This morning was a big one — two concrete trucks arrived, and in just about two hours, the entire slab was poured, compacted, and leveled.
Once the first smoothing was done, the workers brought out the “helicopters” — machines with spinning blades that make the surface perfectly smooth.
Mr. Right and I even gave them a try ourselves. Let me tell you, it’s harder than it looks! You have to grip the handle tight, and getting the hang of maneuvering it takes a while.
I love moments like this — getting hands-on with tools and processes I’d never otherwise see. It’s messy, challenging, and completely fascinating.
Afterwards, we gave the foundation a good soak and covered it with plastic sheets to slow down evaporation.
Over the next five days, we’ll need to water it several times a day so the concrete cures properly without developing micro-cracks.
Timelapse Video: Capturing the Whole Process
For the entire foundation process, Mr. Right had set up a camera to capture the work day and night, with the plan to create a full timelapse of the construction.
As is often the case with projects, things didn’t go exactly as planned — right before the concrete pour, the camera unexpectedly stopped filming. Still, the result is an amazing video that captures most of the process, and it will be a joy to watch again years from now.
Family Fun on Fresh Concrete
The kids had the best time helping with the watering — though “helping” sometimes looked like running races across the new floor. Our youngest even managed to roll in one of the puddles while we were watering the slab, so later her hair had a stylish gray tint to it! These are the memories we’ll laugh about for years to come.
Filling and Finishing Touches
Besides the slab, we got four more truckloads of crushed material from the demolished club, which we used to fill and level the low spots of the plot before the soil arrives.
I’m already daydreaming about lush green grass and a few trees, but for now, patience is key. Building a house is messy at first, with dust, machines, and chaos everywhere. Once the heavy equipment leaves, we can finally focus on creating beautiful gardens. And hopefully, the kids will stick to running on grass this time instead of giving themselves a trendy gray hairdo from wet concrete!
Dreams Taking Shape
And just like that — the foundation is done! Walking across the smooth floor of our future home feels surreal. It’s easy to imagine the walls rising soon, a big dining table in the center, and friends and family gathered around it.
Now the slab needs 28 days to cure before we can start building the house itself. In the meantime, our task is clear: sell the apartment, and get ready for the next big step in this adventure.
Lessons Learned
- Concrete curing takes care: daily watering and plastic sheeting prevent cracks.
- Kids love construction: prepare for dirty clothes, shoes, and even hair.
- Think long-term: slab day is exciting, but patience is key — 28 days of curing makes all the difference.
Want to see the whole foundation process? Begin with Day 1 here.
