File:The farmer his own builder - a guide and reference book for the construction of dwellings, barns and other farm buildings, together with their utilities, describing reliable methods, offering (14596977117).jpg

Identifier: farmerhisownbuil00robe (find matches)
Title: The farmer his own builder : a guide and reference book for the construction of dwellings, barns and other farm buildings, together with their utilities, describing reliable methods, offering practical suggestions, presenting numerous details and formulas, and explaining simple rules for estimating the labor and materials required. With special reference to concrete and carpentry
Year: 1918 (1910s)
Authors: Roberts, H. Armstrong (Howard Armstrong), 1885-1947
Subjects: Farm buildings
Publisher: Philadelphia : D. McKay
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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Text Appearing Before Image:
d so on.
Sometimes there is work preliminary to the excava-
tion. Be careful to give this point due consideration.
You should make a survey of the site, and note the
nature of the soil, contour of the ground, and if any
preparation is necessary before starting the actual
digging. Perhaps there is some rubbish to clear away,
an old building to demolish, trees to cut down, and
others to be protected by boxing. Figure the dis-
tance from the railroad or wharf, whence the materials
will have to be hauled. Form some opinion as to the
condition of the roads and their grade, especially if the
work is to be done in the winter time. These factors
will influence the extent of the hauling. Bad roads will
effect the size of the loads, and may double the cost of
this item. On a building of any size the cost of hauling is quite
considerable. I have been associated with jobs where it

42 THE FARMER HIS OWN BUILDER

amounted to over a thousand dollars. Unless you can
handle it with your own teams, you had better obtain
Text Appearing After Image:

Fig. 14.—Detail of construction of sweet potato storage house, as shown in
Fig. 11.

prices from some local teamster or from neighboring
farmers. Wherever possible get a price per ton; it is

MATERIALS REQUIRED 43

the most satisfactory way to pay for hauling; disputes
are not so likely to arise, as in the ease of day-work, and
it is an easy matter to check up the bills.
POSSIBLE UNDERGROUND DIFFICULTIES
Remember, also, in this preliminary work there may
be underground difficulties to take care of, such as rock
blasting, springs, shoring, and piling, the extent of
which can only be approximated. A fair knowledge of
the sub-soil can be obtained by a few borings with an
earth auger, such as is used for digging post holes, or by
digging test pits here and there on the site. If you have
any serious misgivings as to what lies below the surface,
unquestionably it will pay you to take some precaution.
An unforeseen ledge of rock or strata of water are
likely to prove costly.

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