Our January job...

[JZap]

Here's one of our last jobs, we finished this up I guess a week and a half ago when it was a little warmer to say the least. 1600 sq ft total, I forget the amount of wall. There's more to come on this one in the Spring, landscape, pergola (maybe in the fall), nice project for January though.
Jason, notice the foam insulation board!! Cheap insurance.
http://a16.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/88/l_be71173e2394725d246ca36c0beea83f.jpg
http://a244.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/121/l_fdf838eac69e7fa53f3d29bdc53e9bfb.jpg
http://a790.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/76/l_2326208e3f44b0d6f6651bbb730459d5.jpg
http://a874.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/46/l_6eb4641bf51cf60667c566b93ab6e719.jpg

[JZap]

more pics...
http://a602.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/57/l_4acdb3ac06e843527a884f5ec0edb9d1.jpg
http://a94.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/71/l_48f33ed284fc2d23eed729cc10b21635.jpg
http://a159.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/88/l_e81898584e8f9a1c201eae4c54b084a6.jpg
http://a498.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/97/l_ebff5650e64735e53debc645a7693971.jpg

[JZap]

last ones here I swear. I have more of the install process on another camera, but I think this is enough.
http://a537.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/70/l_12ca1ddf43afe4cc347ae10e75ffbaa0.jpg
http://a224.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/34/l_6a72270de83dcb4cc8b20b4b7ab7b77f.jpg
http://a781.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/107/l_8567a98d3d35c620be480035726f64fc.jpg
http://a580.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/65/l_3dd4b45f3349c87d87937f90d099776b.jpg
I'll see if I can find the other pics in the near future. I also have a couple close-ups of cuts, if interested.

[Terraventure]

Do you goto the frost line because it is next to the house and it is stairs or is it just an unstable soil situation?

[chardscapes]

Yeah why such a deep footing ? Did you do the whole job with that small compactor ?

[custom patios]

john it looks good. but its my nature to critique.i noticed you built your steps up to door level. what happens when you get heavy rain or a couple inches of snow? the snow will be above the door level. over time water will enter the house via threshold.even being caulked. i feel it is a wise descision to plan your steps so that you step down out of thehouse onto your top landing or step. this way you will not likely have a build up of moisture right under the door.i had a client that wanted me to do that and i said i would not. he talked to a rep from EP and they told him the same thing. im sure your going to say you havent had any problems with this method, but you will. the threshold is one of the most prone areas to have problems. i have torn out and rbuilt many and have noticed every time that moisture has been prsent and the threshold itself was not properly flashed. it looks good when steps are built to door level but a huge construction flaw in my opinion.im envious though, i wish i was completing a good job like that right now.
stevep

[mckeeland]

Looks really good John, can you send one of those this way if you get a chance?

i was wondering the same thing about the compactor, gotta get a bigger one. we finally bought one this season instead of renting it when we needed. best thing i did since i bought my first compactor.

i have to agree with steve on the threshold thing. my father was a carpenter/framing contractor. door pans and thresholds are the biggest problem when i comes to water, especially sliders. i always give a 6" step out the door. even doing that we had a door that would not stop leaking one time. it wasn't really our fault, but we had to keep pulling up our pavers and putting them back down until the HO figured it out. that is why i will not do an overlay on an existing porch anymore.

[Andrew Hardscape]

Design looks good.

Paver and block install looks good.

But, as others touched on - your pavers NEED to be below the threshold. about 9 years ago we did a patio and while construction was underway, we got a huge rain storm. Water came into their basement via the threshold because we had the elevation set too high. Luckily they had an unfinished basement. But thats all it took and I learned a lesson.

Why the deep footer? How old is the dwelling??

And why the board?

[JZap]

Thanks for the advice guys, the design was done by a LA and the LA recommended us to do the install. I honestly never thought of snow/rain being a problem (not saying I won't have problems as mentioned), but it is pitched on that landing. I will definately have the step out from now on.
We had two compactors on the job and the reasoning was bc we had 6 guys working here, so we keep 2 busy all the time. In a busier time we would've used a vib. roller. This job took 5 (270 hours) working days (short days in the colder weather).
The house is a new construction and that is the reasoning behind the deep base. This house is only 3 months old. I got 3 references on the same street fromt his job, so look for more to come. I'll do my best to get some more pics up. All the steps are block filled also.

[Mbella]

The smaller compactor is a good idea on the overdig because it places less pressure on the foundation walls.

[JZap]

The smaller compactor is a good idea on the overdig because it places less pressure on the foundation walls.

Absolutely, I think most were referring to the picture of my lone worker compacting the subsoil.

[mckeeland]

Absolutely, I think most were referring to the picture of my lone worker compacting the subsoil.

yeah that was the one i was talking about. he looked so tiny on such a big area.

[JZap]

You know how there's always that one guy who likes to run the compactor? That's him... haha. He was in heaven. The other leads I got on this street are all of equal size patios, one with around 30 steps and I want to incorporate a water feature beside the steps and also a deck. Even though they have a brand new deck they want low-maintenace materials and to enlarge it.

[mckeeland]

i hear ya, some times it just feels better to let them run the compactor around then stand there with a rake looking stupid.

[zedosix]

Looks good overall I think other than the "no step" into the house. Cutting could be a little cleaner too on the walkway. Don't mind me I'm just jealous that I'm not out there working and making money.

[MuirView Design]

John, what kind of stone? Looks like Techo, maybe Olympia, but I'm not quite sure. Another benefit to removing that top step going into the slider, is that the top step would then end at the edge of the door. Looks a little weird having that top step jut into the door like that. As you said, you didn't design it....so we should all stop bustin your ballz! LOL

[chardscapes]

Some times you make perfect cuts and when you run the compactor over the pavement they shift. Happens on corners .

[mrusk]

Looks good. I think there should be a planting bed between the patio and the seating wall. That would eliminate the feeling of a sea of concrete.

[Mbella]

Absolutely, I think most were referring to the picture of my lone worker compacting the subsoil.

Yeah, that is what I figured too. I was just pointing out that it is a good idea on the overdig. Some guys think they need to get in there with a jumping jack and pound the hell out of it.

[cgland]

5 days! Wow, that's some serious headway! Nice job.........jerk!

[SzotAllied]

Job looks great John. Was the HO happy w/ the cov #3, John G. had me alittle nervous. How did you like doing the block fill vs. modified fill?

[JZap]

I've been the biggest advocate of block-filling from last year. We've had trouble getting our workers to understand the benefits. We told them it's not an option, it's our standard. They found not only was it a better way to build steps, but faster (less compacting, less time). The HO is overjoyed with our work there and has just added some interior work for us as well. (custom built-ins)

[STLPONDS]

(custom built-ins)

What do you mean by this? Just curious as I'm looking for as many inside tracks as possible for winter work.

[JZap]

We just created a sub-division devoted to GC work. Mostly Kitchen renovations, finishing basements, and custom carpentry. Our landscape guys are completely separate from the construction side. Examples of custom built-ins would be bookcases, cabinets, entertainment centers and more which are built specifically for your house/space. When you see a house with bookcases, etc. "built-in" to the structure for that structure. We also ventured into a few fireplaces as well (refacing with natural stone, marble slabs, etc.)
2 winters ago we got one basement finishing job and had our nursery workers do the demo and framing. Now we're busy in construction and nursery work, so our workers never did another job after the first basement. It's important to us to stay dedicated to our appropriate skills and not be jacks-of-all trades and masters at none. We hired a few new guys for the construction side and we work together. Whenever Northampton Nursery gets a new construction, Northampton Nursery has a pretty good shot at the landscaping.;)

[STLPONDS]

Whenever Northampton Nursery gets a new construction, Northampton Nursery has a pretty good shot at the landscaping.;)

Exactly! but I just want the stonework inside or outside. I would also like to add water to the inside or outside also. lol!

[SzotAllied]

They found not only was it a better way to build steps, but faster (less compacting, less time). The HO is overjoyed with our work there and has just added some interior work for us as well. (custom built-ins)

Glad to hear it.

[GroundScapes]

5 days! Wow, that's some serious headway! Nice job.........jerk!

I was thinking the same thing, I wasnt going to say anything though, I didnt want to sound slow:)

[GroundScapes]

Thanks for the advice guys, the design was done by a LA and the LA recommended us to do the install. I honestly never thought of snow/rain being a problem (not saying I won't have problems as mentioned), but it is pitched on that landing. I will definately have the step out from now on.
We had two compactors on the job and the reasoning was bc we had 6 guys working here, so we keep 2 busy all the time. In a busier time we would've used a vib. roller. This job took 5 (270 hours) working days (short days in the colder weather).
The house is a new construction and that is the reasoning behind the deep base. This house is only 3 months old. I got 3 references on the same street fromt his job, so look for more to come. I'll do my best to get some more pics up. All the steps are block filled also.

How does six guys on residential jobs like this one work out for you? Ive personally never been a fan of more than three or so guys on most residential hardscapes, just never could see a benifit, I always felt like more than three or four and I was losing money by the time things are said and done?

Five days though, it sounds like you are making it work for you.

[JZap]

We typically run 3 man crews, but since we had a window of opportunity here that's why there was more. I'm not sure the question you're asking... Are you saying that with 5 guys, there is wasted time? With 5 guys on the crew we're able to attack two sets of steps simultaneously, the modified process is speeded up by having a bobcat operator, compactor, 2 guys screeding the modified, and one checking levels during the process. I guess the real trick to to have workers that "know" what to do when there are five guys on the job. They know what tasks need to be done and who's best at each task. We're blessed to have such great workers and that has a lot to do with our success.