Walls go up Fast!

These photos were taken just early on the second day after the slab was completed...can't wait to see the next set!

WE HAVE SLAB!

Yesterday they poured the concrete slab for the ground floor, garage, and footings for the patio columns. Now they start with the cement blocks and building the walls! This is REALLY great. Emil's guys did a fabulous job on the slab...it really is quite an art form really when done well. Here are some pics! (pics to follow...they didn't upload)

View from the garden across the slab of the new addition.

Smoothing and leveling

The fresh cement "setting up" ...about 4 hours later they would "finish" it smoothe

John (our architect) and Jerry trying to look useful

Progress continues. Concrete block masonry work continued Saturday for half a day and resumed this morning. The block stem wall to the first floor slab elevation should be completed by Wednesday. All underground piping, conduit, plumbing, electrical and mechanical stub work will continue through the week. the slad will probably get poured earlier next week. There is a lot of underground work to complete before placing fill and pouring the floor slab.

Fun Stuff

Lighting. Plan to meet with Daniel Wells, an LED light specialist and designer, the first week of February. I met him briefly on our last trip…this time Jerry and I will have an opportunity for a full presentation of possibilities for the use of LED lighting in the house. We are very interested because LED lights save an enormous amount of energy (and also money), give off no heat (hence less air conditioning for a further savings of energy and money), and now come in a range of light intensities and hues and fixtures. It is more expensive upfront…but he estimates that our energy cost savings will pay back the additional expense in 2 to 3 years…which is soon enough for us. I have never truly loved any lighting scheme that I’ve had in a house….so I am excited about the possibilities there too.

Stained Glass Artist. We are having a number of stained glass windows and interior panels and transoms designed and constructed by a fabulous stained glass artist, Geri Willingham, from Dunedin, FL. We are so excited. Her designs are so intricate and organic and interesting. We’ve met with her a number of times as the designs have been refined and it is SO much fun. Here a few photos of Geri and some of our “mock-ups” in her studio. The panels reflect our love of Florida birdlife, plant life, and marine life. They are going to be gorgeous.

Foundation Poured

On Friday, January 26th, the concrete footing pour started at 7:30AM and was successfully completed at 12:30PM. Emil and his six man crew supported by three concrete pumping crew worked well to pour 30 yards of concrete from three trucks. Towards the end of the pour a concrete pump blew a hose connection which caused a short delay but a replacement pump finished the job. Concrete block, sand and mortar mix was delivered in the afternoon. Concrete block work will begin next.

More Demo Photos - Surveyor is surveying

The Surveyor started on the 6th determining elevations and boundaries etc. Didn't get it all done in a day. May be done today if its doesn't rain...tomorrow if it does. Hoping to pour footers by mid-week next week. Emil sent a few more photos of the "after" demolition:

Demolition Complete

Got word that demolition is complete. There were a few surprises but nothing earth (or purse) shattering or plan changing. Whew! They figured out that the second story bathroom in the original 1925 house (where it juts out from the house) seems to be "floating out there on its own". Somewhere in the past someone reconfigured the supports (maybe when the 50s addition was put on?). So the guys shored it up and we will work the supports into the new addition. We could have been floating in the bathtub that was floating in thin air.

Also found evidence of an older infestation of termites that may have weakened some of the "surface members of the exterior wall". So again...will work that into the addition construction. I'm pretty sure that isn't the end of that discussion. I'm told this "is not uncommong in stucco over wood construction especially in Florida".

So now our whole house is half...for now. The guys need a great job in tidying/cleaning up the site after demoltion. You can barely tell there used to be a half of house there. They've done a great job with fencing to protect the trees and shrubs.

We hope to get the surveyor/elevation guys out this week...so we can start pouring foundations.

There used to be half ahouse dead center in this picture!