Slinging Rocks

A few days ago, there were some rocks being slung around as drain tile was installed.  As you may have picked up on by now, one of the biggest obstacles in this project is water.  It's one thing to try to keep an earth sheltered house dry, but add the fact that we are surrounded by ponds and natural springs in the earth, and that adds up to a lot of drainage work!

Drain tile is really hole-y pipe.  It is being installed around the perimeter of the house.  First they dug a trench, then lined it with thick plastic.  The next step is a layer of landscaping fabric, then the pipe is laid in.  Next comes the rock slinging, as rock is poured to fill the trench.

  That's where Bedrock Slingers, LLC comes in...

 

Learning that these guys have really big toys!

With their slinger truck, which is remote controlled.  This guy is trying to get his truck in between the two large cottonwood trees, to get the arm close enough to the trench to drop the rock. Really weird seeing this huge truck being driven around...with no one in it!

Finally gets the truck in place to get the arm close enough to the trench to sling the rock in.

Close up of drain tile on top of landscaping fabric

 and plastic.

After the rock fills the trench, they fold the plastic and 

fabric back over the trench.

One last thing, I've been meaning to introduce 

you to our neighbors, the cows.

A Mighty Fort(ress)?

The walls of the foundation are complete!  It was interesting to watch the crew set the forms and pour the concrete for the foundation walls.  While the forms were setting, our daughter said it looks like a fort.  We do want our home to be built on solid ground, like a mighty fortress (Psalm 46)!  Here are some pictures:

It looks like a fort.

These guys are so brave, climbing around on walls that are 24 feet tall and only 6 inches wide.

A close up view of their feet on the walls.

A closer view of the forms being readied to fill with concrete (that wall did get straightened out).

Trucks lined up waiting for their turn, it took 7 trucks of concrete to fill the forms.

The concrete coming out of the pumper truck and into the forms.

A view of the southwest corner of the house, the forms are filled with concrete and will dry overnight.

A view of the southwest corner after the forms are removed, leaving the foundation walls.

The forms are reloaded and waiting to go to their next project.

A view of the house taken from the west.

A Solid Foundation

The last couple of weeks have been spent getting a sump pump installed and working to keep the area dry so the trucks could get in to drill the piers.  Today thirty-six 28'-deep piers were drilled and filled with concrete—the beginning of a solid foundation!

Arm of  Concrete Pumper Truck

2 Drilling Trucks

Drill Operator

Guiding the arm into the hole to fill with concrete (the guy in the orange hat is using a remote control)

Close-up of hole with concrete and re-bar installed.

Steve fits right in with his NREL safety garb, and is loving being able to be so up close and involved!