Hearts and Hammers 2011

dbBrad and Hearts and Hammers, 2011.

Looks like it's going to be a great day.

Travis and Airin

Hearts and Hammers is this weekend, tomorrow actually (May 7th, 2011). We got a jump on things today. This is only my second year with the organization but I've been given my own project and Travis and I have already put in many hours.

Travis telling me not to fall!

Several design/pricing iterations have been done to provide the best value, accomplish the objectives of the Hearts and Hammers review board, and still try to give it the dbBrad touch! Really we were only supposed to fix the front walk but were taking on another task: to solve the water problem that is really the root of the problem.

dbBrad Truck with Landshapers Trailer at Hanson's loading up for Hearts and Hammers

I believe water to be solely responsible for the degradation to the ancillary components of the house. I guess this is fairly convenient since I've been doing so many water management/pond/habitat/restoration projects.

Billy R, one of the volunteers for Hearts and Hammers, had a Jack Hammer he was gracious enough to lend us. It even came with it's own pink, glow in the dark cord!

Today we spent most of today gathering tools and materials and coordinating with volunteers as well as the Grady family, and then getting a jump on the project by busting up some concrete. We wanted to make sure we had tools sufficient for the task, but also needed to clear an area so we could pour a landing for the new stairs.

Travis did the layout on the deck so he could place the pad for the stairs in exactly the right spot. Our goal is to have volunteers totally build the deck, kids and all.

Our primary objective was to fix the front porch walkway which had dropped more than 8" in a 4' span. A few years ago Hearts and Hammers jacked up the garage and porch roofs and poured new piers for them, which, over the years, has been underminded by water.

A glimpse of the water, and just from light drizzle. The grouind was already saturated though.

This time we're taking out all the concrete which is literally sinking due to the saturated soil. Water from houses up above and deforestation has generated lots of surface water with no place to go but run to lower ground. Our project is at the bottom of the hill.

So since our site is a puddle, we're going to one up it and put in a pond. We'll be collecting water from the gutters and from a failing french drain at the back of the propety, capturing and tight lining this water to a brand new pond!!! The pond will have a liner, but the adjoining wetland we're creating will not. Since it will be wet all winter anyhow, our plan is to turn this lemon into lemonade.

The vacant lot next door to our H&H project for which dbBrad and Dalton are drafting a sales offer. Stay tuned!!

From the wetland, water will drain into and under the new permeable driveway, which will act as a catch basin. We're also taking out the entire driveway apron and replacing it with ballast and crushed rock which will be used to provide additional short term water retention.