Big Momma's help makes lighter work...

She may be ugly, she may be old, she may be beyond her best years, but I know two guys who think she is a beautiful champion. They moved her, they cajoled her and they primped her. Hell, she might as well be a race horse.  According to the experts, the building crew, her debut was a great success. She is a giver and has lightened their load. She made the miserable job of mixing cement, easier to the tenth power. The new cement looks smooth and firm, just as it should. Things are rocking and rolling!

After what must have seemed like a year of digging, the piling was uncovered. This is what they found...actuallly it is pretty good as these thing go. Previous pilings removed didn't look anywhere near as good as this one, but in order to create a cohesive continuous whole foundation it had to go.  Modern day footings were to be cast where the pilings stood. The pilings were dimantled and now look something like this.





To the left is the pile of piling. Below to the left is the spot where it was, and what replaced it. Footings. Solid concrete, level flat and a constant base. The previous foundation was pilings and fill ins. Some fill-ins were okay others were horrendous; crooked, mismatched and disintergrating. The sample below right, is the best looking fill-in job on the whole house.

        Here are some more pictures of the project as it stands today. They are amazing guys to have made so much change in so little time. This is a huge job. Daunting to say the least. Did I mention dirty, dusty and thankless?