If you’ve been following along, then you know the team at Ironwood Custom Builders has been busy! Awhile back, we introduced two of the projects we’ve been working on, the Schaecher residence and the Fergusson residence. We recently revealed how the Schaecher project is progressing, but we’ve made so much progress at the Fergusson residence, we decided it was time to share an update. Get the details about this challenging project below.
The Fergusson Residence
Location: Bountiful, Utah
Project Type: Addition & Remodel
Project Cost: $980,000
Designer: Walker Home Design
Structural Engineer: Iridium AE
Civil Engineer: McNeil Engineering
Before we get to the latest details about this project, here’s a quick recap:
The Fergussons decided it was time to give their existing home a facelift, and our team was happy to help! One of the most challenging aspects of this project was the intense slope of the home’s driveway, which reached a 30% slope in some areas. While it was essential that we eliminate this safety risk, it wasn’t easy! Any areas of the lot that exceeded 30% had to be left undisturbed to prevent erosion, so getting equipment and materials to the new addition’s foundation was tricky. With some strategic planning, we were able to safely build the addition’s foundation in tiers to accommodate the extreme slopes and leave the vulnerable areas undisturbed. We then excavated down 15 feet adjacent to the existing garage to create a “cliff” next to it. To protect the home’s foundation and provide support for the garage structure already in place, we poured the foundation in sections.
Since then, we’ve made a lot of progress on the exterior of the home. We’ve been working on building retaining walls to continue to address the steep slopes of the property. Because the walls are much taller than on a typical lot, we are using Verti-Block. This innovative product is the same material used for highway and freeway ramps. It is super lightweight and can be stained to mimic the look of natural stone or concrete. Before the Verti-Block can be laid, we have to put a geogrid material behind it to stabilize the soil. Once that’s done, the Verti-Block is put in place. However, the city only allows for retaining walls up to 10 feet, so we have to create tiers to accommodate the slope. Next up, we’re going to start cutting the driveway down to reduce the grade. This will allow the rest of the materials to be delivered to the home easily.
Have questions about this project or working with Ironwood Custom Builders? Feel free to reach out! We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have! Get in touch to learn more and be sure to follow along on Facebook for more updates on our current projects.