Above: 3 first post holes dug and 11 more waiting. The first three post holes were dug by hand to avoid hitting the gas line (yellow flags). Luckily the gas line was not seen so the post hole locations did not need to be modified. The remaining 11 holes were dug with the assistance of a post-hole auger. It made the job easier but I still had to pry out several hundred pounds of rocks by hand. All in all it was a weekend's work to get the holes dug followed by the inspection later that week.
Above: Ledger boards in place. The second weekend saw the ledger boards installed after removal of the siding. Dad stopped by to help out and teach me the right way of doing these things. I've always been his manual labor and never really paid attention to how things are supposed to go together. I was just told what to do and when and how to do it while I was growing up. This project is all about me really learning about how to do things right.
7 of 8 posts in place. Sunday of weekend number 2 and we were able to get 7 of 8 posts in place with lots of temporary bracing. I still need a ton more concrete to fill the holes to the top and I still need a few more bolts and flashing on the ledger boards.
Next weekend: Post number 8 and 2 of 3 beams. All I need is some muscle...
Next weekend: Post number 8 and 2 of 3 beams. All I need is some muscle...
