Just Placed An Offer for Land

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Just got the figures back from the pour yesterday. 330 cubic yards delivered, or a total of 33 trucks with 10 cubic yards each. That's a fair amount of concrete.

Hi: rbryan4... That's what happens when you have such BIG shoes to fill!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: rbryan4... That's what happens when you have such BIG shoes to fill!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Yep, big. I'm not sure if 33 trucks worth is a huge amount or not though Alf. Never built a house this way before. 330 cubic yards might be average.

[rbryan4]

Forms wrecked, and the first lumber will be delivered Monday.

[rbryan4]

More shots.

[hughharden]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Yep, big. I'm not sure if 33 trucks worth is a huge amount or not though Alf. Never built a house this way before. 330 cubic yards might be average.

That is a lot of concrete! My house needed about 40m3 for the foundation and slab and I thought that was a lot (picture attached).

[rbryan4]

That looks like one spectacular view you have there Hugh.

[Jim Bennett]

Finally got a chance to review your photos, Robert. A very interesting process, as it is not anything I have done, and I have built a couple dozen new homes.

Save yourself a buck or two and just leave our RV pad without a roof or walls, okay!

[hughharden]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

That looks like one spectacular view you have there Hugh.

Yes it turned out pretty well, see finished product in photos. A couple of things I would do different but nothing major. BUT I don't have the beautiful big chunk of land you have with built in Escape storage. Good luck with the rest of the project!

[craiginpetaluma]

I've poured some slabs before but never seen anything like this, I'm with Ron and fascinated by this construction technique and the evolution of concrete slabs. It looks as though the site is steep enough that most sites like this in California would pour continuous footings, build a wood subfloor and then pour a thin layer of concrete type material on top. This is a real foundation.

Robert with all that thermal mass does this help cool in summer ? And are you using a Hydronic system to heat. Do you know what the final thickness of the slab was ?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by hughharden

Yes it turned out pretty well, see finished product in photos. A couple of things I would do different but nothing major. BUT I don't have the beautiful big chunk of land you have with built in Escape storage. Good luck with the rest of the project!

Beautiful! With that view and the lake access, who needs land?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Finally got a chance to review your photos, Robert. A very interesting process, as it is not anything I have done, and I have built a couple dozen new homes.

Save yourself a buck or two and just leave our RV pad without a roof or walls, okay!

Yep, it's basically now one big rock to build on. Can't leave the RV garage just a slab...picky HOA. It even has to use the same stone, stucco and roofing as the house.

I'm thinking campsite #1 will either be up the hill, straight off the culdesac, or I'll tuck it behind the RV garage so any camper can't be seen from the street.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by craiginpetaluma

I've poured some slabs before but never seen anything like this, I'm with Ron and fascinated by this construction technique and the evolution of concrete slabs. It looks as though the site is steep enough that most sites like this in California would pour continuous footings, build a wood subfloor and then pour a thin layer of concrete type material on top. This is a real foundation.

Robert with all that thermal mass does this help cool in summer ? And are you using a Hydronic system to heat. Do you know what the final thickness of the slab was ?

Yes, this thing is a monster Craig. About 9 feet above grade at the highest point along the back. There will be steps down and a pool deck a bit above the existing grade when we are done, but it'll still be a really tall exposure there.

Yes indeed, the thermal mass of all that concrete does help retain the cool, and makes the interior floors cooler in the summer. A welcome benefit in South Texas. We are laying hardwood floors, but you often see houses here where they just stain the slab and leave the floors concrete. That would provide the most thermal cooling benefit. We are not using a hydronic heating system however. I really like them, but they aren't widely used here, and are pricey. The usual problem around here isn't heating, but cooling. A relatively small central heating system, a two unit AC system (one small, one large), R40 in the attic, radiant barrier, cool wall system, ridge vents, and the fireplace with it's fan system will do nicely.

[hughharden]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Yes, this thing is a monster Craig. About 9 feet above grade at the highest point along the back. There will be steps down and a pool deck a bit above the existing grade when we are done, but it'll still be a really tall exposure there.

Yes indeed, the thermal mass of all that concrete does help retain the cool, and makes the interior floors cooler in the summer. A welcome benefit in South Texas. We are laying hardwood floors, but you often see houses here where they just stain the slab and leave the floors concrete. That would provide the most thermal cooling benefit. We are not using a hydronic heating system however. I really like them, but they aren't widely used here, and are pricey. The usual problem around here isn't heating, but cooling. A relatively small central heating system, a two unit AC system (one small, one large), R40 in the attic, radiant barrier, cool wall system, ridge vents, and the fireplace with it's fan system will do nicely.

Robert, interesting you were considering concrete floors, I have them all through my place and love them. Really easy to maintain and look great. We will see how they are over the long term but I figure I can always put hardwood over them like you are doing.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by hughharden

Robert, interesting you were considering concrete floors, I have them all through my place and love them. Really easy to maintain and look great. We will see how they are over the long term but I figure I can always put hardwood over them like you are doing.

Yes, no maintenance at all, just an occasional mop. The drawback is they can make a place look sterile or cold compared to wood. A friend has a home near where we are building with all concrete floors. They work very well there because the home is ultra modern in design.

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by hughharden

Robert, interesting you were considering concrete floors, I have them all through my place and love them. Really easy to maintain and look great. We will see how they are over the long term but I figure I can always put hardwood over them like you are doing.

When we were growing up finished concrete floors were very common.
They were called terrazzo floors and I remember the workers with the big machines grinding it and polishing it. It was quite beautiful with all the patterns and the brass strips inlaid in it. I wonder how many people in South Florida realize what is under their flooring.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by wetzk

When we were growing up finished concrete floors were very common.
They were called terrazzo floors and I remember the workers with the big machines grinding it and polishing it. It was quite beautiful with all the patterns and the brass strips inlaid in it. I wonder how many people in South Florida realize what is under their flooring.

Never heard of a concrete floor being called terrazzo, but I guess if you grind and polish concrete it gives it a terrazzo "look".

Real terrazzo floors of course are a composite, where they use a tinted binding cement or a polymer, and small chips of granite, marble, glass, quartz or similar. Once the composite mixture has set up it's ground smooth and polished. They're all over, particular in public buildings, as anyone who's been through DFW airport can attest.

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Never heard them called terrazzo, but I guess if you grind and polish concrete it gives it a terrazzo "look".

Real terrazzo floors of course are a composite, where they use a tinted binding cement or a polymer, and small chips of granite, marble, glass, quartz or similar. Once the composite mixture has set up it's ground smooth and polished. They're all over, particular in public buildings, as anyone who's been through DFW airport can attest.

And in a lot of homes built in the 1920's through early 1970's they are very common in South Florida. They would pour the slab then inlay brass or zinc strips in for expansion and pour the mix . Then grind it and work through the various felt pads with the guy throwing water and grit on then the polish.
Rich people and pretentious folks often had designs in the floors.
Ours was just a regular rock & marble chip floor. I do remember most anything you dropped broke when it hit the floor.

[rbryan4]

Ah, OK. What threw me off was your phrase "finished concrete" being called Terrazzo. What you're describing now is indeed a Terrazzo floor.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by hughharden

That is a lot of concrete! My house needed about 40m3 for the foundation and slab and I thought that was a lot (picture attached).

I just thought of something Hugh. I haven't counted the concrete for the pool, the driveways and sidewalks. That'll be quite a bit as well. I wouldn't be surprised if we wind up using another 100 cubic yards or more.

[hughharden]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I just thought of something Hugh. I haven't counted the concrete for the pool, the driveways and sidewalks. That'll be quite a bit as well. I wouldn't be surprised if we wind up using another 100 cubic yards or more.

Robert you have made one concrete supplier very happy! Or maybe more than one! Looking forward to seeing pictures of your project when it is finished.