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?

 

[scoutcub]

Thanks Transam!
I was lucky enough to only have to drive most of it less than 2 miles, to my concrete sub's shop, where he needed fill. Then, my block sub said his dad could use some so he brought his Dodge over and said " Fill it up, it'll take whatever you can load".....so I loaded him up....!:laughing:

And, the yard was getting full with equipment....I was like a kid in the candy store....the concrete sub brought in more equipment to move all the dirt faster from behind the house, and they were pouring the rear patio, after they finished the front sidewalk.....wonder why my wife says I take on too many projects at once!

 

[scoutcub]

Other projects completed....front sidewalk/steps....

 

[scoutcub]

And patio behind the house.....

maybe I should consider renaming this "what I did with my summer vacation"..

 

[scoutcub]

Back to the bank. As the first pic shows, the digging is getting a bit more challenging for the Cub. Since I'm on a definite schedule with my work and garage completion, I had arranged with the concrete sub for him to complete the excavation for $600, which I thought was a pretty good deal.
On the morning he was supposed to show, the block sub informed he that concrete sub is in the hospital with a near-burst appendix. Figures my luck!
Plan B - I have an excavator and dozer around 12 miles away on our property that we will someday build our retirement home. I'm in the process of clearing a homesite there with the equipment. (time permitting....ha)
So after a few calls, I found a lowboy to pick up and deliver the 312 to my house for $200, and got a lot more seat time!

 

[scoutcub]

More digging....I never had a full day to get it all done, due to when I could get trucks/drivers...the 42" bucket would fill my F-350 up in 3 scoops...the Dodge had a bigger box, 4-5 scoops....and the IH would take 7-8. It was fun when I had 2 or 3 trucks running at the same time, I just stayed in the seat....but one day I loaded my truck....then drive it to dump....then back to the hill....back on the ex.....repeat.....repeat....

 

[scoutcub]

FINALLY......digging completed!!!!
It was interesting to see the different layers of dirt/clay/loose rock...and my strip of coal!

 

[scoutcub]

Digging and pouring footers.....

 

[scoutcub]

Block going up......

 

[jimmyj]

Awesome project! Thanks for sharing.

 

[MacLawn]

Wha'!? And you don't know much about construction?? Wow, great project! Makes my little projects seem mighty small, tiny rented backhoes, pick axe, shovel, etc. that I use. I need to do some drainage work behind my house - no basement here, but crawl space. Your work has given me some ideas. Great post! What did you put on the ground side of the blocks to keep water out?