Digging footings for a porch

Using a 1991 Yanmar b50 excavator to dig footings for a new porch.

[@allenstaples6845]

I keep coming back! Your camera work, drone overview of the beauty of your area, your narration, , your “production skills, and of course your amazing skill in operating and repairing the many types of machines, your business skill...securing new jobs, your container build and castle addition etc etc..Yep I’ve read and reread your entries.When you post a new one, I’ll read it asap🙂

[@AndrewCamarata]

Thanks.

[@rjlandscaping7853]

Hey Andrew its Rocco from R & J LANDSCAPING here in CT just wanted to see how your doing and how everything is going well as always we enjoy your videos so please keep them coming there appreciated thanks Rocco

[@johnstegall4119]

Hey Rocco I was just watching Andrew Camarata and noticed your company name. I also own a landscaping business named R and J Services its a small world when you stop and look.

[@prattsgreenhousefarm9473]

That's some good work there Andrew. Liked the tunes as well.

[@judyhildebrant8803]

It's a pleasure watching someone work who is a better equipment operator than I am -- Larry

[@GuruBrew]

You should put a camera in the cab with you looking down on controls and do a synced up split screen in post when digging or whatever

[@donbraden8533]

definitely a big difference in the ground then a month ago nice job Andrew

[@johnscally255]

Super, Amazing work Andrew sir. I can't seem to fine the right words. Your videos are Amazing.Thanks,Cheers.

[@aldimore]

Awesome work Andrew. I don't even take my excavator out when the ground is wet. Then again, mine is just a hobby tool. Envy your skill.

[@markkopf7526]

i would have you put MORE drainage around this house it just looks like it's going to be a soggy mess every spring. you do great work Andrew! love your videos.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Next video (should be up tonight) is about drainage.

[@CranialAccess]

Great finishing work...look forward to every video!

[@brianmontana]

@andrewCamarata you should sell "So I'm here today on this job" t-shirts

[@elliottfouts6790]

Or “on to the next job” tees

[@markg.2501]

or "I'll Call This Done" t shirts

[@brettjohnson9918]

love the videos, can't wait to see the bridge too

[@AndrewCamarata]

We are still working on that, we need more logs for the deck.

[@brettjohnson9918]

very nice, yeah getting quality logs for a bridge is important if you want a good long lasting bridge unless you go industrial and spend a lot more. especially with all the he you need to get back to the homesite, that's gotta be a strong bridge.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Well I brought a bunch of hard wood logs from the site to the saw mill. We had them cut into 5" boards. He just finished cutting them, and we need about twice as much.

[@brettjohnson9918]

well that will definitely save you some, and makes cleaning up the prop a lot easier, what species was the timber?

[@AndrewCamarata]

I brought Oak and Hickory logs to the mill.

[@harryjnr2335]

Great stuff as always Andrew

[@tvs3497]

I just logged my first 6 hrs on any heavy equipment - a brand-new Kubota KX-040-4 mini-excavator. I may be hooked. The fact that I didn't get her stuck, roll over or hurt myself is promising. I rented it to cut a drive into my one acre of N Ga. mountain property. I cut an 8' swath through the thick jungle -- 120' down a 30% slope - and that was side hill! - I haven't the courage nor the experience to try straight down the slope (although I've learned a lot from YT vids and Andrew's in particular). As my plan was to do all the necessary site prep for a cabin, I'll probably have to buy one of these machines since I run a computer/IT biz full-time and the $2,200/month rental cost could add up. But we'll see. Funny, I was standing there watching Rick's Rental unload this thing when a neighbor walks up and wants to hire me. I told him better find someone with experience... and insurance. Excellent videos, Camarata. You want to try your hand at some mountain terrain? The soil map shows terrain between 25-50% slope. You can have all the granite and marble you dig up.

[@TheDisorderly1]

As always. nice work and keep the videos coming!

[@RhinoPuncher]

You make it look so easy handling an excavator, i tried a volvo ec25 once just for fun and damn its hard to kontroll with all the joysticks

[@kylevandamme1927]

Awesome! Keep up the good work.

[@davethemagnificent2576]

Awesome video Andrew. I know all your videos, it always looks so cold up there. Makes me glad to be in Tennessee lol. Keep up the good work.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Thanks

[@JasonSmith-eg1vm]

Looking good!

[@johnpyle8027]

Another great job Andrew. I wish more young men had the drive that you do! Not afraid to fail! I do have one critique and this may not even be directed at you. (so not dogging you) On the porch. Anytime you build something structural you want to transfer all the load down to the concrete pillars. Never lag or screw anything that supports a load like that. The bolt over time can act just like a log splitter. Fasteners now are also a concern with the chemicals in the wood and so forth can make fasteners fail. Read the boxes. After nearly 50 years in the trades I've seen some horrific accidents. Oh, always use carriage bolts on your sill plate too so it can't pull away from the rim joist, some will say lags, but they can work lose. Keep the videos coming I don't sleep a lot these days!

[@Military-Museum-LP]

It still looks very wet. Do you think it will dry out? Did the creek drain you dug help? Maybe they should tile it ?

[@AndrewCamarata]

The next video that will be up soon, shows the drainage.

[@Hiker63]

I’m still trying to figure out how those two guys came to the exact location and height for those footers. No laser or angle?

[@mtadams2009]

My neighbor who is a builder helped me build my deck. He eyed where the tubes were going. He just knew. He said its what he do, build. Still up 20 years later. It holds my hot tub.

[@mightymoeexcavating754]

WeCanDigIt,is the Yanmar turbocharged? My Komatsu PC50MR2 has a turbocharged Yanmar engine . Thanks for sharing

[@ajitogey7046]

Nice 👍

[@mikejd35d23]

Andrew, you should always dig with you blade in front. The drive motors will be in the back. The bearings in the motors are much weaker than the bearings on the idler in the front.

[@johnscally255]

We Hope the Yard will Dry up soon,so nobody gets stuck?Thanks sir.

[@AztecWarrior69]

I have never seen those type of piers. I was thinking that they would make a bad ass form for an awesome bell shaper concrete pier. Of course they would be for way more than just a porch tho.

[@hypercube33]

When the QII Music hits so good

[@bobwilson8190]

Did the lot pass the perk test it looks real wet for a leach field and septic without doing a raised bed.

[@sheathes]

Lol good thing the sheetrockers were there to plot the footers. I think they would have been better off letting you handle it.

[@dcw1540]

How did you pore the footings ? It looked like you put in plastic post with tops on them?

[@leol1682]

Like the video Andrew your very good at whate you make , take care man .

[@AndrewCamarata]

Thanks

[@Military-Museum-LP]

Hey Andrew. How many hours do you have on the Yanmar now? Great video!

[@AndrewCamarata]

I do not know how many hours are on that machine. I think the meter I added a few years ago is up to 800.

[@gc19901]

you know what would look nice, if you could dig up some nice big rocks and use them as steps.

[@horstszibulski19]

Just wondered if the plastic pylons got to be filled with concrete but it seemed so... I expected to see water occuring just when you were digging the holes, looks like it`s getting more dry at least thanks to your drainage! Thx for the vid! ;-)

[@n8_the_carpenter816]

Those are a special spread footing form to meet the new codes, yes they must be filled with concrete. Just had a built in cap for use while digging and back filling to keep the dirt out

[@orgcoast]

I noticed a number of comments re the drainage. Can those trenches you dug become a permanent feature of this property in order to assist the leach field?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Yes, they are staying.

[@connecticutfireemspdresponses]

FYI to stop you from moving up that far put your blade down. Because I noticed it wasn’t down

[@davidnull5590]

I'm still amazed that site somehow passed the perk test for the septic system. Usually sites like that marsh are rejected or have to pump to a high spot on the property for the leech field. Perhaps they could hire you to dig deep trenches filled with round stone, geofabric and drainage pipes to try to minimize the ground water around the house. Perhaps ask the owners?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Next video, soon.

[@hanyolo382]

Great job Andrew! But man, what's taking the gc so long. That house should be just about finished at this point.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Well, on my end of it. Starting this project in late fall, the winter weather has made it much more difficult, and take longer. But its still getting done. As far as the house stuff; it seems to be going alright. I know there has been the occasional hold up waiting for something to happen because things need to be done in a certain order. I know a recent one that I was somewhat involved with, was getting a propane company to actually show up, as they couldn't start doing the spackle until the heat was on.

[@spikeydapikey1483]

Hey! Quick question, do the black forms get the tops cut, and filled with concrete?? Cheers.

[@3069mark]

I was wondering same thing. I think they do, but not sure.

[@glenjamindle]

No cutting. The top is a removable cap to keep the dirt out until you pour concrete. They are shaped like that to prevent heaving as the ground freezes and thaws.

[@phillipbonner5215]

Nice

[@firstgan114]

Man your Winters are no joke. That ground was frozen rock solid. I've never seen foundations like that before with all that water around there is there any chance of movement? Thanks for uploading the two vids mate, I'm on to the next one now.

[@firstgan114]

Sorry, I meant footings not foundations.

[@TF856]

You probably know this already but you do realize that if you put the blade behind you with down pressure you will have better leverage for digging into hard ground. 😁

[@Lanninglongarmmowing]

Did you weld that hook onto the bucket?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Yes

[@Lanninglongarmmowing]

Andrew Camarata I was going to say it looks a lot like the ones I've welded on our backhoe buckets. Lol.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Yeah, its a weld on hook.

[@samuelbacon1596]

Andy nice job,,, finishing up,,, what you can do on that site.!!!!! PS just a FYI. IN YOUR TRAVELS IF YOU COME ACROSS A POST HOLE DIGGER FOR YOUR SKIDDER,,,, GRAP IT,,,, IT MAKES A HARD JOB GO EASY!!!!!! , YOU CAN GO FROM 6" all the way up to 36" you could bid a job for installing fence or digging holes for a pole barn. Nice add on for your skid steer!!!!!!!! Just another way to make some money the easy way,,,,,,, In the day I made money that way. Take care JUNKMANDO

[@AndrewCamarata]

Yeah, I want one. I have a post hole digger for the tractor. Its ok, not great.

[@uknowulikethat4042]

the plastic forms you buried, were they left empty or filled later on?

[@AndrewCamarata]

They were filled with concrete.

[@tedohio3038]

How concrete per tub?

[@finley795]

The house made me wonder if you have any projects for your property planned for this year?

[@AndrewCamarata]

There are a few things I want to do. If I can ever find the time, I've been so busy doing other peoples projects.

[@stevesmith-wc2gb]

I could have done it in the winter all it would take is a ground heater

[@kmcwhq]

If you leave those machines onsite, park them tight back to back so it's harder for perps to open the doors and steal batteries, etc.

[@AndrewCamarata]

I've never had problems in this area. There aren't too many sub humans around here. If I catch someone stealing something, they are getting buried on site.

[@kmcwhq]

You never know you have those problems until it's too late......

[@ItsLilRobs]

What were the songs used in this video?

[@emiliogonzalezpastoriza8782]

SALUDOS DESDE ESPAÑA 🇪🇸 AMIGO 🖐️

[@micahadams2]

I've been following this since you started. Love seeing it come along. Any idea why they are building such a small house?

[@markconger8049]

Micah Adams - just an observation but that house is prime for add ons later. Perhaps budget was the deciding factor for the initial build.

[@AndrewCamarata]

It's just for one person. But if that basement was finished, there would be decent space in there.

[@Crewsy]

Small is a relative term. I bet if you drove around the area you would see a lot of houses that are a lot smaller sitting on pier foundations. I also think this house is bigger than it appears on Andrews videos based on the type of lenses typically used for outdoor videos like these after seeing his walk through video.

[@ACoustaDC]

Andrew, do you ever calculate the operating cost per hour of each of your machines?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Yeah, it has to do with how much time they spend broken.

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

Ten thumbs down! Congratulations, thats like a badge of honor in the world of youtube. You are popular enough to have haters Man! ;-)

[@FARMERJARED14]

47 now lol

[@iowamatt2519]

Looks like they tarred the foundation way high. That's a lot of sand blasting

[@AndrewCamarata]

Its going to get filled a drop higher. Than the exposed concrete is going to get covered with a decorative stone.

[@michelwong1]

👍👍👍.

[@dodgechargerking]

Do you know the dimensions of the house?

[@ZeroFloat.]

Today is April 5 and the ground in Estonia is still frozen :(

[@regsparkes6507]

That saturated dirt worries me, I wish that area had more weeping tile in it. Almost every bit of excavation that Andrew has done has shown that this is the case. I just hope it does dry out.

[@jayphillips4058]

There are several areas around my country where there has been both residential and commercial development put on expandable clays, areas with high water tables/subbing, and swampy ground. Constant post-constuction issues - foundations settling causing persistent interior failures, concrete flatwork cracking and coming apart, severe mold problems, septic failures, etc. About 10 years ago, one of the big box stores built on what had been heavily sub-irrigated hay ground. They hauled in tens of thousands of yards of pit run to compact a large building and parking lot pad. It has taken awhile, but the whole place is settling into the ground now, streets are blowing to pieces, all the concrete flatwork is heaving, cracked and spreading, water isn't flowing where it's supposed to and there is a pervasive smell of mold. And this is in a relatively dry climate in a high altitude mountain valley.

[@RobsTrucking]

Looks like things are coming along at that house. Couple questions is the road fabric code there? I notice you use it a lot. Also i think your yanmar 50 is a grey market excavator any issues finding parts? I looked at a couple grey market excavators and all the parts were considered available global which means everything is coming from South Korea or Japan and 1 to 2 weeks with freight.

[@AndrewCamarata]

I think road fabric is code. Its certainly a good idea though. I have the parts manual for that machine, so being able to look up the part numbers makes it really easy to get parts. But that thing doesn't break.

[@AztecWarrior69]

It be cool if they wrapped the porch with stairs.

[@kahvac]

They work well.. I used to service them ..great machines.

[@brianalexandre1125]

What's the song playing @ 4:10? It sounds similar to Alice in Chains' "Junkhead."

[@Honda-wing5811]

Seems to me all of the houses that you work on are so tiny and so small seem to me that it wouldn’t be worth building. Maybe it’s the new in thing I don’t know.

[@carlodanese9120]

Usually you need planning permission to build a porch with foundations

[@AndrewCamarata]

If you ask if you need permission, the will always say yes. Even if your doing work without asking for permission. Make sure your doing it right.

[@carlodanese9120]

Andrew Camarata good for you! If you build here in Europe without planning permission you’ll get big fines and you’ll have to destroy what you have built

[@safffff1000]

I lived in northern Ohio and know the winters. I would never build a house unless it had an attached garage, I don't know why any body wants to walk thru the ice, wind and snow to a garage far away.

[@jackrossman3565]

Have you ever thought of getting a hydraulic thumb im not sure what they go for but it seems it would work well with the type pf work you do

[@gtogreg2811]

Have you ever thought of watching the video? It has a hydraulic thumb.

[@jackrossman3565]

@@gtogreg2811 that is not a hydraulic thumb, its a manual thumb

[@walsh9354]

Why wasn’t it done with the foundation ? Last minute change in plans ? Too cheap for a bulk head ?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Yes, added on after.

[@andrewlyon6834]

Why are the footings plastic never heard of or seen anything or any do that

[@AndrewCamarata]

They got filled with concrete.

[@Simonsimps]

I'm confused, you said they built the porch on the footings you poured. Is there concrete under those plastic things ? I'm from the UK and when you pour a footing that normally involves concrete. Not been funny or anything Andrew, love your video's and normally you explain things well, to the point of even knowing what people are going to say in the comments. Cheers.

[@AndrewCamarata]

Those plastic things got filled with concrete.

[@Simonsimps]

Andrew Camarata thanks for the explanation. Never seen those before.

[@karikurttila9419]

Vaikka ihan tavallista tekee priimaa tulee😊

[@1944chevytruck]

thanks 4 video...........be kind//////////////////

[@watermelonineasterhay7430]

As usual, good job. I was mysteriously un-subscribed from your channel?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Thanks, that's weird. I guess keep an eye on that, your the first person to say that.

[@watermelonineasterhay7430]

Andrew Camarata ok, I thought I'd let you know, perhaps it's happened to others as well but they didn't mention it and just re-subscribed? I've read of other people that have had the same thing happen but on other channels. How I noticed that i was un-subscribed was because this video popped up in the suggestion section on the right of the screen. I've watched most if not all your videos and the title didn't look familiar. So I went to look in my subscriptions and saw that your channel wasn't listed anymore.

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

Probably not the first person its happened to though, just the first one that noticed.

[@mhess427]

+Andrew Camarata I like how your commentary is about the job and getting the work done and you don't spend half the video talking about how to maximize profits, make more money, etc. Those are good too, don't get me wrong, but your work is what makes your channel superior to others. By the way, do you like Dream Theater?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Thanks. What's Dream Theater?

[@AndrewCamarata]

I googled it, is it the band? I do like it, sounds nice.

[@mhess427]

@@AndrewCamarata yeah, just wondering because I know they usually stop in Albany when they tour and I thought I heard them in one of your old videos.

[@bennyrlove]

rental house? or belongs to someone?

[@AndrewCamarata]

Belongs to someone.

[@michaelyarmie4858]

Long drawn out process building that place. Was done all ass backwards..

[@aaronabney8924]

Its liveable now if you're almish...just dig a hole for a shitter house

[@chicagobuilderscontractors397]

Not a single level was used in the making of this video

[@TF856]

Too bad you have to put music on here. It gets old turning the audio off and watching silent movies.

[@AndrewCamarata]

When the video is sped up, there is no audio.