→Framing Has Begun

by

Kevin 08/09/10

Now that the slabs are in the spaces are starting to take shape. We hope to have the majority of the framing complete by the end of the month.

That poor little baby banana plant in the foreground is about to get transplanted to our office garden.

→Slabs Poured

by

Kevin 08/04/10

We are finally out of the ground! The slabs were poured today and the project finally looks like something.

Here they are placing the last couple of yards of concrete. The pour took 45 yards for both houses which is 5 trucks of concrete. Warren (the guy holding the hose) is the pump operator. We've been working with him for about 8 years on all our hillside projects. He pumps the concrete from the truck to the slab and then the concrete sub finishes it. The slab shown has two layers of massive #8 rebar (the steel that works in tension with the compressive strength of the concrete) which is 1" thick.


The obvious things to look out for are: #1: Is all your structural hardware in the right location #2 Is all your rough plumbing in the right location #3 Are the slabs level


Finishing the slab with the whirly bird and beginning to remove the formwork.

→Underground Plumbing

by

Kevin 07/30/10

We're almost out of the ground on D+J. And on a hillside project like this once the foundations are in and the slabs are poured the rest is all downhill.
In this picture the plumbing is in and the rebar and anchor bolts are in position (bottom of pic with 2x4 bracing). The retaining wall in the foreground is the elevation change between the living room and dining room. The retaining wall in the background is the back of the house behind the kitchen cabinets.

→Eastsider LA Interview

by

Kevin 06/17/10

Follow the link below to read the interview on The Eastsider LA blog:

www.theeastsiderla.com/2010/06/will-dick-and-jane-feel-at-home-in-echo-park/

→Waterproofing and Tomatoes

by

Kevin 06/08/10

Now that the form-work has been stripped from the garage walls we are applying waterproofing. The first step is adding a bituthane barrier that sticks to the wall (the white part in the photo). Then a 1/2" composite fabric/spacer is applied behind the waterproofing (the black part at the bottom). This material serves to keep the soil (and therefore moisture) away from the waterproofing and retaining wall and keeps moisture pressure off the waterproofing material as well.


Hardy's going all Michael Pollan on the lot next door. Apparently we're going to have enough tomatoes for the whole neighborhood.

→Second Garage Poured

by

Kevin 05/24/10

Garage number two of two is complete now. That is the majority of the concrete work. We still have the slabs to pour but those are a lot easier than vertical walls.

Next Page >>