The builder lays out the rough dimensions of the floor plan paying attention to restrictive covenant setbacks on both sides, front and highest point of house above the curb and gutter. I thought he would use surveying instruments and upper-level math to figure out the corners of the house from one of the corners of the lot. Silly me. He uses a couple of measurements from the sidewalk and side property line, some string and a few cans of orange spray paint.

I could have some serious fun with this thing. But the builder needs something the house will fit in without too much extra room, flat on the bottom without the top of the foundation being below street level.

We were pretty sure at this point the builder was hosing us out of about 500 square feet. The forms for the footings did not even seem like they were correct. The house is some 55 feet deep by 76 feet wide. Worth noting, the builder refers to the little gray and orange box in the upper right-hand corner of this picture as a "port-a-bob", how rude. I'm not going to say anything until he gives us the keys though. :-)

It's almost like "where do you put the cheese" and where does the mouse start? How do they know where to put those things? We were correct about the rocks per square foot. Some of the rocks that came out of the hole as they were digging are the size of a four wheeler.

Just add water and a few other ingredients and a foundation is in. This is looking from the back right corner of the house towards the front. This is the back wall of the 3rd car garage and the kitchen area.

This is the front-left of the house and one of the guest bedrooms on the left and the den to the right. They were getting ready to install the basement window wells. They drill holes in the foundation and bolt them on. They are probably 6 feet tall by 5 feet wide. After the window wells are installed, they spray a black water proofing sealer around the perimeter of the foundation.