Planet 67 gets under way...

[67HEAVEN]

We begin the foundation tomorrow. Today, the concrete block and cement were delivered.

They sent two trucks like this, two trips each, to bring all the block.

The forklift driver didn't want to go across the farmer's field (for fear of bogging down), so he ruined my laneway. :cry Oh well, I can fix it.

825 blocks

26 bags of Type S cement

We'll soon be up out of the hole.

 

[67HEAVEN]

It will take $CA5,800 ($US6,150) to get the building up to ground level. That includes block anchor bolts to which I'll attach the block plate on which the walls will rest.

That does not include the concrete slab floor, nor the gravel underneath the floor. Those come later.

 

[Scott Winebarger]

It will take $CA5,800 ($US6,150) to get the building up to ground level. That includes block anchor bolts to which I'll attach the block plate on which the walls will rest.

That does not include the concrete slab floor, nor the gravel underneath the floor. Those come later.

Let me know your final $$ when you get about where I am, that sounds pretty good.
I have spent about 15 grand US not counting the dirt backfill which brings it to about ummm 17 grand so far.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Rainy weather has held us up for a few days. We only got the two rear corners and the rear wall (up to 5 courses) laid as of Monday afternoon.

If the rain stops overnight, we're back at it tomorrow. My arms are tired from carrying block. :ugh

 

[67HEAVEN]

 

[Mac]

Good workout though... Thanks for the pictures!!

-Mac

 

[67HEAVEN]

The rain stopped us again at 2:00 this afternoon. ad

Here's some photos from this morning.

So, the back wall is complete (8 courses high), and the west wall is three courses high. All four corners are laid. Back at it tomorrow morning..........if the rain holds off. :ugh

 

[67HEAVEN]

Shot from the house.....

 

[67HEAVEN]

By 4:00pm today, this is how far we got.....three walls complete.

Above - looking southwest: The two loose blocks at the ends of the nearest wall are just there to hold the string-level. The closest opening is for the French doors. The opening further back (and to the left) is for one of the overhead doors. You may remember that the framing is being elevated an extra two block courses above the floor to provide plenty of room for my Tahoe on a lift.

Below - looking southeast....

Tomorrow, we finish the front wall. :bang

 

[Mac]

Big footprint!

-Mac

 

[67HEAVEN]

Big footprint!

-Mac

Which brings me to a question. I know that a vapour barrier is required beneath any garage floor where living quarters are located above the garage. That is not the case here.

If I had simply poured an engineered slab floor, I wouldn't hesitate to lay down a vapour barrier first but, with a 54" deep block foundation all around the perimeter of the garage, I wonder if a vapour barrier would really do anything useful?

Anyone in construction have an opinion?

 

[68Roadster]

Looking good!
Masons impress me.....so fast, so straight....definitely an art.

 

[Toms007]

Bob, looks as though the project is coming right along. As far as the vapor barrier goes, I'd probably go ahead and put it in. It will slow the moisture from transitioning into the interior spaces of the garage. I don't know what the humidity is like up there but it could help with the heating and cooling of the shop, by keeping the insides drier.

 

[67HEAVEN]

We had a beautiful day today, after the sleet stopped around 10:30am.

And, by 2:00pm Eastern today..........tada!

Above - looking southeast. The front wall is completed. 16' overhead door on the right......9' overhead door on the left.

Above - looking north.

Above - looking northwest.

You can see the block-plate anchor bolts at the top of the block.

After a few days, I'll backfill inside and out to the halfway point and then rent a jumping jack. Then, I'll backfill the rest.

Following that, I'll start trucking in gravel to prepare for pouring the slab.

So, the block is finally finished.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Looking good. I would recommend a vapor barrier. It doesn't cost much and even under the best circumstances concrete gets fine cracks over time. The vapor barrier will keep moisture from coming up through and possibly lifting your floor coating.

Tom

 

[67HEAVEN]

Let me know your final $$ when you get about where I am, that sounds pretty good.
I have spent about 15 grand US not counting the dirt backfill which brings it to about ummm 17 grand so far.

cj5nutz,

Getting to a completed foundation, but without a poured floor or the gravel fill (below the floor and in front of all the overhead doors) came to "exactly" $CA5,964.14 ($US6,441.27 give or take whatever on today's exchange rate)

How do I know "exactly"? I'm running all the paperwork through an Excel spreadsheet.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Due to the expert advice from previous posters, I'll be using a vapour barrier.

 

[67vet]

Congratulations on reaching this milestone.
I would agree with others that you should consider putting down a vapor barrier.
Before you know it, you will be putting on the roof.

 

[Mac]

Due to the expert advice from previous posters, I'll be using a vapour barrier.

Sounds like a plan. Were you thinking of putting rigid foam insulation in as well? Just a thought...

-Mac

 

[JohnZ]

Sounds like a plan. Were you thinking of putting rigid foam insulation in as well? Just a thought...

-Mac

That was the secret to my dry/warm floor - we laid 4' x 8' sheets of 5/8"-thick high-density closed-cell foam with heavy foil on both sides over the 10-mil poly moisture barrier before pouring the slab. Cost about $8.00 per sheet in 2000.