My title sounds very solemn but in actuality it was a very happy time for our little beach cottage when it was time to be laid to rest on its own foundation! I was very eager to see how this was going to be accomplished.
Thanks to Anthony Sapone and Tom McPhee I have some pictures to go along with my own--but I must confess that I felt I needed to stay out of the way and I wasn't there saying "Hold that pose". I didn't want to suffer the fate of the wicked witch of the east from the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy's house fell on her. Setting the house down on the piers was a difficult, dangerous job!
So this is how they did it...here was the house being supported by metal beams that were resting on stacks of railroad ties slightly higher than the piers:
Next wooden supports were stretched across the top of the piers.
This was hard work--there was just enough room to stretch the boards under the house
and across the piers.
Once all the boards were in place they were permanently connected to the piers with metal straps that were inserted into the cement piers when they were being filled with cement...
and then anchored together with these corner supports.
Once all the wood support system was in place and anchored securely, the wooden railroad ties and metal support beams holding the house up could be removed.
Yaay! It's standing on its own as some of the railroad ties in the picture above have been removed and the metal support is below the top of the piers. Eventually all of the railroad ties came down and were hauled away with the metal supports by our wonderful housemovers, Braswell Brothers.
The strapping of the cottage to the foundation will continue to take place throughout the renovation of the house--it's done in layers so the house will remain even when
severe weather conditions occur.
Rest in place and rest in peace, little cottage!
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