.jpg)
Greetings! I had to take a brief hiatus from blogging due to the pressing needs of initiating the construction phase of our remodel project.
Now that the building process has settled down a bit and is more predictable, I have some time to give you an update and share some photos for perspective.
Demolition
Demolition activity was split up into two phases. Tasks that could be done independent of Asbestos remediation were started immediately. Everything else had to wait.
Asbestos
For all major remodels or complete tear downs of an existing home that's 50+ years older, Asbestos testing has become mandatory. If the test comes back positive, it's not the end of the world, but things are about to get costly. Companies specializing in remediation have to be hired to remove and dispose of hazardous waste properly. My house tested positive for asbestos at various places, so I had to go all in. This can definitely affect your timeline and costs, so keep this in mind. At the same time, taking shortcuts and hiring unlicensed contractors can be risky and opens you up to potential lawsuits.
Foundation
To speed up the work, trenching for the new foundation started almost simultaneously with the Asbestos removal. After digging for foundation soil, the engineer had to be called again to make sure the soil was compacted to the required level before the next step could start. Since the entire Bay Area is prone to seismic activity, a proper soil test and certification is becoming a very important component of the remodeling and construction process.
Form Board & Rebar
After installing form board and rebar, the first major inspection was conducted to make sure that the foundation was within the required setbacks. The surveying engineer came out to certify all the measurements of the form boards. Once this inspection was passed, the foundation was poured. It took almost 13 concrete trucks!
Stay tuned for more...