Yesterday was concrete sawing day in the basement. We have a number of plumbing projects: relocate the main stack about 6′ (so that it is not in the middle of our new laundry area), add an internal French drain (we have some wall weepage issues that would be almost impossible to solve by trying to control outside drainage), capping off off all the existing drains (remember, at one point there was a toilet, bathtub, and sink downstairs), and addition of a sump pump. We also have to add three footings, 2x2x1′, for three new posts to support the structure above. I have more appreciation now of the value of the footings; the concrete slab is only about an inch thick.
Anyway, with trusty Jose at my side continually spraying water at the saw in a vain attemp to control dust, I manned my Home Depot-rented concrete saw. (I opted, wisely, for the diamond blade, $45 to rent, versus $5 disposable blades that are only designed for small cuts.) I forced Jose to wear protective gear (dust mask, ear plugs). There is something about the day laborers, I’ve noticed, who apparently think it’s macho to decline such protection.) Me–I quickly switched from my dust mask to my full-blown respirator. Dust was everywhere, and thick! Though I thought I would be able to use plastic sheets to curtain off the work area, I quickly found that the dust had a mind of its own. The basement was a cloud. Worse, because we have no subfloor, the dust quickly found paths upstairs and made Cloud #2. Then my neighbor starting banging on the door, saying his place was a cloud as well. (Unless his doors and windows were open, I have no idea how that would’ve happened. Oh well–sorry.)
Several hours later, we were done. The footings are broken up, will be dug out today, will have 4 pieces of rebar added in a tic-tac-toe pattern, and will be inspected this week. My now-unemployed wife can wait all day to let him in–but that’s another story.
Steve and Emily's DC Renovation 