After the Thanksgiving holiday, Michael’s team was in place to put the gunite into the pool. This was quite an operation, with a large 850 cfm air compressor on a truck, towing a mixer and pump.

Michael and Bryan reviewed the plans to ensure everything was in place and ready for gunite.

Michael and Bryan review plans

Starting to gunite the swimming pool

The sand and cement is mixed and then pumped through a large hose to the pool forms. The operator controls the nozzle where water is mixed with the sand/cement material and sprayed against the forms over the rebar.

Spraying Gunite

After seeing the process, we then loaded the truck and headed off to join the gang cutting Christmas trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

This was the fourth annual Christmas Tree Cutting event, which has been described as an ‘upscale tail gate party’. It was a fabulous California blue-sky day in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We had approximately 45 children and adults enjoying the afternoon.

Yes, the post-party party was at the Calise residence back in Los Gatos.

It is the day before Thanksgiving and two significant events are happening.

First, the two steel beams are arriving so the existing east and west walls can be supported during the excavation of the basement.  It is critical to keep these walls in place safely, so people on the job site are safe.  The beams arrive at 8:30 am!

Keeping the Truck Clean

Second, is to collate the sheets that make up my building plan submission.  With almost 50 sheets, some of which are 30 inches by 42 inches, this is a non-trivial exercise.  However, the City of Monte Sereno was kind and allowed me to spread out the plans in the Council Chambers so I could collate the submission.  I was reminded that they needed a complete set of plans to approve.  Consequently, this became a high-priority item for me.

Collating plans in Council Chambers

The forms came off the concrete haunches today and they look good.

Completed concrete haunch in south-west corner.

Next step is for the steel I-beams to arrive and be placed on the concrete haunches.

Meanwhile, Michael Benison’s team was rockin’ with the rebar in the swimming pool.

Rebar in swimming pool.

The workers would bend the #3 rebar (3/8 inch in diameter) with a special tool that they have.  This is exactly how the rebar will need to be bent at a 90 degree angle once the hollow core concrete panels are in place.

Bending #3 rebar at a 90 degree angle.

Done!

My friend, Roshan, dropped by the job site to inspect the project.  He thought it was going well and approved the work (so far).

Roshan approves the progress to date.