Tar and Feather

The foundation underpinning (just one corner) is coming along slowly. We're ready to strip the forms. I've been parging the deteriorating foundation wall (coating them with mortar), so they can be covered with tar. The tar is nasty stuff, it smells, it drips everywhere, and if you get it on your clothes, it's never coming out. I've finished the parging, I just have to tar the rest of the wall. Then we can finally get to the drain tile. I've dug the pit for the water to drain in to (they call it an energy dissipation basin in the book I have) and the trench is mosly dug. I have to pick up all the pipe this weekend.



We're planning a sidewalk made of pavers on that side of the house. We're going to back fill a lot deeper, you could see the bottom of the foundation at one point. There will be 2 or 3 steps, and we may need a small retaining wall. I'm thinking of using just cinder block for the retaining wall, since it won't be seen, and will only be about 2 feet high. Another new skill to learn, bricklaying. Sounds like fun!