magid: (Default)
magid ([personal profile] magid) wrote2005-12-04 12:26 pm

Short takes

Last Sunday I got to see a triple-decker being moved. The block was closed off, the building inching along as the professionals slowly moved into its new place down the block, very interesting to see.

I couldn't stay long, but it triggered memories of being let out of school for a couple of hours (in 5th grade? 7th grade? I can't place it in time more specifically than those guesses (a common failing of mine).) to sit on the side lawn and watch as the rectory of one of the churches was slowly moved down the street by the school. They had to cut branches from the overhanging trees. I wonder what they did about traffic, since it was the only through street going that way.


Driving home last night, I heard a huge, muffler-free vehicle nearby, so loud I wanted to cover my ears, even with my windows closed. It passed me, and I saw it was a pickup truck, owned by Stealth Construction.


Yet more Trader Joe's food, this time orange-cardamom cookies. I had to get them, partly because the flavors sounded intriguing, and partly because they're in a cool container, a non-cylinder with an oval base, made of wood, with the side of the cylinder being the opening flap; eminently reusable for something (I haven't decided what yet, though). The cookies are little stars (I swallowed stars!), and pretty nice, the orange and spiciness noticeable, not too sweet, a touch of salty undertones.


Newest local exploration: some of the 17 miles of trails maintained by the town of Wellesley. It was good to be out in the woods, scuffing along in the leaves and pine needles (before today's snow), seeing the wind ruffle a lake surface into waves, spotting a minyan of ducks and a quartet of swans in the little ponds along the way.


Snow this morning, still continuing. I walked to the gym in the quiet of the early morning, the quiet even more so muffled by the snow. Little slips with most steps, the snow slippery, a chance to regain my snow legs. The beginning of boot season. Tracks showing previous passersby, people with interestingly-patterned soles, a dog, some squirrels, perhaps even a rabbit? (The tracks were a hopping animal's, not a dog or cat, and larger than the other squirrel tracks I'd seen.)

Home now, the light inside is grey as the snow still falls, inspiring me to make something hearty to eat and do homey tasks (perhaps catch up on the never-ending laundry?).


My parents came for Thanksgiving dinner, and I asked them to bring the knife-sharpening tools. It's sooo nice to be using sharpened knives. (Reminder to self to remember this, and sharpen them more frequently: easier on the wrists, safer for the hands, faster for the veggie prep.)


Congratulations to Queue on a house well-warmed.

[identity profile] pling.livejournal.com 2005-12-04 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
How does moving a building work with foundations & stuff? Or is it just pegged to the ground in some fashion? I don't think I've ever heard of moving a building like that in the UK.

[identity profile] magid.livejournal.com 2005-12-04 07:06 pm (UTC)(link)
They don't bring the foundations along. They detach it from the original foundation (don't ask me how), and put it on a new foundation poured at the new site (ditto). All the pipes and such inside the main house are brought along, but I believe there are new pipes in the basement to connect up with utilities and such. I assume that if the owners lived in the old location originally, they put everything into storage, possibly even including such things as hot water heaters (if they didn't take the opportunity to get newer/more energy efficient ones).

I just Googled "building movers" and there are a number of firms that do this. This one has a nice introductory FAQ. (And if you go looking, there are lots of photos of houses on trucks.)

[identity profile] ruthling.livejournal.com 2005-12-04 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I wonder what the cost difference would be for moving a building versus building a new one.

[identity profile] magid.livejournal.com 2005-12-04 07:11 pm (UTC)(link)
I was looking at some sites to reply to Pling's comment, and at least one movers calls the building to be moved a "recycled house" (!). One site pointed out the differences in between new and old construction (focusing on the positives of the old, like workmanship, not surprisingly, rather than the benefits of new, such as greater energy efficiency).

Also, while distance is a factor (obviously), the costs depend also on how wide it is and how big it is (to empty then fill). Around here, I can't quite imagine having enough money to do this myself...

[identity profile] ruthling.livejournal.com 2005-12-05 01:50 pm (UTC)(link)
There is also the avoided cost of having to dispose of the old house parts, which can be considerable, particularly with new waste ban regs. coming into play. Still...