Strong Foundations!

I've learned a lot about having strong foundations. Apparently before they build the foundation walls - they build the footings. This is so that the foundation walls have a hard level surface to sit on. Our footings had to be poured 4 feet into the ground(below freezing level)

First they put up the forms for the Garage and the extended front entrance. Our water table is very high and it has been a really wet summer, so I had to keep apologizing for all the mud the workers had to trudge through. UGH! The mud and the dust still continues!

After the forms were up, then the pumper truck came(not sure what the proper name is for that. ) Because of the nature of our lot and the condition of the hole it was easier to use the long arm to spread the cement. a regular truck would have a hard time getting close enough and they felt we were too close to the fence to use wheelbarrows. It was exciting to have another HUGE machine in our yard. Micah had been in heaven!

After the cement is in then the go around and level and smooth it. They also layed lengths of re-bar in it for strength. I thought it looked really great when they were done with it. I think they were happy to get our job done...the ground was so muddy and soft that they had a hard time getting their forms to stay in place.

Then the cement dried overnight and they came back and took all the forms off. Voila! Footings! A few days later they came back and put up the forms for the foundation walls...to be continued...