{"id":13377,"date":"2024-01-22T16:09:47","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T16:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/?p=13377"},"modified":"2024-10-08T12:59:35","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T12:59:35","slug":"clearing-and-driveway-site-prep-for-small-modular-cabin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/clearing-and-driveway-site-prep-for-small-modular-cabin\/","title":{"rendered":"Clearing and Driveway – Site Prep for our Small Modular Cabin"},"content":{"rendered":"

While we wait for permits, we can put in the driveway and clear and level the site.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Flooding near our house
(in front of the log cabin that is not longer ours)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nothing happened for a few days. While we waited for the contractor to get back the estimates from the subcontractors, it rained. And rained and rained and rained. We got all of the rain we didn\u2019t get last year in just a few days.<\/p>\n

When we got the estimate back, we realized we can\u2019t afford everything we want right away. We went back and forth and found a compromise that we can afford. We signed the contract on January 17th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Deer where the driveway will be<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next week a deer strolled across the yard and trucks started dropping off equipment.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Delivering Construction Equipment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And trucks started showing up, dropping off machines.<\/p>\n

The permit paperwork was filed. While we wait, we can put in the driveway and prepare the lot.<\/p>\n

We decided we could save some money by using a driveway that was mostly already there. The city had used our yard as a staging area for the Streambank Restoration project. The driveway they put in went almost all the way up to where the cabin will be.<\/p>\n

There is a driveway that is part of that lot, but my daughter and her husband are using it to park their camper. They put in power so they can leave the camper plugged in when they aren\u2019t on the road. This way they can leave the camper there.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Bulldozer scraping the driveway and excavator clearing brush<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The bulldozer started making the driveway where we pointed out while the excavator pulled out brush and trees that were in the way.<\/p>\n

\"\"
They scraped off the top soil<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They got right to work, pushing the topsoil away from where we want the driveway. They are saving the topsoil to level around the house.<\/p>\n

\"\"
They scraped down to the gravel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was beginning to wonder if they would ever find gravel. So far there has been nothing under the topsoil.<\/p>\n

But when they scraped close to the road, there it was. We had just started a little further over than the gravel is.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Trees were pulled up, roots and all<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We thought we would need a stump grinder, but no. They just pull up the tree by the roots.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Trees cut to fit into the truck to take away<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They cut the trees into manageable lengths and piled them up.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Taking down a huge dead tree<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is the area where we worked so hard to clear the briars and brush. It took us hours and hours over two days. They pulled the rest all out in about 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

\"\"
He bounced the roots to shake the soil off<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They picked up and dropped the root ball over and over to shake all of the dirt off, then stacked it with the brush and trees.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Here comes the first load of gravel!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here it comes! Our first load of gravel!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Spreading Road Bond from Penrose Quarry
Crushed granite stone and granite dust to create a base layer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They spread load after load of road bond.<\/p>\n

The gravel came from Penrose Quarry. I went to school at Penrose Elementary. The school would shake every time they blasted for gravel. And now some of that gravel makes my driveway!<\/p>\n

\"\"
The trees were loaded into the truck and taken away<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The excavator loaded the trees. It smashed them down to fit as many as they could into the truck.<\/p>\n

As each load of gravel was spread, they filled the truck up with brush and trees and took it away. There is WAY more brush and trees than we thought.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Trench for the Silt Fence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They dug a trench to put up a silt fence.<\/p>\n

\"\"
They excavator loosened the soil in the center to make it a lot easier to put the trench in for the silt fence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They were nearly done when the excavator helped finish the center.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Pushing in the Silt Fence Poles with the Excavator<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They used the excavator to push in the silt fence stakes.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been cold and drizzly and now it started to rain.<\/p>\n

All of the work is done by Fowler Excavating<\/strong><\/a>. Taylor Fowler lives near here, between Brevard and Hendersonville in North Carolina.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While we wait for permits, we can put in the driveway and clear and level the site. Nothing happened for a few days. While we waited for the contractor to get back the estimates from the subcontractors, it rained. And rained and rained and rained. …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[12],"tags":[84],"class_list":["post-13377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-cottage","tag-flood"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-site_prep.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13640,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/03\/the-cabin-is-delivered\/","url_meta":{"origin":13377,"position":0},"title":"The Cabin is Delivered!","author":"Carla","date":"March 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The weather has been beautiful, but the night before the cabin was to be delivered it rained. And rained and rained and rained. As the sun came up there were puddles everywhere and it was cold and pouring rain. Westwood Cabins sent us an email to let us know that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Modular Cabin"","block_context":{"text":"New Modular Cabin","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-cottage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/featured-cabin_delivery.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/featured-cabin_delivery.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/featured-cabin_delivery.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/featured-cabin_delivery.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13036,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2023\/11\/modular-cabin-construction-framing\/","url_meta":{"origin":13377,"position":1},"title":"Modular Cabin Construction: Framing","author":"Carla","date":"November 30, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"They are working fast. This will be the living room of our new modular cabin. The walls are framed and the outside sheathing is on. This room will be the living room and kitchen. This is standing in the living room and looking into the kitchen. The walls are built\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Modular Cabin"","block_context":{"text":"New Modular Cabin","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-cottage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-framing.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-framing.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-framing.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-framing.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13317,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/site-preparation-for-our-new-modular-cabin\/","url_meta":{"origin":13377,"position":2},"title":"Site Preparation for Our New Modular Cabin","author":"Carla","date":"January 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Cabin Planning Guide from Westwood Cabins lists three phases and we are nearly at the end of the last phase, site work to get our property ready for the home. Westwood Cabins suggested a local contractor, Taylor Fowler. He had helped with a cabin in Brevard. The name sounded\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Modular Cabin"","block_context":{"text":"New Modular Cabin","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-cottage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-clearing.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-clearing.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-clearing.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/featured-clearing.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13580,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/02\/cabin-progress-report\/","url_meta":{"origin":13377,"position":3},"title":"Cabin Progress Report","author":"Carla","date":"February 22, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been asked for a floor plan with a progress list with links, so here it is. Click to Open a printable floor plan with measurements Westwood Cabin Floor Plan and Front Elevation Modified Creekside Manor 3016 14'-8\" x 52'-0\" Approved for North Carolina This is where we are at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Modular Cabin"","block_context":{"text":"New Modular Cabin","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-cottage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featured-june.jpg?fit=1200%2C638&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featured-june.jpg?fit=1200%2C638&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featured-june.jpg?fit=1200%2C638&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featured-june.jpg?fit=1200%2C638&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featured-june.jpg?fit=1200%2C638&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13430,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/02\/approved-permit-and-inspection-schedule-for-our-small-modular-cabin\/","url_meta":{"origin":13377,"position":4},"title":"Approved Permit and Inspection Schedule for our Small Modular Cabin","author":"Carla","date":"February 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"We don\u2019t have a permit yet, but we have a job box ready for it. It should not take this long to get a permit, so Taylor went down again to try to shepherd it through. They said they had sent me an email about the problem and I found\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Modular Cabin"","block_context":{"text":"New Modular Cabin","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-cottage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/featured-permit.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/featured-permit.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/featured-permit.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/featured-permit.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15062,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/10\/hurricane-helene-vs-the-westwood-cabin\/","url_meta":{"origin":13377,"position":5},"title":"Hurricane Helene vs. the Westwood Cabin","author":"Carla","date":"October 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The new Westwood Cabin is not in a flood zone and the area around it did not flood. The cabin got the rain and wind, but we had any trees that might fall on the cabin removed. Water rushed over the driveway, that's it. The little cabin was tight. 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