What I’m finding as we build is that there is sometimes a big discrepancy between “up to code” and “best practice.” I’ve also learned that just because something is “the way it’s always been done” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best way to construct my forever home (or any home for that matter).
Our Cement Pond aka the Garage
The best example of this was my first trip to a local block company last fall. Our designer, Lynn Taylor, had spent a lot of time and energy putting together a very detailed plan of our foundation. At the time we were unsure whether we would be going with brick or stone covering our foundation – actually we were quite confused about the structural differences needed behind the scenes to plan for the different exteriors so I was completely ill-equipped for the trip.
Needless to say, I left very frustrated. The first question I got was, “Why would you do it like that?” Next came the, “I’ve been doing this for 25 years and I’ve never seen it done like that.” My response should have been, ”I’ve seen a lot of houses built in the last 25 years that are falling apart.”
Lynn had prepared us…she had said that we would get some questions about some of the details on the plan. She confirmed that she would lay out some construction and historic detail that would go against “how it is always done” and that we would have to pay attention to execution. Her plans focus on “best practice” according to each trade and that we may have to go to bat to get the quality we desired. This interaction at the block company became the basis for an ongoing joke between Lynn and us…we called it the “your-designer-is-smokin’-crack” look.
Lots of People Order 20 Tons of Sand...Right?
And so it goes this past week…I got questioned on why we were wanting to take an extra step on drainage (see previous post titled Draining Work). Likewise, I’ve had to decide between two polar opposite views of how to pour concrete – fiber vs. wire. I think I made the right choice but both subcontractors came with outstanding recommendations and both were equally convincing with their explanations about why his way was the best. It did force me to do some research regarding the topic, however. I can’t say that my research pointed out a clear winner but it did teach me that there is a difference between cement and concrete…I never knew.
HINDSIGHT IS 20/20: Knowledge is power. The Clampetts incorrectly referred to their swimming pool as the “cement pond” – they would have been correct in calling it a concrete pond. Cement is merely a component of concrete;-)
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