July 7, 2011

Operation New Patio: Phase 1


School's out - School's out - Teacher let the monkeys out!!  Hello summer!  The good news:  C is on summer break.  The bad news:  I'm not :(  waa waah.  Turns out C isn't really off the whole summer.  He is working all of July at University of Washington with the gifted program.  Way to go!


What it means is there was only about a week and a half to squeeze in a house project.  C decided to tackle the patio.  First, we liked the idea of putting in a deck.  Then we started getting quotes.  Hello sticker shock!  Then a buddy at work, hi Oleg, advised me to ditch the deck and put in a patio.  Now, that we can do!


We had an existing 12'x12' concrete pad.  It was awful.  Why do builders even put these in?  Heaven forbid you need to run out in your bare feet.  Eee Ouch!  Here was our plan:

1)  break up and dump the old patio
2)  dig up the grass and dirt until correct depth
3)  pour gravel, level
4)  put in steps
5)  put in patio


C rented a jackhammer from Home Depot and started breaking up the patio on Tuesday afternoon.  He finished by Wednesday.  I mean there's nothing dreamier than your hubby with a jackhammer and a backwards hat!


Sadly, all the concrete needed to be hauled out.  We rented a dumpster and had two wheelbarrows and made trip after ridiculous trip to shlep the concrete out.  It straight up sucked.  I was able to help with this part and we both fell asleep 5 minutes after Z that night.  

2 comments:

  1. C looks like a man from a construction crew in his jack hammer picture. He did it, I see in the next one of moon rocks.

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