Home improvment/ new project(with pics)

[ducrider45]

My wife and I have been renovating our home for the past two years. First we completed the master bedroom. then we did a second bedroom upstairs. I knocked down a few walls and opened up the kitchen as well. In the basement I finished another bedroom, built a proper laundry room and drywalled half the basement. We have been working on the landscape as well. Im pleased to report that I finally get to build something that I have always wanted.
I got a odd phone call from my wife back in May. She has a friend that works at a lumber yard. She asked me to make a wish list  . Within a few minutes I drew up the plans for a large deck  
I have been working on the prep work since May. Im now ready to stat building my new deck. First I had to cut down a few trees. then I had to get the lumber to the house. I got a permit and started work. I called a few contractors for prices. Wow! some came in as high as $22,000. At that cost I was going to have to do it myself.

The site plan:


The detailed deck plan:


I marked all of the footers (13 in all  ):


I dug all of the holes by hand (never again!  ):


I mixed and pourd 3 yards of concrete by hand (never again!  ):


I demoed the existing deck this past weekend  :



I am now ready to begin building the new deck. I should have the ledger board up this week.

[ducati culture]

looks like you have a plan. 

What are you planing for Sat? 

[ducrider45]

looks like you have a plan. 

What are you planing for Sat? 

I would like to set the posts on Sat. If you are free come on by.

[ducrider45]

We got a bunch of help and a very big THANKS to Ducati Culture and company for the amazing effort this past weekend  . I will post pics very soon. Im going out back to work on the deck some more. Thanks again.

[ducrider45]

Here is the CAM deck progress report.


We got started very early in the morning on Sat.


Help arived around lunch time.


We worked and played a bit


All of the framing is done thanks to all of the help from family and friends.



Thank you for all of the help. You two have helped make a dream come true.



I still have a lot of work to do. We now have about half of the decking installed and I just started on the railings. Thanks again.

[cokey]

good job...  love when people take initiative... its so much more rewarding when done your self then to have some one else do it...  if we don't get the house with the stone deck(ground level), i will do it my self in the other house..

how deep did you dig the hole for the foundation?

[ducrider45]

Code required 32" deep footers by 16" round. I dug down 36". This is the first deck that I have built. I have had to learn a lot in the past few weeks.