The Pad is Poured

Right on time, at 6:15am, Thursday the first cement truck pulled up and the 'pour' began. The trucks were scheduled to arrive every 15 minutes, but they got caught in rush hour traffic, so we had gaps with no trucks and then 2 and 3 trucks at a time. But around noon they finished. The next big thing will be when framing begins, but first we hope to get electrical power to the pad so our contractors don't have to use generators. This seems like a small thing but it involves coordinating with 7 different subs or utilities. Our framer doesn't expect to be able to start for two weeks so we should be able to get the electricity in by then. This is typical of the whole project, nothing is as simple as it first appears. Patience and persistance are the 'must have' traits for a contractor (and even more so for us).

Here they are pouring the last bit of concrete. 

Conrete pouring out of the sky, or so it seems. 

Crew filming a training video on our pad. 

God Works in Mysterious Ways

On TV they have been advertising something called an Impass system, which prevents termites from coming up your pipes from underground. Apparently, here in Arizona termites are a BIG problem. So I convinced my husband we should put them in (the exterminator company actually puts them in). Well, we got a call from the company, seems they wanted to make a training video of the installation this week and wanted to film at our site. And, the Impass system and the pre-pour termite treatment would be free. Of course we agreed, but they needed us to be pouring the slab this week and we were not sure that was in the cards. Today we got the word that our slab will be poured on Thursday. The film crew is out at our site working away and they told us they will upgrade the insectacide to the premium. What a blessing. Now if the weather will just cool down a bit before Thursday. Today's predicted high is 105!! Sunday it reached 109!!!!

Here is the foundation with rough plumbing, outside forms, and the post tension cables all ready to go. After they pour and the cement sets for a while, they pull the cables tight, which will make the pad even more rigid and strong. 

This is the entrance to our small subdivision. The view is what it's all about. 

The Building Begins

Welcome to my site. I will be chronicling the construction of our new home. Just getting to this point has taken a looooong time. As many of you know we moved here last July 1 (2004). In December we submitted our plans for a building permit, but due to an extra "buffer overlay zone" review (when they tell you that you need a BOZO review, you ought to know that spells trouble), it wasn't until March 25th that we got the permit.
We have graded the site, actually cut and fill, and we had so much extra fill that the actual elevation of the pad is 6 inches higher than expected. Underground rough plumbing and electrical conduits are in place, the forms are up, and we are just waiting for the concrete company to tell us when they will be able to pour.