Breaking into the bank

[scoutcub]

Well, finally my first project on TBN!
We just recently bought a house in NE Ohio, and the garage was woefully small....not to mention my 06 F350 KR has been sitting outside for the last 4 years.....so I picked a spot on the 1.4 acres that was (I think and hope) the best spot to put up a 30X32 garage. Now I'm certainly not construction smart as many folks on here, but I'm learning all I can as I go along and between myself and the block layer, we are sharing the duties of GC, and I'm trying to do all I can myself to cut costs. Doing it on a cash basis, and already sold one toy (camper - pictured later) to help fund it. I'll try to segment the pics leading thru the stages already completed....

 

[scoutcub]

The bank is deceiving, it's over 10' high at the back of it. This is why I chose all block construction, with 12" at the back. My tractor did a great job digging, especially for 90% clay. I wanted to get a toothbar, but never had a chance to do it. I don't know how many yards of dirt, and I lost count of the dump truck loads that went out.....somewhere around 70 or 80 loads, with 3 different size trucks.

 

[scoutcub]

before I started serious digging, I had to level off the "apron" area, which will be surfaced sometime in the future.....

 

[scoutcub]

I've been debating buying a dump truck or dump trailer, went with the older 1 ton....it's been earning it's keep thus far.

 

[beppington]

My kinda project! Keep the pics comin', & good luck!

 

[scoutcub]

Here's my little helper. Also had a another "project" going on at the same time, the basement wall had a vertical crack that was leaking into the basement. We dug out the back wall, applied mastic, buttonboard, and sealed outside and inside. The ground behind the house sloped right into the basement wall, and there was just thick chunks of heavy clay that had to be removed, and gravel applied. The builder only had 1' of gravel around the footer drains... thus the cracked wall for a house built in 2007....
glad I got the 1 ton, it just barely fit in the back yard!

 

[EddieWalker]

Love it!!!!!!!!!

Great pics and a really nice looking house.

Eddie

 

[scoutcub]

Once I dug so far into the bank, I couldn't get any more material as it was all packed clay underneath the topsoil, so I drove around top, and started pushing down......

 

[scoutcub]

Not quite the angle of Jinman's avatar, but it felt pretty steep......

and in the background my camper I had to cash in for the garage.....(sniff)


Beppington & Eddie - Thanks for the comments! We moved from suburban Detroit to just below Canton, Ohio out in the country to be closer to the wife's family, and we really found a fantastic deal (minus the basement wall) on this house!

 

[77transam]

Not construction smart?!? Looks to me like you're doing a pretty fine job behind the controls of that Cub!:thumbsup:

Keep 'em coming , I love watching fellow members progress!

BTW, what are you doing with the dirt? Selling/re-locating?