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The IndexThis page updated June 3, 1999. |
Friday April 5, 1999So What does my old garage look like? Good question. The following page will load some pictures.Monday April 19, 1999My building partner (picture coming) David Sepkowski and I meet with Paul at Julios Barrio on Whyte Avenue. The cost was down from the original estimate, I will soon have a page up of the costs and time invested in this project. He passed over the engineered drawings that he had done for me. Four pages of them. We talked, drank, ate natchos and planned for the coming build. Lots of questions, answers, ideas and the realization that this thing is finally going to happen!April 20, 1999I took the engineered plans to the City of Edmonton Planning and Development people for a building permit. I spoke to someone at the info desk and told him what I was up to. He said "We don't give permits for strawbale building." UhOh. I had talked to someone a few times there over the phone and they said it was no problenm. I told him the conversation and he said. "Oh! If you have engineered drawings, no problem." I breathed a sigh of relief. This permit stuff is all new to me.So I sat down and waited my turn. People zipping around in suits and ties and leather portfolios. I was wearing sandals and jeans and a t-shirt. My turn. Submitted plans and found that they were quite willing to issue a permit, but that the garage was to 3.4m from the lane, and code is 4.6m. However she said, in older neighbourhoods that is the case and she will put in for a "relaxation". It will pass if other garages in the neighbourhood have the same distance and also a note is sent around to people within 200feet (i think) to complain if they don't want a grage built. A development officer is sent out to check and it should all be done within 3 weeks! That works out fine, I decided yesterday to build May 15.16 anyway. I asked if it was okay to demolish and she said go ahead. Perfect. I walked out happy that something after long months was about to happen... I did have to purchase a building application as well as a permit to demolish the garage that was there. April 21 1999Visited with a friend. He related a story about how straw bales saved his life! It is a gripping story, so please only click on this link if you can handle it.April 23, 1999The day didn't start right. Power was partially out in my house, One outlet was half live and the other half was dead! I traced the split 220 line back to the fuse box. It was a double ganged breaker and i was about to run to the hardware store and buy a new one. I phoned a friend (you know the kind, I shamelessly only call him when I am in trouble.) He led me through some diagnostic steps. I checked all the breakers and every second one was live (or dead!) There are two bars that the breakers connect to. They alternate and that was why every second breaker was dead. So it was the power into the house or the main breaker into the house. Nervously I removed that cover and saw those two hugh ugly lines coming into the house. It was as if death was written on them. With a hand in my pocket I tested the leads and found that one line coming into the house was dead.I phoned Edmonton Power, and they were there within 45 minutes! David had earlier cleared some of the trees out to prepare to rip down the garage. The power cables coming into the house had been rubbing for quite some time, the tree branches were half worn thru. The Ed Power guys spliced the lines, did some pruning and we were back in business. April 24, 1999It took about 2 days to tear the old garage down and toss it into a 30 yard bin. The weather was nice, and we spent time talking to curious bystanders. Only curious when we told them what we were *going* to do.April 25, 1999Earth Day! Had the children of friends draw some art and went down and passed out some flyers. I approached a few people and ended up talking for ten minutes, and at that rate I'd miss too many people! So I waltzed thru the parking lot and placed under windshield wipers about 400!Most people were sympathetic, some had great stories like one fellow who knew of a safe room built for a Leduc construction company - out of straw and concrete. The day was wonderful, the sun was shining and the weather is great. A good omen for a sunny May 15! Went to a travellers party and dropped off a few more flyers. These are some of the home schoolers that I have known for years and as promised, here is that Phoenix Salsa recipe from Robin. April 26, 1999Received a document that was mailed to my neighbours. It is for the relaxation on the garages distance from the alley. May 10th is the end of the appeal period. I anticipate no problems.Rained today. But the earth needed it. As I went to work the bin guys were there hauling away the 30 yd bin. Well, it is now too late to change my mind and put the old garage back together! Last thrusday I had called Alberta One Number(1.800-242-3447) to locate water, gas, power, etc. The utility guys came and marked the property with flags and paint. This poses a bit of a problem, the gas line is one meter from the property line, along where the garage is to be. And where the trees are! I am not sure the depth of this line and so will follow up on this. We are also having trouble locating any property mark so we can survey where the exact location of the garage is. I wanted to remove the roots of the trees, but they may be growing over and thru the roots of the trees! We have cut the tops of the trees and left stumps so we could yank them out. Also, the concrete is in poor shape and we are meeting with a few contractors to see about patching it up, or bulldozing it out and pouring fresh concrete. In summation:
April 28, 1999We need 100 bales for the garage. We need 120 bales to be safe. We ordered 160 bales, a full load, its the essentially the same cost. I thought that I'd like to build a little nook nest to the garage, or if not, then people could take them home as souveniers. Also, spreading them around the back yard for a dance after the wall raising!April 29, 1999David has spent the last few days working on getting the yard ready. The concrete was in poor shape and so we decided to rip it out. We don't want this thing falling down in a few years. We want it built right.Good thing too. The older concrete where the garage sat was on top soil and and no rebar to strengthen it. We also ripped up the pad next to the garage and it was poured over wire mesh. This will add cost to the project, but I want this built well. The gas lines are under the roots of the trees we wanted to pull out, that is too risky, so we will buzz them close to the ground and drill into them and pour root rot. Not my first choice, but I don't want to mess with the natural gas lines. This will also require moving the garage a little over - away from the property line. I don't think it will be a problem, but will ask anyways. It was fun to sit with David in the sun and survey the work that has gone on and to dream of what it will be like to build this thing. I am excited again. Wanted to stay all evening and visit and talk, but I had an evening Java Programming course to teach, have to make the money I am spending to build this thing. April 30 1999We trucked in 18 yards of gravel, hired a bobcat and finished the ground work. We scoped out the place, used a level and a tamper and prepared the ground. The plan calls for 10" of concrete around the walls, tapering to 4" in the middle of the pad.Worked all day on this, it is just a packed mound of dirt, but one load of gravel was darker than the other so we have two toned site, it looks very artistic. Almost a shame to pour concrete over this masterpiece. |
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