Footings are In

Thursday and Friday were busy days, which was good as Jeff and Dave thought they would need to work on Saturday, but they stayed late both nights until 8 p.m. and finished the planned jobs.  Jeff finished digging the trenches for the water lines and he and Dave got them ran. 

Jeff running the water lines

Dave's comments:  Looked like moles in their holes as trenches were dug outlining the house where concrete footings and walls would grow out of the ground.   The  picture shows a zigzag where the two attached garages will be; the curved trench is bringing in the water line from 250' away at the frontage road where the meter pit was placed.  It is six feet deep to prevent freezing in Iowa winters. This last winter the frost was up to 60 inches deep says the local contractors.


One of two farm hydrants on the north side of the lot, useful for future garden plots 

that Dave is planning

Footings around side garage

View from front garage into basement

Side view of front garage and porch area in back of it

Looking from the future front porch into the basement footings and

out the back to future patio

As I am writing this update, on Sunday, the 27th, it has been pouring since 7 a.m. with very little let-up.  Highly possible they will not be pouring the basement walls tomorrow.  This last week was a busy and full week of accomplishments, but with spring weather in Iowa, delays are to be expected. 

We move to Little Wall Lake County campground for a couple days on Tuesday, as our alloted time is up here at Ledges State park.  On Thursday we will relocate again to Prairie Flower COE for two weeks.  

I am not sure how much posting will be made next week as it all depends on the weather.  Tentative schedule is on hold until we get the walls poured. 

Thanks for checking in!

Jones Family

Day 3 - Boone house

Since it rained most of the day and we had some strong winds. I didn't go out to the lot to check the progress.  Dave is reporting today. Hence more accuracy, as he was there all day.

Here's 400 hundred feet of water line and two farm hydrants which will be put in tomorrow.  Xenia Rural Water Company put in the meter pit and activated the meter so we will have water as soon as we decide to turn on the spigot.     Will need the water soon for the well drillers as they will be drilling four 200 feet deep wells for the geothermal heat pump which will heat and cool the house.

 

 

 Water lines and spigots

The first 100 feet of driveway gravelled today with 3" clean limestone.   Getting ready for the heavy cement trucks tomorrow when they come to pour the footings.  The heavy trucks will help compact a good roadbed for the future.   Only about 600 more feet to put in. So we will have a circular drive for turning around the RV.

Rick dug in the rear footings with the big John Deere this morning defining the sun room.  Meanwhile Jeff on the mini cut in about 250 of six foot deep water line trench.   Need the depth so the lines won't freeze in these Iowa winters.

 

 

Sunroom in the center leading out to the future patio in the back

Jeff trenching for the water lines

 

Very productive day. Jeff about froze though, so said it's long underwear tomorrow!

Day 2 - Boone House

Dave was up early, 6 a.m., eager to get out to the lot as the excavator was scheduled to return to finish the digging for the footings of the garage.

As they were reviewing yesterday's work, it was realized that the basement was not deep enough, so the excavator had to dig it again and go another 5.5 inches deeper.   So when that was done, he continued the digging for the footings around the garages. 

 

Front garage

 

 

Deeper basement

 

Dave had also made arrangements with him to pull up some trees on the hillside and then dig a hole to bury them.  Dave spent much of Monday clearing the fence line along the north side of the property.  It looks much better now, but still a lot of work to go, like ripping out old barbwire for one thing.

Brush from along the fence line

Trees and brush from the hillside in back of the house

Ready to be cut up for firewood



Meanwhile Jeff was busy scrapping out the left side of the driveway where they will lay rock on Wednesday, so the cement trucks will have firmer ground to drive on.  Dave and Jeff also picked up the Terratex fabric that will go under the rock for better support. 

starting the driveway



left side of the future circle driveway

 

 

 Looks like another productive day!  Wednesday it is supposed to rain, but again, I am hoping for it to go a bit north or south of the lot.  :) The only negative was the guys that are supposed to set the footings did not show up to take measurements and confirm the digging was correct.  Sure hope they show up on Wednesday!!!



 

A New Chapter

Last we checked in we were still in the South.  After spending time in Texas we headed home arriving back in Iowa in time to have two weeks to finish packing up the last 10% of our belongings and move them to storage in Ames.   We moved to Lost Island KOA, Waterloo, IA on the 26th of March and signed the closing papers on the 28th.  Due to the cold weather we stayed at the KOA for 20 days until Ledges State Park, Madrid, IA opened for the season. 

Between now, 21 April, and the middle of July, we will be rotating between Ledges and Saylorville Lake COE, Prairie Flower campground.  Hopefully, by the end of July, the sewer, water and electricity will be available at the lot and a pad near the side of the house will be leveled where we can park the Airstream.  Nothing is definite, but that is our hope. 

Today is the big day; we start the BIG DIG!!!  This day has been a long time coming.  We started the planning back in January 2013.  It is very exciting to see plans that Dave has spent hundreds of hours designing finally coming to be.

Facing south

Standing on the north side of the basement looking southwest.

 



Looking toward the back of the house which will face Northeast; this will be a future patio.

 

Warning:

 

This blog will not be documenting much travel the rest of this year; it will be devoted to the building of our new home outside Ames, IA.   We are so excited!!!  You can expect LOTS of pictures of the house in progress.  We were fortunate the rain held off and went around us today.  Now if the weather will cooperate for a few more weeks until the basement is poured, geo-thermo wells are dug, septic dug, water lines ran in along with the electricity.   I don't know the exact order of progress but will learn it as we go. 

 

 Dave and our builder, Jeff, have all the details between them.  I'll just be reporting and taking pictures.  :)  Oh, and handling the finances.  Also, the interior details....yeah, I do have a bit to do I guess.  So far, Dave has been responsible for all the planning, but going forward I will have some work to do also.  :)   I have to say I am very proud of Dave's project management skills and the amount of details he has laid out in a very impressive spreadsheet. Jeff was really impressed.  Said he hasn't had that amount of detail outlined for him from any previous owner/general contractor.

 

Hope you will check back in with us as we document this exciting time in our lives.  We also have some additional news regarding our son and daughter-in-law; they are expecting our first grandchild in October and are also in the process of buying a home.  They expect to move into their new home in August.  This summer is going to be a very busy and exciting time for our family. 

 

We are very blessed and thankful for all the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon our family. 

 

Hugs!

The Jones

KT and Nacho too!