{"id":2227,"date":"2018-03-28T17:05:57","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T17:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/?p=2227"},"modified":"2020-08-17T12:06:13","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T12:06:13","slug":"starting-on-the-block","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2018\/03\/starting-on-the-block\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting on the Block"},"content":{"rendered":"

I got a call pretty early this morning. The contractor and the block masons were on the building site.<\/p>\n

Woo Hoo!!! Going up instead of down!<\/p>\n

The block masons got right to work. And they work fast! They must be paid by the job, not by the hour.<\/p>\n

\"Block<\/a>
Block masons setting up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They set up these markers. I know what the nails are for now. They mark the outside edges.<\/p>\n

\"The
The nails mark the outside edge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Block<\/a>
Block masons setting up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They made sure the wood is stable and square, to act as a guide.<\/p>\n

\"Boardwalk\"<\/a>
Boardwalk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sinking<\/a>
Sinking in the mud<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They laid out boardwalks. Good thing, since if you step off the boardwalk, you still sink.<\/p>\n

\"Bridges<\/a>
Bridges to get up and down into the footers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Block<\/a>
Taking an empty wheelbarrow up the bridge for the next load.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They made a bridge down into the footers.<\/p>\n

\"Loading<\/a>
Loading up a wheelbarrow full of block<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This guy moved block to where it will be used. He worked really fast and never stopped.<\/p>\n

\"Holcim
Holcim Type S Mortamix Masonry Cement<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I know what was wrapped up now, Holcim Type S Mortamix Masonry Cement. Each bag is 75 pounds and we have two pallets full.<\/p>\n

\"Mortar
Mortar Mixer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is the mortar mixer.<\/p>\n

\"Mixing<\/a>
Mixing Mortar, first the cement<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mixing<\/a>
Mixing Mortar, next sand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mixing<\/a>
Mixing Mortar, add some water<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Let<\/a>
Let it mix up, then pour it into a wheel barrow<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Add mortar mix, then sand, then water. All in the right quantities. Mix it up and pour it into the wheel barrow.<\/p>\n

\"This<\/a>
This is where they are getting the water from<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is where the water is coming from. I didn\u2019t know we had water. I don\u2019t know when that happened.<\/p>\n

\"Running<\/a>
Running with mortar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This guy sprinted with wheel barrows full of mortar.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Pouring water down before putting down the mortar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He poured water on the wood or whatever, then shoveled on the mortar.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The first block is laid!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first course of block!!!<\/p>\n

\"Sand<\/a>
Sand to keep the mortar from sticking to the ground<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The sand is to keep the mortar that falls off from sticking to the footers. (I asked.)<\/p>\n

\"Running<\/a>
Running with block<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He sprinted back and forth, moving wheelbarrows full of mortar and wheelbarrows full of block, staying ahead of the masons.<\/p>\n

\"Measuring<\/a>
Measuring and marking where the block will go<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They frequently checked the plans, then measured and marked.<\/p>\n

I went home to have some breakfast and a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

\"Sand<\/a>
Wow! Making progress!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Things are going really fast. They are already here by 11:00!<\/p>\n

\"Checking<\/a>
Checking the plans<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I got needful things done, then dropped back by around 11:00. Wow! Great progress! They keep measuring and confirming with the plans.<\/p>\n

\"A
A drain in the first course of block<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the first row of block, just above the footers, they put in this drain or something. It is just above the \u201cwell\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Moving<\/a>
Moving block with a Bobcat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They are moving the block with a Bobcat now. They can only move this much or the block outweighs the machine. As it is, he seesaws a little as he drives.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Measuring and cutting the fabric<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They are putting in flow through block. Flow through block is just regular block on it\u2019s side. The mason has mortared fabric over the inside, to discourage animals from using this as a handy entrance.<\/p>\n

The mason measured and cut the fabric.<\/p>\n

\"Holding<\/a>
Holding down the fabric with mortar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Flow-through
Flow-through Block<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Flow-through
Flow-through Block<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Tucking the fabric in all the way around the flow-through block.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He held the fabric down with mortar, placed the block, wrapped the fabric around it and mortared it all in. He carefully made sure all of the fabric was tucked in securely.<\/p>\n

Since this is where the flow through block is, this must be where the ground will be.<\/p>\n

\"Cutting<\/a>
Cutting block<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is how they cut block. With a big saw.<\/p>\n

\"Cut<\/a>
Cut block<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The results.<\/p>\n

I have to go to the bank. I\u2019ll let you know what they get done while I am gone!<\/p>\n

Next: Progress on the Foundation ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I got a call pretty early this morning. The contractor and the block masons were on the building site. Woo Hoo!!! Going up instead of down! The block masons got right to work. And they work fast! They must be paid by the job, not …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2260,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_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}},"categories":[31],"tags":[37],"class_list":["post-2227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-house","tag-foundation"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-starting-block.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13492,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/02\/block-foundation-for-our-small-modular-cabin\/","url_meta":{"origin":2227,"position":0},"title":"Block Foundation for Our Small Modular Cabin","author":"Carla","date":"February 10, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The surveyors came back out over the weekend and marked the foundation. They marked the block with where the foundation goes. This man snapped chalk lines on the footing connecting the marks the surveyor had made. A load of block was delivered and moved into place. They mixed water with\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-block.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-block.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/featured-block.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-block.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2268,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2018\/03\/progress-on-the-foundation\/","url_meta":{"origin":2227,"position":1},"title":"Progress on the Foundation","author":"Carla","date":"March 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The forecast is rain, but so far it is beautiful out. I drove out to the worksite and Wow! They are making great progress! The masons shoveled out dirt everywhere the walls had fallen in. He used a brush to work all of the dirt out and sweep it away.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Our New House"","block_context":{"text":"Our New House","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-house\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Progress on the Foundation: Project Small House","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-progress_on_block.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-progress_on_block.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-progress_on_block.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-progress_on_block.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-progress_on_block.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2122,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2018\/03\/marking-the-footers-for-the-block\/","url_meta":{"origin":2227,"position":2},"title":"Surveying and Marking the Footers for the Block","author":"Carla","date":"March 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The concrete in the footers has dried. The surveyor came out to mark where the block will go. He put in nails and spray painted them to make them highly visible. This is one of the piers to hold up the porch. I walked the footers looking at everything and\u2026\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Our New House"","block_context":{"text":"Our New House","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-house\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Marking the Footers for the Block","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-marking.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-marking.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-marking.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-marking.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-marking.jpg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2473,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/we-have-a-floor\/","url_meta":{"origin":2227,"position":3},"title":"We have a floor!","author":"Carla","date":"April 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Framing started! We knew something was going on when we saw all the trucks. All the other crews have car pooled. Every framer drove a truck. Remember those bolts they mortared into the block? The first thing they did is bolt pressure treated lumber to the foundation. They put a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Our New House"","block_context":{"text":"Our New House","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-house\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"We have a floor! - Building our Schumacher Home","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/featured_image-floor.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/featured_image-floor.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/featured_image-floor.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/featured_image-floor.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/featured_image-floor.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13782,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/03\/attached-the-cabin-to-the-sill-plate\/","url_meta":{"origin":2227,"position":4},"title":"Attaching the Modular Cabin to the Foundation","author":"Carla","date":"March 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"After the cabin was placed by the crane, a carpenter showed up to attach the cabin to the sill plate on the block foundation. Sill Plate : How the Modular Home Attaches to the Foundation > This part of the plan shows the Typical Wall Section On-site Connections. The crane\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-sill_plate-rails.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-sill_plate-rails.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/featured-sill_plate-rails.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-sill_plate-rails.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2287,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2018\/03\/block-and-stucco\/","url_meta":{"origin":2227,"position":5},"title":"Block and Stucco","author":"Carla","date":"March 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Cliff is home and we drove over to see how the block is going. 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They are working on the piers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Our New House"","block_context":{"text":"Our New House","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/new-house\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Block and Stucco - Foundation - Project Small House","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-block-stucco.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\/2018\/03\/featured_image-block-stucco.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-block-stucco.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/featured_image-block-stucco.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2227"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7993,"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227\/revisions\/7993"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}