April 1 -- LOTS of Progress -- No Fooling

It's been a month. The first work was done on the project on March 1st. I honestly cant believe what has taken place in these four weeks. The block crew is done for a while but other sub-contractors took over along with Deitz workers today.

Jeff Sparks had his carpenter crew there by 8:00. After unloading the lumber needed for today's work, this crew first attached the sill plate to the foundation upon which the house will rest. While they worked inside the basement, Barry from Perma-Seal arrived to spray the outside of the foundation with waterproofing.

Pressure treated sill plates and sill sealer was attached to straps inserted in the top course of block.

A pneumatic nailer was used to attach the sill plate.

Barry worked his way around the foundation and sprayed black waterproofing  material on the exterior of the block .

Why was The Rolling Stones song Paint It Black running through my head today?

Before about 10:00 this morning these crews were ready for Dan Deitz and his guys to begin lowering the cottage down on the new foundation.  They put hydraulic jacks back in the cribs and very slowly and accurately began to lower the cottage so that it just began to rest on the new sill plates.

I took my lumps today. I recently used a term that is unspoken in the house moving trade. And I was called on it repeatedly today. I previously had asked Dan when he would be dropping the structure onto the foundation. And, I was told -- in no uncertain terms -- that they would not be dropping it at all. Rather they would be carefully lowering it.  Today I watched the beginning of this very deliberate and carefully controlled process.  Believe me: Deitz House Moving Engineers does not drop houses......

Jacks were placed in the cribs in their extended/upright position so the equipment could be used to lower  the beams -- and cottage.

Lowering was a very slow and closely controlled process.
Here Dan checks the height above foundation in the southwest corner.

Jeff Sparks' crew then went to work on many of the interior supporting structures that will hold the cottage in place once the lifting beams are removed.  The basement will enclose the entire area under the cottage proper, the front and back porches, and the new addition. But, the concrete block foundation will support  only the outer edge of the structure.

Therefor there needs to be different support under the east and west cottage walls and under the wall adjacent to the addition.  The crew built 2x6 support walls under the wall leading to the front porch and under the north wall where the addition will be constructed.

This is the 2x6 wall on the north side where the addition will be constructed.

This is the 2x6 wall under the west cottage wall . The space on the right is under the porch.

A beam constructed of LVLs [laminated veneer lumber] will support the east wall of the cottage adjacent to the back porch. The long east/west LVL beam is attached with a beam hanger.  The center of the east/west beam is supported by the only column within the lower level space.

This is the LVL at the back porch where the east/west beam  is attached.

Jeff Sparks adjusts the column that supports the center of the long east/west LVL beam.

An existing bearing wall [between the living room and kitchen] has not been appropriately supported since the cottage was built. The problem was compounded when the second floor dormers were added.  To remedy this we installed a pair of LVLs under this wall. These LVLs will be supported by the block foundation, the long beam and a new interior wall. 

The new LVLs are being attached to the only joist that currently supported the wall.

As Dan Deitz was leaving the site he reminded me that they DO NOT DROP houses entrusted  to them.
OK, Dan....OK.