More Progress & More CONCRETE!!

FYI: Are any of you aggravated by the cycling prices of gasoline and it drives you CRAZY not understanding how it can cost one thing one day and another thing another day? DON'T POUR COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF CONCRETE. We paid $15 a yard MORE for the driveway than we paid for the foundation, which we poured less than 2 weeks ago. And, whatcha gonna do? Anyway....

We spent last weekend getting the forms for the driveway, back deck and storage room ready for concrete. We had concrete ordered to be poured Monday around noon. 

Above: Concrete going into deck forms.

Above: Concrete for deck. We'll have double doors from our master bedroom leading out to a 10X17 ft deck.

Above is the "finished product" just before pouring concrete. We had to build the forms, level out the dirt, put up expansion joints and lay remesh wire to help concrete be stronger. You also have to make sure all the framing and expansion joints are level with each other and you have to put a slight tilt on the whole driveway to make sure water drains off properly. NEAT STUFF! I'm loving learning all this.

Above is the first concrete truck bringing in the first concrete for the driveway.

Above is a pic after the second floor decking is completed. You see the plates laid out for the second story walls. Back left, Jada's room & closet. Back middle, bath tub and shower. I'm standing in the living room. Out of sight: back right, master bedroom and directly to my right is the kitchen. The stair well is behind me to the right.

Above: 12X12 Storage. Very little room in the 1,100 sq.ft. 2nd floor living area.

Above: Most of driveway about done.

Above: 1st wall up on 2nd Story!

Above: Front view. More 2nd story walls erected.

Above: Driveway completed. Most of 2nd story framed up. Should be seeing roof looking structures very soon.

Above: This is the back of the house. The corner of the storage room pad is to the far left. Deck is to the far right, up against the house.