Weeks 3 and 4 ----- (end April to 13 May 2017) ----- Build the foundations and base

These are all photos sent by Antonio the builder while we're in the UK. The weather has vastly improved, perfect conditions, sunny and dry but not too hot, around 16 to 20 degrees C.

Footings are poured and set. Shuttering is removed. First layer of concrete blocks are laid on top of footings to contain the 'caviti'  recycled plastic domes that will allow for a constant airflow under the house. These also provide good thermal and damp insulation. Hardcore backfilling and compacting between footings. Concrete base laid over the whole 'platform'. Caviti domes installed, along with waste pipes for the bathrooms and kitchen. Another layer of reinforced concrete is then poured on top of this and the base of the house is complete.

The walls will be erected on top of this base (following the lines of the re-enforced footings and foundations). The floor of the house will be added later, and will consist of about 20 centimetres more: first a services layer for electric and plumbing set in soft sand, then concrete, then insulation, more cement, then underfloor heating water pipes, then more concrete, then finally the ceramic tiled floor.

Antonio proudly displaying finished footings

First row of concrete blocks on footings. 

Vertical steel will support walls at corners and around window and door openings.

Second row of blocks being laid on upper level.

The East side (garage, study, utility room and cloakroom)

is two steps higher (35 cms) than the rest of the house.

Spaces between footings are backfilled with hardcore then compacted clean sand/earth.

A layer of concrete is poured on top of the backfill.

 This is then levelled and smoothed.

The concrete mixer scoops up gravel and sand;

cement and water are then added, 

et voilà, you have 3.5 cubic meters of concrete.

The mixer carries 450 litres of water in its tank. 

The hopper (above the cab) scoops half a cubic meter

of gravel or sand at a time and dumps it into the mixer.

Each load takes 48 bags of cement, 25 kgs each.

When the concrete base is set, we lay the waste pipes and the caviti domes.

Once all cavitis are in, the whole base is again shuttered in.

While all this is happening, we started on the steelwork for the cistern.

Plataforma shuttered and almost ready for the next layer of concrete.

The horizontal pipes through the shuttering are for rainwater drainage to the cistern.

The vertical pipes on the upper level (already partly concreted) 

will take airflow from under the cavitis to the roof.

Steel framing on top of cavitis, ready for concrete.
This caviti system is fairly new to Formentera. For more information
click on this link   Caviti website