YIPPEE!!!! The day finally arrived for them to pour the foundation. Just getting to this point is such a relief!
Over the last week (since missing our first pour date) it has rained… A LOT. The trench they dug in the back was full of water and the plastic they put around the perimeter were full. The guys came the day before to pull the plastic and get any misc things cleaned up.
The pour was scheduled for 5am so we left the house at 4:30. Stacey was THRILLED to be up so early to watch a bunch of concrete trucks, so we bribed her with hot chocolate…this was probably the coldest morning yet this fall.
The pumper truck was already there. The electric was not up yet, so the guys put up some flood lights running off of a generator and also lit a fire to stay warm (and fix breakfast tacos).
The cement trucks were behind, and the first one did not show up until 6:30. Once they did, it was go time. About 9 trucks were there right in a row, but then it slowed down about 9:30 and there was a truck coming about every 20 minutes.
It was neat watching the pumper guy control the arm using a remote control. Wade joked with him it was like playing video games all day long. Yeah…something like that. The pumper was brand new…we were the first pour with it. As the guy moved his body, the arm moved with him. It was fascinating to watch! (That is him below standing just under the “elbow” of the pumper arm.)
They missed the amount of concrete needed by about 6 trucks. We ended up needing 22 trucks…about 210 yards of concrete for a 4300 sq ft foundation. That is a lot of concrete!
Our culvert took a beating but survived. We have heard horror stories about culverts caving in with the weight of the cement trucks. Not only do you have to repair the culvert, but you have to pay for a truckload of cement!
The guys had to scramble at the end and did not spend as much time polishing the last bit (the art room). Of all the rooms to not be perfect, I guess that one is okay.
Tada! I just need to add these guys are artists with concrete. If you can call a foundation beautiful…this one certainly is! It is amazing building your own house what a better quality you get compared to a speck house in a neighborhood. A huge shout out to AMP Concrete. We LOVE our foundation!
