Closing in the Compound

This is the beginning of a "two week" project.

After the footing, the forms go up. Start to take shape.

I lost some pictures of the pump operation with a 100' boom over the house to dump the mix in the forms. But, a few days later, remove the forms and bam, concrete wall.

The rest including the top bottom and other side, footings and forms.

After the rest of the forms have been removed,

throttle said:

The rest including the top bottom and other side, footings and forms.

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If good fences make good neighbors you must be a pip.:bowdown:

Wow, beautiful and I'm sure very expensive. Is it just a privacy issue, or planning fabulous back yard and want to block out view, of other not so cool yards?

With every project there are minor setbacks.
I have had a few.
As for the neighbors, one is not super happy with me but finally just over it I think. Another hasn't had anything to say other than "nicely done, can't wait to see it all when finished", and another behind me said "typical Californian" hinting the privacy deal.
Original thought was a pool, so I have to close in the compound. Other thought was if I decide to move back someday and live there full time again, it might be nice to let the dog out.

TBulger said:

Wow, beautiful and I'm sure very expensive. Is it just a privacy issue, or planning fabulous back yard and want to block out view, of other not so cool yards?

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Thank you, it's coming along, more pics to follow. Privacy is one thing as noted in previous post and yes, there is a plan for inside the compound. Oh and my view is better now, not looking out into others yards, houses and having unwanted neighbor dog shitting in my yard. [emoji2]

Some prep work needed to be done prior to backfilling the sections of the wall and stucco.

A gap left from where the forms came together needed to be filled. Then a foundation coating is applied where the wall will be back filled with gravel.

Hundreds of these tabs needed a grinder to get off, lots of them could be broken off with a hammer but still needed to have a grinder on em prior to stucco.

A look down from the back wall shows the foundation coating prior to backfill. It also may hint where the spa will be going into the ground on the right side of pic.

Holy smokes. That's a lot of concrete.

Stressed out over this damn project, we went to the north shore, Oahu.



With fingers crossed, I could only hope that the other little pet peeve items I was concerned with would be covered by stucco when I get back.

Looks nice... I'm getting qoutes to get mine done with a couple retaining walls in the front.y back year is very similar to yours.

Joker said:

Holy smokes. That's a lot of concrete.

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About 80 yards so far.

vicious 13 said:

Looks nice... I'm getting qoutes to get mine done with a couple retaining walls in the front.y back year is very similar to yours.

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If I had it to again I would do block!!! Just sayin.

throttle said:

About 80 yards so far.

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Hopefully you held money back from them. That's a lot of fixin.
Enjoy ur vacation.[emoji106]

So, it was a slow process and still not finished (neighbor upset with me) but I took on the moving of gravel and backfill on my own. Tons and tons of it. Bucket by bucket. Using a rake and shovel to bring it down the slope after using a bobcat to get it to the top.

Pile it up and drag it down











A view from the neighbors side, needs more fill.

Joker said:

Hopefully you held money back from them. That's a lot of fixin.
Enjoy ur vacation.[emoji106]

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Already back, been a long "two week" project.

So, we get back and the stucco looked great! Really makes a difference! So, time for some clean up and move forward.

Along with setbacks, I have learned to adjust to changes. And I will add there have been a few of those.

The next thing after the stucco was completed was to start backfilling the lower retaining wall and make a terrace level which will need another small retaining wall (block this time).

To get up on the other side of the lower wall, a ramp would need to be built to go up and over it.





The below pic is where the spa will be placed on terraced level.





So, here comes the bobcat again and things take shape one more time showing progress again finally.







It's getting late in the day and the bobcat runs out of fuel, not me tho.

The original plan was to dig dirt out of area for spa, then more dirt gets moved and a plan/decision is is changed to cut the grade level just under the top of lower retaining wall and set spa on top of that to keep it simple (screw simple, this will change again later).





The taller section on the lower right will be the backsplash for a 15x15' U shaped bar and bbq area. It is about 5' high.



Back to the spa area, we decide to leav it unfinished for the day.

As you can see, there is no access around the back anymore. Every time equipment is needed for a job it has to go thru the garage so everything has to get moved out of the way.



A mini excavator is used this time to cover the footings and bring somebody the bigger rocks off the slope. Also to backfill the spa area

Aside from some backfilling on the other side of the wall and some rock cover we move forward as the compound is almost closed in.

Beginning preparations for a Hot Spring Spa, another small retaining/sitting wall, bar/bbq area and a glass fire pit.

Next up and in motion, the spa area. As mentioned originally I wanted to drop it in the ground on the upper level. Then thought to keep things easy, just backfill the area with dirt, put a deck in and place the spa on top of deck. Wasn't happy with that so I decided to split the difference. The spa is almost 40" high, it will dropped in a vault that has a concrete slab with block sides.





We dig it out again,





Run a drain, electrical and form slab

You have lost you're mind

I love it It will be bitchen when done:thumbup:

Then the sides of the vault

JBS said:

You have lost you're mind

I love it It will be bitchen when done:thumbup:

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Two more weeks [emoji2]

The fun never ends. Kids will be kids.

Outstanding work, love the way u shaped the top of the fence.:thumbup:
This fence will add value to your neighbors house so they should be grateful you done this for them.
Thanks for sharing your 2 week project. :thumbup:

That's gonna be sick!!! Can't wait to see the pool go in

Wow Cam, what ma difference the walls make . I like the roll look on the top

:yikes

throttle said:

About 80 yards so far.

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That is a lot of cement. That is going to be bad ass! Congrats!

Bam, wall is right.

Nicely done.

people want to have a say what you do with your land, tell them to make an offer.

I am so glad I jettisoned shitty neighbors, or vice versa. Either way....

Good fucking riddance.

Brian

What company did you have do the work?
Looks like they did a very nice job and didn't take a long time doing it.

Gordyd4 said:

What company did you have do the work?
Looks like they did a very nice job and didn't take a long time doing it.

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As much as I liked the guy, he is better at getting things started than he was at finishing (he had a couple of really good hard workers too). unfortunately he didn't come thru with things he promised, I can't recommend him. It put me in a long holding pattern. I had to regroup and hire a few subs to come in and do the finishing work and stucco. The lower section isn't complete yet and his footings are higher than my existing patio :thumbsdown. Moving on to the next phase has been good and when its time the rest will all come together fine in the end I hope.

Found some time to fill it in. Ready for spa and deck next.

What was the reasoning to go with pour in place rather then block?
Only access to back yard is through garage? No gate access?

Heylam said:

What was the reasoning to go with pour in place rather then block?
Only access to back yard is through garage? No gate access?

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original plan was to go with block, however the price was pretty close to the same (at least at first glance), all the block guys said that getting the block up on the slope would be very labor intensive which was going to equate to $$.

In the end, I wish I had gone with block! It would have met my expectations better. It wont be as long before the rest falls into place I hope, then none of it will matter anymore.

had access until walls went up, only access now is thru the garage, side gate not wide enuf to get any equip thru.

Looking good Cameron! Keep the update pics coming.

looks good:thumbup:I used to go block with and stucco it.... now I just go with colored split faced....I seem to have problems with the stucco

You are blessed. What a Beautiful project. :bowdown:

2FORCEFULL said:

looks good:thumbup:I used to go block with and stucco it.... now I just go with colored split faced....I seem to have problems with the stucco

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Especially out there in Havasu after the rains you will get the white efflorescence stains on the stucco.

2FORCEFULL said:

looks good:thumbup:I used to go block with and stucco it.... now I just go with colored split faced....I seem to have problems with the stucco

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The color split faced is awesome. I used some of that on my RV side parking project and could not be happier. Throttle awesome project. :thumbup:

Finally got some gates up...





Another retaining wall and some decking are next, prolly get that started in two more weeks.

throttle said:

Finally got some gates up...

Another retaining wall and some decking are next, prolly get that started in two more weeks.

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Gates look nice.[emoji106]

Who did the gates? Someone in town or you bring them out from so cal and install? Looks good. I need a man gate and rv gate

Andy01 said:

Who did the gates? Someone in town or you bring them out from so cal and install? Looks good. I need a man gate and rv gate

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Armor fencing in town. They completely fumbled the order by building the door backwards and installing in wrong location. They missed several promised deadlines. Took two more weeks to get it all redone right. Simply, they do good work, just too busy.