Our House is Now a Hole
In the ground, that is. When last I updated on the progress of destruction, we had actually just reached the point of demolition; tearing down the old house that was standing there, and making a nice level lot. As we expected, there were some delays related to the weather and coordinating the construction of another house in the neighborhood. So, most weekends we’d drive by and things would look pretty much the same.
This weekend, we drove by to find that sometime in the past week, the basement was dug out. Our nice level lot is now a hole in the ground. Thanks to this week’s rain, it’s now a big, muddy hole in the ground.
Pictures after the jump.
As you can see, we now also have a big pile of dirt, that presumably came out of the hole.
From what I understand, we’ll see a bit more progress, because the basement will have to be poured now that the hole’s been dug. I don’t know how they’re going to get the water out of there so they can work, but I’m sure they’ll figure it out. I’m told that once it’s poured, etc. the basement has to “cure” for a while, whatever that mean.
It was funny, in a way, to drive by and see the progress. It makes the house a bit more “real” to me. I have to admit that in the back of my mind somewhere I’ve been wondering if they’re really going to build the house; the house that our kids are going to grow up in. It feels good to think about that.
My guess is that, with any luck, we’ll be in the house by January, which suits us just fine.
July 17th, 2005 at 11:14 am
Allowing the concrete to ‘cure’ is much the same as letting paint dry.
Or more correctly when you repaint your car, even though its dry in the first 24 hours they still tell you to not wash or wax the paint for a week or two. You are, in fact letting the paint ‘cure’
The thicker and deeper the concrete the longer the cure.
July 17th, 2005 at 11:47 am
First of all good luck with the new house! I have new house envy having spent the last 6.5 years renovating a sadly neglected 1870s brownstone. (Ok, I wasn’t the renovator but I have lived in it and through it) I’m jealous of anyone who has level surfaces.
I read your other post about your new neighbors and the W04 bumper sticker. I grew up in the DC burbs and many of our neigbhors were ardent Republicans. In fact we may have been the only left leaning family on our street if not in the entire neigbhorhood. It worked out ok - my parents have been in their house for 33 years and are actually friends with some of the Repbulicans. As long as they don’t talk politics. I went to highschool downtown and there was a good mix of D vs. R. I think that was the first “diversity” I was conscious of. D vs. R. But I grew up during Watergate. It was impossible not to take a side, even if only on the playground…!
Here’s hoping your cement cures quickly.