Post demolition cleanup!

These guys (and one big honking machine!) have accomplished wonders in only three days!  We've filled a 40 cubic yard dumpster each day and, so far, three 10 cubic yard dumpsters just for the cement. 

It's wierd seeing just the original house on this huge lot!

That's one of the workers, nickname Low, working hard on his improvised workbench in the shade!

Dan chatted with a trucking company doing work in front of the Art Van store.  They had about 10 yards of road base they needed to haul away and pay to dump somewhere.  Dan told him we'd gladly take it - we'll use it under the new driveway!  Great partnering  here!!

From the back door of the house - old porch structure to be removed - really really hard cement!

The machine (and Dave) lifting a large piece of cement.

 

The growing pile of road base.

Tony and Jessie working hard to reclaim brick for the new addition.

 

This large piece of cement caused the big machine to tip - Dave dropped it and the machine rocked and rolled for a bit before settling down!

Almost all cleaned up...

That's one of the small dumpsters, for cement only

This wall, part of the original 1941 construction, almost foiled this big machine!   Dave dropped the shovel over and over, just to start chipping away at it.  Finally was able to get it out...

There!  Now we've got it!

 

This whole project is pretty amazing.  And, my husband is an amazing man - to keep all the balls in the air and keep the project speeding forward.  Tomorrow (Thursday) we plan to start digging the basement!

End of demolition day pictures...

I went back to the site after work was done for the day.  All unwanted structures are down!  Here are some pictures....

Those two boarded-up doors were the access to the bedroom and family room/breezeway!  It's REALLY breezy now!

I'm guessing cleanup will be done today, then digging starts for the basement and footings.

Day 2, demolition, continued

Things are moving right along.  The garage that was in back of the old garage was actually pretty good construction.  However, it's position right beside the new addition made digging the basement almost impossible.  So, it was decided to take it down, preserving the roof structure (I'm having a brain burp and can't think of the term....) pieces.  It will be rebuilt, with 2X6 construction next time, so more insulation can be installed.  To take it down, the guys cut away the pieces from the walls, then cut the plywood roof under the shingles, so that the entire roof could be lifted down in two pieces by Dave on the excavator.  Pretty exciting!  The next two pictures show Dan on the roof, making sure the straps are positioned to allow Dave to lift up the section of the garage roof...

 

Here you see where, not only are both garages gone, but the first of the two badly added additions to the house is also down.  You see the raw edge of the last of the structures to go down.  (I had to miss this whole thing this morning, so you only see the results of the morning work, too!)

 

Another view from the back - both garages, gone.  One addition, down!

Here's Dan removing the last few bricks from the walls that were taken down this morning.

Here's Dave, magician operator, again!

View from inside the old bedroom addition....

Where I'm standing, in the old bedroom, will be gone this afternoon!

Soon, maybe tomorrow, digging will begin for the new basement!

demo day 1 and 2

These next pictures are the rest of the first day's demo, including participation by my delightful youngest grandson, Isaac, almost 4.  Dave made his day by taking him up into the cab.  All the adults standing around would have LOVED to be in there too!

last of the old garage going down!

Isaac, facinated, look on from a safe distance....

Isaac in little boy (and big boy) heaven!

LOVE the smile on his face!

So much for the old garage!

 

Wow, pretty exciting times on Sheridan street!  Friday and Saturday (May 4 and 5) were spent in severing the structures to be demolished from the main house.  Monday, May 6, brought the arrival of a huge excavator.  Dave Forrest, a cousin from my previous marriage, is a wizard with this equipment!  Check out pictures of the demolition process.

Dan, Dave, and Roy - ready to get to work!

The big machine!

Dan and Tony - first bite gone from the old garage!

Going.....

Going......!

Dave, hard at work....

40 square yard dumpster - getting full...

Yikes!

more of the garage, going into the dumpster...

 

The "before" that is "after" lots of work!

Well, since we've been back from Florida, we've been working like beavers.  We've mostly cleared out the remaining stuff from the two garages and the rooms that will be demolished.  We have architect plans, city approval of the plans, and we hope to begin the demolition next week.  Here are some pictures of where we are now...

This is from the back yard.  You can see the original house's second floor sticking up behind the two bad additions.  The white building is the newer garage, and it will be Dan's workshop.

Now you can see the entire garage.  The white peak behind this back building is the old garage, built in 1945.

This is the other side of Dan's future workshop that is attached to the old garage in front.

The inside of Dan's workshop, now mostly emptied of all the stuff.

The inside and the front of the old garage.

Now you can see the breezeway connection from the old garage into the house...

 

The inside of the three rooms that will be demolished - can you see why??

Dan working on the temporary power pole and the front of the house.  I have plans for the flower beds at the front.  All these bushes will be gone, replaced by some nice ornamental trees, bushes and flowers.  Stay tuned!