Foundation Complete

With the last pass of the power screeder over the vast expanse of concrete in the basement, the foundation is essentially complete.

Foundation complete

Basement slab

After a few modifications and additions the base from which our home will rise sits ready to be saddled with wood to become the framework for floors, walls and roof.  We intend for this to be the last house we build, at least for ourselves, but it sure would be nice to apply some lessons learned.  The main lesson, as is usually the case, is there will be surprises along the way.  What you budget will usually not be realistic and the only hope is that you minimize the overruns.  The main, unplanned, expenditure was the addition of a couple of retaining walls.

Retaining wall at right, rear corner of house

Retaining wall at right, front corner of house

Because of the lay of the land and the amount of slope on the lot, we had to build walls to control the movement of water around the house.  The most significant wall is at the front, left corner of the house in the area of the carport.  Our intentions for the carport were that it be on the same level as the house so there will be no steps to navigate as we exit our cars and go into the house.  This should be more appreciated as the years go by.  Because the carport is on the same level as the first floor of the house and because the lot slopes drastically on that side, we are going to have to build up the area in front of the carport.  This is going to require a wall be built to hold up the earthen buildup.

Retaining wall at carport entrance

Next week, hopefully we will begin the framing.  I say, "hopefully" because we have yet to get the floor trusses ordered.  We had a minor complication with this portion of the project but that is a story for another post.  For now, I will leave you with this verse to highlight the completion of our foundation.  It comes from the book of Luke, chapter 6, verses 47-49.   

47 I will show you what everyone is like who comes to me and hears my words and obeys. 48 That person is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the floods came, the water tried to wash the house away, but it could not shake it, because the house was built well. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not obey is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. When the floods came, the house quickly fell and was completely destroyed.”