The Construction Challenge

 

Back in the fall of 2012, I was approached by Dee Dee Eustace of Taylor Hannah Architect Inc. (THA) and presented with the opportunity to be part of the team that would convert a 100-year-old, brick Midtown Toronto semi into a contemporary private residence.

I remember thinking during our first site visit, “Where am I going to store materials?” and “Where is everyone going to park?” Little did I know at the time that these concerns would be the least of my worries.

This is the story of the Construction Challenge…

Shoring for the Addition

 

While working in unison with the excavation company, our shoring contractor installs piles and lagging. The steel piles and wood lagging will become the back side of our foundation wall formwork.

 

What’s with all that dirt?

Part of the THA plan incorporated a garage connected to the new residence. To achieve this, deep underpinning of the existing foundation walls was required, as well as shoring adjacent properties.

Limited site access through a rear lane way added logistical challenges. Excavated material had to be removed and transported by bobcat to waiting trucks on the nearest side street. Lane way clean up required hours of labour sweeping and power washing. Water trucks were brought in to wash down the streets. More than 250 cubic meters of earth were removed over several days.