Ready for backfill

Our building permit is still on hold. It turns out that the joist company decided that instead of a cantilever, we'd have a post on the outside of the house. But they forgot to mention it, other than a tiny little number in the spot where the post would be. Ryan missed this (along with everyone else). So when the city caught it, they wanted to know why none of our other plans indicated the location of this post. Even if he had seen it, Ryan wouldn't have designed in this post. Not only does it not fit the design of the house, but it would require putting the post into our lot setback. We can do an overhang, but we can't have footings in the setback. I called the joist company to get them working on a redesign. Their response was that they designed it that way because it was cheaper. Well, now the foundation is done, and there's no support for this post. Calling back the excavator to dig the hole bigger, and calling back the concrete guys to pour another footing is going to eat up any savings that the post would have given us. Not to mention that moving the entire foundation back a few feet to make room for the post would be rather expensive. So they're redesigning it.

On Tuesday, we got a hole cut for the sewer pipe to come into the basement. Our basement is deeper than the main sewer for the street, so the pipe doesn't come in under the footings. And we'll need a lift station to get the "stuff" into the sewer from the basement.

Waterproofing, weeping tile and gravel went in on Wednesday, apparently by ninjas. Nobody had started by the end of the day Tuesday. But the waterproof spray was done before BIL went to visit the site at 8:30am. Weeping tile and gravel appeared a couple of hours later.

This posed 2 possible problems. First, MrDinks expected the weeping tile to be wrapped in fabric to keep out debris. But he didn't specify that, and it's not commonly done around here. So it wasn't done. Second, they brought in an extra truckload of gravel to support our sewer pipe. But now it's piled up in front of where we need to put the foam insulation (which the foundation guys refused to do).

So after further research and discussion, we decided to leave the fabric off the weeping tile, and just dig out the sewer pipe, then replace the gravel once the foam insulation is installed.

Foundation inspection was done on Thursday afternoon, and he found no issues. However, MrDinks noticed on Friday evening that he didn't sign off our paperwork next to the sewer pipe connection. I'll have to call the city on Monday to find out if this is just an oversight we can quickly resolve, because the city's paperwork shows it's acceptable. Or was there another guy who was supposed to come on Thursday that I didn't know about, and therefore, this wasn't inspected?

BIL suggested doing the insulation after the inspection to avoid any complaints. Although the extra insulation outside the basement walls is apparently code now in Ontario, it's unheard of here. So we didn't want to have to fight yet another person about it.

BIL and Intern spent Friday doing the majority of the insulation. MrDinks and I finished it off today, adding an extra 12" to the bottom all the way around. While there we also went inside the basement and picked up all the loose concrete around the footings. We also dug up all the concrete that was dumped out of the pumper, right into where we planned to put a future basement bathroom. Running the plumbing rough in pipes in the concrete isn't going to be easy. In the process, I dropped a large piece of concrete on my foot. The only time I've gone into the hole without steel toe boots since the footings were poured. Because, as MrDinks said, "What's going to happen? Are we going to drop foam on our feet?" Ouch.

MrDinks also discovered that the weeping tile that is under the window wells was not tied into the weeping tile around the footings. Instead, it was dumping out ON TOP of the footings. BIL stopped by and explained that they usually only bring the pipe down and stop a few inches above the gravel, above the footings. The fact that they'd left us a few extra feet to direct the water away is an improvement. So MrDinks moved it out a few inches, so it's now at least on top of the base weeping tile.

Window well weeping tile before MrDinks inspection

All foamed up

After working ourselves to exhaustion, we rode our bikes from the site to a craft festival on the downtown waterfront. Getting there was pretty easy. And nice to be so close. Getting home, unfortunately, not so easy. Have I mentioned we have great views, due to being on top of a hill? I'm either going to be in great shape living there, or I will bike even less than I do now. I guess it's a good thing we live on top of the hill, instead of the bottom. I'd probably be less inclined (haha!) to get out the bike if I have to start off going up hill.

Next steps, I'm trying to get the excavator back on Tuesday to back fill. Assuming we don't need to do another inspection. BIL and Intern need to pull out the wood retaining wall on Monday. Joists for the main floor are due to arrive on Wednesday. Then, hopefully, on Thursday, the framer can start closing in the basement.

But then, we're stopped until the permits come in.

I came up with the plan to start on the garage next. Surely, since we're only waiting on the design of floor joists on house, there's no reason not to start the garage, right?

Ryan said no. The garage and house are part of the same building permit. And since we don't have that permit yet, we can't build the garage.

Building inspector looked at our paperwork and said the garage is NOT part of the house building permit. In theory, we could start that, except we're going to need to actually apply for a separate permit.

But one of the comments made on our BP application was that we needed to have the garage door headers engineered. So, if the inspector is right, why did they ask that? If Ryan's right, why isn't there a mention of a garage on our paperwork?

So I called the city. It turns out the garage IS a separate permit, and we applied for it at the same time. But it's also on hold, along with the house permit. So I asked if we can get that, and start the garage. No, they won't issue a garage BP on a property zoned residential unless there's already a house, or at least an active house BP. They don't want people only building a garage, storing their cars or using it as a workshop, but not actually living there. But, there's a foundation for a house! Surely this is a lot of trouble to go through to just build a garage? They suggested I email the guy reviewing our application. He phoned me back and said no, process is process, and they "can't" release the garage permit until they release the house permit. But, he's reviewed everything, and as soon as we get the new joist design, it should be "really quick." I guess we'll get to see what that means in city language.