The "TUNNEL"

We call it a 'tunnel.'  That is what it's original intent was.  It is now a 'pantry/wine cellar.'  It dead ends.  This is the room that also will house entry points for water, power and communications.

Bill and Carol,  and to a little extent, I, have started to stucco the interior walls.  This is to help prepare for the electrical panel to be installed on the wall.  We also want to try out the Senergy product that will be the final coat.

Bill grinding excess shotcrete

Bill chipping excess shotcrete

The base coat on the South wall of the tunnel

So far, Bill has been doing the overhead stuff

 One thing that has caused us to redo some of the base coat, is that if you tap on the wall, you can hear some hollowness in some areas.  That is where the base coat did not get thru to the concrete due to multiple layers of burlap and within those layers, cavities.  So we are feeling each 6x6 square to see that there is no cavity, and if there is, peeling the burlap off.

At the start of the tunnel, the connection to the main structure is not a straight wall, so Bill has incorporated some metal mesh and that is working out wonderfully.

We have had a stucco contractor out, and he has yet to get back to us with a cost estimate or date for stucco-ing the exterior of the garage and 3 exterior and 1 interior walls of the house and under the 'visor' on the South side.  We were hoping that he would have started work some weeks ago, but we are still waiting....He has seen the interior, and knows of that need also. 

We Almost Have Electricity

The contractor came and laid the cable underground.  A couple of days later, the electric company came and hooked the cable to the meter and to the line, so the connection is made.  The main switch is still off.  We await the electricians to come and do that.  However, we want them to be able to do more.  We need to have a light fixture in place in the garage, AND, some wood on the tunnel wall for them to install the breaker panel.  We also would like the phone company to get their underground cable in place before the electricians' arrival.

Hydraulically actuated machine for pulling the cable under the surface of the ground