Small post today, our Apartment Workshop Garage Expansion just completed underground plumbing and foundation work today. Lumber and wood truss delivery only a few weeks out. (photos by owner)
Bets were on for 7 concrete trucks.. however it ended up being closer to 9!
Progress also continues with our adjacent Hill Country Modern Home... with formwork now completed and underground plumbing / electrical work well underway.
Stay tuned, as both of these exciting Lake House projects will be in construction parallels. Check out more of our Lake House projects here.
Workshop Garage Apartment Expansion
The two-story addition includes enlarged family spaces, a new master suite, and functionality to an existing garage - all without compromising the character of the original vacation home.
This project includes an expansion to the existing 906 SF garage, adding over 3,300 SF of storage and workshop space. Ideally for country homes, large workshop garages house wakeboard boats, UTV's, 4 wheelers, motorcycles and whatever adrenaline fueled toys that you can imagine.
The second story is compromised of three bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a large family space. Each room had specific requirements by the client, which accommodates their children and grandchildren needs. Ample space in each bedroom allows for double twin bunkbeds, storage for suitcases and children needs and easy access to bathrooms.
The kitchen and family rooms are divided by a freestanding, oversized island containing storage on one side and decorative panels with extra electrical power connections on the other. Multipaned doors on kitchen cabinets suit the period of the house and add depth to cabinet-lined walls. Additional storage is tucked into the corridors, including a pantry space.
Concrete Foundation
When building a new home in the Texas Hill Country, one of the most important steps is to construct a solid and durable foundation that will support the structure for years to come.
A concrete foundation is a common choice for many homeowners because it offers several advantages, such as strength, stability, resistance to moisture and pests, and energy efficiency. However, building a concrete foundation requires careful planning, preparation, and execution to ensure a successful outcome.
Slab on grade foundation: This is the simplest and most economical type of foundation. It consists of a single layer of concrete, usually between four and eight inches thick, that is set directly on the ground (with a vapor barrier). Slab foundations are suitable for flat and stable sites with low water tables and mild climates.
The crew will set the concrete into forms or directly on the ground, depending on the type of foundation. This requires careful coordination between workers, trucks, pumps, hoses, vibrators, trowels, screeds, floats, edgers, groovers, and other tools that are used to mix, transport, place, consolidate, smooth, level, finish, and cure the concrete
The concrete must be poured in a continuous and consistent manner to avoid cold joints (gaps between layers of concrete that weaken the bond) and honeycombs (voids in the concrete that reduce the strength). The concrete must also be poured in a timely manner to avoid setting (hardening) before it reaches its final destination (usually starts early mornings).
We can specificy differnt finishes for the foundation, including rock salt, broom finish or specfific requirements for exposed / sealed concrete floors. Our drawings also require the contractor to protect exposed floors from springboard kickers, to protect from nail chips.
Did you know? Most residential architects provide foundation and framing plans?
That's right, some firms provide additional drawings to assist with the structural design. However, we at Motif Architects prefer to outsource this work to a licensed engineer, who has years of education, training and considered a professional in their specific field.
Even though architects have education and "some" training with structural calculations, we are by far from being experts. If the house doesn't have a great foundation and "bones" from the start, its on the path of being unsuccessful from the beginning.
To learn more about this exciting expansion project, please check out the project write-up.
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