More rain, again

Rain is becoming a trend -- once we get going, rain comes again. So the next day after the gravel goes down, they are calling for 100% chance of rain again. We just can't believe it. Well we have to cover everything in plastic again - draining into the pool.

Slab is ready for concrete

The rain has ceased for a bit and we are ready to prepare for the concrete slab to be poured. Orville finished digging the pool and filled up the entire slab area with gravel. To be inspected the first thing that has to happen with the slab is gravel must be scattered over the entire slay including the pool hole. As you will see Roger and Sam are getting the pool hole ready. Because the bottom of the pool hole must be in concrete first; then the rest of the slab can be poured.

Rain comes again :(

From the weather report we knew rain was coming tonight. We finally get the pool started and of course the very next day the rain must come. So we covered all the pad up with plastic and had it all draining into the pool hole. The main reason this was important is because the sewer/water ditch that was just backfilled yesterday does not need to get completely soaked because it is fresh dirt 3 feet deep and that really soaks up the water; which in return holds water, which in return is not good for the slab. So that is why we got high powered 6 mil plastic to cover up the slab. Well it rained all freakin week and by Saturday morning when the sun finally came out it was just one big mud hole. Which is one thing I want to bring up really quick - when you live on a construction site with 2 animals equals a completely gritty house most of the time :( :( -- good thing I am not a neat freak. Anyway when we got up on Saturday, we knew the only thing to do was to funnel all the water on the plastic into the pool hole. Then my job was to funnel trenches in the pool hole to get the water out of the pipe that Roger made knowing we would need to get the water out. As you can see it was just a huge mess!!! That night I was sound asleep and Bob (the dog) came over to my side of the bed for a quick pet and when I touched her I realized she was covered in mud. Then Vegas (the cat) got on the bed, I touched him and guess what he followed Bob in the pool hole and was as muddy as she was (because Vegas thinks he is a dog). So middle of the night I was giving kitty and doggy baths (I was not happy). Anyway, we hate the rain right now.

Backfilling water/sewer and beginning pool

On Monday (day after laying water and sewer-below) it is time to backfill and start the pool. Orville (Sam's uncle) came over on Monday. Sam, Roger & Orville got all the water/sewer ditches back filled. They Orville dug a ditch from where the pool is out to our woods. We are putting a drain in the concrete under the pool for any possible accidents of the pool over spilling and getting water on the pad. Then Orville began digging the hole for the pool. The end of the day came and they didn't quite get the complete hole dug. Since there was some what of a pool of course Roger had to dig throught he footings and make sure that if it rained the water could drain out of the hole into the woods. You will see Roger digging out the hole for the drain pipe out of the pool hole into the ditch that will go to the woods.

The Sewer & Water are in!!!

The ditches were dug before the last huricane so now that it has dried it is time for the water and sewer!!! Dwight (a friend of Orville's) came early Sunday morning to help us lay the sewer. The sewer is the larger white pipes that have things sticking up everywhere. Dwight is a licensed plumber and to make us feel confident he came to help. So we layed sewer all morning - it was down by lunch. Once sewer is in we have to test it. So you do this by putting caps on all the shorter pipes sticking out of the ground. Then the one extremely tall pipe as you will see me standing by on the ladder is for the washer and dryer. We fill this up to the top which means all the small pipes fill up as well. Then you wait a few hours look in the pipe and if the water level did not go down then you know there are no leaks. Ours was perfect -- of course!!!! Then the rest of the day Roger and I layed the water lines. Roger knows everything there is to know about water. It is amazing how many different lines go to all the different inlets. As you look at the pictures the red pipes are for the hot water and the white pipes are for the cold water. So as you will see the clusters will go in the walls (who would have know all this stuff is in the walls????). Anyway, we do not have any connections in the water lines under the slab which is great. I learned that as long as you have the main water line coming out of the beginning and in one bathroom, you can connect all the water lines to those places (Amazing). Roger and I worked all afternoon - first we had to backfill under the sewer pipes, so there was no give. This was to protect it from the backfilling with heavy dirt. Then after we backfilled all the dirt, it was time to lay the water. I was exhausted and sun-burnt from being in the sun all day long. This was a huge step - so now all we have to do is wait for the inspection tomorrow night.