Austin Craftsman Foundation

Thanks for visiting our Austin Craftsman foundation post! We had been looking for a small home to remodel, and had not been able to find a good fit. Mostly, the houses were already redone with choices that we did not like. We decided that the best thing would be to build from scratch.

There was a lot for sale on Edgewater Drive that sounded interesting. We drove over to take a look and bought it that day. It was .75 acre – and backed to a canyon. There were some terrain issues – a creek crossed the rear and the right side sloped up a steep hill.

In spite of the lot issues, we felt that this would be the right place for a project. A craftsman style cottage with a wide front porch overlooking the lake view would be the right direction to take the design. We hope you enjoy our Austin Craftsman foundation post.

These are the trenches for the septic system, which was a simple gravity feed system. The soil was wonderful river loam – so easy to dig and perfect for septic systems. We were used to solid rock or clay soil in central and west Austin, so this was a nice change.

The foundation was easy to form up, and pour. The only problem we had was a neighbor who felt she was entitled to have a vacant lot next door. She had her hammock under our trees. This happens often when you build. People show up who just don’t like you, don’t want a house next door, and want to stop you from building.

The workmen building the concrete foundation enjoyed viewing the water and watching boats go by.

This concrete foundation was easy on the budget – only about 4 feet at the high part. The footings across the front are for porch piers. A temporary fence was put up to protect the septic system during construction.

The foundation contractor suggested that we “burn the concrete.” By burning, he meant giving it a burnished or hard-troweled finish. There is just a small time frame to get this done. As soon as the concrete can be walked on, they go over it with a paddle machine. This polishes and closes the pores of the surface. It creates a nice smooth surface that can be sealed for a finished floor.

Thanks for visiting our Austin craftsman foundation post! If you’re doing a diy project feel free to reach out to us. We love to compare notes, and share contractors and war stories.

And, if you need somebody, and not just anybody, to help you find a home or get your home sold, we’d love to hear from you!