The next step was to drill the caissons, or piers that will hold up the foundation in these lousy, expansive soils. (Done by Western Piling & Caisson.) Average about 21 ft. deep, to be filled with concrete & rebar.

Unfortunately, they started to hit sand about 16 ft. down on some of them - which then caved in, requiring that we use steel helical coil piers instead of concrete on 7 of them - at $950 per pop! The last unexpected extra expense? Not likely

Then the Adcock Concrete guys started forming the "grade beam", or 12 inch wide, 20 inch high stem wall that we'll build up from with ICF's (insulating concrete forms). They have 4 inch high cardboard "void forms" undrerneath, so that all the weight sits on the piers, rather than the ground. Getting ready to pour on Tuesday, Dec. 2nd.