First Concrete Pour: Form-A-Drain 4-in-1 Foundation Footings

[@bannockchief]

Only a few things: 1) a slump test can definitely be done on site, a compression test is what takes a long time and happens in the lab, 2) adding more stakes and using top/cross ties all help to keep flimsy forms from bowing, 3) at one point you mentioned you dug down 2 ft and filled with gravel, but 2 ft of gravel surrounded by a field of clay/soil, even compacted, makes for a precarious foundation substrate. In the future you may want to maintain your gravel field to a minimum making sure it extends beyond the forms far enough to compensate for any potential errosion and pour your footing at a greater depth. Nothing says you need to keep the footing on the same plane.

[@henryhenry271]

form a drain lmfao

[@Nttt739]

I ran into the thought that the only thing stoping lateral movement is the soil. Thus, I put sheet piles around perimeter as a precaution. On my similar project . Foundations are tricky.

[@Nttt739]

By erosion ,you mean water getting between stones and soil?

[@Dysturbed-00]

I am a contractor and I do my own home improvements. I can't trust the ones I can afford and I can't afford the ones I can trust.

[@whydoineedtohaveacct]

That statement rings so true, the guys i can afford I know personally and in 80% of jobs I have to be there to ensure that I can pay them agreed upon rate, it's hard being the boss when not home lol, and i guess i know how to word things because the relationships are still intact, tact is key, teamwork, understanding and common sense somehow solutions materialize

[@rolas148]

welcome to my world contractor in colorado

[@jaradcolefield]

Lol im planning to build a house in MD which is far from my home and i have learned after 25 years in the business Trust No one, But rely on the knowledge of as man pros possible when their past results show they know more than you do about it then you do.

[@trishhue5603]

Sounds like my brother...however, the great cobbler is always making shoes for others before starting on their own. Best wishes in your endeavors.

[@BluemanC]

Well said! Man well said..

[@rwm5518]

Thanks for the video, it's interesting and well produced. In the Texas Gulf Coast area where I live, we mostly build on very high PI (plasticity index) clay - the kind of soil that shrinks and swells (sometimes considerably) depending on the moisture content of the soil and so our foundations (if you get a good builder) are considerably more substantial. Due to the diligence you describe, I'm certain that your foundation is adequate for your area and I would like to see the "next steps" - hopefully you'll make more videos. I have spent my life building refineries and chemical plants and supporting facilities, but also roads and bridges during recessions. Since you've been kind enough to share, I offer my experience as well: - The slump test you mention is an indication of how wet the concrete is - it is ALWAYS performed onsite AFTER the last addition of water to temper the mix. - The problem with too much water in concrete is that it can allow the aggregate to separate from the paste (the sand, cement and fly ash) and it holds the cement in such a suspension that it cannot chemically bond as well - leading to weaker concrete. - As you noted, the concrete will lose an inch or two of slump as it is pumped, but with today's concrete design mixes, "wet concrete" (in excess of 6" slump) is not such a big problem - yours looked like about a 6" slump once it hit the forms. - The reason your forms bulged is because the contractor did not use enough stakes - I'm betting that if you checked the vendors information, they suggested a safe spacing for lateral support - for future reference. - Also, anyone in the concrete industry for more that six months (and with a brain the size of grape) would know that the rebar must be clean prior to placement of the concrete - it is also a clear requirement in ACI 318 - quote that in your next request for proposal. - ACI 318 and other construction standards also address adequate rebar support - chairs are COMMON PRACTICE - not an "extra thing" - and I would have placed twice as many as that contractor did - a good rule of thumb is you should be able to walk on the rebar and it will rebound to its design location. - One last suggestion: To preclude all the yammering about slump and water/cement ratios, simply add a minimum 28 day strength requirement to your contract and then hire a local geotech company to make sample cylinders from the concrete as it is being placed in the forms (this is important). Tie the strength requirement to the price of the contract ~ if the cylinders fail to break at the required strength, the contractors compensation will be reduced by the same percentage of the deficiency. This way it's up to him - and walk away from any contractor afraid of such a requirement, it is not that onerous nor is it uncommon. Thanks again - I hope this helps.

[@HomePerformance]

What an awesome comment, thanks brother! Keep them coming, and I promise we’ll keep the videos coming too.

[@marcusbk7317]

Thanks

[@midgainc]

Kudos to you for involving your kids to watch. I am a contractor in Monroe County. I use compacted gravel as a base for concrete driveways, but I have removed slabs inside homes and had never been driven on that were 50 years old and where gravel was used for fill. The gravel had self compacted and left a 4” gap under the slab. In your case the rock would hold its on and the gravel may settle. The simple old school ways of digging a more or less straight ditch in virgin dirt and filling with concrete is holding up millions of homes with no issues. Anyhow, chase your dream and listen the experienced guys.

[@HomePerformance]

😀

[@dwightcarter6334]

You will go back 15 years from now and watch these videos and the only thing you will care about is listening to your precious little girl asking how heavy your new home will be :) Keep up the good work!!

[@SR-gt350]

Yes, shes a civil engineer in the making

[@brentdreamer2025]

I am building a log cabin in British Columbia and have minimal construction experience. My brother and a good buddy are general contractors and will be helping with the build. WHEW. I really liked the video and the way you described things, I understood every bit of it and am looking forward to my build now. Thanks for the video and take care.

[@HomePerformance]

Hey Brent, great to hear, and best of luck with your self-build!

[@tordeanrivera7983]

When i saw the way those forms were reinforced, i knew you were gonna have a blow out.

[@EllieM_Travels]

I tried my hand at being my own general contractor on a complete home renovation, and it was exhausting! We did it though! You are SO right!

[@elmerkilred159]

Did you go get a General Contracting license in your city? Or did you need one?

[@treystills]

The limbic system is the area of the brain responsible for perceiving negative stimuli/input. Its approximately three times larger than other areas of the brain that perceive positive input. We have evolved to have more real estate devoted to pay attention to negative/harmful stimuli/input. When studying construction I often read through the comments knowing that a significant proportion will most likely be negative towards the project or producer. I find that even in negative comments some value can be extracted to help me learn. I'm not sure why but the field of construction seems to have a disproportionate amount of individuals who are unable to formulate constructive criticism. Your work has elicited positive and constructive criticism as well as the usual responses. Im sure you've chosen to focus on those positive responses even though our brain wants to ruminate over the negative. Keep up the great work and I'll look forward to any future posts you produce. Thx again!

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for the reminder, T

[@dillonjc2]

Form a drain has been around for a long time. There are spreader bars you place on top to keep the forms from bowing in when you put gravel on the inside and outside to keep the forms in place. We would also use furring strips cut to the proper length for the same thing. The use of gravel on both sides of the form makes it easier to pour since you don’t have to worry about form movement.

[@zhugeliang777]

I don't get how gravel helps.

[@faindave]

"They're crazy but they hide it" - Truth. Raising kids the right way I see!

[@romanredbass7673]

@homeperformance there's a lot of know it all's commenting that have no clue what the situation is lol. We've been using the form a drain system for a long time now. It's really an amazing product, I know it's a little late but for future reference that system has steel stakes designed for it that you don't have to remove after you pour, also it has rebar saddles that hook to the top of the form drops down in between the two to hold up the bar, so no ground contact at all and they also hold the inner and outer forms at the desired width basically eliminating the bow. Keep up the good work bud.

[@HomePerformance]

You are awesome. Thanks for the tips!

[@pamelawannamaker242]

Now that is a good product that comes with its own braces and hangers

[@Chris4943]

I really appreciate that you’re out there doing what you do. I learned a lot from listening to you. You have very high standards, but are pretty cool at the same time. I’ll definitely be following your build to learn more.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks a lot, Chris

[@shangosankofa9560]

2x8s to form inside and outside of the form-a-drain with 2x4 spreaders to hold everything in place and to prevent bowing during pour. An extra step to keep the homeowner/builder happy.

[@eagle18hls]

Took the words out of my mouth. He's dealing with a contractor that is playing it down to some extent. In hindsight after the pour began, the contractor knows damn well he should have formed the form-a-drains with wood for bowing strength. Prob his first time. How exciting.

[@GoldsConcrete]

Its always nice being in the business forever and still learning new tips and tricks. Thank you !

[@HomePerformance]

Gosh it's nice to hear from an experienced concrete pro who's not bashing everything we're doing! Thanks so much my friend.

[@GoldsConcrete]

@@HomePerformance Theres a hundred ways to do 1 thing, and everyone has a little something to share !

[@mimigee5631]

I'm a woman and I was happy to find your channel. I'M just pouring a front porch. However, I feel like I need all that you talked about

[@HomePerformance]

Glad you found us too, Mimi- I’m sure you’re porch will be awesome if you’re looking this deep into it

[@joeclark9112]

I am a Redimix driver. The slump test is done on site only if requested by builder. The pump can withstand a dryer mix then a 4 or 5 in. slump.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks Joe, I’ll call the plant ahead and talk with them. There’s a communication glitch between struc eng specs in psf and slump inches, just need to bridge that gap with the right help

[@chuckru8638]

@@HomePerformance The mix design you are using should have a number associated with it that should be on your batch ticket. The mix design, which the batch plant should have on file, will tell you all the pertinent information such as slump and weight of the materials per cubic yard as well as any add mixtures. I have not seen anywhere on your site about the design of your house. Will you be sharing the design any time? I am really curious about what type of foundation walls you will be using. I would like to say that I admire you for taking on the challenge of being your own GC. It is not an easy job and most of the time you will get more grief than help. Wish you the best of luck on your project and don't let the haters get you down.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks man- this house is pretty exhaustively outlined at: Http://homediagnosis.tv/atlanta-homestead

[@24revealer]

@@HomePerformance Ya, they just didn't want you doing the slump test because they added a bunch of water to make it flow like it is. Almost every concrete guy I know adds a lot of water because it makes it easier to work with and save them time because time is money you know.

[@sw5824]

I'm not a contractor I thank all of your comments I learned more from the comments than the actual pour at the site

[@lamberko]

Thank you very much for this very informative video. Here in Germany our construction methodes are a little bit different, but in general similar. Goal is to build a home what will last forever and with low maintenance costs. Enjoy your new home 👍

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks, brother

[@villacoya]

When Wayne Homes build my my home, I spend 6 month of my life on details and upgrades to make sure to have a solid foundation, and after be the crazy pain in the ass owner watching this video make me feel not the only one. thank you.

[@HomePerformance]

GOOD JOB. Keep it up.

[@takgrillo]

I don't know if is the same for small house foundations, but for concrete buildings slump test is always done on site by an inspector.

[@Forrest-Jackson]

Never actually seen a concrete pour but telling me all about concrete forms and foundations. M'kay.

[@jayphillips4058]

Good vid - I've got a pretty fair background in concrete batching, placement and pouring, pumps, front discharge trucks and time as a finisher. Interesting to cruise KZbin and pick up on better ideas and methods, as well as tools of the trade, even after over 20 years of experience. Comments sections always leave me wondering if other phases of construction have as much misinformation floating around as concrete. If it's not #1 on the list, it's got to be close. Best of luck with your project!

[@HomePerformance]

Hey, thanks Jay! Good to know there are experience guys out there who don’t think I should be put in prison

[@chazs5125]

Slump test is done onsite use to deliver concrete and is the most important thing about concrete and they usually take samples to test psi also

[@Paulman50]

Slump test is done with wet concrete. MPA test is done after 28 days crushing a cast plug.

[@RangerM98]

Thanks so much for documenting this. I am very similar to you in that I want to have it done right and I appreciate you pointing out many of the gotchas in the process of working with sub-contractors. It really does give me more confidence to know what to expect when trying to get the best product possible.

[@HomePerformance]

So glad to have helped you in any way, my friend. Thanks for following.

[@CarlosRodriguez-wc3wb]

This video is more helpful to the homeowner/GC wannabe with trust issues than it is for a homeowner that really wants to learn and understand a process or method of construction; taking a year off work to half ass learn , babysit an unskilled contractor and waste energy and more money than needed on top, might sound smart, but it is not; what is smart is to pay more for a qualified contractor (s) and trust their wisdom and skills, definitely not a good example to follow when thinking about becoming your own GC. All that said; Form a drain system is the most advanced and complete, foundation footing forming and drainage system available, it comes with all sorts of connections and accessories for a complete installation, including 18"-36" grade stakes ( to secure forms to the ground and allow for level setting) and spreaders to allow for side to side form stability ( so stone fill is placed on both sides of forms before placing concrete) and rebar hanging and tying; all these accessories were omitted in this installation, also, the flimsy rebar chairs presented as indispensable, just crush under the pressure of the pumped concrete ,wire brushing the rebar advice just makes me feel compassion, more for the concrete contractor than for the homeowner and I can keep shredding this apart , but it is not worthy. Finally, most of the time, it doesn't pay to try playing GC but , if you are really interested on becoming your own( or somebody else's), please try to get involved in the trades industry and learn hands on, be ready to spend a good chunk of your live on it, before you try to sound smart and claim knowledge, remember, the price and effort are high no matter what, and you will pay it , one way or the other. Good Luck!

[@R_B62]

Bingo, you hit it on the head!!!

[@vladimirmacko1481]

As you said you're "crazy" but the right way. You took it to a next level and to be honest I would like to be your contractor and get paid some extra all those "specialties" like cleaning rebars LoL. And I'd love to discuss new things about a "usual foundation" (and other things around this build) which you made actually special and unique. Big thumbs up! Wear a hard hat when around the pump truck, just my 2 cents, I run it for several years and believe me it's worth it.

[@HomePerformance]

Hey thanks Vladimir, that’s the spirit! No idea why so many contractors hate being paid more to learn new things and be better. Actually I guess it would mean that their dads were not as perfect as they thought, which might be a pretty good reason. And yes to the hardhat- I have also learned I need to close my mouth when concrete starts shooting out.

[@derricksaunders5280]

I agree with being on site every step of the way. Once you learn the full scope of developing you will save and make much more than you loss taking a year off work. Great Job ! 👍

[@HomePerformance]

Hey thanks Derrick!

[@will08080]

Ballast on the outside of your forms is super important with pours of that size!

[@romeohussain6564]

I'm glad you developed a good relationship with your Contractor. That's integral. And had a structural and geotechnical engineer on board to give designs and advice as you went along. Your explanation to your daughter that you're crazy or that "Other people are just as crazy but hide it better" really warmed my heart. Lol~!

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for watching and commenting, brother

[@randywinegardner7517]

You’re baby girl stole the show. Totally didn’t hear a word you said when she came on. Lol. Cute kid. Good video and good luck with the rest of your build.

[@romeohussain6564]

Lol! I had to try to concentrate too.

[@forfinkly]

People can be as picky as they want as long as they can afford the price, some people just get mad at customers but is their house and they are paying to get it done right.

[@HomePerformance]

100% correct, I am paying for it. I never haggled with this sub, nor argued any additional charges.

[@silcozot]

they are paying to have it done the way they want it done, even if it's not the correct way. es the slump test is always on site

[@bp4170]

or in this case not right or did you miss the whole footing part?

[@JeffRemasPhotography]

I have no words other than happy I'm not involved in this project on any level.

[@HomePerformance]

Me too I guess

[@jtltet]

Well, apparently you're a photographer so why would you be involved in this project. I applaud the homeowner for being so thorough and making sure the sub-contractors are doing their jobs correctly. Sure, it might be a pain for them to have the h/o looking over their shoulder all the time but in the end it's the h/o's money and he has the final say.

[@HomePerformance]

Relax, AC, Jonathan is responding to the deep current of old-dog contractor attitude on this comment thread. You’re both right.

[@dozer1642]

dirkhans001 I just wonder how many different contractors will have been a part of his learning curve by the time the house is done.

[@jamesjazwinski4412]

@@dirkhans001 yeah because they will find out you are full of shit. Your time saving will cost the homeowner more money and time . Hes just a homeowner though right?

[@JeremyCarnahan]

Great video, with alot useful information. 1 tip is to say the number before you say slump. Ex. 5 slump. It'll make you sound like a pro. Have a good day.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks, Jeremy! I’m a big fan of Tom Hardy’s concrete foreman in the movie ‘Locke’- they apparently call it C-5 across the pond.

[@markjohnson6498]

Never let the concrete supplier dump one gram before doing a slump test. Slump tests are to be performed on site just before the load is ready to dump, pump etc. Do not ever rely on the concrete supplier to tell you the slump. It is a simple procedure and takes about five minutes to do. Always verify your mix is what is specified by the engineers. Always record your slump test and keep written records of the time the truck arrived on site and when it actually emptied it's contents. You only get one chance to do concrete properly. Improper mixing and using retarder's to extend the working time of concrete are the main cause of failure. Never ever trust a concrete supplier to do the right thing. Someone's children will be living in that home and it better be 200% correct.

[@mitchdehotte]

Slump test has no importance for a foundation work( and for a lot of other work) you just know the consistance of your concrete and then his workability nothing else , ratio water/ciment is more important, using a retarder has no (bad) influence on the quality unless it s a proper retarder ( and not glucose water mix made on site for example ), you have 90 min to pour your concrete since it s put in the mixer, if you use retardant this time increase, using a retader rise up the mechanical performance of your concrete , see sika files if you don t believe it

[@johnhoward4977]

People that actually do Concrete work can judge slump by eye. The QC guy isn’t going to show up for your residential 30 cy footing pour. You can pay a testing company, or buy a slump cone and learn how to use it while you have a truck sitting there. It’s all about water.... order 4000, don’t exceed specified water, it will break greater than 4000.

[@johnhoward4977]

ArthurDentZaphodBeeb I get that. Good points. I have a bachelor of science in Concrete industry Management and own a commercial/ industrial concrete contracting business. All that I’m saying is in residential footings it really doesn’t matter. A 4000 psi mix breaks higher than 4000 psi. You can add water within reason for workability. If you want it to flow like water order SCC for an extra $50 / cy

[@johnhoward4977]

john williams the last time I ordered 10 yards of 5000 psi scc for a beam enlargement it was $180 / yard. I don’t know what it cost for lower strength high quantity. I do 1 off design build projects

[@markjohnson6498]

@@johnhoward4977 Residential footing's don't matter ? Add water to make it flow ? That is some very bad advice. The footing's are the most important part in any structure regardless of it's use. Adding water to concrete weakens it. Different soil conditions as well as regions ( snowy, rainy,etc ) will dictate the strength and type of concrete used. I have built the exact same house plan in Detroit and New Orleans and the concrete is completely different as well as the way the footing is constructed. The footing I build in Detroit would most likely sink in New Orleans. Always have your plans reviewed by a local engineer and or architect. I use ICF's for my footings and walls. ICF's work best in conjunction with a pea stone mix rated at 4,000psi or higher. Pea stone mix flows smoother so it is easier to vibrate and thereby reduces the chances of having a void in your finished product. Suppliers hate pea mix as most people will not pay the higher price. Also if something goes wrong ( fails slump test ) they can't pawn it off on the guy down the street. So it gets dumped at a loss. This is why you have to test your load. If it fails the test over at Joe's site they will bring it to your site and hope you don't notice. Just about every job I do the suppliers bring me a truck of regular low strength which gets rejected. I do mono pours which means I pour the footing and the walls at the same time. The slump and mix are critical to making sure their are no voids. I will not scrimp or cut corners on concrete. Do your research on products so you can make educated decisions. Do not let your contractor's make your choices for you or worse yet ignore your decisions and do it their way. This is your home. This is most likely the most expensive thing you have ever purchased. You do not want to move in to your new home thinking if only I would have done this or if only I had used this material or I wish I would have..... You are the one who has to live there. Also remember that you are working for the most important customer you will ever have. A customer who knows where you live, knows where you sleep and has powers of persuasion that you simply are no match for. A customer that you want to please so badly that selling your 67 mustang to buy new curtains almost sounds like a good idea. I said almost. Keep posting videos of your progress and keep asking questions. I don't know you personally but I want you to build a house so nice that you can't believe you built it. More importantly I do not want you to just build a house, I want you build a home. A house is where you live but a home is where you love. Wow sorry about the long post but I really do take this stuff seriously. I am not picking on you John. Just remember he is new to this so we need to be a bit gentle and offer good sound advice so he can succeed.

[@angetodac]

you right...my fence came out a disaster because I was working overtime to pay for it and was never there to check the workers. now I have to rebuild it myself because dont have overtime anymore and no more money for workers just for materials.

[@kevinhornbuckle]

This is the first video of yours that I have watched. I enjoyed it and learned a few things. You are going to end up with a quality home. Your little ones really stole the show. My son was about that age when I poured our foundation. This week he is home from university for Christmas. We looked at his handprint in the basement yesterday. I told him what a fun baby he was.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks Kevin!

[@stipcrane]

I inquired about Form-A-Drain system with my supplier and he said "Oh yeah, you're a little late! We trucked all that stuff to the dump cuz no one was buying it." 6 years earlier I enquired about it, but I was told it was too expensive to put into inventory, especially when no one buys it. I have found that most of the cutting-edge building systems are too expensive to catch on, no matter how brilliant the concept is. House construction in the large developments is a crude hasty, and haphazard process. The goal (surprisingly! not surprisingly) is to make money, not so much build perfect houses. Anyone watching these videos who is building a house for themselves is probably very involved in the planning & construction, and will take extra measures to make his home a quality build. But still, budgets are budgets, and usually it is the case that you must say no to many wonderful products just in order to put the roof, doors and windows on.

[@hubertfont1293]

Really cool how you stayed true to you and be "That Guy" and found a way to do it without making everyone around you crazy. This is NOT sarcasm I mean to be complimentary. I am "that Guy" sometimes lol

[@HomePerformance]

Great minds think alike

[@romeohussain6564]

I wholeheartedly agree.

[@johnbecich9540]

Corbett. I hope you never have to move away from that amazing new home!

[@2drsdan]

Hey Builders, if you ever run into someone like this as a potential client and he does not LEAD with his checkbook, IE deposit in hand, then RUN, RUN, run as fast as you can. It's simply the SCIENCE of contracting.

[@HomePerformance]

More serious builders find more serious clients.

[@drchamp1902]

I’m with the owner on this, most builders have only one goal, make as much as they can get away with and get out. Even engineers deflect most questions as “mean and methods”. If a builder doesn’t share my goals he doesn’t deserve my money. Unfortunately only 1% are good, in my experience.

[@2drsdan]

@@drchamp1902 Right, because we ONLY do it for the money. What do you do? Do you do it for charity? or do you have mouths to feed?

[@drchamp1902]

@@2drsdan most do, they have zero concern for the safety of occupants or quality of work. I have hired many contractors and have seen it again and again. Most collect deposits and disappear for months. Not saying you do that but most do.

[@drchamp1902]

True, get a deposit and disappear for months, that's the science of contracting

[@philiparmand3534]

This is the right approach. If a client doesn’t get involved there will be corners cut and the old, “this is how we always do it.” nonsense. I’m a contractor and (generally) love when a client gets involved. In the last two decades I have only had 2 jobs where the clients had no clue and insisted on pushing their agenda on me. So i simply left. Mostly people want to do the right thing and I have learned a lot from clients doing their own research. This industry has so much new science , better products and methods every day that as a working, belt-on contractor there isn’t enough time to know and re-learn everything. Although I spend 10-20 hours a month reading product websites and watching videos, this isn’t enough. Kudos to you for being a, “pain in the ass.” In my experience that equals caring about the quality of your investment. Don’t worry about push back. I’ve seen people flip out on clients for making a comment. Let them flip. I’ve made comments to subs and have had push back. The conversation now goes something like this: “Don’t tell me what to do. I’ve been doing it this way for 30 years.” Me- “So you’ve been doing it wrong for 30 years?” Them- “F@&k you! I never have a problem.” Me- “No problem, it’s just that the date on your reference material is 30 years old. They stopped doing it that way 26 years ago because it doesn’t work.” I once had to mediate an argument between a plumber and a sprinkler man. Nearly 85 years of expertise between them. The sprinkler man didn’t want the plumber to use standard PEX to feed his system as the blow-out pressure to drain the sprinkler system often is or exceeds 150 PSI. The plumber said, ” that’s how we always do it and I’ve never had a problem.” Sprinkler man threatened to leave the job if he found PEX near his system. The friction continued until the homeowner asked me to make the sprinkler man happy (this was the Babe Ruth of sprinkler men and he was afraid to lose him) . It took me about 5 minutes on the manufacturers website to see that the version of PEX being used at the time had a maximum rating of 80PSI. You would think that fact would solve the problem, but “I’ve never had a problem” continued. So we got a new plumber who was willing to listen and learn and work with the sprinkler man. In my experience you have three options: babysit your own job, hire someone who is psychotic about quality and knows the best products to use, or be ok with “this is how we always do it.”

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for chiming in, Philip!

[@Steven-mm7gb]

You can learn from just about anyone.. sometimes even from your apprentice. Its good to work for more than one company when your working in the trades, you meet a lot of people and see a lot of different ways of doing things and learn a lot … and like you said just because you been doing it for 30 years doesn't mean you have seen it all, especially if you have been at one shop the whole time...pays to have a open mind

[@chuckru8638]

LOL...how come its always " I've been doing this for 30 years". Can't tell you how many times I have heard that.

[@richardheinen1126]

I will go ahead and chime in on this slump subject. 1) when you order a 4-5” slump, 99.999% of the time that’s what you are gonna get. Concrete companies don’t want a load rejected by a customer. 2) the only time you’ll see a slump cone on a job site(in the real world) is on government jobs or anal psycho pours. 3) yes you can look at it and tell what the slump is. The mixer truck driver can tell by looking at it. Most also have a slump o meter(measures the hydraulic pressure it takes to turn the drum) on the truck. Drivers will know how many psi a ? slump takes turn. A driver can most likely tell just by listening to the concrete churning in the drum what the slump is. 4) your pump operator can likely tell by looking at the concrete what the slump is, and i have never operated a pump, but I would imagine they can listen to the pump and know the slump. 5) a real concrete contractor will know their slumps. 6) most common home builders won’t. They don’t deal will concrete every single day. 7) the dryer concrete is the stronger it is. But at the end of the day it has to be pumpable if you’re using a pump. It also has to be workable for the laborers and finishers. You can pour it as dry as you wish, but you’ll have a mutiny on your hands or you’ll need to pay for super plasticizer. P.S. I like the formadrain, it was popular in my area for a while, but it has fallen out of favor for some reason.

[@HomePerformance]

Great comment, thanks!

[@Nttt739]

so ,this is a great video. I realized myself that you must get to solid undisturbed soil. I had to build up a foot as well do to sloped grading . I used 12 inches of 57 stone on top of undisturbed soil. I tested the soil with a probe little penitration. Hope this works. Im only adding a small addition. As you did your concrete in two parts, you should have (shown )more of those rocks you spoke about and why you filled stone to match that level.

[@lysergicheadcase]

Advice that a tradesman is giving you about how something is traditionally done would normally not be considered "putting up" with something. It's a great opportunity to learn, one that is lost on you. I hope you can learn from your mistakes.

[@HomePerformance]

That’s not how I meant it. I meant that when you have an idea for something non-traditional, you might have to persist alone in pushing for it, since your team will likely push back at least a little. Learned on my first build that even as sure as I am of building science, I started to doubt everything if I was the only one

[@lysergicheadcase]

@@HomePerformance There is a lot of pushback to new ideas because among other things, insurance is expensive, and professionals are just trying to cover their ass. So yes, trying something knew that you believe the science behind is risky and takes confidence. Small unforseen variables can cause cascading problems, often in ways that can only be learned having done something before.

[@HomePerformance]

Well said

[@ldr4278]

You are the Man ! You and I would get along very well. Like Brothers. I can really relate to what and how you say it. I appreciate how thorough you are !

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks brother!

[@GDWhiting]

I hate blown out forms it looks sloppy and it's something that could be avoided. I surprised the inspector didn't say anything when he saw two stakes every 5 get to hold back tons of concrete. Should run stakes high and use tie wire. There are many videos and books that show the right way to secure forms from moving. I understand being on site. it's your home and you want it done right. it's just a shame. you took so much time to make sure everything was done right but then the forms can even support the pressure of the concrete. when it comes to concrete, you'll never regret over overbuilding your formwork. Ideally you'd back those plastic forms with 2x10s. what I don't get is how you think that stakes driven 6 inches every 5 feet (or more) down was going to hold back tons of concrete. the steel work and base work is great though. I'm busting your balls. good strong footer there and good for you for being on top of things. good luck with your new home.

[@cviolette36]

Sloppy till its buried. Wider the footer the better. Why does everything gotta be straight push materials to there limits take risks put curves in your work.

[@HomePerformance]

Why are so many of us acting like construction is an exact science? It’s messy. Weather happens. Rocks and dirt shift. When you get a structural engineer to specify your project, they overdo things to allow for little stuff like that.

[@timothykuharich9967]

31 years in the field, the easiest thing to do is cut horse shoes out of plywood and slip over the forms to hold against spreading. Then the stakes will easily do their job holding the forms to a line. Slow that pump truck down and get the tube closer to the ground so it’s not throwing the mud in at a high rate will help also

[@prebooomer]

@@timothykuharich9967 Yeah the plywood horseshoes are the cats ass at holding forms in place, and yes nobody else caught the fact that pumping concrete to fast, will wreck forming faster then anything else!! Also holding the hose nozzle too high will also contribute to form damage.

[@jamesjazwinski4412]

@@timothykuharich9967 nailed it. We use custom steel brackets That rundown the sides as well as a inside piece that goes down an inch just to hold them in place. During the pour we lift them up that 1inch so they are out of the concrete and you can trowel. For any rebar you can use wire to hang the bar. Before lifting the brackets you just untwist the wire and pull it out. It saves so much time and effort and does the best job in my opinion. But for his one time pour the plywood bracket is a great idea. As soon as I saw zero crossers i knew that it was going to bowout alot lol

[@nerfedcubing4344]

I work with form a drain and I love it. I use metal stakes and do not have to remove them, and for spacing and rebar seat I use special metal wire spacers, works great and keeps forms in place

[@HomePerformance]

Thx V!

[@Scott1tothe7]

Congrats on your home! Your family should be very happy with the build. I would love of you would give us your take on ICF Construction. My family is going to build in the next 24 months. Thanks!!!

[@HomePerformance]

Right now, with the HOMEChem knowledge I have, and the fact that all building insulation foam products contain flame retardants like TRIS, I’m only using and recommending foam-free assemblies. If things change with the chemical offgassing, I will happily reconsider.

[@jtltet]

I know it's too late now, but you mentioned in the video about doing the footings 8" deep by 16" wide. While that does meet code for up to a 2 story home, as an architect, I would recommend using a 24" wide footing and not because it is structurally necessary but because it gives a little more wiggle room for the block masons to lay their block straight just in case the footing happened to not be perfectly straight. 16" minus the 8" block leaves just 4" on either side and while in a perfect world that should be ok, what happens in reality isn't perfect so a 24" wide footing just allows for that. It's a little more concrete but it's a lot more piece of mind. Great job btw.

[@bradcrooks3891]

He did get 24 inch footers when the form a junk started to bow out when pouring it.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks, but we did poured 8” walls and everything is perfect!

[@johngeise1806]

Keep your day job

[@jtltet]

@@johngeise1806, who are you referring too? If it's me, it is my day job. Maybe you should find a new job altogether.

[@jamesjazwinski4412]

Thats over kill. Minimum 22" by 6" thick is more then enough plus his is 8" with a 4ft wall ontop. Only reason to go wider would be due to the ground he is on.

[@donaldcowick4280]

I am glad you have done so much research and I am certain you will have a great house when it is done. Thank you for this video. I was unaware of the product, and your experience will help me somewhere in the future I am certain. Man, the rebar I saw was first rate, however, any vertical stake that has a back up brace of less than, or more than between 45 degrees to 60 degrees angle is not strong with that technique. Backing the brace stake with another stake behind it (to bear against) is also stronger in muddy situations. The gravel you wished to use would have kept the form base from moving, especially placed inside and outside the footing forms (even a few inches in height). Finally the concrete I saw being placed looked like a 4-1/2"to 5-1/2" slump and was shot in way too fast. Thus the deformed results. A 3-1/2" to 4" slump placed slowly would have had a better outcome. Most pump truck operators I have used intuitively follow you, so you do not have to swing the nozzle as long as the flow is metered at a steady appropriate pace. Nice family too!

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for your thoughtful comments, Donald!

[@sheph7ceo799]

I’m not a fan of having the foundation walls poured separately from the foundation footings. It will be interesting to see how you join them. I have experienced time and again the “contractor’s way” you speak of. Most contractors have certain methods, good and bad, that they use and they will not deviate unless you are constantly insistent. Even with detailed bid documents they will still use their own approaches and here in Washington state unless there is provable “material difference in performance” they will win any court action. I’m sure there are contractors out there who will do custom work and will follow the drawings but I have never met them and probably couldn’t afford them. Good luck with your project.

[@eltacsyms5607]

Brilliant! Thank you for documenting this and doing such a great job of explaining it.

[@HomePerformance]

So glad you dig it my friend

[@steveburch5113]

I stocked up on lots of popcorn. Two questions. What is the over/under on how long this house is going to take, and on how many general contractors he will lose before the house is complete? I AM THINKING TWO YEARS AND 4 CONTRACTORS.

[@HomePerformance]

One year and one contractor. I'm it. Pretty sure you don't have the background on what we're doing here.

[@R_B62]

Steve you are right, he thinks only one contractor, HIMSELF!! Why, because NOBODY WOULD WORK FOR HIM!!! LOL 20+ years in the trades here!!

[@8Hamo]

Hi Corbett, I have been watching your channel for some time now and I enjoy it emensly. Well done getting the footings in for your new house, I see its been quite a challenge. Things should go a little more to plan now that you are out of the ground (so to speak). Here in Australia, slump tests are performed on site to verify the slump of the concrete delivered. As you are aware concrete strength is a ratio of the water to cement, too much water reduces the the strength and hence requires more cement. The higher the slump, the greater the amount of cement required to achieve the required concrete strength (science!) We also can have compression tests; samples are taken on site, then taken to a lab, left to cure (various cure durations) and then tested for its compressive strength to ensure it meets the required compressive strength for the project. Good luck with the rest of the build and I look forward to watching your progress. Cheers from Down Under

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks Colin- we do the same in the states for big buildings, but not for homes. Have you seen this testing done for modestly-sized homes there?

[@8Hamo]

Hi Corbett, yes on-site slump tests and cyclinder tests (compression tests) can be requested for domestic dwellings. I have had architects that have specified that tests are to be performed as part of the contact documentation. It is also worth noting that the major concrete plants have strict and high standards of practice with producing concrete, the best advice one could give is not to add water to the mix when it arrives onsite as adding water weakens the mix, don't let anyone tell you otherwise... it's science! See www.boral.com.au Go to concrete Go to "The book of concrete" It's worth the read. I tried to paste the link, but eh', I'm just a builder! Cheers, Colin

[@prebooomer]

@@HomePerformance We do it in California if the homeowner or the Engineer of record wants it done, I have performed special inspection on several homes myself, mostly big homes by wealthy people. The service is not cheap.

[@Qaw434]

We only clean rebar if there is oil or somthing that will prevents bounding between rebar and concrete that's only rust (oxide film) and it's good for rebar increasing the bound strenght between rebar and concrete according to ACI

[@romeohussain6564]

Cleaning rebar is a common practice before concrete pours. A special chemical that cleans off rust before pours can be used, and it also cleans off oils and dirt. Especially when rebar is installed days or more before the pour is made, and that time allows for the rebar to be "weathered". Steel/rebar will always try to resort to its natural state, meaning its oxide - it will rust - and when it does, it will expand. This expansion causes it to burst the concrete into which it is surrounded or embedded. Clean rebar for a proper bond, then cover it properly with concrete so it never comes into prolonged contact with air and moisture.

[@TheArlberg1]

Now I know so much more! Formply is the way to go. Well done info.!

[@chrisgentry4427]

Oh those poor contractors. lol I'll bet they get tired of you telling them how to do their job. No judgement though, you are the one paying, and want to get what you asked for.

[@BluemanC]

Water from below matters more. Nailed it!

[@HomePerformance]

High five

[@SqueakyGoose]

great video, never seen that product and probably won't ever see it in Australia, but lots to think about when doing a normal foundation. Thanks

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for watching buddy

[@Joshua79C]

As an experienced and former basement waterproofing tech (mostly retrofit and some new installs), I can say not all areas of a region or nation will or do require underground/underside water drainage, can use this for an example: I am from MA, I lived in FL for a few years. In Ma and around elsewhere such as CT and RI for other examples my step dad who owned and was gc of the company runnings the day to day stuff on site and doing the estimates for new projects and taking on emergency calls which were interesting at times. In Those three states (CT/MA/RI) you will want to and do need to install said drainage systems, Not much can be done the same with sub grade systems in FL due to its elevation to the ocean surrounding it but simple systems like louvers (such as Smart Vent and Flood Vent brands) make most sense to alleviate equilibrium of water pressure differenced from the inside to the outside and to let the above grade basement if the house is built as such to drain out in the event of a hurricane flood and the owner is not home for such emergency weather condition. Also there is the sinkhole issue in FL which also negates sub grade drainage in those prone areas.

[@cameronnerdin4910]

As an inspector, i have asked(failed many concrete pour)t because of dirt on the rebar! You are correct it needs to be clean.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks Cameron- keep up the good work

[@Oldperson2]

Think you were "conned"about the slump testing which should be done on site. Also, you can measure the strength of the in-place concrete with a Schmidt Hammer.

[@HomePerformance]

Entirely possible, whether intentional or inadvertent

[@romeohussain6564]

I have used a Schmidt Hammer before. It is important to read the instructions on your model. They usually advise testing concrete after it has cured past 7-days. Yes slump tests can show that adequate and not excess water is used in the mix design. If any admixture is used like a plasticizer or a super plasticizer though that would affect the slump. [They're usually not used for foundations, but more when rebar is more intricate or complicated.] Very commonly with pours, the pourer also casts testing cubes during the pour, which they or the h/o can perform a laboratory test for called "compressive strength" - as an assurance the customer gets the concrete strength paid for, and these testing cubes are either part or not part of the pourer's liability, but at least it gives an idea to the h/o and gives some hold of the pourer to their word.

[@peterputnam3804]

It's called hydrostatic pressure which we have a lot of here in NH. We have to dig below frost line a minimum of 5 feet.and add a keyway to stop water migration between the wall and the footing. All footings must be a minimum of 24 inches wide by 12 inches deep. Granite state issues require radon remediation which is a systems of PVC drain pipe under the slab set in 3/4 inch stone with 3/4 stone over the PVC and 6 mil poly on top of the stone and piping system then concrete for the slab with wire mesh or rebar and fiber mesh added to the concrete. This is why foundations in New England cost so much. Prep work is essential.

[@ryanwolf1938]

So you're pouring another wall on top of this footing then why finish it smooth and also not put a keyway in.

[@court2379]

If you leave it really rough it won't seal between them very well, it will make your wall forms uneven, and let the concrete leak out the bottom in places. Also it would make sealing the outside of the foundation difficult. I think the practice of making the keys has become unpopular. Not sure why, but perhaps because the rebar takes care of it. They are only floating it, it isn't much effort either, so why not.

[@jaro2450m]

I love you perfection on explanation in video. This rebars metal chair will rusted and transfer rust to a rebars and that's why Contractor like to pouring rebars after concrete is done. Like it when many yang engineers what don't have experience on field , over thinking and explained to customers what they must watching on Contractors.

[@lewisclark5694]

Always have a soil engineer test the soil before installing the footing forms. Always. That rebar thing is definitely not foolproof.

[@HomePerformance]

The video right before this one is all about the geotechnical engineer’s tests

[@EdA-bz3bu]

They are going to still think you are a jerk. That is their freedom of thought. The beauty of taking the year off you get to enjoy the time with your kids.

[@HomePerformance]

🤝

[@quentincastellanos3296]

looking forward to see how the rest goes! good luck!

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks Quentin!

[@marklarson2713]

Cool form product! I like your radon detail, sounds great. Also, I think slump tests are supposed to be done on site. And all forms bend unless there's enough bracing. Might just need more with plastic forms instead of wood or metal. Thanks for making the video! There's several things I didn't know before. I've never heard of cleaning rebar, or taking rebar out instead of tieing to the chairs. I've always seen rebar tired into a mat and plastic chairs or bricks used to hold the rebar mat to the correct height inside the concrete. Looking forward to the next video!!!!!

[@HomePerformance]

Interestingly, I could see the rebar floating upward from the buoyant pressure of the boom pump, but they nudged it back down to 3” with the rebar L pieces that will go up into the wall.

[@georgegibson707]

I hope having part of foundation on hard rock and the rest of softer ground doesn't cause cracking from uneven settlement. 8x16" foundation looks fairly minimal.

[@Bobg425]

I cant see any other result TBH. I do wonder sometimes at the depth and size of footings in the US,they nearly always seem very minimal,a 3 storey house sat on a 8 inch foundation with a couple of bits of 10mm rebar sometimes.?

[@georgegibson707]

@@Bobg425 Yes and he distinctly said the foundation is "resting on rock" in one place 3:24 and goes on to describe how fill was brought in for the rest, and uncompacted, hand tamped gravel on top as well. He said he wasn't interested in excavating any rock, like it was his decision, but I personally would much prefer that, than bringing in a load of fill and raising the foundation with forms above ground, which he said was all very expensive anyway.

[@HomePerformance]

Hence our two prior videos where an actual geotechnical engineer specifies our plan, and we spend four days compacting the soil with a trench roller.

[@Bobg425]

@@HomePerformance Just watched .it And he may well be an actual geotechnical engineer but thats not how a soil compaction test is done, leaning on a spike. Tests at 1ft increments are needed, measured weight/distance of penetration number of hits. Now I am not a geotech,I employ them sometimes when I need actual numbers before pouring which is generally when I wasn't there for the original testing and I can categorically tell you that the spike in the top foot test is a waste of time,if its rained and dried the top foot may well be like concrete but a foot down like marshmellow. Normally itd be ok with a 3ft RC footing but you havent got one youve a few inch and one bit is on bedrock ie wont move a 32nd of a inch.

[@HomePerformance]

Right again, and again, we have a video of that test: Home Build Update: Grading Soil for Performance kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4PPqpujod-Lorc

[@kelvinmcartan6678]

Slump test is done at the end of the pump aci, put super p in concrete to achieve workability that is definitely not a 5 inch slump maybe a 7. 4th generation concrete contractor.

[@maximummarklee]

This is the first time I have viewed anything from you, and must admit that several concerns were raised during the course of this video that I am compelled to share for what I believe will be towards your personal benefit. Admittedly, you accurately purport to be a PITA; as a 30-year professional program/project manager who manages stakeholder relationships, I know much about the consumer's perspective throughout his/her judgements and insecurities throughout their respective educational process that should begin with helping the customer become aware of critical decisions you must make - and help you to understand how these decisions will affect the SCOPE of the project. The SCOPE defines every aspect of the project in that is a definition of the core requirements that must be satisfied in order to achieve project closeout where the customer acknowledges their satisfaction that everything promised has been delivered by the service provider. The most important/critical success factor when making those aforementioned critical decisions is that they are INFORMED decisions. What I saw about your decision to use these plastic forms made it clear you did not make an informed decision, for if you had, then your forms would have been fully anchored and supported on the sides to prevent sagging and blowout. Even steel forms require this. Since you have taken on the overwhelming responsibility of this project, you should consider the unintended consequences of poor decisions that are unsupported by knowledge and experience, and try to make a value judgement to determine whether your actions are saving or losing you money, and whether the poor decisions are going to have a lasting negative effect on the project's outcome. If you realize the worst here, you should be able to see clearly that you are your own worst enemy, and then immediately alter your methodology to one of background oversight, and let the professionals make the important decisions, while you gain an understanding of why. I'm not saying that I believe all this is true (note that I did say "IF"), but what little I saw today is evidence enough that would qualify you to fit into a well-known profile of self-destructive homeowners who have good intentions but end up costing themselves a LOT more money and time that could have been easily avoided by educating themselves ahead of time. GOOD LUCK!

[@HomePerformance]

Haha, thank you for your concern, Mark, but there is a lot of background info that you don’t seem to be in on. Hope you keep watching our channel- there’s over 300 vids.

[@bp4170]

@@HomePerformance Haha, there is a lot of background info that you don't seem to be in on either.

[@HomePerformance]

Haha heehee hoho

[@matthewl67]

I am in the same boat as Mark, this is the first video I have watched of yours and I am not privy to the background information that was noted. Also, I am not a professional concrete contractor. I think it’s ambitious of you to take on this project for yourself and understand that you have employed an engineer to provide recommendations for the foundation, but I share Mark’s concern in regard to how well this was thought out and approached. I truly hope it does work out well for you and maybe where ever you are this is an acceptable foundation design, but in my area and if it were my house, I would have likely spent more money and done it differently. Thank you for the video and I will most likely watch some more as I am curious how your project turns out. Best of luck to you sir.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks Matthew, hope you find other things we’ve done with this house provocative as well.

[@inspectitrite4585]

So there are a lot of people who can’t takeoff work or don’t understand how these things work. So they can hire someone like myself Who will act as a rep and do inspections at critical stages. My only concern with the form a drain is that the small slits can get blocked with dirt/sand overtime. Corrugated perforated pipes can come with a sock which is a lot finer which can let water through but won’t get clogged

[@HomePerformance]

Rite on buddy- but don’t worry, the geofabric wrap went on over a gravel drainage bed. See the rest at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hounf4BvicdpgJo

[@TheTomBevis]

Slump testing is routinely performed on-site. I would look askance at anyone who said otherwise. Another test method is to make sample cylinders, six inch diameter and 12 inch tall cheap plastic molds for those are available world-wide. For some jobs, there are more tests, such as air-entrainment. None of those tests should be necessary for a home foundation pour. I would look closely at slump and any set accelerators that are used for your floor. Definitely do not pour your floor if temperatures are expected to get down to freezing, unless special efforts are taken to heat the concrete, and maybe not even if so.

[@ghostryder1829]

You are absolutely correct about the slump test being done on site. I work for a cement manufacture as a chemist and I test everything before it goes out the door. Routinely we receive samples back from customers saying the field slump was bad. 99 percent of the time it is due to the accelerators they add to their mix. As for the air-entertainment there should be close to none 8 percent give or take to be exact for a foundation pour II-MT mix.

[@vdpeer]

Air entrainment is not a test, it's a procedure.

[@TheTomBevis]

@@vdpeer Yes, and there is a test for air entrainment %.

[@bobsondugnutt7526]

What I have come to learn during the planning process is that a house is a "complex adaptive system" - any time you modify a certain variable, the rest of the system changes in unpredictable ways for those without years and years of experience. Want to add feature X? You'll have to do Y, which then undoes the benefits of C and D. If the whole thing wasn't extremely expensive, I wouldn't bother learning it myself.

[@HomePerformance]

Well put, Dugnutt

[@bobsondugnutt7526]

@@HomePerformance 🙏

[@reseller7]

I live in Oakland, CA. I replaced the foundation at the back of my home. I'm a DIY person. I had far more re-bar ... I built an inverted T foundation. The weight of your home I can't imagine that small foundation holding up in the Atlanta climate. Wishing you GOOD LUCK!!!

[@HomePerformance]

No worries, a reputable structural engineer designed the specs

[@ameyers67]

You also have much higher seismic loads in CA.

[@prebooomer]

@@ameyers67 very much so, most other states away from the west coast have more lax codes than California, Oregon, Washington do.

[@zoesdada8923]

That soil is perfect for building a cob or rammed earth house. Man I just want to see one video that shows exactly how to lay out a foundations plumbing and everything.

[@waynestrickland4589]

Me too! I would have an epiphany

[@HomePerformance]

I don't understand the process either, which is why we opted to build the plumbing system (and all other mechanicals) into the conditioned crawlspace instead of under concrete.

[@jason-ge5nr]

If you are pouring columns for a high rise building you can be assured there is a slump test performed on every batch and every truck by the engineer. And if its not what was called out the truck is turned around. He could have gave you one he just couldnt be bothered.

[@HomePerformance]

Probably. There’s always such thing as ‘good enough’, and going the extra mile sometimes doesn’t matter

[@rickyfink9891]

This guy seems like a know-it-all dumbass. I thought it was funny that he left that large pine, so close to his foundation. Those roots are already under his house before it's even built. I'm sure they won't grow anymore...haha! Oh, and I loved that he used the weakest screws on earth (drywall) to keep the form attached to the concrete. They'll be rusted out and broke off before the roof is up! Those are just minimal things wrong. There are a lot more major issues wrong that will make him get sued when he tries to sell his house because of the crumbling foundation, that'll start at the first freeze

[@HomePerformance]

@@rickyfink9891 if you think that's all we're doing with the foundation, you must have missed that this is part of a SERIES. Literally none of your predictions can come true with the designs we're using.

[@Clark-Mills]

Possibly a good thing about removing the metal bar chairs and suspending the rebar on a semi cured bed is that you won't end up with a rust-fuse from beneath to your reinforcing. This is where the plastic bar chairs are good (or those little cubes of concrete with a tie wire embedded in the top).

[@HomePerformance]

Next time!

[@grantsmith6052]

We always make a keyway along the top so the foundation won't slip .

[@hvlundgren]

You have excellent attention to detail, which isn't something typical of the average contractor. If I were cleaning the rebar, would've insured installing it on a dry day and if they still got muddy, I would've used a pressure washer to quickly clean it. I appreciate you walking us through every step and your thought processes.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks, Hans, I do have a pressure washer but had had enough of water that month

[@patmaloney5735]

How do you keep a schedule then.

[@patmaloney5735]

@@HomePerformance Man, dont go pressure washing ur rebar. thats too far. A couple of rags if they're real muddy.

[@a1carpenter]

Build wood forms first Just add space for the drains Place the drains then the steel Ready to pour

[@donaldcowick4280]

Amen

[@thetinkercook5430]

Smarter to leave chairs and pull rebar up into concrete during pour. Good system! I'm going to use on my house

[@stevenbastian3882]

This is an active construction site, not a play ground or a nursery. It's cute but not wise to have the kiddies around for the cement pour.

[@HomePerformance]

Well, we used to live in Chicago, which lots of people think is a really dangerous thing to do also. Make informed choices, take calculated risks. PS- our current home is 50 feet from this site.

[@jasonmorehouse3756]

they were pouring concrete, not cement. but it's not uncommon to see children on site when building a family home.

[@ericwendlandt7808]

Nothing wrong exposing kids to this work when properly supervised.

[@petermin1151]

yes, listen to what you have done, This is what I did, I took 10 months off from work to build my house.

[@romeohussain6564]

And?

[@trishhue5603]

This is the worst rainy season in our country's history. We continue to wait for dry time to pour, as we look out seeing concrete drives being poured. Sigh. BTW....sweet about the movable house. It's all in HER perspective. Great keepsake .

[@brianbusby2896]

You want a #5 slup for movement of the cement as well. It will help you avoid several potential issues. 1) less voids in your foundation,2) easier to move and screed 3) won't cure too fast for you to work the mud. You will definitely have to add more stakes because of the fluidity but you end up with a better result

[@HomePerformance]

Interesting Brian thx

[@AmethystReaver]

There is a Slump test you can do on site its called "cone of abrams"

[@bakabaka2061]

You might not know this but Radon and fleece jackets don't mix. The charge of a fleece jacket actually holds the radon on you longer. It was odd walking into the nuclear station I was working at when I had to scan setting off the monitors. Damp humid mornings were very bad for this. Call a green man, he came took off my jacket went through the scanner passed through without my jacket. He bagged it stored it. End of shift I had to take it back but needed to scan it before I left. Lone and behold it cleared. Takes a bit for radon to dissipate.

[@HomePerformance]

That’s weird- I love it

[@rrmerlin3402]

" I need to be onsite to be sure things are done my way"...........Say's the guy who is seeing his first form and pour.

[@HomePerformance]

Craig, I'm the builder and GC. Where else would I be?

[@jussayinmipeece1069]

he will also be living in the house so he wants it done to his specs. I did the same thing too

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks yo

[@frnkjones40]

"His way" comes from professionals he's consulted with. He stated he's not into guessing.

[@abdulwasiujegede3923]

People do it that way because the rebar is placed farthest away from the face of the concrete to give the highest tension resistance. You have the chair and put the rebar at the center of the concrete when the rebar is not a tension bar but a temperature and cracks control bar.

[@cheshstyles]

U can line the stakes up across from eachother and run wire across from one to the other that way they dont bow out as much. I also use that wire to hold up the rebar. That's a little harder to explain. Also, since you are super anal u could have run stiff backs on the outside of your form a drain. Or just used more stakes and kickers. They didn't have enough stakes in my opinion. Also, as someone else pointed out, you can do a slump test on site. Sometimes they are called for on site after all convenience water has been added. Additionally, dont worry about that mud being to wet. It wasnt. I used the TBL method. (Tell By Looking). Any given mix design takes into account some imperfections in the placement and conditions of the day when they rate a mix at a given psi. So even tho it wasnt poured out at a three slump, it can still meet or exceed specified design strength. If you want to help it out more, use a stronger than necessary mix and/ or use best curing practices

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for the tips- and just to clarify, the stakes aren’t bowing, it’s the length of FAD between stakes that was deforming

[@cheshstyles]

@@HomePerformance at 13:03 it looks like there's 5 feet between stakes there in the back ground. That's way too much, in my opinion. I'm only mentioning this for people who pour a little footer (or sidewalk etc.) On there own with boards: when using 16 foot lumber I put 5 stakes per board. With 12 foot lumber i put 4. That's just a rule of thumb I like. If I were to stake something using that material, I would put stakes at least every 2 feet, and I would leave maybe 4 inches of the stake above the form so when I tied the stakes across from eachother with tie wire, I could move the wire up a little bit above the forms so the wire wouldn't interfere with placing/ leveling the concrete. For a first timer I think u did an excellent job!

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for the tips brother

[@marcbellucci2469]

Great tutorial, thank you!

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for watching, Marc

[@engineerutube1]

Portland Cement Assoc did tests on rusty vs clean rebar and found NO differemce!

[@HomePerformance]

Interesting, Roger, thx

[@laszlokocsis7817]

Rusty is not an issue as concrete curing will reduce the oxide from the rust. Dirt is a problem, as it inhibits concrete bond to the rebar.

[@user-zu2bw7ig5v]

Actually ACI which is American concrete institute did tests that showed concrete bonded better to rebar that was slightly rusted than it did brand new rebar.

[@eagleridge4524]

A true story, experienced first hand and was shocking, While building a large grocery store in Washington we had to dowel into existing concrete footings. we noticed 1 piece of rebar sticking out of the old concrete approximately 30 inches below grade. The rebar rusted and destroyed the concrete footing. we broke out the old concrete and found that the rusted rebar created a 6 to 10 inch cylindrical pocket full of orangish powder 6 ft into the huge spread footing. It was like rotten concrete. this was a 24 in. by 4 ft by 10 ft footing that was holding the steel columns for the existing covered entry. Absolutely rusting steel exposed to extremely wet weather can destroy concrete.

[@WillemLuntungan]

Nice fondation

[@matsfreedom]

As a residential building contractor, I do not allow my customers to interfere with the build process. My customers are allowed visitation to the job site at pre determined times, and are not allowed to give any instructions to my sub contractors, employees, suppliers, as well as have any dealings with the local building department. To do so would nullify the contract. After 44 years in the business, you learn a thing or two. A novice who has watched HG TV for a year has no business on a construction site. I make exceptions for decent people at times, but I never deviate from this rule when it comes to my contract.

[@baconneggs2406]

Smart man

[@baconneggs2406]

Want it done like on diy then do it yourself!

[@zipadeed00dah]

Naturally, if your customer doesn't happen to be on site when you come up with some money-saving, corner-cutting idea, you just implement it and pass the savings on by nullifying your contract and coming back with a less expensive one. Um-hmm.

[@pandyslittlesenpai1777]

Doing it this way could also save a marriage. I was a carpenter on several custom homes. The wife wants this the husband wants that, endless frustration.

[@rudimunk7030]

@@LegendLength Did you not see him pouring concrete?

[@2ndChanceAtLife]

Brilliant. "Other people are crazy but they hide it."

[@percival23]

So you used concrete forms that are plastic that were not secured property and you ended up with a huge bow in your foundation wall. And you called getting this right a weird gray area? It was a mistake, plain & simple. It's OK, you are not a contractor. But be clear on what you got right & wrong ....so others can learn.

[@captkirk-mh2bk]

Tie wire from inner peg to outer peg no bow.

[@HomePerformance]

You guys, settle down. I didn’t use the words ‘blown out’ or ‘huge’ in this video, because that’s not what happened. I just wanted you to know that if you stake wood all the time, then try FAD once, it will not perform the same way. There is no problem, as I already said in the vid.

[@scruffy6151]

If you can square the walls on the foundation you are good to go.

[@HomePerformance]

Very reasonable fix imho

[@cviolette36]

The footer doesn't show he didn't have any blowouts a wider footer is better, honestly when it comes down to it only the top of the wall matters. Come pour concrete in Maine guy we will teach you.

[@jorgeantelohollweg5273]

Awesome Corbett!!! Great job!!

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks amigo

[@robthewaywardwoodworker9956]

I love clients that get that they can be a PITA! See at 12:25 LOL Thanks for that!