Construction week 1
It’s been a whirlwind couple of days. My mind has to catch up with all that has transpired since receiving our permit. Without a moments rest we have:
- Made copies of our building permit
- Made copies of permit drawing set
- Applied with the city for a road-cut permit (to connect to water & sewage (no gas))
- Contacted our surveyor and had them stake out the corners of the house so that the excavator can come in and know where to dig
- Contacted our excavator with the news that it’s GO time. They will start the dig on Tuesday!!!
- Set up a start-up meeting for early next week with some of our key contractors. Our project is unorthodox, we want to make sure we can answer as many questions and ask as many questions up front as possible. Included will be our main carpenter crew, plumber, electrician and our excavator (I think?).
- Contacted our city building inspector who will be giving us an inspection schedule (at what stages of the build he will need to come out and inspect). And we’ve requested a meeting with him upfront so he can familiarize himself with the project (again, it’s unorthodox and he’ll likely see things in our house for the first time)
- Set up Builders Risk Insurance. Trades that come to our site still need to provide us with copies of their own insurance. Since we are GC’ing this ourselves, we need an additional layer of insurance.
- Filed a notice of project with the Ministry of Labour
- Gathered material cost estimates for the foundation and ground-source heat loop — concrete, gravel, re-bar and insulated forms.
- Ordered a porta-pottie to the site.
- Ordered job fencing to the site
- Ordered a waste bin and storage pod
Mark’s continuing to work away at our construction drawing set. I am convinced they will be THE most detailed drawing sets an architect has ever produced. He hopes to discover and solve most of our house’s potential problems on paper, on his time and dime, rather than on site, halfway through the build…
Did you catch the part where we start excavating on Tuesday??!! In the meantime, we’re taking the opportunity to unplug and unwind with friends and family in Algonquin Park.
Startup meeting