Can you dig it?

Arya, now a professional ditch digger

The footing drain is an important aspect of the house. It wraps around the outside of the foundation to direct rainwater away from the house. The easiest way to install it is to dig out the footings and use formwork to allow a gap for the pipe to run. But since this method would consume a lot of extra materials, we decided an alternative. The footings were dug to their precise size, and the ground was used as a form to shape them. This way we did not use a lot of unnecessary wood to make the forms. Now a trench next to the footings needs to be dug by hand in order to install the drain. We didn’t realize how much work it would be until we started. The ground is mostly hard clay, and we have to dig a decent ways outward in order to dig the depth we need downward. The physical labor is intense, but if we get a good number of people to pitch in we will get it done in time. In the real world it would probably be more efficient to form the footings and install the drain in the beginning, but since this is something we can do ourselves we don’t have to worry about the labor costs of digging the trench.

On another note, the project as a whole is coming along nicely. The masonry team finished laying the long retaining wall next to the house, and once the capstones are laid we will be done with all of our block laying duties. At least for now until more of the site work gets started. Maxi and I have started cutting the rigid insulation that is applied to the interior of the foundation walls. This will insure a good R-value for the house to save on electric costs. A lot of the team members were busy on Friday with volunteering for the South Quad convention. It is an event organized through AIAS where architecture schools in the south east quadrant of the US get together to share ideas and experience different schools and cities. Starting on Monday the house will have the full attention of all the members again.