A Better Plan

At the last minute our stone/brick patio changed to a deck like our other one with the hot tub. This idea came to us because it just made more sense to build a deck on the slope rather than try and level the slope for a brick patio. And it is more in keeping with the general continuity of our little estate. I sketched out the possible layout and we decided on 16'x12' as our size. The decking comes in 16' lengths, so it was easy to estimate the cost of the surface planks.

 Dave and Mike went off to Lowe's to get the materials and came home with these concrete piers or Dec- Blocks which are used for a floating deck. O No. I was not happy. If this area were the back yard where the earth is hard packed clay, I would probably accept this plan, but this side yard has been filled with something like sand and is loose enough to for me to dig to China. If we used these blocks alone on the earth it wouldn't be long before the floating deck would float right down the hill.
I insisted on poured concrete for the foundations under the Dec-blocks. So back to Lowe's. They completed the concrete work before the rain, and will begin the actual framing today. Nobody likes me anymore, and as project manager, I don't care. In the end the deck will be stable and they will be proud of their work. BTW the plant right in the middle of that frame is a rhododendron and it was saved and transplanted at quitting time.

There is still some leveling to do, no?
To keep my sanity, I knit socks, finishing pair #4 for Laura.

You will notice that there is a new font on the blog today. I am trying it out.