It Begins

I'm happy to say that we've finally started construction activities on our project. It still doesn't look like much because we need to spend the time to establish our boundaries and elevations correctly before pouring the critical building foundations. Once the slab for the lowest level is poured the speed will begin to pick up, hence the 45-day duration for the first level completion and the 30-days for each of the remainders.

Following are the photos from the first three days of construction. The contractor brought framing lumber from another project he was finishing up, and dropped it off at the site.

(we have lumber! the first activity on the site in weeks)

(close up view of the same)

Next the crew began to set up a wood frame (called "Iswerah" or bracelet) around the limits of construction. This frame will allow us to mark both the location and elevation of the axis for the footings, the foundations and the slab for the lowest level.

(crew setting up the bracelet)

(there were 4 workers on site this week, 2 "masters" and 2 helpers)

Once the level perimeter is set up, the surveyors came and marked the axis of the 2 outermost foundations on the boards, as well as gave us an elevation benchmark. From those 8 points and that elevation mark we are able to calculate the location of the intersections / centers of all the footings and will set up frames for the reinforced concrete pour in the coming days based on those locations and the design details for each footing.

(the bracelet almost complete)

(view of the completed, marked bracelet from the site office)

Next week, in addition to setting up for the footing concrete pours, we will finalize negotiations with concrete, steel and stone providers for material pricing, receive and set up the site office furniture, and complete the design for (and put up) the site project sign to create more visibility.