Original deck (house is to the right)
Doris and I recently decided to make some significant changes around the old hacienda. We had some problems that needed fixing: the 100 foot long driveway was old and crumbling asphalt; the retaining wall next to the driveway was deteriorating and had a facade of 1970's style flagstone; and the elevated back deck was very inconvenient. We live on a hill so everything you do outside involves some combination of excavation, retaining walls, and/or stairs.
The existing deck was about six feet higher than our back porch with stairs that led up to the deck. Above are a couple of pictures. Additionally, the deck was very old and badly needed renovation. We started that renovation last year by replacing the floor boards, some of the railings, and one of the cover posts. In spite of this work, the stairs and the rest of the railing still needed replacement. I was supposed to finish the renovation this summer but never got around to it.
The driveway retaining wall had been hit (and run) a couple of times down by the street and was leaning precariously. The wood understructure was old and getting rotten. But, mostly, the old flagstones looked very out-of-style.
The long asphalt driveway was old with cracks everywhere. It was overdue for replacement.
The overall fix would be done with some demolition and four sub-projects. The demolition involved removal of the elevated deck, the driveway, and the driveway retaining wall. The sub-projects were:
We agreed on the general specifications and approximate budget and went looking for a contractor. Based on a recommendation from a friend, we contacted Susan Vogel at LandscapeLocators.net to help us find a contractor for this project. The first contractor bid a price that was shockingly (to us) high. We considered dropping back to a plan of just replacing the driveway. But Susan sent us another contractor, Cal Landscape Design and they worked with us to get the project within our budget. Their project manager and general hand-holder is Edgar Mateos and it was a pleasure to work with him. He showed us samples and helped guide our selection of materials for the retaining walls and patio floor. For the retaining walls we chose Allan Block Ashlar Blend stones in Charcoal and Tan. These are interlocking, morterless blocks in various sizes. The patio floor is a gray Indian flagstone with rectangular stones in three sizes. The time estimate was six weeks which included time lost for rainy days.
Here is a chronology of the project with pictures showing the progress.
The deck was dismantled. Good boards were saved for recycling into back porch repairs and bad boards were carted away in a big truck. This left the bare hillside as shown in panorama here, before the removal of the old barbecue and some plants. We started with two workers: Heimy and Jose. Victor would come after a couple of days. These three men were the primary crew for the entire project. Occasionally, other workers would show up for some part of the project.
This fish eye panorama shows the plants and barbecue removed and much of the back porch dismantled.
Some plants were moved and the big blackberry bush was removed forever. Part of the fence was removed to allow the Bobcat into the back yard. Most of the rest of the back porch was dismantled. In the afternoon, the Bobcat arrived. It was a mid-sized Bobcat and bigger than most I had seen. In the picture below, you can see the old flagstone retaining wall and the asphalt driveway to be replaced.
A very busy day. Victor arrived to work the Bobcat. He excavated some dirt and built a ramp from the driveway over the retaining wall and up to the backyard. The first load of wall block arrived. The excavated area enlarged.
Most of the dirt was loaded into five dump trucks and hauled away. A load of base rock arrived and Victor built a new ramp with it.
A trench was dug under the wall area for drainage pipe and gravel. Then the lower (seating) wall was begun. By the end of the day, most of the lower wall was installed.
Work began on the upper wall. The wall has two inside round corners and two outside round corners; this necessitated a lot of trimming and fitting.
The work on the upper wall continued. A concrete block retaining wall was built for the front of the patio because it is 18 inches above grade level. This wall will be covered by the boards from the back porch when it is rebuilt.
The cap stones for the upper wall are shaped for the bends and the dirt under the patio floor is prepared.
no work
Work continues on the wall. Base rock is put in the floor area and compacted.
Lots of activity today. Victor and Jose fitted the cap stones for the upper wall; Heimy spread the sand and laid out the flagstone patio floor. Later in the day, the driveway and retaining wall were demoed and hauled away. Then a ditch is dug for the drainage pipes and gravel behind the wall.
The patio floor is almost finished and the driveway retaining wall goes up rapidly. Materials always seem to arrive just in time to keep everybody busy; very smooth.
Back yard is done except for cleanup and finishing touches. The driveway retaining wall rises.
Base rock is spread on the driveway and compacted.
Driveway is covered in rebar and the rebar is tied. Concrete forms are built. Meanwhile, in the backyard I work on my part of the project, which is building a new back porch/deck. I am recycling the good boards from the old upper deck.
No crew today but we did have visitors. Five marauding does found out that I forgot to close the back gate.
No crew today (for family issues). Work continues (albeit slowly) on the back porch. I have run out of recycled boards and am using some shiny new redwood. Next year this time, it will all look the same.
Finishing up the rebar and raising it off the ground with little cement stanchions. Trying to beat the rain that is coming on Thursday.
The big day: concrete is pouring. Looked like about 2-1/2 trucks of concrete but I wasn't watching every minute. Lots of people working today. They started pumping concrete at about 8 AM. Concrete was finished pouring about 10 AM. Driveway surface was finished a little after noon. We chased some deer away about 4 PM but to no avail. The following morning, there were hoof prints in several spots on the driveway, including where a deer jumped off the retaining wall and slipped on the new surface. C'est la vie!
The project was over on Wednesday (except for removing the forms). Rain started on Thursday - perfect timing. 22 calendar days, start to finish. No rain days. Almost three weeks ahead of schedule. Congratulations to Cal Landscape Design for a superb job. And a special thanks to Victor, Heimy, and Jose who worked many a night until dark and wanted to be sure that everything was done well.
