In this episode of the Hilltop Project, the builders have finished excavating the build site and are ready to start constructing the forms for the footings.

Video Transcription
The Morse family, the owner/builder of the Hilltop Project, is moving along nicely prepping the site for their future home. The site has been fully excavated and leveled, the ground is marked to show where the footings will go, and the builder has started to dig out these areas. After some delays due to rain, the builder has completed the dig and is now ready to build the forms for the footings. Due to the rocky nature of the soil present at the build-site, the owners had to adapt their footing forms to work properly.

Chris: So one of the adaptations that I’m making for my rocky soil is I’m having to build my forms up on top of the ground instead of digging down in, what’s called earth forms. And I didn’t have the time or the luxury with all these rocks to set the tops of these boards perfectly level everywhere. Plus it made more sense to buy these two by twelves instead of just eight-inch boards. I need an 8-inch thick footing according to my engineer. So I’ve built these footings so they’re above the 8-inch level. I’m going through with the laser and I’m setting these nails. I’m setting nails at the 8-inch thick mark from the highest point on the ground and I’m going to strike a line everywhere around and put a nail so when I fill the concrete, I’ll fill them up to that nail level.

After constructing the forms the builder is ready to lay down the necessary rebar reinforcement. Since the forms have been constructed on rocky soil the builder uses nails to mark where the top of the concrete should be after the pour. After the marker nails have been put in place the footings are complete and are ready to be poured. If you would like to learn more about the Hilltop Project or if you would like to learn more about ICFs be sure to subscribe to BuildBlock ICFs and turn on our notifications.

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