Chip and Clada Self-Portrait

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                                   Building Our House in the Caribbean

                                                                                 Step 71 - Excavating the Lower Driveway

                                            
Chip decided to do more work on the lower driveway before we pave it,
                                         installing additional drainage and spare pipes, and using fill to reduce the steep grade.
              
                            Gravel  Israel delivered a load of gravel crusher tailings.

     We ordered NDS pipe from Miami, Florida, last December, so the pipe was on hand.  Pipe 

    Pipe2   We had to locate the electrical line for the lower gate...that took awhile.


      Pipr5
  Pipe4  Pipe3
            It was all hands on deck to drag the pipe down and install in under the existing pipes.  We had to do a repair to
     one electric gray pipe.  Fortunately, it was empty since it is designated for a future telephone line so the repair was easy.

                          Pipe6  Pipe7
                   Gravel was installed underneath the pipe and around the sides before it was covered with backfill.
                     This pipe will drain water from the side of the main driveway and keep the road from eroding.

                            Pipe8  Pipe9
                 This was a major OOPS by the backhoe operator.  He was digging the line and caught it with his forks.
       Unfortunately, the damaged line was the main powerline from the meter wall to the house.  We didn't lose power,
                                     but the rubber covering on the line was scraped so copper was exposed.

                             Pipe10  Pipe11
       It was a Saturday night, so we called NR Electric and they did a temporary repair.  We were extremely fortunate
      that we didn't get any rain until the line had been permanently repaired Monday morning.  We  had to replace
      the wire...that alone cost over $600.  Very painful excavation experience.

                                        Pipe12  Pipe13
                               NR Electric pulled the new line through new conduit.  They did a good job of making it like new.

Pipe14 Pipe15Pipe16
   Israel took over operating the backhoe.  He scraped the west side parking area first.  Chip wanted to lower and slope the grade.

     Pipe17  Pipe18  Pipe19
             Next Israel scraped the northside of the parking area; Chip measured to make sure enough fill was removed.

                            Pipe20  Pipe21
                            Some of the fill that was removed was able to be used on the driveway to reduce the grade.

      Pipe22
Pipe24 Pipe25
          We extended our irrigation lines and electric pipe so we could later install more irrigation later.

                                        Pipe23         Pipe26
 We also installed our cistern overflow drainage pipe which will enable excess water to flow under the future driveway.
                       

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