drainage report: still in the #*!@*$% trenches
Aww, Labor Day weekend. Three days of camping in the San Juan islands, cooking over an open fire, playing fetch with your favorite golden retriever on the beach…
Well, It would have been great.
Early last week we decided to cancel our weekend travel plans and instead power through on the foundation work. In other words, we labored.
This remodel has certainly had its high points, but sometimes it is simply about putting on your homeowner pants (or jorts) and getting.work.done.
Did anyone else spend their weekend in the sweat equity department? To help ease the pain, we treated ourselves to a bottle of wine and dinner at Cuoco on Sunday night. So good. SO GOOD.
Anywho. Hey look, it’s our foundation wall again! That nubbly bit of concrete at the bottom of the wall is our footing and trust me, it was no small feat to get there. True story – after two weekends of Bobcat-assisted digging, we still spent almost a full day hand-digging to expose the footing.
In addition to a pickaxe, we also used our hammer drill with a spade bit to break up the hardpan soil around the footing. Kyle tackled the south end and then I took over for the north end. The Advil bottle was emptied that night.
In the spirit of “while we’re at it” we also decided to redo the plumbing from the house to the main sewer/stormwater line. The pipe on the left will tie into the downspout above and the pipe on the right will remain as a clean out. The previous assembly was a janky mix of concrete pipe, rusted out cast iron and plastic. We also increased the capacity coming out from the house (in other words, a bigger pipe) so that we can maybe add a second bathroom in the basement someday. [The rod and wire in the foreground is the grounding rod for our electrical panel.]
For the hand-digging we found that a variety of shovels worked best. We even tried our shingle-removing tool (the red rake-like shovel) to loosen the soil along the concrete wall.
And just like the early settlers of Seattle, we used the ol’ garden hose to sluice some areas into submission.
Once we were finally, finally done digging, we rented a pressure washer to clean the concrete for waterproofing.
Since we had the washer for 4 hours and the concrete portion didn’t take too long, we cleaned up the front stoop too. It was shocking how much gunk was stripped away! [It’s been two years since we put a coat of Penofin on the wood and it’s due for another, but the pressure washing alone was a vast improvement.] Oh and hey – Kyle also washed the gates, the sides of the house, the new back deck and the patio furniture! It was a scramble at the end, but we loaded it back in the car and I backed right up to the tool rental door with 1 minute to spare. After doing this remodel thing for 5 years now, we’re nothing if not Home Depot savvy.
Did I mention that we also had to tunnel under our porch foundation? You can see that the footing at the porch is much shallower than the main house, so in order to provide continuous protection from water we dug out an 18″ wide canyon to access that portion of the basement wall. The goal of course was to dig out enough soil without compromising our porch’s foundation so we called up one of our friends who is a structural engineer to get the green light on our approach. I have to give Kyle credit on this one, he dug most of the tunnel himself and entirely by hand. If I ever need to dig myself out of prison, I hope Kyle is my cellmate.
Concrete mix? Concrete mix! Standard practice is to put the drain right next to the footing, but with our hardpan-apalooza and some questionable 1910 details, we decided to instead fill the small trench with concrete. There were also a series of holes where the footing meets the concrete wall which were likely leftover from the original formwork. At any rate, we were concerned that water would find its way through the holes and up through the basement slab (which is above the top of the footing). So just to be sure, we plugged it all. This step was not part of the original plan, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, right? The new concrete will also make it easier to install the waterproofing and drains since we won’t have to work around the old wonky footings.
Even though our foundation is over 100 years-old, it is actually in fairly good shape. For the few minor cracks, Kyle used an elastomeric polyurethane expansion joint caulk to keep unwanted water out.
For smaller holes or other imperfections, Kyle applied a cement skim coat(which he later grinded smooth).
To summarize the weekend: BELTS + SUSPENDERS.
This week is all about the liquid applied elastomeric waterproofing, gutter drain pipes, foundation drainage mat, footing drains, and then finally backfilling. For real. It’s go time.
mirror, mirror on the door
Even though the sliding barn doors were installed several months ago, we still had a few tasks to complete.
First, door stops. A day or two before our big party we installed a stop inside the track above the bathroom door. This prevents the door from sliding too far in one direction, blocking access to the handle from inside the bathroom. In other words, it keeps people from getting trapped.
[Side note: what we should have done before the party was install a stop at the end of the flex room track. Rumor has it that in a moment of dance party exuberance, the door was accidentally pushed too far and almost flew off the track and into the stairwell below. I didn’t find out about the potential party foul until the next morning. Probably a good thing. We still haven’t added the stop yet.]
Anyhow, back to the bathroom door. We had the idea early on to add a full length mirror to the back of the door. Our house is small and we have so little wall space that the back of the door was the only place large enough for a mirror to go. Originally we thought about having a large mirror custom cut and even considered routering out the door so the mirror would be flush. Well, other tasks soon became a higher priority and we never got around to it.
Then, when Kyle’s family was in town in July they did some sightseeing at IKEA and Kyle came home with this $10 mirror.
First, we cleared off the island and covered it with an old sheet. Then we removed the bathroom door from the track and laid it down on the island.
Kyle used Liquid Nails as his glue of choice to adhere the mirror to the door.
A plastic lid was used to smooth out the adhesive and make sure the surface was evenly coated.
Before flipping it over, we measured and marked the four corners lightly with a pencil. A rolling-pin was used to ensure both surfaces were in contact with each other. After a quick wipe down, we were done. About 15 minutes total. I like those kind of projects.
Sure, it’s not as large as we originally imagined, but it gets the job done and is still plenty big for the space. Also, because the door has to clear the 1/2″ base trim at the bottom of the wall (on the kitchen side), the thickness of the mirror isn’t an issue.
So the moral of the story? Sometimes you can over think a design problem. Sometimes you just need to step back and wait for the $10 mirror.
drainage report: in the trenches
Bobcat weekend, take 2.
Two weekends ago we dug out around our basement foundation to prep for new drains. A hose leak in the bobcat slowed our progress, but this weekend we were back at it, faster and stronger. Digging out around the basement was the first step, the second was to dig two trenches on each side of the front yard that go from the corner of the foundation wall out to the retaining wall (about 20′ each). During heavy rains, this gives excess water a place to flow (and then infiltrate) that is away from the house.
Well hello there pickaxe. Haven’t seen you since we dug out the crawl space.
Once again, we hit hardpan about 3′ deep in some spots and Kyle had to use the pickaxe to break up the soil till we reached the desired depth. Not as confident swinging an axe, I used the smaller trenching shovel to break up hardpan on the other side of the house. The practice conjured up fond memories of elementary school, when my friends and I earnestly spent our recess unearthing “dinosaur bones” on the playground. I only wish this was as gratifying.
For the trench on the north side of the front yard, we’ll tight line the drain for the first 10′ (which basically means the pipe won’t have any holes in it). The second 10′ will be a perforated system that allows water to disperse out and infiltrate back into the soil.
Of course, we’re relying on gravity for the water to flow properly so we used a laser level to measure the vertical distance at various points to ensure that we had enough of a positive slope (about 1/4″ to 1/2″ per foot).
While excavating, we found some old clay pipe sections that were at one point connected to the roof downspouts. Huh, wonder why they weren’t working?
[What we didn’t find – gold bars. I think I’ve officially given up on finding a buried treasure at this house. It would be nice though – “Couple Finds Gold Bars and Uses them to Pay for Remodel”.]
A traditional drain assembly would include a perforated plastic pipe that is surrounded with drain rock and then wrapped in filter fabric to prevent the drain from getting clogged with roots. To save time, we found a pre-assembled product called, no kidding, EZ Flow. The price was really reasonable too (about $3/linear foot). Instead of drain rock, the product uses a lightweight aggregate so the pieces are relatively easy to carry.
The smaller black flexible pipe will connect to the drains around the house and then direct excess water to the perforated assembly near the retaining wall. The two pieces are both 4″ in diameter and connected with a standard coupling fitting.
Just drop it in and you’re done. Easy. We like that.
The first weekend we hauled away about 8 yards of dirt to Pacific Topsoils. Our front yard has always been a little on the high side, so in addition to the dirt displaced by the new drains we knew we’d need to get rid of quite a bit. To determine the exact amount, we relied on the scientific practice of eyeballing it.
Worried that we would be “dirt poor”, we ended up dumping the 2 yards that we’d dug up from the south yard and re-depositing it back on the north side of the driveway. Now we have a dirt dune around our house, ready to backfill…
…and a moat! Maybe we should fill it with water, you know Bailey would be all over that idea.
After the drains were placed in the two trenches, we used the bobcat to backfill the holes, tamping down the dirt intermittently so our future seating area doesn’t become a sunken patio.
We still have some hand-digging to do and then it’s on to waterproofing, drains and backfilling! Yeehaw!
[P.S. On Monday we celebrated our 2-year blogiversary! As part of the celebration, we’ll be posting a Q&A next week – if you have any questions (house-related or otherwise) leave a comment or shoot us an e-mail before next Monday!]
bailey + felix
We decided to keep the kitten! Kyle took her to the vet last week and it turns out that SHE is actually a HE. Poor kitty, first he’s abandoned and then he has to suffer through an identity crisis!
Before the ol’ gender switcheroo, we had tentatively decided on Chloe (in honor of Kyle’s favorite childhood cat) and then went through a laundry list of boy names before finding something we liked. (Why are boy names so hard?) The kitten acquisition came on the heels (pun intended) of Kyle selling his motorcycle, so the name duCATi was encouraged by several friends. I totally nixed it. After some long discussions and an informal Facebook poll, we ultimately landed on Felix. Sure, it’s not exactly an original cat name, but it is the name of Kyle’s late grandfather (who I’m sure would be smiling to know that his great grand-cat was named after him).
So we’re pleased to introduce: Felix duCATi McZerbey.
Yeah, McZerbey. After Kyle and I were engaged, we considered creating a new last name from our two surnames, but decided it sounded more like a gimmicky product at McDonald’s. “I’ll take a McZerbey and a large fries please!” So we abandoned the idea for ourselves, but totally used it for our pets. Bailey’s is extra fancy because we were required to incorporate his heritage since he’s all AKC registered and what not. So ol’ Bails is actually “Golden Ginger’s Bailey McZerbey”. I wanted to add “of Ballard” on to the end but we agreed it was a tad too ostentatious.
Right now we have the litter box and food in the bathroom, but that will need to change soon because Felix is a little litter-flinging hooligan! (Though as it turns out, the sliding doors make excellent cat doors since Bailey hasn’t yet figured out how to push them open .) We’ll eventually set him up with a nice little space in the basement, but he’s still a bit too small to jump up on the counter down there. Our two boys are warming up to each other (all of these photos were completely candid), but Bailey is now extra clingy to Kyle and me and still seems reluctant about the new situation.
Fortunately, he’s still puts up with Felix’s crazy antics. Begrudgingly.
Err…umm…I’m not comfortable with this.
No milk down there kitten!
We’ve heard kittens prefer to drink water out of anything besides their own bowl and this seems to be true with this kitten as well. Good thing Bailey isn’t possessive.
Finally, thanks for all of the FANTASTIC feedback last week! We’re a lot more comfortable with the responsibilities of a kitten now that we know what to expect, what’s normal, and what’s worked for others. Even though we’re still a little concerned with Bailey’s moodiness, we think it will pass given a little more time and plenty of extra attention.
blogiversary
Chezerbey is two! Last year, we celebrated our one-year blogiversary by talking about the things we hoped to accomplish in the upcoming year, both around the house and for the blog. Looking back, we’ve made some good progress:
Aside from the obvious, we had some goals for our blog too:
1. Revamp the blog: We’re still using the same WordPress theme, but we’ve made some substantial changes to the layout, header and text. (Big thanks to my friend Jenny for helping me with some coding challenges a few months ago. You know a friend is a good person when she helps you with your blog and gives you a kitten.) I’d still like to do something more custom, but haven’t had the time to invest in really learning CSS. This winter? Maybe.
2. Figure out a way to show “inspiration” photos: Apparently the internet heard my pleas and gently nudged me towards Pinterest. Are you on it? I’ve actually known about it for a while but just joined a few months ago. Want to see what I like? Just click here. If you’re not familiar with Pinterest, you can “follow” me and automatically see what I’m pinning whenever you log on. [Disclaimer: this is totally Lauren-style and does not necessarily reflect the views or stylistic leanings of the other Zerbey. The other Zerbey does not have his own Pinterest account.]
Need more social media in your life? You can follow me on Twitter or add our blog to your RSS feed (seriously, I have no idea what I would do without Google Reader). Just click on the icons in the right sidebar to automatically subscribe. If you like to kick it old school, you can also sign up for e-mail alerts by clicking on the button at the bottom of the right sidebar.
3. Learn to use my camera better: For Christmas last year Kyle got me a Tokina wide-angle lens and a tripod! It really does make a huge difference, but there’s still a lot to learn. I would also like to have a better handle on what Photoshop can do and eventually upgrade to CS5. Something tells me that my version from 2002 is no longer cutting edge.
4. Blog more: The success of this goal tends to vary based on what the current project is, how busy our lives are, and who gets to the laptop first. A year ago, we were a one-car, one-computer family. We finally caved and bought a second car about six months ago and I know the second computer is only a matter of time. [Second computer = MORE BLOGGING!]
So what else will year three bring? We have lots of ideas for smaller scale projects around the house that we’d like to tackle in the next year (while also finishing up the big yard project). On the flip side, we’d also like to do more posts that aren’t directly related to a house project, but are still home or design-oriented.
Question time! Maybe this is cheesy, but I always enjoy reading the Q&A’s on other blogs, so here goes: is there anything that you all want to know? Something house-related? Something completely random? Maybe a question for Bailey? Just leave a comment or shoot us an e-mail (info@chezerbey.com). We’ll post the answers next week!
Finally, a big thanks to everyone who reads our blog. We’ve been lucky to see our readership grow this past year (and from all around the world, which is still crazy to us!), so we just want to take this moment to say that you guys are the best. Really. Thank you for the great ideas, the encouragement and the humor. I’ve gotten to know some amazing people through this digital design community and continue to be inspired by the experiences, advice and DIY brilliance that everyone has to offer. And well, I think that’s pretty awesome.
