The Big Dig (cont.)

So... Friday morning, after talking with a building inspector, we learned that we needed to dig down an additional 18" for our foundation footings due to "expansive soil". This was the first of what I'm sure will be many roadblocks during the course of this project. It was just so disheartening since, after having some friends come and help during the evenings last week, we thought the digging was almost done.

As a result, the pictures will look much the same this week as they did last week. The major differences being the stump from the oak tree is all ground up and the piles of dirt are much larger now.

Being faced with the challenge of needing to remove so much more dirt I decided to rent another tractor; this time an excavator. It made quick work of the digging, but was difficult to maneuver into the positions necessary to dig all of the foundation. There is still a lot more digging to do and we're starting to run out of places to pile the dirt!

We are only a few weeks into this project, but I just wanted to take a moment and thank those that have made an effort to come out and help. It has been a real joy spending time with you, getting to know some of you and your families better, and not having to work alone. The encouragement and support that I've felt from someone coming over to help, even if for a short period, has been an unexpected blessing.

That said, we can always use some more help, especially right now with the digging since it just goes so slow. I spend almost every evening and Saturday working on the project, so please let me know anytime you are interested in helping out.