California 2018

The 2018 FHB House is a net-zero energy, high-performance home in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills designed to meet the goals of the California 2020 initiative and comply with the most progressive energy code in the country. The project combines a very tight, well-insulated envelope, cutting-edge mechanical systems, and unique material choices, all wrapped up in a one-of-a-kind modern design.

Pouring the Footings

Placing the concrete and stripping the forms.

By David Good

We always get some extra hands for a pour to make sure it goes well. Placing concrete is basically permanent. For this pour we used the keyway as our screed level and concentrated on troweling a nice platform to build the wall forms upon. The keyway form “floats” on steel stakes that are pulled ASAP. The vertical dowels are studded out through notches in the keyway board. In areas of cascading rock, we needed to form steps and dowel into the granite. The next day we pulled all of the forms, salvaging what we could for future uses.

The footings were troweled and allowed to set overnight. Steel columns will land on the four square footings seen here to support our elevated floor structure.

 

Closeup of one of the stepped footing sections and 2×6 keyway.

 

The basement boulder surrounded by footings. The footings for our basement are in the foreground. The basement footprint shrank because of this boulder.

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  1. RussMill | | #1

    Ever hear of blasting?? Why not drill and blast BEFORE U shrink basement???

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