Pool

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Italian Stonehenge

Ed Building a House , , , , , 0 Comment

Finally a sunny day in Le Marche as work continues apace on the ground floor columns.

Yesterday they started erecting the steel rebar frameworks of the columns and began building the forms around these frameworks for the concrete to be poured. Today saw this project nearing completion.

We got some good pictures today, and one in particular caught my eye. It’s a closeup of the base of the steel rebar framework of one of the columns. You can see how solidly built the columns will be, given this framework will be encased in concrete. This is an example of the construction practices they are using to strengthen the house against earthquakes.

Close up of reinforced concrete column base
A Close Look at a Column
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Once they had erected the columns and put the forms around them, we had an impressive grid. Kevin dubbed it, “Stonehenge.”

Stonehenge in Italy
Our Own Henge
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Addendum

One other issue arose today. Anne noted that the slope above the house is fairly steep. She asked about protection from flooding as water cascades down the slope in a heavy rain. (This problem would also affect the pool, as there is a similar slope above it.)

Kevin responded:

We’re very early in the plan execution…so the earth around the project is chopped up and not at its best.

The earth will be moved as per the agreed-to plan for levels, etc.

There will be some hard landscaping that achieves drainage and in the actual landscape plan any particular drainage issues will be addressed.

So we’ve identified the issue and need to be sure it’s addressed appropriately. We certainly don’t want water pouring through the front door, much less front windows!

Here is the complete photo album from today’s work.

Walls for the Pool

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They finished building the forms for the pool. Today’s small photo set shows them at work pouring the concrete into the forms to make the pool walls.

Kevin also reported that the Water company was on the site, making preparations to get the water supply pipes in place.

The work will go on until Monday, when the holiday break begins. It lasts until January 7, so about 18 days. Given all the work that’s gone on in the past 4 weeks, I can’t begrudge them some time off — but 18 days, especially by US standards, seems like a lot.

Forming the Pool

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Kevin sent along a picture of the workers at lunch: First lunch in the new dining room.

(Notice the thickness of the finished slab. Those IGLUs are buried in there, with only the moisture outlet pipes visible.)

First lunch in Casa Avventura
First lunch in Casa Avventura
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The other photos today are of the starting of the concrete forms for the pool. The yellow panels are put inside the wood frame to keep the concrete from sticking to the form.

You can click to enlarge.

Progress on the Pool and Foundation

Ed Building a House , , , 0 Comment

The weather continues to hold in Le Marche. They are making good progress on both the pool and the house foundation.

The house foundation is using an IGLU system to reduce moisture infiltration.

Here are all the photos from today’s work. You can click to enlarge them.