Before we could start construction, we needed to demolish the existing old house that was in complete disrepair. We used the commingled recycling method, where everything from the demolition gets put in one dumpster and then sorted at the recycling facility. CDL Recycle did a fantastic job, achieving a remarkable 99% recycling rate. That’s 162 tons saved from the landfill!
Mobilization was next, with a focus on minimizing the impacts of construction on the site. Six trees--including two large Douglas firs--were fenced to protect them so they can continue to thrive as part of the new landscaping. The old asphalt driveway will serve as the access for construction trucks, all but eliminating tires from tracking mud off the site. The downhill edge of the work area was staked with a silt fence to stop runoff into neighbor properties. And dirt excavated for the foundation was tarped to prevent erosion by wind and rain while it waits to be reused later as backfill. Model Remodel maintains a really ship shape job site.
Because the site slopes at about 9% down to the west, the house basement is partly buried into the hill. The maximum excavation depth is about 6 feet, tapering down to zero at the downhill side. First, the existing topsoil was stripped and separately stored to be reused on site. Then the excavated dirt was stockpiled to be reused as well. We are hoping to not export any dirt for this project, just rearrange it on our building site instead.