Day 89 : Garage entry and exterior grading

Since most of the digging and exterior work has been completed, the ground has been graded close to the final elevations. Drain pipes for the gutters have been installed underground as well. For the 2 ft difference between garage and basement level, I and them build a stone wall with rocks from our lot (there are plenty of those rocks around). The area in from of the garage has been converted into a comfortable turnaround when backing out of the garage. Also, the last culvert on the driveway needed to be extended and its exit got embedded into a set of rocks as well.

See the result here:

Building the Driveway

To get one unknown number out of the way, we decided to get the driveway built already in 2013 before winter hits us. Originally, we also wanted to do the well, and interviewed a fed drilling companies, but eventually decided against it: potential blasting for the foundation would pose a danger for the well.

We talked to a few excavators until we decided to work with a company that came highly recommended by our friends. And we did not regret that choice.

But first we had to chose between two driveway options. We decided for the longer (southern) route as it would offer a much nicer approach to the house and seemed to be less steep. Utilities would run separately and be installed later. They will probably use the shorter route from the common driveway directly through the woods.

Here are some photos of the result: