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chelone_gw

Garage Project

chelone
16 years ago

Here you go, this is the present state of things here, "on the compound".

This is the area after the trees were taken down and before the excavation began. You are looking directly east:

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This view is looking northeast:

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This is the beginning of the destruction:

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This is directly behind the vegetable garden, and as soon as the digging was finished it began filling with water:

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This is what happens when you receive a couple of days of driving rain and you live on a low lot:

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In the foreground you can see the pump we set up to remove the water from the foundation hole. Also note the drywell and the large plastic culvert that will divert road runoff and overflow from the "pond"/muckhole/wallow:

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This the final result of a lot of pumping:

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The forms for the footings are laid out:

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The concrete is spread evenly and air pockets are eliminated:

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The forms for the walls are in place, note the openings for the garage bays:

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The walls are poured, the forms removed, and drainage culverts have been moved to the interior to facilitate the spreading of the crushed stone base:

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Here is the north wall of the garage, note the "man door". You are looking southwest over Sanitary Ridge:

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And here are the building inspectors doing their job:

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Are you bored silly yet? ;)

Comments (12)

  • gardenbug
    16 years ago

    You'll have to work a lot harder to bore me! I made a large album of the building of our new barn foundation (one wall only, but many weeks of work and drama). In fact, I find it fascinating. :)

  • Sue W (CT zone 6a)
    16 years ago

    Boy does that look familiar! You're going to love it when it's all done.

    Sue

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    16 years ago

    Aahh construction... I love it! You'll not bore me . The more pictures, the better. It sounds like an interesting design. Do you have a drawing of what it's going to look like? Have fun - all the destruction will be worth it I'm sure - and just think of all the opportunities to create new gardens in the area after the construction is done... Have fun.

  • Marian_2
    16 years ago

    Great construction pics Chelone. It will be so nice when it is completed.

    I wish I had taken my camera out and documented the Power Co.'s work in clearing their right-of-way to our house. They left a 40 foot wide strip,over 600 feet long, that is cleared to the ground, from the tops of the trees on down. We can now see the vehicles that traverse the county road...if we are standing out in our circle drive.( Our shrubs block the view from our house.) The varmints will have no place to hide in that space! I am hoping more openland birds will return.

    Enjoy your new space. It will be well used, I'm sure.

  • chelone
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Woody, I'm sorry to "blown by" your birthday (5/24?), so here is your belated greeting; sadly, without the framing that I've not yet mastered!

    {{gwi:160773}}

    Thanks for the support everyone. I'm a little nervous about how easily everything has gone, so far. (talk about a pessimist!).

    Sue, I'm tearing my hair over the garage doors. I'm horrified by the crummy stuff out there. I have no problem with metal or fibreglass doors (they do have to be insulated) but what's with the fake, embossed "woodgrain"? I'm appalled at how cheap and downright HOMELY so many of them are. Tell me, PLEASE, that I can find something clean, simple, affordable that looks likes a New England "baHn" door. We will have lights over the door. Can you help?

    At present, the cats think we've installed a giant catbox. :)

  • cynthia_gw
    16 years ago

    Ha! It does look like a supersized kitty litter box!

    Try Clopay Door for something decent looking.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Clopay Doors

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the birthday wishes! (You got the date right. I'm impressed; I can never remember birthdays - even with a list you have to remember to check the list :-) I did a double take at the picture. For a second I thought it was one of mine! But the blue was different and I have none against lovely gray shingles...
    Cynthia's door link was great. Depending on the style of the garage, would the 3rd or 4th style in the Cape Cod section do? (I'm feeling nostalgic. I had great fun choosing all the options for house details here. Our garage doors are pretty bland though - the color was more important that the style here.)

  • deanneart
    16 years ago

    Great photographs Chelone! It's really fun to see the before shots and progress being made. Can't wait to see the finished version. As Sue said, you are going to love it when it's all completed.

    Deanne

  • michelle_zone4
    16 years ago

    Thanks for sharing your project. Its fun to see a project come together. Keep us updated.

  • drema_dianne
    16 years ago

    Chelone, your construction looks great! It sure doesn't seem to take any time at all to get going. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

    D.

  • ctlavluvr
    16 years ago

    You're cruisin', Chelone! What we immediately noticed was the extra depth you put in. Very smart!! It's amazing how fast these buildings fill up.

    Next year, it'll be like it never even happened except for the wonderful auto housing and no snow scraping.

    Martie

  • Lara Noles
    16 years ago

    Chelone, what an interesting and big project. I'd have been freaking out when it was filling with water! You've come a long way fast. Love the last pic of the inspectors and I also enjoyed the glimpses of your gardens in the pictures. They're beautiful! Can't wait to see the next series of pictures as the project progresses. Thanks for taking the time to share.

    Eden