A little late (we began building a month ago) but we got ‘er done. About 30 people, including Norvell (of the partner family), attended the groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of another Habitat for Humanity build in Elgin, IL.
We had a good supply of gold shovels (with the organizer Tom Germuska), goodies (courtesy of Laureen Reidelberger), several “men of the cloth” (Pastors Seth and Jen Morland-Kovash of All Saints Lutheran in Palatine)
After waiting a couple of days, we finally got to see what the concrete walls would look like when the forms were removed. A large group (fifteen or so) of volunteers attacked the forms with vigor and they were all removed by noontime. There were several comments about the number of nails used to build the forms.
Several volunteers we had not seen in awhile showed up to help - Jim Letterer and Art Arriga (shown here with George Becker) from Church of the Cross Presbyterian, Rob, Dave Gumm, Norvell and Chuck.
The foundation looks pretty good for amateurs. We also bolted down the pressure treated sill plates. Additional photos at this site.
Saturday morning, 7:45 AM. With the forms complete and the first load of concrete due at 9:00 AM, it was time to apply the form release agent which would allow easy removal of the wooden forms after the concrete had cured.
Bought an inexpensive garden sprayer ($12.00) and put it together. Loaded the form release agent and tried to pump up pressure in the sprayer tank. Only a loud hissing sound. The new tank had a leak. *&&^%$#$^
Fortunately, Dave Gumm had the foresight to bring a paint roller and bucket. Norvell, the new owner, started rolling the release agent on the form walls.
It was almost 9 o’clock and the concrete truck arrived. The next four hours were very busy for the five volunteers plus the new owners. Some selected photos of the pour and the work of this select group are given here.
Dave Gumm, besides being very thoughtful, is also very experienced with concrete. H, very patiently, guided the group and the truck drivers while almost 22 cubic yards of concrete were delivered (in three truck loads) and accurately placed in the forms. In the picture are Norvell, Dave, Dick Samojla and Lee Kingdon.
Dave didn’t just supervise, he was a very hands-on leader.
Here, Dick Kingdon and Dave discuss a finer point of pouring concrete.
A lighter moment during a very busy morning.
A view of the front side of the garage with forms, tie wires and rebar waiting for concrete.
The driver cleaning out his chute and stowing sections of the chute.
The sides of the forms are prevented from spreading out by these wire ties which are tied around rebar. The question was - would these twisted ties stand up to the enormous weight of the concrete?
Dave directing the next load of concrete back to the pour site.
A closer view of the rebar in the forms.
Actual pounding of nails has begun to form the garage-foundation forms. The garage will have a trench foundation (where concrete is poured into a trench dug into the ground). The part of the foundation that will be above ground (grade) must be formed by pouring concrete into wooden forms. That is our task today, Saturday, June 7, 2008.
The trench can be seen here.
With the pink flags in place, the excavator could begin digging the trench for the garage foundation. The first step was to remove the top soil, from where the garage will be located, and pile it out of the way. This was done with a neat backhoe. Then with a so called “Bobcat”, this sod and top soil was piled at the back, left-hand corner of the lot. Dumping the soil.
All of this work was being done on Friday evening, just in time for the first batch of volunteers to be on site the next morning - Saturday.
A funny thing happened today on my trip to the new surveyor when I stopped at the build site. There were these pretty pink flags, which meant the original surveyor, who had been missing in action for several days, had done his duty.
This means we will be working Saturday, the 7th, doing forming and rebar bending and hanging for the garage foundation. Work starts at 8:00 AM, weather permitting.
On my way away from the build site I found these lovely spring flowers.
The build has begun. Silt fence in for government and sanitary station for volunteers. Now if we could only get the surveyor out so the excavator will know where to start digging.
And, as you can see, Dick Kingdon was kind enough to mow the grass this last Sunday. Thank you Dick.
Last Wednesday it was necessary to go to Elgin, to meet a contractor who was bidding on some excavation work, to deliver plans to the surveyor, who is going to layout exactly where the house and garage will be located on the lot and provide some elevation stakes, and to stop at the Affiliate office in Carpentersville (or C’ville as many locals prefer). While doing the above, I stopped at the new Restore outlet in Elgin.
Restore, which is operated by the Northern Fox Valley Affiliate, accepts donations of gently used appliances, building material, hardware, tools etc. and then resells this material. Keeps a whole of stuff from ending up in a landfill.
While there I noticed several piles of wall panels. These panels were obviously designed for a house and consisted of studs (2 by 4s), OSB sheathing and house wrap, all nailed together, ready to be erected on a foundation. They were donated to Restore and are available for sale to any interested parties.
They were the correct height (just less than 8 feet) and in varying lengths. Measuring them showed that most would fit our garage with very little or none modifications. Ah ha, maybe we can save a little money, an important priority of Habitat builders, where all funds must be raised to build houses.
Meanwhile, the surveyor said he could do the layout on Thursday, the excavator then said he could begin on Friday and we would have work to do on Saturday, our normal work day. This is the day when the most volunteers are available.
Come Friday, no surveyor, so no excavator. Called surveyor and he said he would be there Friday afternoon. Since there was no excavation done, there was no onsite work to do on Saturday. So it was decided the work for Saturday would be moving the appropiate panels from Restore to to 959 Lavoie, Elgin.
Dick Kingdon, with banana, getting ready to drive a load of panels to the site. Driving onto the site. Nashiki and Norvell, the new owners, helping with the panels.
Chad, George, Nashiki, Tom, Dick and Norvell (left to right) unloading panels at the back corner of 959 Lavoie.
The same crew starting to load the second load of panels. And, finally, unloading the second batch of walls. Just a note here, all the crew, except for Nashiki and Norvell, were from All Saints Lutheran Church, Palatine. Thank you, all.
—————————————————————
“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens”
Jimi Hendrix
