Post 12- Permits, grading, concrete bids, and Appalachain Mansion improvements.

Well, we got the building permit!  (posted on the temporary power pole there, the yellow paper)  The lady at the county office for the permits loved the design, which is good because we like it too and that's what the permits say I'm allowed to build now.  They approved my house designs and handed me back a copy with about 12 engineering "red stamps" with specific criteria to follow on it: mostly common sense stuff like "you should support load bearing beams" and whatnot, but with a little more specific detail.

We also spent a little time dressing up the Appalachian Mansion (tm), and camped out all weekend.  It was very nice!  The sidewalk is a few "cobblestone" design paving stones, put on an underlayment and tamped down, with a few  bits of stone and sand shoved in the gaps where it turns a bit.  

The chimenea was a GREAT addition.  That little stand that it's on is trickier than it looks: it's a large chunk of roundish concrete (recycled) about 4-6" thick, piled with some clay on top to give a bit of height.  On top of the clay is a round metal something or other (also recycled) that fits the base of the chimenea nicely.  Note on Chimeneas: there is an instruction manual, you should read it before lighting a bonfire.

Another view below, at a bit of an angle to the left, and another below from the deck.

Fresh racoon tracks!  This is from the area we've started grading.  I took this picture this morning, so these are super fresh.

I saw the above tracks when I went back out this morning to meet with 1 of 3 concrete contractors who will be giving me a bid on my slab.  I'm figuring right about 10 yards for the slab, erring a bit on the side of overkill.  I'm not going to skimp on the slab: going with 25% stronger concrete, and about 20% more than would normally be used on a pour this size, everything tied together with steel (of course), and steel expansion joints set from every outside corner to every inside corner of the Atrium (so it will look like a 6 slice pie, kind of).  Also, I think we've decided on "Mint Green" for the concrete color.  It'll be a full dye mixed in with the concrete, as opposed to the surface dyes or acid washes, so the whole slab will be that color.

I need to get one inspection before the slab (tying in all the drain/water lines, etc), but then it's time to pour.  I expect to have all 3 bids in by Wednesday this week, which should be just about the time my guy is finishing up with the grading he's doing for me.

As a side note: I need a dozer/backhoe/bobcat or something.  I will definitely need one to make the driveway go up to the top of the land, and at that distance it's getting to the point that it'll be cheaper to just find a good used piece of heavy equipment than to pay someone to do it for me.  That is not a priority for the Guest Cottage though, so it can be put on a back burner.