A friend of mine lives in a hilly neighborhood in CA. Many houses are
built such the road is basically at roof level. You park up near the road
and go *down* to enter the house on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor opens
on the back side, looking down into the valley.

A guy down the street needed some foundation work done on his house.
As I understand it, they jacked up the house, put in some cribbing and
began to excavate the foundation.

Here's a couple of before pictures. The silver car is parked in the owner's
driveway. As you can see, the stairs go down to a covered walk that leads
into the house.

https://i.imgur.com/MiUuOx1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/aGF9Eto.jpg

During the project the homeowner took some pictures from his parking
deck. I'm wondering if this looks like proper foundation work. If not, I'm
curious as to what you folks might do differently.

On the right of the first picture you can see the covered walkway that
was mentioned earlier.

https://i.imgur.com/4xyRdtG.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rHNOnew.jpg

What do you think of the workmanship?

On 4/15/2022 7:42 PM, Marilyn Manson wrote:
> A friend of mine lives in a hilly neighborhood in CA. Many houses are
> built such the road is basically at roof level. You park up near the road
> and go *down* to enter the house on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor opens
> on the back side, looking down into the valley.
>
> A guy down the street needed some foundation work done on his house.
> As I understand it, they jacked up the house, put in some cribbing and
> began to excavate the foundation.
>
> Here's a couple of before pictures. The silver car is parked in the owner's
> driveway. As you can see, the stairs go down to a covered walk that leads
> into the house.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/MiUuOx1.jpg
>
> https://i.imgur.com/aGF9Eto.jpg
>
> During the project the homeowner took some pictures from his parking
> deck. I'm wondering if this looks like proper foundation work. If not, I'm
> curious as to what you folks might do differently.
>
> On the right of the first picture you can see the covered walkway that
> was mentioned earlier.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/4xyRdtG.jpg
>
> https://i.imgur.com/rHNOnew.jpg
>
> What do you think of the workmanship?
>
Overall looks nicely done,but the siding will need some paint touch up
and caulk. The trick will be getting a good paint match if is is a
couple of years old and weathered.

Some contractors overlook it but good caulk is critical to keep the
weather out.

On Friday, April 15, 2022 at 7:42:33 PM UTC-4, Marilyn Manson wrote:
> A friend of mine lives in a hilly neighborhood in CA. Many houses are
> built such the road is basically at roof level. You park up near the road
> and go *down* to enter the house on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor opens
> on the back side, looking down into the valley.
>
> A guy down the street needed some foundation work done on his house.
> As I understand it, they jacked up the house, put in some cribbing and
> began to excavate the foundation.
>
> Here's a couple of before pictures. The silver car is parked in the owner's
> driveway. As you can see, the stairs go down to a covered walk that leads
> into the house.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/MiUuOx1.jpg
>
> https://i.imgur.com/aGF9Eto.jpg
>
> During the project the homeowner took some pictures from his parking
> deck. I'm wondering if this looks like proper foundation work. If not, I'm
> curious as to what you folks might do differently.
>
> On the right of the first picture you can see the covered walkway that
> was mentioned earlier.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/4xyRdtG.jpg
>
> https://i.imgur.com/rHNOnew.jpg
>
> What do you think of the workmanship?

I hope the contractor has insurance to cover this. What a crazy way to live though.
The roof was right at the level of that road, right next to it, with no guard rail. A drunk
could drive right into the house and come in through the roof. It's amazing that CA
with all it's strict rules and regs, the govt there can't provide guard rails along a road
like that?

On 4/16/2022 8:31 AM, trader_4 wrote:
> On Friday, April 15, 2022 at 7:42:33 PM UTC-4, Marilyn Manson wrote:
>> A friend of mine lives in a hilly neighborhood in CA. Many houses are
>> built such the road is basically at roof level. You park up near the road
>> and go *down* to enter the house on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor opens
>> on the back side, looking down into the valley.
>>
>> A guy down the street needed some foundation work done on his house.
>> As I understand it, they jacked up the house, put in some cribbing and
>> began to excavate the foundation.
>>
>> Here's a couple of before pictures. The silver car is parked in the owner's
>> driveway. As you can see, the stairs go down to a covered walk that leads
>> into the house.
>>
>> https://i.imgur.com/MiUuOx1.jpg
>>
>> https://i.imgur.com/aGF9Eto.jpg
>>
>> During the project the homeowner took some pictures from his parking
>> deck. I'm wondering if this looks like proper foundation work. If not, I'm
>> curious as to what you folks might do differently.
>>
>> On the right of the first picture you can see the covered walkway that
>> was mentioned earlier.
>>
>> https://i.imgur.com/4xyRdtG.jpg
>>
>> https://i.imgur.com/rHNOnew.jpg
>>
>> What do you think of the workmanship?
>
> I hope the contractor has insurance to cover this. What a crazy way to live though.
> The roof was right at the level of that road, right next to it, with no guard rail. A drunk
> could drive right into the house and come in through the roof. It's amazing that CA
> with all it's strict rules and regs, the govt there can't provide guard rails along a road
> like that?
>

Almost happened to me. I had a neighbor named Sloman. His drunken son
parked his mother's car on the hill up from me and it slipped out of
park and would have ended up in my living room if not for a large bush I
had planted in that corner of my property. I called that bush, the
Sloman Shield.

On Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 8:31:09 AM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
> On Friday, April 15, 2022 at 7:42:33 PM UTC-4, Marilyn Manson wrote:
> > A friend of mine lives in a hilly neighborhood in CA. Many houses are
> > built such the road is basically at roof level. You park up near the road
> > and go *down* to enter the house on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor opens
> > on the back side, looking down into the valley.
> >
> > A guy down the street needed some foundation work done on his house.
> > As I understand it, they jacked up the house, put in some cribbing and
> > began to excavate the foundation.
> >
> > Here's a couple of before pictures. The silver car is parked in the owner's
> > driveway. As you can see, the stairs go down to a covered walk that leads
> > into the house.
> >
> > https://i.imgur.com/MiUuOx1.jpg
> >
> > https://i.imgur.com/aGF9Eto.jpg
> >
> > During the project the homeowner took some pictures from his parking
> > deck. I'm wondering if this looks like proper foundation work. If not, I'm
> > curious as to what you folks might do differently.
> >
> > On the right of the first picture you can see the covered walkway that
> > was mentioned earlier.
> >
> > https://i.imgur.com/4xyRdtG.jpg
> >
> > https://i.imgur.com/rHNOnew.jpg
> >
> > What do you think of the workmanship?
> I hope the contractor has insurance to cover this. What a crazy way to live though.
> The roof was right at the level of that road, right next to it, with no guard rail. A drunk
> could drive right into the house and come in through the roof. It's amazing that CA
> with all it's strict rules and regs, the govt there can't provide guard rails along a road
> like that?

Aside from the whole discussion as to whether or not the government should be
spending tax payer dollars to protect million dollar plus houses that the owners
choose to place on a hillside, that would be quite a project. Maybe a "special
assessment" funding method could be used so that the homeowners pay for
it, not any other taxpayer. What a mess it would be trying to get the homeowners
to buy into that. ;-)

So, funding issues aside...

It would take a lot of modifications to the road and/or mountain side to install
guardrails. In most spots the road is too narrow for the guardrail to take up any
space. There's no easy way to widen the road without major modifications or
installation of retaining walls (sometimes on both sides), culverts, drainage
pipes, etc.

In addition, there are so many open driveways and parking decks that the
guardrail, while yes, protecting the area right at the homes, wouldn't prevent
vehicles from launching off someone's parking deck or driveway and into
the house.

While not a perfect example, this is what I mean. They can't put a guardrail
across this guy's driveway so a vehicle missing that curve could launch right
into the house. These setups are all over the neighborhood.

https://i.imgur.com/mCd9UFg.jpg

Due to all of the driveways, stairs, curves, etc. there would literally be
hundreds of individual "house length" projects, each requiring its own
very specific engineering and installation. Quite the expense.

On 4/16/2022 11:49 AM, Marilyn Manson wrote:
> On Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 8:31:09 AM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
>> On Friday, April 15, 2022 at 7:42:33 PM UTC-4, Marilyn Manson wrote:
>>> A friend of mine lives in a hilly neighborhood in CA. Many houses are
>>> built such the road is basically at roof level. You park up near the road
>>> and go *down* to enter the house on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor opens
>>> on the back side, looking down into the valley.
>>>
>>> A guy down the street needed some foundation work done on his house.
>>> As I understand it, they jacked up the house, put in some cribbing and
>>> began to excavate the foundation.
>>>
>>> Here's a couple of before pictures. The silver car is parked in the owner's
>>> driveway. As you can see, the stairs go down to a covered walk that leads
>>> into the house.
>>>
>>> https://i.imgur.com/MiUuOx1.jpg
>>>
>>> https://i.imgur.com/aGF9Eto.jpg
>>>
>>> During the project the homeowner took some pictures from his parking
>>> deck. I'm wondering if this looks like proper foundation work. If not, I'm
>>> curious as to what you folks might do differently.
>>>
>>> On the right of the first picture you can see the covered walkway that
>>> was mentioned earlier.
>>>
>>> https://i.imgur.com/4xyRdtG.jpg
>>>
>>> https://i.imgur.com/rHNOnew.jpg
>>>
>>> What do you think of the workmanship?
>> I hope the contractor has insurance to cover this. What a crazy way to live though.
>> The roof was right at the level of that road, right next to it, with no guard rail. A drunk
>> could drive right into the house and come in through the roof. It's amazing that CA
>> with all it's strict rules and regs, the govt there can't provide guard rails along a road
>> like that?
>
> Aside from the whole discussion as to whether or not the government should be
> spending tax payer dollars to protect million dollar plus houses that the owners
> choose to place on a hillside, that would be quite a project. Maybe a "special
> assessment" funding method could be used so that the homeowners pay for
> it, not any other taxpayer. What a mess it would be trying to get the homeowners
> to buy into that. ;-)
>
> So, funding issues aside...
>
> It would take a lot of modifications to the road and/or mountain side to install
> guardrails. In most spots the road is too narrow for the guardrail to take up any
> space. There's no easy way to widen the road without major modifications or
> installation of retaining walls (sometimes on both sides), culverts, drainage
> pipes, etc.
>
> In addition, there are so many open driveways and parking decks that the
> guardrail, while yes, protecting the area right at the homes, wouldn't prevent
> vehicles from launching off someone's parking deck or driveway and into
> the house.
>
> While not a perfect example, this is what I mean. They can't put a guardrail
> across this guy's driveway so a vehicle missing that curve could launch right
> into the house. These setups are all over the neighborhood.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/mCd9UFg.jpg
>
> Due to all of the driveways, stairs, curves, etc. there would literally be
> hundreds of individual "house length" projects, each requiring its own
> very specific engineering and installation. Quite the expense.

That looks like the road that our small development is off of. There
are a half dozen houses below it between the creek that meanders near
it. Houses are protected by trees along the road. One time a propane
truck ended up in one of their yards but did not hit the house. The
state has a few guard rails on the road but not near the houses. One of
the places before they put a guard rail, I had seen a car in a ditch
there one morning.

On Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 12:13:36 PM UTC-4, Frank wrote:
> On 4/16/2022 11:49 AM, Marilyn Manson wrote:
> > On Saturday, April 16, 2022 at 8:31:09 AM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
> >> On Friday, April 15, 2022 at 7:42:33 PM UTC-4, Marilyn Manson wrote:
> >>> A friend of mine lives in a hilly neighborhood in CA. Many houses are
> >>> built such the road is basically at roof level. You park up near the road
> >>> and go *down* to enter the house on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor opens
> >>> on the back side, looking down into the valley.
> >>>
> >>> A guy down the street needed some foundation work done on his house.
> >>> As I understand it, they jacked up the house, put in some cribbing and
> >>> began to excavate the foundation.
> >>>
> >>> Here's a couple of before pictures. The silver car is parked in the owner's
> >>> driveway. As you can see, the stairs go down to a covered walk that leads
> >>> into the house.
> >>>
> >>> https://i.imgur.com/MiUuOx1.jpg
> >>>
> >>> https://i.imgur.com/aGF9Eto.jpg
> >>>
> >>> During the project the homeowner took some pictures from his parking
> >>> deck. I'm wondering if this looks like proper foundation work. If not, I'm
> >>> curious as to what you folks might do differently.
> >>>
> >>> On the right of the first picture you can see the covered walkway that
> >>> was mentioned earlier.
> >>>
> >>> https://i.imgur.com/4xyRdtG.jpg
> >>>
> >>> https://i.imgur.com/rHNOnew.jpg
> >>>
> >>> What do you think of the workmanship?
> >> I hope the contractor has insurance to cover this. What a crazy way to live though.
> >> The roof was right at the level of that road, right next to it, with no guard rail. A drunk
> >> could drive right into the house and come in through the roof. It's amazing that CA
> >> with all it's strict rules and regs, the govt there can't provide guard rails along a road
> >> like that?
> >
> > Aside from the whole discussion as to whether or not the government should be
> > spending tax payer dollars to protect million dollar plus houses that the owners
> > choose to place on a hillside, that would be quite a project. Maybe a "special
> > assessment" funding method could be used so that the homeowners pay for
> > it, not any other taxpayer. What a mess it would be trying to get the homeowners
> > to buy into that. ;-)
> >
> > So, funding issues aside...
> >
> > It would take a lot of modifications to the road and/or mountain side to install
> > guardrails. In most spots the road is too narrow for the guardrail to take up any
> > space. There's no easy way to widen the road without major modifications or
> > installation of retaining walls (sometimes on both sides), culverts, drainage
> > pipes, etc.
> >
> > In addition, there are so many open driveways and parking decks that the
> > guardrail, while yes, protecting the area right at the homes, wouldn't prevent
> > vehicles from launching off someone's parking deck or driveway and into
> > the house.
> >
> > While not a perfect example, this is what I mean. They can't put a guardrail
> > across this guy's driveway so a vehicle missing that curve could launch right
> > into the house. These setups are all over the neighborhood.
> >
> > https://i.imgur.com/mCd9UFg.jpg
> >
> > Due to all of the driveways, stairs, curves, etc. there would literally be
> > hundreds of individual "house length" projects, each requiring its own
> > very specific engineering and installation. Quite the expense.
> That looks like the road that our small development is off of. There
> are a half dozen houses below it between the creek that meanders near
> it. Houses are protected by trees along the road. One time a propane
> truck ended up in one of their yards but did not hit the house. The
> state has a few guard rails on the road but not near the houses. One of
> the places before they put a guard rail, I had seen a car in a ditch
> there one morning.

There are a couple of guardrails in the neighborhoods, but not many. I
don't recall if any are near the houses. Some are wooden, some are
metal, different materials from different eras.

I get the whole safety thing, but putting in guardrails between every
driveway would completely change the character of the neighborhood.

Not to mention the length of time it would take, considering, like I said,
every house-length section would be a complete project unto itself. I
was there 3 years ago and then again last month. They are still working
on replacing the power poles and I know that the project started more
than 3 years ago. It's tough terrain to work in, you can't close the narrow
road or people can't get home, etc.