The Dig

Visionary Homes  staked out the house on Monday, May 21 and started the dig on Tuesday, May 22.  We were flying back from Florida, so Grandma and Granddad H went up to get a couple of quick pictures for us.  By the time we got home it was close to 11pm so we went up to the lot first thing Wednesday morning.

This was the view we saw as we entered the subdivision.  That's our hole and our dirt!  If you look at the top of the picture you can see the sunlight moving towards the mountains.  We were there about 7:30 am.  We didn't feel like it was dark up there, but you can see we actually were in the morning shadow.

They started later in the day on Tuesday than they had originally planned so they didn't quite get the hole finished.  Here Rob is standing at the back corner of the single car garage.

This image gives you a pretty good idea of the slope on our lot.  The front corner (near the backhoe) will be the guest bedroom and bathroom.  This lot really will provide a very nice walk-out basement for us.  The deepest edge of the hole will be the tv wall and sitting area for the family room. 

 

Here Rob is standing in the sitting area of the basement family room at the back of the house.  You get a really good feel for the slope here.  We weren't sure why there were different levels of soil dug out.  I guess we'll understand better when we go back to see the footings poured.

This is a good shot of the hole.  We are standing at the northeast corner of the house.  I've added a very simplified layout so you can get a feel for the flow of rooms.  The family room is in the bottom corner closest to where I was standing to take the picture.  There will be one bedroom and a small laundry in between the office and the south bedroom (thanks to Brian for the idea of adding a laundry to our basement).

Granddad sent a text saying we had good topsoil.  I was excited to see for myself.  From walking the lot before the dig, I was afraid it would be super rocky.  I'm going to have to watch closely to make sure they don't cart too much of this good stuff away.  Our builder was saying he might push some of it over to the neighboring lot to our west.