The Garage has a PERMANENT Roof

On Thursday, the shotcrete crew got set up, and started shooting before 1 pm.  Jeremy was the main nozzleman.  Dan handled the switch on the pump and PR with the owners.  Chris and another helper were handling the hose, scaffolding and anything else so the job got done.  The owners were offered a chance to man the nozzle, but both declined.

We had some rain the day before (about 1 1/2 inches).  The job site was quite muddy.  Behind the retaining wall, you can see the water that sits on the foundation of the retaining wall, waiting to dry up or be bailed out. The area that looks like a smile above the white pipe, is the french drain up against the slab footer.  It will be further extended along the retaining wall after the waterproofing is completed.

 

Within an hour, the crew had shot around the back and were on the other side. to a height of about 4 feet.  Where the shell is connected to the slab is the thickest shotcrete - 12 inches thick. 

Here is a 3 minute video of Jeremy making it look easy.  He wears motocross shoulder pads to rest the hose  on, a hard hat and visor for protection from any aggregate that bounces back at him, and controls the heavy hose and nozzle to ensure an even 4 inches everywhere else.

When they completed that height, they came back to the East side, and added another 3 feet.  About 16 cubic yards of shotcrete was applied on Thursday.

Friday, Bill and Carol hurried to install the second earth tube so that both earth tubes could be securely in place and covered with shotcrete.  The crew arrived around 9:30 and did preliminary work.  At about 1, they started applying shotcrete around the building again and then shot the parapet (vertical wall).  Then they came back and shot the earth tubes, and then progressed more on the 'roof'.

It started to precipitate - a gentle mist that was definitely rain by 4:30 pm.  By 5 pm, they ran out of shotcrete and couldn't finish as the concrete company had sent everybody home due to the weather being so wet, and it being Friday I suppose.  The rain got worse, and the disappointed crew cleaned up and enjoyed some hot split pea soup, bread and crackers. They had an hour and a half drive back home with the thought that they had to return on Monday.  The total shotcrete was about 14 cubic yards Friday.

Monday came and so did more precipitation, this time snow and snow mixed with rain.  No obvious progress.  Bill dug a ditch to let the earth tube under the retaining wall (that white pipe mentioned earlier marked it) act as a drain and let the water go somewhere. Tuesday the crew did finish our roof so we can no longer see all that rebar. But we can remember all the labor to tie the rebar ties.

 And there's a great deal more rebar tying to do yet on the house.  I believe the shotcrete used on Tuesday was 2 cubic yards. 

Next, Wednesday, the shotcrete crew is back again  to waterproof the structure.