Mud

RobS · Feb 22, 2002

I must have driven right by your place this week. I was in Detroit Tuesday and Wednesday. I came back on M14 to I94 around Ann Arbor. Was I close /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkV · Feb 22, 2002

Rob---Thanks for the photos. It is an exciting time when thing get started. I am a little surprised that the builder is not recommending that stone be put down at this time. Around here we would put heavy stone down so that the big equipment would work it in as a base. The mud will be back even if the big equipment is gone and there will be a lot of subs coming in with smaller trucks that will have more trouble with the mud than the big stuff is. Of course if this is a temporary construction drive I can understand why you don’t want the stone on it. Just seems that stone now will help in the upcoming months if you have a wet spring.

Good luck and keep us updated as the project progresses.

MarkV

MossRoad · Feb 22, 2002

I agree on holding off on the rocks. At this point in time they'll just get squished out to the sides or buried in the mud. Isn't it amazing that with all those wheels, they still can't float over it.

I will say this, though. We had Kuert for one of the walls on our garage foundation and he couldn't get to one of the walls on our foundation. His wheels would spin in the sand. I had to wheel barrow the stuff in and it was heavy. Then we had Transit mix for the other 3 walls, and they just drove right up to the place like nothing. They had older trucks with fewer wheels. Same amount of concrete. I never did figure that one out.

At least it is supposed to be bright and sunny today and above freezing, so maybe some of it will get dried up today.

Great pics! Thanks.

Bird · Feb 22, 2002

Good looking (and happy looking) family./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Knight9 · Feb 22, 2002

Rob,

We built a year ago and had to put up with a LOT of mud! The builder wasn't too pleased, so I agreed that they could build the proper driveway to assist them (had to be done anyway). They did a terrific job on it and it sure helped. However right around the house was a real mess and the framers etc whined a lot about it. Not sure what they expected me to do about it /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif. Eventually they laid down scrap lumber and made paths everywhere they needed to go. Quite the maze!

Enjoy your time. It is very exciting.

Kevin

StoneHeartFarm · Feb 22, 2002

<font color=blue>slower than any other time since we've been there (1992).</font color=blue>

Take heart, my hunch is that it's getting ready to turn around.

SHF

njrqs · Feb 24, 2002

Repeat visitors - Now that is a good thing !

Yep a big place - With not many people.

Cheers

MDNY · Feb 24, 2002

Rob, you are making me very hungry, I mean jealous. If our builder gets back to me and we finalize our stuff during march we are planning to break dirt in the begining of April. That would put us in Mid September time line. They said about 3.5 - 4 months to build, I say 5 months (to myself) to be realistic.

As far as the driveway goes we are putting in the roadway fabric first then the base stone for the machines to drive over. When all is set and the stone is too, they come back and put in the final top stone. My neighbor (to be) used the same company and they did a great job. He had more stone done this past summer and it looks even better.

Where are those pics of the walls you promised.

MDNY · Feb 24, 2002

Rob,

Who installed the gate to your drive. Where I am building I am considering that as well. It is rural, but I have a neighbor about 450' next door to me, but the house will be 250' back from the road.

RobS · Feb 24, 2002

MDNY, I did the gate myself. Tractor Supply special for about $80, two 6" posts for a few bucks each, four bags of cement, and a latch. Took all of about two hours to set. It won't keep the villians out, but sure keeps the tourist traffic at bay /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

RobS · Feb 24, 2002

Here's a shot of our new ruts taken from on top of a dirt pile. Not sure if this is compact tractor work ahead or dozer, I suspect dozer.

It's firmed up quite a bit over the last couple of days (that's my truck which made it in). Trouble is, we're expecting falling temps and snow over the next few days. It's kind of a catch-22... the frozen ground will be better for the construction traffic, but the cold temps won't be the best for concrete.

Still fun though, we've decided we're going to enjoy this construction process no matter what happens /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MDNY · Feb 24, 2002

Rob,

Thanks. I figure it won't keep the vandals out either, but my neighbor is close enough (and nice people too) that he should be able to see or hear any trouble. I am looking mostly at keeping people and their vehicles out of my construction zone.

Got out to my property this week and started to put up my new posted signs to kind of make people (who don't know the area) that it is now spoken for. Seem to have nice neighbors and the couple who are building across the road from me are starting in April too. So it will be a really fun area with two new houses. That will just about complete the road.

Up the street though a realty company is trying to sell a 13 acre (pretty much squared off) lot into nine parcels about little over an acre each with one large parcel. Based on the subdivision plan I don't see how they will manage septic and well water without polluting each other. Hope it never goes up.

Good luck and keep the photos coming. We should start a new thread entitled new home construction so we call all put up the photos.

Thomas · Feb 25, 2002

Thats a spring time photo for sure.
Looks like a little back draging might help before the ground freezes.

Keep sending the photos,for this very interesting also relaxing.

RobS · Feb 25, 2002

<font color=blue>Based on the subdivision plan I don't see how they will manage septic and well water without polluting each other</font color=blue>

They'll manage. The community we're moving from consists of thousands of upscale homes all on ~1/2 acre lots with well and septic for each one. Septics are failing left and right. The county has just implemented new standards for septic, but it seems a little too late. I don't understand why they didn't put in sewers and water years ago. This community is a "suburb" of a good sized city with all the usual services. The growth was predictable and could have been planned better. Same with the school system. Did no one think all these people moving in would have kids?

It'll be better in the country /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MossRoad · Feb 25, 2002

Wow, that is a lot of mud. Nice view from the pile, too. Thanks for the pics.

Molerj · Feb 25, 2002

Hi Rob,
Seems like everyone has to deal with the mud when building a new house. I still remember
how glad I was to finally get in grass & sidewalks so I didn't have to see dirt anymore. Nice
to see that you are enjoying your construction. I'll have to say I didn't. I couldn't see the
finished product in my mind, only the problems & the extra $$$ & work that I had to do.
It didn't seem to bother my wife. She was thrilled that we were building. BTW we are
heading up near Ann Arbor this week-end to visit friends. I have an aunt in Toledo that I
will visit then head up your way. Never been there before. I hear the weather is supposed
to get pretty cold./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Anonymous Poster · Feb 25, 2002

Keep up the good attitude,my wife and I built two new homes within five years of one another.The whole process can be fun or the pits,all depends on your outlook.We had major mud on the first home,spring and summer of '93.The 500 year flood.Had two Concrete trucks stuck to the point they had to dump their loads before the crete set up in the mixer.