loads on our truck. Maybe 12 on a 4 axle.
Trucking will be 120 a load if it's a nickel.
I can use it to site haul for strippings and also to balance the cut and fill for the road.
The excavator is worth ~2000 a week.
I'll offer him a couple of weeks of my labor on jobs in exchange for the use of the equipment. The convenience alone is worth quite a bit to me. I can get crushed and then back it right into the basement with me, and dip out and place the rock for the concrete pour, rather than dump a load outside and then track out to get it.