1 00:00:01,134 --> 00:00:02,368 TOM: We've never built anything from the ground up. 2 00:00:02,469 --> 00:00:03,635 This will be our first. 3 00:00:03,737 --> 00:00:05,270 MEGHAN: There is snow everywhere. 4 00:00:05,372 --> 00:00:06,105 We may be crazy. 5 00:00:06,206 --> 00:00:07,306 But I think we'll pull it off. 6 00:00:07,407 --> 00:00:09,808 Wind gusts are probably 40 miles per hour. 7 00:00:09,909 --> 00:00:11,510 CHARLES: It's a special kind of hell 8 00:00:11,611 --> 00:00:12,978 while it's blowing in your face. 9 00:00:13,079 --> 00:00:14,913 MEGHAN: We did not expect to have snow like this. 10 00:00:15,015 --> 00:00:15,781 Pull your bucket in. 11 00:00:16,683 --> 00:00:17,750 Is it too deep? 12 00:00:17,851 --> 00:00:19,018 It's going to be heavy as hell when 13 00:00:19,119 --> 00:00:20,486 you guys got to pick it up. 14 00:00:20,587 --> 00:00:21,720 [interposing voices] 15 00:00:21,821 --> 00:00:22,988 MEGHAN: You having fun yet? 16 00:00:23,089 --> 00:00:25,024 TOM: Even before we're done mixing it, 17 00:00:25,125 --> 00:00:25,991 it's starting to dry up. 18 00:00:26,092 --> 00:00:26,792 Go ahead. 19 00:00:26,893 --> 00:00:28,160 MEGHAN: Not safe. 20 00:00:28,261 --> 00:00:31,030 This diesel is burning super fast. 21 00:00:31,131 --> 00:00:32,131 It's kind of freaking me out. 22 00:00:33,933 --> 00:00:36,101 TOM: Welcome to Building off the Grid. 23 00:00:36,202 --> 00:00:39,371 NARRATOR: Are you ready to go off the grid? 24 00:00:42,809 --> 00:00:44,576 [music playing] 25 00:00:48,181 --> 00:00:49,548 Man, look at the river. 26 00:00:49,649 --> 00:00:51,316 Did it look like there was fish in there? 27 00:00:51,418 --> 00:00:54,219 MEGHAN: We're building in south central Colorado. 28 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,056 So we took a road trip from our place in southeast Texas 29 00:00:57,157 --> 00:00:58,424 to the build site. 30 00:00:58,525 --> 00:01:01,126 TOM: The drive to Colorado was much longer than we thought. 31 00:01:01,227 --> 00:01:02,361 22 hours. 32 00:01:02,462 --> 00:01:05,097 One more turn after this, and we'll be there. 33 00:01:05,198 --> 00:01:09,301 MEGHAN: We showed up today, and there's snow everywhere. 34 00:01:09,402 --> 00:01:12,838 TOM: Having left Texas two days ago in extraordinary heat 35 00:01:12,939 --> 00:01:15,040 and to go into 28 degrees this morning, 36 00:01:15,141 --> 00:01:17,342 and being that it's technically still summer, 37 00:01:17,444 --> 00:01:19,778 it's a shock to come here and see this much snow. 38 00:01:19,879 --> 00:01:21,947 This is it, guys. 39 00:01:22,015 --> 00:01:24,716 MEGHAN: We may be crazy, but I think we'll pull it off. 40 00:01:24,818 --> 00:01:25,617 I'm Meghan. 41 00:01:25,718 --> 00:01:26,585 I'm Tom. 42 00:01:26,686 --> 00:01:28,053 And we're building a rammed earth 43 00:01:28,154 --> 00:01:29,621 house in the San Luis Valley. 44 00:01:32,125 --> 00:01:35,761 TOM: The property is located approximately 45 45 00:01:35,862 --> 00:01:38,030 minutes from Taos, New Mexico. 46 00:01:38,131 --> 00:01:40,899 From Alamosa, it's about 40 miles. 47 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:41,900 So we are out here. 48 00:01:42,001 --> 00:01:43,702 MEGHAN: It's really beautiful, huh? 49 00:01:43,803 --> 00:01:44,903 TOM: It is. 50 00:01:45,004 --> 00:01:47,473 Is this is your first time seeing snow, little man? 51 00:01:47,574 --> 00:01:50,175 This is the first time any of our family members have seen 52 00:01:50,276 --> 00:01:52,244 snow, including the 16-month-old Tucker 53 00:01:52,345 --> 00:01:54,246 and both of our dogs and Ava. 54 00:01:54,347 --> 00:01:55,214 And they love it. 55 00:01:55,315 --> 00:01:56,748 First mountains. 56 00:01:56,850 --> 00:01:58,250 First time in Colorado. 57 00:01:58,351 --> 00:02:00,185 TOM: We came out here a couple of years ago. 58 00:02:00,286 --> 00:02:04,456 And Meghan really liked the area, and so did I. 59 00:02:04,557 --> 00:02:06,091 Daddy's going to get your mittens. 60 00:02:06,192 --> 00:02:07,059 We just fell in love with it. 61 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:08,127 It's beautiful. 62 00:02:08,228 --> 00:02:09,361 And I saw the listing and had to have it 63 00:02:09,462 --> 00:02:11,330 and surprised him on Christmas with it. 64 00:02:11,431 --> 00:02:13,232 I've never gotten a piece of land for a present 65 00:02:13,333 --> 00:02:15,300 before, so it was-- 66 00:02:15,401 --> 00:02:16,468 He can get me a car next time. 67 00:02:16,569 --> 00:02:17,436 [laughing] 68 00:02:17,537 --> 00:02:18,770 MEGHAN: The main reason that we want 69 00:02:18,872 --> 00:02:20,506 to do this build in Colorado is that we 70 00:02:20,607 --> 00:02:21,540 come through here a lot. 71 00:02:21,641 --> 00:02:23,242 We love the whole state. 72 00:02:23,343 --> 00:02:24,576 What do you think about all this, Ava? 73 00:02:24,677 --> 00:02:26,945 It's beautiful all these mountains everywhere you look. 74 00:02:27,046 --> 00:02:28,647 And the snow just goes on forever and ever. 75 00:02:28,748 --> 00:02:29,448 And I love that. 76 00:02:29,549 --> 00:02:30,249 Ooh! 77 00:02:30,350 --> 00:02:31,683 [laughing] 78 00:02:31,784 --> 00:02:33,318 MEGHAN: You got to get your mittens. 79 00:02:33,419 --> 00:02:35,154 We met through a mutual friend. 80 00:02:35,255 --> 00:02:36,955 By the end of the date, I knew. 81 00:02:37,056 --> 00:02:38,190 You kind of know. 82 00:02:38,291 --> 00:02:40,225 I think we got married four months after we met. 83 00:02:42,195 --> 00:02:45,931 TOM: We're the parents of six kids of a blended family. 84 00:02:46,032 --> 00:02:47,966 MEGHAN: All the kids are back in school, 85 00:02:48,067 --> 00:02:51,036 except for Ava, who is doing remote learning, and Tucker-- 86 00:02:51,137 --> 00:02:52,037 TOM: How's that? 87 00:02:52,105 --> 00:02:53,105 Look at that. 88 00:02:53,206 --> 00:02:54,873 MEGHAN: --who is helping out as best he can. 89 00:02:57,010 --> 00:02:58,577 TOM: The business that we own, it's 90 00:02:58,678 --> 00:03:00,445 a small remodeling business. 91 00:03:00,547 --> 00:03:02,147 Meghan does a lot of the designing, 92 00:03:02,248 --> 00:03:04,950 and I do a lot of the building. 93 00:03:05,051 --> 00:03:07,119 But we've never built anything from the ground up. 94 00:03:07,220 --> 00:03:08,554 So this will be our first. 95 00:03:11,391 --> 00:03:12,324 [music playing] 96 00:03:13,526 --> 00:03:15,460 MEGHAN: We are going to build a rammed earth 97 00:03:15,562 --> 00:03:18,397 house that'll be 33 by 33 feet. 98 00:03:18,498 --> 00:03:21,833 Inside will be two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room, 99 00:03:21,935 --> 00:03:24,002 a kitchen, and a dining room. 100 00:03:24,103 --> 00:03:27,239 The thing about earthen walls, whether it's adobe or cob 101 00:03:27,340 --> 00:03:30,509 or rammed earth, is that they stay cool during the day, 102 00:03:30,610 --> 00:03:32,778 and they stay warm at night. 103 00:03:32,879 --> 00:03:34,980 Our off-grid features are going to be 104 00:03:35,081 --> 00:03:38,717 a water sourced from the Rio Grande River into a water tote. 105 00:03:38,818 --> 00:03:41,853 And heat source will be from the fireplace and electricity 106 00:03:41,955 --> 00:03:42,955 from solar panels. 107 00:03:44,791 --> 00:03:47,326 The budget for this build is a little under $20,000. 108 00:03:47,427 --> 00:03:50,729 MEGHAN: So our timeline is about seven weeks to begin 109 00:03:50,830 --> 00:03:52,464 and complete the build. 110 00:03:52,565 --> 00:03:54,933 It'll be a project, but we'll get it done. 111 00:03:55,034 --> 00:03:58,737 TOM: The dangers in San Luis Valley are wildlife-- 112 00:03:58,838 --> 00:04:02,140 Bear, mountain lions, coyotes. 113 00:04:02,242 --> 00:04:03,508 Snakes. 114 00:04:03,610 --> 00:04:05,210 Snakes, which I don't think we have to worry about today. 115 00:04:05,311 --> 00:04:06,011 Scorpions. 116 00:04:06,112 --> 00:04:08,113 Hypothermian. 117 00:04:08,214 --> 00:04:09,248 That's a very real thing. 118 00:04:09,349 --> 00:04:11,149 [laughing] 119 00:04:17,156 --> 00:04:18,156 MEGHAN: I don't think we're going 120 00:04:18,258 --> 00:04:19,791 to get the excavator today. 121 00:04:19,892 --> 00:04:20,892 No. 122 00:04:20,994 --> 00:04:22,661 We did not expect to have snow like this. 123 00:04:24,364 --> 00:04:27,399 So what with the weather and the excavator not coming in today, 124 00:04:27,500 --> 00:04:29,468 I'm not really sure what we're going to do. 125 00:04:29,569 --> 00:04:31,336 Set us back a little bit, but hopefully 126 00:04:31,437 --> 00:04:33,171 tomorrow we'll get one. 127 00:04:37,076 --> 00:04:39,378 [music playing] 128 00:04:42,982 --> 00:04:43,982 MEGHAN: Big sigh of relief. 129 00:04:44,083 --> 00:04:46,418 The excavator has finally arrived. 130 00:04:46,519 --> 00:04:47,786 Somewhere down the line, somebody 131 00:04:47,887 --> 00:04:50,222 gave him the wrong address and had him up a muddy mountain 132 00:04:50,323 --> 00:04:51,923 pass 20 miles to the east. 133 00:04:52,025 --> 00:04:54,626 But he made it, and we've lost a day and a half. 134 00:04:54,727 --> 00:04:56,862 So yeah, we're ready to get after it now. 135 00:04:59,299 --> 00:05:01,166 The first thing that we need to do with this excavator 136 00:05:01,267 --> 00:05:02,601 is cut a driveway. 137 00:05:02,702 --> 00:05:03,635 MEGHAN: Good to go. 138 00:05:03,736 --> 00:05:04,436 TOM: Right. 139 00:05:06,773 --> 00:05:10,142 We're doing the driveway first because we want to have a spot 140 00:05:10,243 --> 00:05:12,577 to drive our material in closer to when we 141 00:05:12,679 --> 00:05:14,680 start to build our forms and put up our walls 142 00:05:14,781 --> 00:05:15,480 and dig our foundation. 143 00:05:15,581 --> 00:05:17,316 MEGHAN: There you go. 144 00:05:17,417 --> 00:05:19,151 Pull your bucket in. 145 00:05:19,252 --> 00:05:20,385 Is it too deep? 146 00:05:23,623 --> 00:05:24,756 Your blade might be too low. 147 00:05:24,857 --> 00:05:25,557 I don't know. 148 00:05:25,658 --> 00:05:26,792 Yeah, it is. 149 00:05:26,893 --> 00:05:28,927 MEGHAN: There you go. 150 00:05:29,028 --> 00:05:29,995 Cool. 151 00:05:30,096 --> 00:05:31,797 OK, so I think we're at the point I need 152 00:05:31,898 --> 00:05:33,231 to go stand at the end of the line, 153 00:05:33,333 --> 00:05:34,232 so we can get a straight line. 154 00:05:34,334 --> 00:05:35,567 TOM: And so if she's standing out there, 155 00:05:35,668 --> 00:05:37,569 it's a lot easier to see a person than it is two stakes. 156 00:05:37,670 --> 00:05:39,071 She wants to the driveway straight. 157 00:05:39,172 --> 00:05:41,006 So we're going to get it as straight as possible. 158 00:05:41,107 --> 00:05:41,807 This is it. 159 00:05:47,947 --> 00:05:48,647 Tom! 160 00:05:50,216 --> 00:05:53,118 You got to look to know where to go. 161 00:05:53,219 --> 00:05:54,353 Yes, come all the way. 162 00:05:54,454 --> 00:05:55,587 TOM: OK. 163 00:05:55,688 --> 00:05:57,689 MEGHAN: Good to go. 164 00:05:57,790 --> 00:06:00,525 We wound up doing the layout for the driveway. 165 00:06:00,626 --> 00:06:04,996 Between my GPS being a little squirrelly and Tom leaving me 166 00:06:05,098 --> 00:06:06,598 a little bit to the left every time I wanted 167 00:06:06,699 --> 00:06:08,767 to go to the right, it wound up about 168 00:06:08,868 --> 00:06:10,969 15 strong feet to the left. 169 00:06:11,070 --> 00:06:13,004 By virtue of it not being straight in that line, 170 00:06:13,106 --> 00:06:15,107 we're going to turn it into a little bit of a curve. 171 00:06:15,208 --> 00:06:17,376 And it really leads back to the original idea of having 172 00:06:17,477 --> 00:06:19,311 the cabin on an angle. 173 00:06:19,412 --> 00:06:20,946 So it's all going to work out anyway. 174 00:06:25,184 --> 00:06:29,020 OK, so I think we're ready to go ahead and lay out all the four 175 00:06:29,122 --> 00:06:31,123 corners of the cabin so that we can 176 00:06:31,224 --> 00:06:33,425 dig the trench for our foundation under the wall. 177 00:06:39,132 --> 00:06:40,799 Pull it up over the weeds. 178 00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:41,600 Let me mark mine. 179 00:06:41,701 --> 00:06:42,601 I think Rigel bumped them. 180 00:06:42,702 --> 00:06:43,402 Go on. 181 00:06:45,471 --> 00:06:47,973 Our stakes and our string and the stuff 182 00:06:48,074 --> 00:06:49,641 we were going to mark our boundaries with 183 00:06:49,742 --> 00:06:51,476 was supposed to come on the supply truck. 184 00:06:51,577 --> 00:06:52,844 But it didn't come yet. 185 00:06:52,945 --> 00:06:56,181 We also have 4,500 pounds of Portland cement coming, which 186 00:06:56,282 --> 00:06:58,817 we can't stack up in this environment 187 00:06:58,918 --> 00:07:00,619 because it may rain and snow again tonight. 188 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,621 So it'll be one big block of concrete. 189 00:07:02,722 --> 00:07:06,525 We need to dig pretty specific precise corners at each 190 00:07:06,626 --> 00:07:07,526 of these pieces of wood. 191 00:07:18,438 --> 00:07:20,472 If it snows, we'll have to remeasure. 192 00:07:23,042 --> 00:07:24,242 And measure and remeasure. 193 00:07:25,812 --> 00:07:27,012 And remeasure. 194 00:07:30,416 --> 00:07:31,483 [music playing] 195 00:07:32,618 --> 00:07:34,719 If it snows, we'll have to remeasure. 196 00:07:37,256 --> 00:07:38,924 And measure and remeasure. 197 00:07:39,025 --> 00:07:40,192 And remeasure. 198 00:07:43,095 --> 00:07:45,363 [music playing] 199 00:07:47,133 --> 00:07:48,934 After marking the four corners of the house, 200 00:07:49,035 --> 00:07:51,536 we were super nervous it would snow again and ruin them. 201 00:07:53,239 --> 00:07:54,940 But luckily, it didn't snow, so we 202 00:07:55,041 --> 00:07:57,309 were able to use those marks to dig the trenches 203 00:07:57,410 --> 00:07:58,210 for the foundation. 204 00:07:59,979 --> 00:08:01,980 Two weeks in, I would say it probably 205 00:08:02,081 --> 00:08:03,715 doesn't look like we have a whole lot done, 206 00:08:03,816 --> 00:08:05,383 but we really do. 207 00:08:05,485 --> 00:08:09,254 TOM: What we'll do today, and it's a major milestone, 208 00:08:09,355 --> 00:08:13,158 is start to build vertical by building our first portion 209 00:08:13,259 --> 00:08:14,693 of the rammed earth wall. 210 00:08:14,794 --> 00:08:16,161 [machinery cutting] 211 00:08:18,698 --> 00:08:19,364 We met Charles. 212 00:08:19,465 --> 00:08:20,532 He's a local. 213 00:08:20,633 --> 00:08:22,501 Sheets of plywood here to drill out. 214 00:08:22,602 --> 00:08:23,768 TOM: And he offered to help. 215 00:08:23,870 --> 00:08:25,704 And I wasn't going to turn him down. 216 00:08:25,805 --> 00:08:27,405 I've never seen anything like this before. 217 00:08:27,507 --> 00:08:29,274 I was very excited. 218 00:08:29,375 --> 00:08:30,842 She said rammed earth, and I had never 219 00:08:30,943 --> 00:08:32,377 ever heard that term before. 220 00:08:32,478 --> 00:08:35,981 A lot of residential experience but nothing like this. 221 00:08:36,082 --> 00:08:39,417 MEGHAN: So today, we're going to start our first form. 222 00:08:39,519 --> 00:08:41,553 The form is a mold that we use to create 223 00:08:41,654 --> 00:08:42,687 the rammed earth walls. 224 00:08:42,788 --> 00:08:44,489 And each one of them is packed with a mixture 225 00:08:44,590 --> 00:08:47,325 of a local aggregate of the local soil 226 00:08:47,426 --> 00:08:48,593 and cement and water. 227 00:08:48,694 --> 00:08:51,963 And we do layers, tamp it down, let it cure overnight. 228 00:08:52,064 --> 00:08:54,833 And we keep doing that until our four walls go up. 229 00:08:54,934 --> 00:08:57,836 TOM: We usually build the forms with plywood. 230 00:08:57,937 --> 00:08:59,170 But we found something stronger. 231 00:09:00,506 --> 00:09:03,542 These aren't your average 3/4 inch plywood sheets. 232 00:09:03,643 --> 00:09:05,443 They're 116 sheet metal. 233 00:09:05,545 --> 00:09:08,079 And they were for racehorse dividers. 234 00:09:08,214 --> 00:09:08,947 Check that metal one. 235 00:09:10,516 --> 00:09:11,783 Oh, yeah. 236 00:09:11,884 --> 00:09:13,285 So that's what we're using as our form for extra strength. 237 00:09:13,386 --> 00:09:15,587 MEGHAN: I'm just concerned it's going to be heavy as hell. 238 00:09:17,356 --> 00:09:18,390 How's it going? 239 00:09:18,491 --> 00:09:19,324 It's going. 240 00:09:19,425 --> 00:09:20,792 You got a stuck wheel. 241 00:09:20,893 --> 00:09:21,826 MEGHAN: I know. 242 00:09:21,928 --> 00:09:23,361 While the guys are working on the form, 243 00:09:23,462 --> 00:09:25,730 I will be bringing rocks over load by load 244 00:09:25,831 --> 00:09:27,332 and dropping them into the trench. 245 00:09:27,433 --> 00:09:28,700 We have been collecting these. 246 00:09:28,768 --> 00:09:31,102 There's a great drop off down to the Rio Grande that's 247 00:09:31,203 --> 00:09:32,203 a great place to get rocks. 248 00:09:33,673 --> 00:09:35,140 This is our chain wall foundation, 249 00:09:35,241 --> 00:09:36,908 and I'm throwing these rocks in it. 250 00:09:37,009 --> 00:09:39,511 These will be below the forms to prevent shifting 251 00:09:39,612 --> 00:09:41,112 and degradation of the walls. 252 00:09:41,213 --> 00:09:43,615 And get about two courses of these rocks. 253 00:09:43,716 --> 00:09:47,118 And then get it compacted fill with Portland cement. 254 00:09:47,219 --> 00:09:48,587 And just tamp it down. 255 00:09:48,688 --> 00:09:50,889 And get it level and grade, so that the wall 256 00:09:50,990 --> 00:09:52,324 will have a place to stay. 257 00:09:55,895 --> 00:09:58,797 So I'm just building a little bit of a perimeter pile 258 00:09:58,898 --> 00:10:03,068 with my rock fill to mix some of this native soil 259 00:10:03,169 --> 00:10:04,402 with this bag of Portland cement. 260 00:10:05,738 --> 00:10:06,838 This is like baking. 261 00:10:06,939 --> 00:10:09,474 You do the dry mix, and then you add the moisture. 262 00:10:09,575 --> 00:10:11,710 That's all I'm going to do for now until we go get water. 263 00:10:13,179 --> 00:10:14,779 Getting water out here is not easy. 264 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:16,314 The Rio Grande is a mile that way. 265 00:10:19,685 --> 00:10:22,087 Whenever you guys are ready for a break, we can go get water. 266 00:10:24,624 --> 00:10:26,992 Why do you smell like gasoline? 267 00:10:27,093 --> 00:10:28,093 It's my aftershave. 268 00:10:28,194 --> 00:10:29,494 That's your cologne. 269 00:10:29,595 --> 00:10:32,430 Sure will be nice when that 150-gallon tote comes in, 270 00:10:32,531 --> 00:10:33,832 won't it? TOM: Yes, it will. 271 00:10:33,933 --> 00:10:34,599 MEGHAN: So we can-- 272 00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:36,001 TOM: I hope. Sure. 273 00:10:36,102 --> 00:10:37,836 MEGHAN: Mitigate how many trips to the Rio Grande 274 00:10:37,937 --> 00:10:40,872 we have to make with five-gallon containers. 275 00:10:40,973 --> 00:10:43,875 TOM: It's cooler than it was when we left last time. 276 00:10:43,976 --> 00:10:45,810 We didn't get our water tote or our cistern 277 00:10:45,911 --> 00:10:47,679 like we were supposed to. 278 00:10:47,780 --> 00:10:49,881 So we've been hauling five gallons 279 00:10:49,982 --> 00:10:52,283 at a time in bags, buckets, whatever we can get it in. 280 00:10:55,121 --> 00:10:55,887 You having fun yet? 281 00:10:55,988 --> 00:10:56,888 CHARLES: I'm having a blast. 282 00:10:56,989 --> 00:10:57,789 TOM: Lots of fun. 283 00:11:01,927 --> 00:11:04,763 [music playing] 284 00:11:06,365 --> 00:11:08,166 MEGHAN: Now that we have water-- 285 00:11:08,267 --> 00:11:12,003 Here we go-- we are mixing it into the rock foundation. 286 00:11:12,104 --> 00:11:14,839 And so we can build the walls on top of it. 287 00:11:14,940 --> 00:11:16,708 Looks dry, but it's how it works. 288 00:11:18,244 --> 00:11:22,781 So when you've got it like this, if you get a handful of it, 289 00:11:22,882 --> 00:11:26,718 squeeze it and create a ball that stays for the most part. 290 00:11:26,819 --> 00:11:27,686 Then you're good to go. 291 00:11:29,288 --> 00:11:31,656 [machinery cutting] 292 00:11:33,793 --> 00:11:35,660 The chain wall section is ready for the forms. 293 00:11:35,761 --> 00:11:36,461 TOM: All right. 294 00:11:36,562 --> 00:11:37,796 Well, we're done. 295 00:11:37,897 --> 00:11:39,397 We've just got to bring them over, and we'll set them up. 296 00:11:43,369 --> 00:11:44,736 Plop it down on the other side. 297 00:11:44,837 --> 00:11:45,503 OK. 298 00:11:47,306 --> 00:11:49,507 TOM: The plane here is to put together the form. 299 00:11:49,608 --> 00:11:51,342 The plane is to have the form sitting 300 00:11:51,444 --> 00:11:54,245 above and not in the trench. 301 00:11:54,346 --> 00:11:56,014 By doing it this way, the rammed earth 302 00:11:56,148 --> 00:11:58,416 is actually going to become one with the foundation. 303 00:12:02,221 --> 00:12:03,655 CHARLES: I'm not sure how to do this. 304 00:12:03,756 --> 00:12:04,656 TOM: OK. 305 00:12:04,757 --> 00:12:06,424 The problem is these are very heavy. 306 00:12:06,525 --> 00:12:08,560 CHARLES: I was just going to say weight is an issue. 307 00:12:08,661 --> 00:12:11,563 Lifting them up enough to accommodate putting the whalers 308 00:12:11,664 --> 00:12:12,764 on is getting a little tricky. 309 00:12:14,834 --> 00:12:16,367 There it is. 310 00:12:16,469 --> 00:12:18,770 [music playing] 311 00:12:23,242 --> 00:12:23,942 MEGHAN: Hi. 312 00:12:28,180 --> 00:12:29,514 The form is formed. 313 00:12:29,615 --> 00:12:30,849 TOM: Yay. 314 00:12:30,950 --> 00:12:33,118 Tucker, are you so excited? 315 00:12:33,219 --> 00:12:36,054 Now, the form is built, and we're ready to start filling 316 00:12:36,155 --> 00:12:37,489 it up with our compacted fill. 317 00:12:40,092 --> 00:12:42,594 TOM: Do dry mix, and then add water last, right? 318 00:12:42,695 --> 00:12:43,795 Yeah. 319 00:12:43,896 --> 00:12:47,265 So this mix is different from the foundation 320 00:12:47,366 --> 00:12:50,502 mix in that we avoided the larger rocks, for one thing. 321 00:12:50,603 --> 00:12:52,203 And also, it's going to have a little 322 00:12:52,304 --> 00:12:54,205 less Portland cement content. 323 00:12:54,306 --> 00:12:55,540 Let's just do water. 324 00:12:55,641 --> 00:12:56,508 Let's do it. 325 00:12:58,944 --> 00:13:00,311 TOM: Looks like concrete to me. 326 00:13:02,314 --> 00:13:04,415 MEGHAN: This is the first load for the first form. 327 00:13:04,517 --> 00:13:05,617 We have a long way to go. 328 00:13:05,718 --> 00:13:07,051 It's obviously a ton of work. 329 00:13:07,153 --> 00:13:09,220 And then hopefully, we'll figure out better 330 00:13:09,321 --> 00:13:10,755 ways to do this very soon. 331 00:13:10,856 --> 00:13:14,893 TOM: We've put in a total of probably 15 or 20 buckets. 332 00:13:14,994 --> 00:13:18,463 And it's going to be another couple hundred until it's 333 00:13:18,564 --> 00:13:20,932 packed all the way in because we put eight inches down, 334 00:13:21,033 --> 00:13:22,534 and it compacts into four to five. 335 00:13:25,704 --> 00:13:27,472 These are homemade tampers, which are actually 336 00:13:27,573 --> 00:13:29,040 working out pretty well. 337 00:13:29,141 --> 00:13:32,243 And the importance of tamping it is to activate 338 00:13:32,344 --> 00:13:33,611 the Portland cement. 339 00:13:33,712 --> 00:13:37,482 It's going to take it from basically raw dirt 340 00:13:37,583 --> 00:13:40,952 and turn it into something as hard as cement. 341 00:13:41,053 --> 00:13:43,254 MEGHAN: We did a test wall down in southeast 342 00:13:43,355 --> 00:13:46,157 Texas, which is I think the humidity capital of the world. 343 00:13:46,258 --> 00:13:48,793 And we found out that up here in the arid plains 344 00:13:48,894 --> 00:13:51,963 that you need at least two or three times as much water 345 00:13:52,064 --> 00:13:54,666 to achieve the same consistency of the mix. 346 00:13:54,767 --> 00:13:58,203 Even before we're done mixing it, it's starting to dry up. 347 00:13:58,304 --> 00:14:01,840 And we've got to be able to tamp it while it's still moist. 348 00:14:01,941 --> 00:14:03,007 How's it going with the moisture? 349 00:14:03,108 --> 00:14:04,509 Did you add more to this batch? 350 00:14:04,610 --> 00:14:05,877 No, but we need more. 351 00:14:05,978 --> 00:14:07,545 Yeah, it's drying it up really quickly. 352 00:14:07,646 --> 00:14:09,647 It evaporates by the time you get it in the form, doesn't it? 353 00:14:09,748 --> 00:14:10,782 Yeah. 354 00:14:10,883 --> 00:14:12,250 OK, well, I'll head to the river with the kids 355 00:14:12,351 --> 00:14:13,051 and get some more. 356 00:14:16,322 --> 00:14:17,822 Seems a little dry. 357 00:14:17,923 --> 00:14:19,190 I think so too. 358 00:14:19,291 --> 00:14:20,058 We're out of water. 359 00:14:23,629 --> 00:14:26,164 We're about 25% through with the form. 360 00:14:26,265 --> 00:14:27,966 CHARLES: If she even gets back with the water, 361 00:14:28,067 --> 00:14:29,801 we'll never get it filled before the end of the day. 362 00:14:29,902 --> 00:14:30,735 TOM: Yeah. 363 00:14:30,836 --> 00:14:32,437 This is a ton of work, brother. 364 00:14:32,538 --> 00:14:33,972 Let's call it a day. 365 00:14:34,073 --> 00:14:35,440 We'll start back first thing in the morning. 366 00:14:35,541 --> 00:14:36,641 All right. 367 00:14:36,742 --> 00:14:37,842 TOM: Going back and forth like this to the river, 368 00:14:37,943 --> 00:14:40,245 it's not very efficient. 369 00:14:40,346 --> 00:14:41,813 But we're going to have to switch it up, 370 00:14:41,914 --> 00:14:43,948 or we're going to fall way behind. 371 00:14:52,491 --> 00:14:53,091 [music playing] 372 00:14:53,993 --> 00:14:55,059 We're out of water. 373 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:56,895 CHARLES: If she even gets back with the water, 374 00:14:56,996 --> 00:14:58,796 we'll never get it filled before the end of the day. 375 00:14:58,898 --> 00:14:59,731 TOM: Yeah. 376 00:14:59,832 --> 00:15:01,699 This is a ton of work, brother. 377 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:02,834 Let's call it a day. 378 00:15:02,935 --> 00:15:04,202 We'll start back first thing in the morning. 379 00:15:04,303 --> 00:15:05,403 All right. 380 00:15:05,504 --> 00:15:06,771 TOM: Going back and forth like this to the river, 381 00:15:06,872 --> 00:15:09,140 it's not very efficient. 382 00:15:09,241 --> 00:15:10,775 But we're going to have to switch it up, 383 00:15:10,876 --> 00:15:12,911 or we're going to fall way behind. 384 00:15:19,418 --> 00:15:20,618 MEGHAN: OK. 385 00:15:20,753 --> 00:15:22,420 The great news is that the water totes we've been waiting 386 00:15:22,521 --> 00:15:23,988 for have finally just arrived. 387 00:15:25,324 --> 00:15:28,059 TOM: We went from 50 gallons of water to-- 388 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:28,893 MEGHAN: 330. 389 00:15:28,961 --> 00:15:30,228 So we piggyback. 390 00:15:30,329 --> 00:15:32,196 And we take the small one to the river, and we bring it back. 391 00:15:32,298 --> 00:15:34,532 And it's a constant, fluid process. 392 00:15:34,633 --> 00:15:36,968 And things are good right now. 393 00:15:37,069 --> 00:15:38,736 We've got some of the window boxes in, 394 00:15:38,837 --> 00:15:42,840 and we have fine-tuned to our process with the walls. 395 00:15:42,942 --> 00:15:44,442 We brought the excavator back, and that 396 00:15:44,543 --> 00:15:47,946 allows us to mix bigger batches and fill the forms way faster. 397 00:15:49,281 --> 00:15:50,581 The method has evolved. 398 00:15:50,683 --> 00:15:52,784 It's very different from how we started out. 399 00:15:55,788 --> 00:15:58,623 [music playing] 400 00:16:02,227 --> 00:16:03,928 So today is pretty significant. 401 00:16:04,029 --> 00:16:08,032 It's a landmark in that we are this close to being finished 402 00:16:08,133 --> 00:16:09,167 with the bottom course. 403 00:16:13,672 --> 00:16:16,307 TOM: And now, we only have two more walls to go, 404 00:16:16,408 --> 00:16:18,142 and the first level is finally finished. 405 00:16:21,413 --> 00:16:22,580 Let me get a squeeze. 406 00:16:22,681 --> 00:16:23,815 MEGHAN: OK. 407 00:16:23,916 --> 00:16:25,450 You're going to do the squeeze test? 408 00:16:27,553 --> 00:16:28,920 It's pretty good. 409 00:16:31,523 --> 00:16:34,092 MEGHAN: Since we graduated to this wonderful piece 410 00:16:34,193 --> 00:16:36,728 of equipment, life has become much easier. 411 00:16:36,829 --> 00:16:38,229 And it helps to mix. 412 00:16:38,330 --> 00:16:41,466 I've got double pits here too, so I can mix and alternate 413 00:16:41,567 --> 00:16:42,700 and go so much faster. 414 00:16:42,801 --> 00:16:43,501 TOM: I know. 415 00:16:46,271 --> 00:16:47,271 CHARLES: All right. 416 00:16:47,373 --> 00:16:49,207 Just tilt your bucket, and you're in there. 417 00:16:49,308 --> 00:16:50,041 TOM: Go ahead. 418 00:16:50,142 --> 00:16:51,309 MEGHAN: Not safe. 419 00:16:51,410 --> 00:16:52,110 TOM: I know. 420 00:16:52,211 --> 00:16:53,378 CHARLES: I'm out of the way. 421 00:16:53,479 --> 00:16:54,712 You could turn this way. 422 00:16:54,813 --> 00:16:56,481 MEGHAN: This diesel is burning super fast. 423 00:16:59,218 --> 00:17:02,120 I'm running the excavator, and I'm noticing that the gauge 424 00:17:02,221 --> 00:17:04,856 is rapidly falling. 425 00:17:04,957 --> 00:17:07,058 It's kind of freaking me out. 426 00:17:07,192 --> 00:17:08,926 TOM: That's the last bucket for that. 427 00:17:09,028 --> 00:17:09,727 MEGHAN: Yeah. 428 00:17:09,828 --> 00:17:10,528 TOM: All right. 429 00:17:12,097 --> 00:17:15,633 It's burning it seems like twice the rate 430 00:17:15,734 --> 00:17:16,734 that it was burning yesterday. 431 00:17:16,835 --> 00:17:20,071 Maybe somebody put gas in the diesel can. 432 00:17:20,172 --> 00:17:22,540 Hey, I'm really low on diesel. 433 00:17:22,641 --> 00:17:23,341 How low? 434 00:17:24,676 --> 00:17:25,576 Empty. 435 00:17:25,677 --> 00:17:26,944 [interposing voices] 436 00:17:27,046 --> 00:17:32,950 TOM: The danger of running a diesel completely out of fuel, 437 00:17:33,052 --> 00:17:34,719 it's very hard on the engine. 438 00:17:34,820 --> 00:17:36,387 And it's hard to get it started back. 439 00:17:36,488 --> 00:17:37,922 I've just always been told don't run your-- 440 00:17:38,023 --> 00:17:39,290 - Not something you want to do. - Not something you want to do. 441 00:17:39,391 --> 00:17:40,091 We don't know. 442 00:17:40,192 --> 00:17:41,125 And we don't want to know. 443 00:17:41,226 --> 00:17:42,126 What are we going to do? 444 00:17:42,227 --> 00:17:44,829 TOM: We got to finish this form today. 445 00:17:44,930 --> 00:17:47,131 Go back to the old ways to fill in the forms? 446 00:17:47,232 --> 00:17:48,733 It's optimal work conditions right now, hon. 447 00:17:48,834 --> 00:17:50,101 We're squandering them. 448 00:17:50,202 --> 00:17:52,904 TOM: We're talking about losing half the daylight 449 00:17:53,005 --> 00:17:55,306 we have left or more. 450 00:17:58,343 --> 00:18:00,945 Thing about that is that the nearest gas station doesn't 451 00:18:01,046 --> 00:18:03,614 sell diesel, so we've got to go in the opposite direction 452 00:18:03,715 --> 00:18:06,984 about 35 miles that way. 453 00:18:07,086 --> 00:18:08,086 Very unfortunate. 454 00:18:08,187 --> 00:18:08,953 CHARLES: All right. 455 00:18:09,054 --> 00:18:09,754 I'll go get fuel. 456 00:18:09,855 --> 00:18:11,089 TOM: This sucks. 457 00:18:11,190 --> 00:18:13,157 We've dealt with every problem so far, and we keep going. 458 00:18:13,258 --> 00:18:13,958 That's right. 459 00:18:14,059 --> 00:18:14,926 So let's keep going. 460 00:18:15,027 --> 00:18:17,395 MEGHAN: Our best asset, Charles, has 461 00:18:17,496 --> 00:18:21,065 gone on the seemingly million mile trek to get diesel. 462 00:18:21,133 --> 00:18:22,366 CHARLES: I need money. 463 00:18:22,468 --> 00:18:23,167 TOM: OK. 464 00:18:23,268 --> 00:18:24,135 [laughing] 465 00:18:25,237 --> 00:18:27,772 All told, with putting the diesel in 466 00:18:27,873 --> 00:18:29,540 and getting back rolling, it's going to knock out, 467 00:18:29,641 --> 00:18:30,475 I don't know-- 468 00:18:30,576 --> 00:18:31,275 Three hours. 469 00:18:31,376 --> 00:18:32,643 MEGHAN: Two, three hours. 470 00:18:32,744 --> 00:18:34,212 Three hours. 471 00:18:34,313 --> 00:18:35,480 Darn it. Darn it. 472 00:18:35,581 --> 00:18:36,280 MEGHAN: I know. 473 00:18:47,092 --> 00:18:48,426 Charles Is back. 474 00:18:48,527 --> 00:18:49,327 Now, we can get going. 475 00:18:49,428 --> 00:18:50,128 Get after it. 476 00:18:52,097 --> 00:18:52,797 Hey. 477 00:18:52,898 --> 00:18:53,598 CHARLES: Yeeha! 478 00:18:53,699 --> 00:18:54,732 You got it. 479 00:18:54,833 --> 00:18:55,733 TOM: Yeah, that was fast. [interposing voices] 480 00:18:55,834 --> 00:18:57,101 CHARLES: --round trip ever, buddy. 481 00:18:57,202 --> 00:18:58,169 TOM: Did you do the speed limit? 482 00:18:58,270 --> 00:18:59,003 CHARLES: No. 483 00:18:59,104 --> 00:18:59,904 [laughing] 484 00:19:00,005 --> 00:19:02,507 TOM: Charles saved the day today. 485 00:19:02,608 --> 00:19:04,175 MEGHAN: OK, I'm going to get in the machine 486 00:19:04,276 --> 00:19:06,677 if both of these dry mixes are ready. 487 00:19:06,778 --> 00:19:08,279 TOM: I'll wet this one down. MEGHAN: All right. 488 00:19:08,380 --> 00:19:09,080 Thank you. 489 00:19:09,181 --> 00:19:09,947 CHARLES: Woohoo! 490 00:19:10,048 --> 00:19:11,048 Rock and roll. 491 00:19:11,150 --> 00:19:11,849 [engine starting up] 492 00:19:11,950 --> 00:19:13,084 That's music to my ears. 493 00:19:27,466 --> 00:19:28,299 CHARLES: That looks great. 494 00:19:30,135 --> 00:19:31,669 TOM: Was supposed to take an hour. 495 00:19:31,770 --> 00:19:34,505 But it's taken more like almost all day 496 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:35,973 with some of the hiccups that we had. 497 00:19:36,074 --> 00:19:37,408 But-- MEGHAN: Welcome to our life. 498 00:19:37,509 --> 00:19:39,377 [laughing] But we're there. 499 00:19:42,114 --> 00:19:45,750 When Charles got back, we were able to finish off the wall 500 00:19:45,851 --> 00:19:47,218 and finish the first level. 501 00:19:47,319 --> 00:19:49,420 MEGHAN: We should be way past this by now. 502 00:19:49,521 --> 00:19:50,922 But we're happy to have it done. 503 00:19:51,023 --> 00:19:53,090 And thus far, when we've taken the shutters off, 504 00:19:53,192 --> 00:19:55,793 it's always a brand new form. 505 00:19:55,894 --> 00:19:57,328 It's exciting. 506 00:19:57,429 --> 00:19:58,129 TOM: Oh. 507 00:19:59,631 --> 00:20:00,364 Ta-da. 508 00:20:00,465 --> 00:20:01,432 Well, it looks good. 509 00:20:01,533 --> 00:20:03,434 Each time that you reveal it, yeah, it is 510 00:20:03,535 --> 00:20:05,303 like looking at a piece of art. 511 00:20:05,404 --> 00:20:06,237 You rip the sheet off. 512 00:20:06,338 --> 00:20:07,572 And there's imperfections. But-- 513 00:20:07,673 --> 00:20:08,406 MEGHAN: It's unique. 514 00:20:08,507 --> 00:20:09,840 And it's real cool to see it. 515 00:20:09,942 --> 00:20:11,108 TOM: Worked out good, didn't it? 516 00:20:11,210 --> 00:20:11,976 CHARLES: It's pretty cool. 517 00:20:13,178 --> 00:20:14,145 Nice. 518 00:20:14,246 --> 00:20:15,146 MEGHAN: That's the best one yet over here. 519 00:20:15,247 --> 00:20:15,947 [inaudible] 520 00:20:16,048 --> 00:20:17,048 Ooh. 521 00:20:17,149 --> 00:20:18,082 MEGHAN: Got a problem? 522 00:20:19,117 --> 00:20:20,318 No, [inaudible] oohing and aahing. 523 00:20:20,419 --> 00:20:22,587 [interposing voices] 524 00:20:22,688 --> 00:20:26,057 Whoa, this one's been curing for a couple of days. 525 00:20:26,158 --> 00:20:27,124 MEGHAN: Oh, guys. 526 00:20:27,226 --> 00:20:28,025 Look at this. 527 00:20:28,126 --> 00:20:29,827 A whole wall. 528 00:20:29,928 --> 00:20:30,861 It's beautiful. 529 00:20:30,963 --> 00:20:32,063 CHARLES: It's amazing. 530 00:20:32,164 --> 00:20:33,064 I love the small lifts. 531 00:20:33,165 --> 00:20:33,931 Absolutely love it. 532 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:40,238 TOM: So now we're going to go up and do the rest of it, which 533 00:20:40,339 --> 00:20:42,106 will be, once again, a learning curve 534 00:20:42,207 --> 00:20:46,410 because we're going to have to flip all the forms, re-brace. 535 00:20:47,846 --> 00:20:49,413 Sounds like an opportunity for tomorrow. 536 00:20:49,514 --> 00:20:50,748 MEGHAN: I'm going to be honest with you. 537 00:20:50,849 --> 00:20:53,084 I'm getting a little nervous about the time frame. 538 00:20:53,185 --> 00:20:54,719 This will be a ton of work. 539 00:20:54,820 --> 00:20:55,553 CHARLES: Getting scary. 540 00:21:01,693 --> 00:21:03,861 MEGHAN: I woke up so excited today to do 541 00:21:03,962 --> 00:21:05,296 the second tier of the walls. 542 00:21:05,397 --> 00:21:07,865 But it doesn't look like that's going to happen. 543 00:21:07,933 --> 00:21:10,901 So instead of working today, we're going to go hunker down 544 00:21:11,003 --> 00:21:12,637 and see what the storm brings us. 545 00:21:16,241 --> 00:21:20,478 We really had to catch up, fill forms, finish walls. 546 00:21:20,579 --> 00:21:24,749 But the weather, in spite of the forecast, had other plans. 547 00:21:32,557 --> 00:21:38,562 We're hunkering down for another cold, long night. 548 00:21:38,664 --> 00:21:40,364 And I am tired. 549 00:21:40,465 --> 00:21:42,933 And I don't just mean tonight. 550 00:21:43,035 --> 00:21:48,139 I mean, I am a little weary at this halfway point. 551 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:52,443 And I guess I'm at the doldrums, at the point 552 00:21:52,544 --> 00:21:57,682 where I realize we did ask ourselves what could go wrong? 553 00:21:57,783 --> 00:21:59,083 We need to pick up the pace. 554 00:21:59,184 --> 00:22:01,152 [music playing] 555 00:22:08,293 --> 00:22:09,660 Don't walk out there. 556 00:22:09,761 --> 00:22:10,795 You can't see the steps. 557 00:22:18,136 --> 00:22:20,338 There will be no rammed earth for the next few days, 558 00:22:20,439 --> 00:22:21,138 I don't think. 559 00:22:29,381 --> 00:22:31,349 Seems like I've been away for a million years. 560 00:22:32,651 --> 00:22:35,586 And I'm going to go see what the damage is. 561 00:22:35,687 --> 00:22:36,987 It sure is beautiful out here. 562 00:22:37,089 --> 00:22:43,694 But boy, am I worried about our walls still being up and intact 563 00:22:43,795 --> 00:22:45,730 because we got a ton of snow. 564 00:22:52,738 --> 00:22:54,939 [music playing] 565 00:22:58,210 --> 00:23:01,045 Seems like I've been away for a million years. 566 00:23:01,146 --> 00:23:03,247 And I'm going to go see what the damage is. 567 00:23:08,220 --> 00:23:11,021 I just got to the job site for the first time 568 00:23:11,123 --> 00:23:12,623 since the big snowstorm. 569 00:23:12,724 --> 00:23:14,792 And some cute little deer tracks. 570 00:23:14,893 --> 00:23:21,999 And in case anyone was wondering how the walls fared, ta da! 571 00:23:22,100 --> 00:23:23,567 They did great. 572 00:23:23,668 --> 00:23:24,502 Everything's fine. 573 00:23:26,138 --> 00:23:28,973 Oh, what a relief this is. 574 00:23:29,074 --> 00:23:31,308 I had no idea what to expect. 575 00:23:31,410 --> 00:23:32,910 Thanking our lucky stars. 576 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:36,580 I am really glad the wall held up. 577 00:23:36,681 --> 00:23:39,917 But the reality is we were behind before the storm hit, 578 00:23:40,018 --> 00:23:41,852 and now, we are even more behind. 579 00:23:45,190 --> 00:23:48,592 [music playing] 580 00:23:55,634 --> 00:23:58,135 TOM: The last couple of weeks, we've really hit our stride 581 00:23:58,236 --> 00:24:01,005 on the second level, being able to move forms faster, 582 00:24:01,106 --> 00:24:02,740 and get through things faster. 583 00:24:02,841 --> 00:24:04,408 And that just comes with experience. 584 00:24:07,245 --> 00:24:09,246 MEGHAN: As far as our timeline, it's totally blown. 585 00:24:10,415 --> 00:24:11,115 It's cold. 586 00:24:11,216 --> 00:24:13,083 It's snowing all the time. 587 00:24:13,185 --> 00:24:15,219 It's difficult. Woo, it's so windy. 588 00:24:19,357 --> 00:24:20,057 TOM: Right. 589 00:24:24,029 --> 00:24:24,895 MEGHAN: Almost there. 590 00:24:26,965 --> 00:24:29,900 The monotony is getting pretty killer. 591 00:24:30,001 --> 00:24:31,469 It's a lot of scooping dirt. 592 00:24:31,570 --> 00:24:32,870 I think we all dream about dirt. 593 00:24:32,971 --> 00:24:36,240 And at the point at which we get to be able to do something 594 00:24:36,341 --> 00:24:38,042 else, I will be so happy. 595 00:24:40,378 --> 00:24:42,680 TOM: We've had a couple of hands join us. 596 00:24:42,781 --> 00:24:46,450 Jordan, who came to us through Charles, and then my nephew 597 00:24:46,551 --> 00:24:48,619 Thomas is here from Texas. 598 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:49,753 We're excited to have them. 599 00:24:51,690 --> 00:24:52,690 Good, healthy banks. 600 00:24:52,791 --> 00:24:54,124 And they're helping with the heavy lifting. 601 00:24:54,226 --> 00:24:56,460 MEGHAN: Yeah, I think their age combined is my age. 602 00:24:56,561 --> 00:24:57,428 It's been great. 603 00:24:57,529 --> 00:24:58,429 CHARLES: All right, Jordan. 604 00:24:58,530 --> 00:24:59,196 Hurry up. 605 00:25:10,942 --> 00:25:14,612 MEGHAN: I'D say these wind gusts are probably 40 miles per hour. 606 00:25:14,713 --> 00:25:18,115 And it's creating more and more trouble the more it picks up. 607 00:25:18,216 --> 00:25:19,783 TOM: It slows things down. 608 00:25:19,885 --> 00:25:21,652 It makes things dangerous, especially 609 00:25:21,753 --> 00:25:22,620 when we're working up high. 610 00:25:22,721 --> 00:25:24,321 CHARLES: It's a special kind of hell 611 00:25:24,422 --> 00:25:26,657 while it's blowing in your face and sandblasting 612 00:25:26,758 --> 00:25:29,727 you and exfoliating your skin. 613 00:25:29,828 --> 00:25:30,861 MEGHAN: OK, it's ready to-- 614 00:25:30,962 --> 00:25:32,263 TOM: Almost. 615 00:25:32,364 --> 00:25:35,533 MEGHAN: It's going to be kind of difficult. Hold it steady. 616 00:25:35,634 --> 00:25:37,668 TOM: Uh-huh, I know. 617 00:25:37,769 --> 00:25:40,371 Dealing with the material in the wind, particularly the forms, 618 00:25:40,472 --> 00:25:43,007 if you're not careful, wind can catch them 619 00:25:43,108 --> 00:25:45,709 and, yeah, they take off like a kite. 620 00:25:45,810 --> 00:25:47,745 MEGHAN: OK, I'll take that from you. 621 00:25:47,846 --> 00:25:48,712 CHARLES: All right, you guys. 622 00:25:48,813 --> 00:25:49,513 Be careful. 623 00:25:49,614 --> 00:25:50,447 The wind's ripping now. 624 00:25:50,549 --> 00:25:51,248 All right? 625 00:25:51,349 --> 00:25:52,449 MEGHAN: Got a gust coming. 626 00:25:52,551 --> 00:25:53,284 Be careful. 627 00:25:53,385 --> 00:25:54,084 Watch out! 628 00:25:54,185 --> 00:25:54,885 Oh, watch out! 629 00:25:54,986 --> 00:25:57,054 [interposing voices] 630 00:26:00,258 --> 00:26:02,459 [music playing] 631 00:26:06,565 --> 00:26:07,464 Hold it steady, you know? 632 00:26:08,867 --> 00:26:11,302 TOM: Dealing with the material in the wind, particularly 633 00:26:11,403 --> 00:26:14,772 the forms, if you're not careful, wind you catch them, 634 00:26:14,873 --> 00:26:17,074 and yeah, they take off like a kite. 635 00:26:17,175 --> 00:26:18,075 CHARLES: All right, you guys. 636 00:26:18,176 --> 00:26:18,876 Be careful. 637 00:26:18,977 --> 00:26:19,977 The wind's ripping now. 638 00:26:20,078 --> 00:26:21,011 All right? 639 00:26:21,112 --> 00:26:22,313 MEGHAN: Got a gust coming. Be careful. 640 00:26:22,414 --> 00:26:23,113 TOM: Oh. 641 00:26:23,214 --> 00:26:24,081 MEGHAN: Watch out! 642 00:26:24,182 --> 00:26:25,015 [interposing voices] 643 00:26:25,917 --> 00:26:27,918 TOM: Goodness. 644 00:26:28,019 --> 00:26:28,819 Wow. 645 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:30,087 MEGHAN: Ta-da! 646 00:26:30,188 --> 00:26:31,422 TOM: You all right? 647 00:26:31,523 --> 00:26:32,790 CHARLES: See, it'll kill you if you're on the wrong side. 648 00:26:32,891 --> 00:26:34,124 MEGHAN: Did you get splinters? 649 00:26:34,225 --> 00:26:36,560 Normally, we'd probably just shut it down and go home. 650 00:26:36,661 --> 00:26:37,962 But we don't have that kind of time. 651 00:26:39,998 --> 00:26:41,765 Tonight, we're going to work until the sun goes down. 652 00:26:41,866 --> 00:26:43,567 We'll be back at or before you sun up 653 00:26:43,668 --> 00:26:46,971 and just keep on going until we're where we need to be. 654 00:26:47,072 --> 00:26:48,272 Winter's coming. 655 00:26:48,373 --> 00:26:50,007 Whether we're ready or not, we've got to get it done. 656 00:26:56,348 --> 00:26:58,682 [music playing] 657 00:27:01,186 --> 00:27:04,288 The last few days, we wrapped up all the dirt walls and the 658 00:27:04,389 --> 00:27:05,756 rammed earth and everything. 659 00:27:05,857 --> 00:27:07,658 And we're moving on to carpentry now. 660 00:27:07,759 --> 00:27:10,060 And it's a really good feeling to be at this point. 661 00:27:13,999 --> 00:27:16,367 The original plan was to do a symmetrical build 662 00:27:16,468 --> 00:27:18,002 out of completely rammed earth. 663 00:27:18,103 --> 00:27:21,505 But due to winter coming and some other factors, 664 00:27:21,606 --> 00:27:24,575 we've gone with a custom wood corner and another 45 665 00:27:24,676 --> 00:27:26,777 degree angle wood corner and a whole back wall 666 00:27:26,878 --> 00:27:28,312 that is half wood. 667 00:27:28,413 --> 00:27:30,447 And I think we're actually pretty happy with the way 668 00:27:30,548 --> 00:27:31,248 it's turning out. 669 00:27:34,953 --> 00:27:37,621 We've got about a week left to finish our build. 670 00:27:37,722 --> 00:27:39,790 And while I feel good and optimistic about it, 671 00:27:39,891 --> 00:27:41,759 it's down to the wire. 672 00:27:41,860 --> 00:27:43,460 We've really got to get on it to get this finished. 673 00:27:47,298 --> 00:27:50,267 Today is an exciting day because we begin the roof. 674 00:27:52,237 --> 00:27:53,604 And we're going to start with putting up 675 00:27:53,705 --> 00:27:55,773 columns in the form of logs that Charles 676 00:27:55,874 --> 00:27:57,174 brought from his property. 677 00:27:57,275 --> 00:27:59,576 CHARLES: All right, now you can get down below and line it up. 678 00:27:59,678 --> 00:28:00,644 I'll lift it. 679 00:28:00,745 --> 00:28:01,645 You got to line up the hole. 680 00:28:06,484 --> 00:28:08,152 OK, watch your fingers. 681 00:28:08,253 --> 00:28:09,720 OK, who's up? 682 00:28:09,821 --> 00:28:10,554 You want to get up there? 683 00:28:10,655 --> 00:28:11,355 JORDAN: Yeah. 684 00:28:13,024 --> 00:28:14,925 OK, over the top. 685 00:28:15,026 --> 00:28:16,460 You got to screw it in. 686 00:28:19,531 --> 00:28:21,832 Another windy day in paradise just like we wanted. 687 00:28:24,536 --> 00:28:25,602 Great job, boys. 688 00:28:25,704 --> 00:28:27,371 We just set our first post together. 689 00:28:27,439 --> 00:28:29,606 And I guess we can get this other one done now. 690 00:28:31,276 --> 00:28:31,975 Woo! 691 00:28:32,077 --> 00:28:33,544 Did you see that? 692 00:28:33,645 --> 00:28:36,914 The wind just blew me almost off the ladder that way. 693 00:28:39,517 --> 00:28:41,885 [drilling] 694 00:28:43,955 --> 00:28:47,291 The next step is to put the timber beam up across here. 695 00:28:47,392 --> 00:28:49,560 And that consists of six beams that 696 00:28:49,661 --> 00:28:51,895 are sitting out front that we will have to assemble 697 00:28:51,996 --> 00:28:53,797 and put from side to side. 698 00:28:53,898 --> 00:28:57,034 Jordan, here, you want to grab the impactor 699 00:28:57,135 --> 00:28:59,703 and start running these three inches in? 700 00:28:59,804 --> 00:29:02,139 I'm going to check my phone. 701 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:04,641 [drilling] 702 00:29:04,743 --> 00:29:06,310 [music playing] 703 00:29:07,479 --> 00:29:09,079 CHARLES: That was a message from my mom. 704 00:29:11,850 --> 00:29:14,551 She's doing OK, but she's in the hospital. 705 00:29:14,652 --> 00:29:16,954 Lots of stuff going on in Charles's life. 706 00:29:17,055 --> 00:29:18,822 Mom's in the hospital in Florida. 707 00:29:18,923 --> 00:29:21,191 And I really don't have the means to go see her. 708 00:29:21,292 --> 00:29:23,193 So worried about mom. 709 00:29:23,294 --> 00:29:24,595 Worried about getting this stuff done. 710 00:29:24,662 --> 00:29:26,196 And that's why my head's not right here. 711 00:29:26,297 --> 00:29:28,866 If it's OK with you guys at this point in time during the day, 712 00:29:28,967 --> 00:29:31,602 I think I'd like to take off back towards Crestone. 713 00:29:31,703 --> 00:29:33,303 And sorry we didn't get a little bit further. 714 00:29:33,404 --> 00:29:34,171 But we got close. 715 00:29:37,208 --> 00:29:40,043 MEGHAN: Building out here, it's offered its own host 716 00:29:40,145 --> 00:29:42,579 of unexpected challenges for each and every one of us 717 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:44,148 in different ways. 718 00:29:44,249 --> 00:29:47,317 Today was our main carpenter in chief's 719 00:29:47,418 --> 00:29:48,952 day to have a difficult one. 720 00:29:50,455 --> 00:29:51,922 CHARLES: Tom and Meghan are great. 721 00:29:52,023 --> 00:29:55,092 And I hate disappointing them. 722 00:29:55,193 --> 00:29:57,027 They've been good for me. 723 00:29:57,128 --> 00:29:59,029 Good people. 724 00:29:59,130 --> 00:30:00,931 MEGHAN: It's been a tough day. 725 00:30:01,032 --> 00:30:02,166 The whole build's been a tough build. 726 00:30:02,267 --> 00:30:03,267 You know? 727 00:30:03,368 --> 00:30:04,701 Every step of the way, it's been difficult. 728 00:30:04,803 --> 00:30:06,170 If it's not one thing, it's another. 729 00:30:06,271 --> 00:30:07,171 But I'm not here to complain. 730 00:30:07,272 --> 00:30:08,005 I'm here to get it done. 731 00:30:10,375 --> 00:30:12,476 You got to keep your eyes on the prize and on the finish line. 732 00:30:12,577 --> 00:30:15,445 And that's what we're here to do until we're finished. 733 00:30:23,788 --> 00:30:25,222 [music playing] 734 00:30:27,859 --> 00:30:30,160 CHARLES: LOTS of stuff going on in Charles's life. 735 00:30:30,261 --> 00:30:31,495 Mom's in the hospital. 736 00:30:31,596 --> 00:30:33,030 And that's when my head's not right here. 737 00:30:33,131 --> 00:30:34,565 Sorry we didn't get a little bit further. 738 00:30:34,666 --> 00:30:35,432 But we got close. 739 00:30:36,801 --> 00:30:38,001 MEGHAN: Charles left today. 740 00:30:38,102 --> 00:30:39,303 He's going to go regroup. 741 00:30:39,404 --> 00:30:41,805 In the meantime, we're going to keep doing what we do. 742 00:30:43,241 --> 00:30:47,277 Now, it's Tom, me, and Thomas to put up this beam. 743 00:30:47,378 --> 00:30:50,514 And I feel like three of us, we'll find out whether or not 744 00:30:50,615 --> 00:30:52,416 we can get the beam up. 745 00:30:52,517 --> 00:30:54,251 Every step of the way, it's been difficult. 746 00:30:54,352 --> 00:30:55,686 If it's not one thing, it's another. 747 00:30:55,787 --> 00:30:56,687 But I'm not here to complain. 748 00:30:56,788 --> 00:30:57,554 I'm here to get it done. 749 00:31:01,526 --> 00:31:03,560 I don't feel too great about the sunlight. 750 00:31:03,661 --> 00:31:05,095 I don't think it's going to last very long. 751 00:31:05,196 --> 00:31:07,598 But we'll keep going until we can't. 752 00:31:07,699 --> 00:31:08,732 TOM: All right. 753 00:31:08,833 --> 00:31:09,733 You ready? 754 00:31:09,834 --> 00:31:13,804 As we slide it in, or at any point when 755 00:31:13,905 --> 00:31:16,473 we get up on the scaffolding with it, if it starts to fall, 756 00:31:16,574 --> 00:31:17,307 let it fall. 757 00:31:17,408 --> 00:31:18,108 It's going to be heavy. 758 00:31:18,209 --> 00:31:19,009 MEGHAN: Got you, coach. 759 00:31:19,110 --> 00:31:20,344 TOM: OK. MEGHAN: All right. 760 00:31:20,445 --> 00:31:21,144 TOM: You ready? 761 00:31:21,246 --> 00:31:22,446 THOMAS: Meghan. 762 00:31:22,547 --> 00:31:23,247 Meghan. 763 00:31:25,083 --> 00:31:27,217 TOM: OK, good. 764 00:31:33,024 --> 00:31:33,857 MEGHAN: Are we right heavy? 765 00:31:33,958 --> 00:31:35,025 TOM: Yeah. 766 00:31:35,126 --> 00:31:35,826 Yep. 767 00:31:35,927 --> 00:31:36,827 MEGHAN: Oh my God. 768 00:31:36,928 --> 00:31:38,662 So scared. 769 00:31:38,763 --> 00:31:39,529 TOM: All right, ready? 770 00:31:40,732 --> 00:31:41,431 Nice. 771 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:43,567 All right. 772 00:31:46,871 --> 00:31:47,571 All right, ready? 773 00:31:51,943 --> 00:31:52,776 MEGHAN: Oh, God. 774 00:31:54,279 --> 00:31:55,379 Please be careful. 775 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,114 You want me to help you? 776 00:31:57,215 --> 00:31:59,950 No, I got it I think. 777 00:32:00,051 --> 00:32:02,352 MEGHAN: Please do not let it drop. 778 00:32:02,453 --> 00:32:03,153 Please. 779 00:32:05,890 --> 00:32:07,124 Oh, God. I need a beer. 780 00:32:07,225 --> 00:32:07,925 TOM: All right. 781 00:32:08,026 --> 00:32:08,992 MEGHAN: OK. 782 00:32:09,093 --> 00:32:10,928 TOM: Now, I'm just going to tap it down. 783 00:32:11,029 --> 00:32:12,896 [tapping] 784 00:32:17,402 --> 00:32:18,302 TOM: There it goes. 785 00:32:19,704 --> 00:32:21,305 MEGHAN: I feel really good. 786 00:32:21,406 --> 00:32:22,406 It's up. 787 00:32:22,507 --> 00:32:23,707 It's sturdy. 788 00:32:23,808 --> 00:32:25,542 I'll admit, I was scared out of my wits 789 00:32:25,643 --> 00:32:27,577 for every step of the process, from lifting 790 00:32:27,679 --> 00:32:29,613 it out there to bringing it in. 791 00:32:29,714 --> 00:32:30,414 But it's up. 792 00:32:30,515 --> 00:32:32,316 And it's a huge relief. 793 00:32:32,417 --> 00:32:33,817 I feel great. 794 00:32:33,918 --> 00:32:35,819 I'm going to go home and eat a steak. 795 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:37,587 I think that we'll sleep better tonight than we 796 00:32:37,689 --> 00:32:39,256 have in a couple of weeks. 797 00:32:50,668 --> 00:32:53,537 MEGHAN: It's been a really busy couple of weeks. 798 00:32:53,638 --> 00:32:54,938 We've gotten the roof up. 799 00:32:55,039 --> 00:32:58,442 We've gotten the windows in and most of the interiors finished. 800 00:32:58,543 --> 00:33:01,044 It's been some long days and some long nights, 801 00:33:01,145 --> 00:33:02,512 but we've got a lot of work to show for it. 802 00:33:02,613 --> 00:33:03,814 I think it looks beautiful. 803 00:33:03,915 --> 00:33:05,182 And I'm really excited about it. 804 00:33:07,752 --> 00:33:08,452 Oh. 805 00:33:11,856 --> 00:33:12,689 You need some help? 806 00:33:12,790 --> 00:33:14,224 TOM: Loosey goosey. 807 00:33:14,325 --> 00:33:17,461 MEGHAN: Tom's task for the day is putting the door in, 808 00:33:17,562 --> 00:33:18,762 which should be an hour job. 809 00:33:18,863 --> 00:33:20,197 But considering these dirt walls, 810 00:33:20,298 --> 00:33:21,431 it could be quite a while. 811 00:33:21,532 --> 00:33:26,937 There's nothing that's pre-plumbed or you standard. 812 00:33:27,038 --> 00:33:29,406 So everything is custom fit. 813 00:33:29,507 --> 00:33:33,477 Just going to have to use a little more elbow manipulation. 814 00:33:41,886 --> 00:33:45,088 MEGHAN: I'm working on finishing at the fireplace. 815 00:33:45,189 --> 00:33:47,057 We've got the bricks in place and everything else. 816 00:33:47,158 --> 00:33:49,526 And we need a way to divert the smoke out of the house. 817 00:33:49,627 --> 00:33:53,230 So I built the frame out of rebar and lathe. 818 00:33:55,533 --> 00:33:58,068 And now, the same exact mix that the walls are made out of 819 00:33:58,169 --> 00:34:00,504 is going around it to create the hood. 820 00:34:00,605 --> 00:34:02,406 And then we'll put the stovepipe, and that'll be it. 821 00:34:06,277 --> 00:34:08,078 So this is a fireplace and a cooktop. 822 00:34:08,179 --> 00:34:09,913 On the other side, we've got this stainless thing we 823 00:34:10,014 --> 00:34:11,882 had fabricated down in Texas. 824 00:34:11,983 --> 00:34:13,350 And it passed tests. 825 00:34:13,451 --> 00:34:15,619 And we were able to warm some things up on it. 826 00:34:15,720 --> 00:34:16,720 So I think it'll be good. 827 00:34:19,490 --> 00:34:21,758 From literally the very first day we were here, 828 00:34:21,859 --> 00:34:23,360 we've had to battle with the weather. 829 00:34:23,461 --> 00:34:24,494 It's been insane. 830 00:34:24,595 --> 00:34:26,163 Like tomorrow, snow's coming again for what? 831 00:34:26,264 --> 00:34:27,330 The fourth, 400th time? 832 00:34:27,432 --> 00:34:28,298 I don't know anymore. 833 00:34:28,399 --> 00:34:30,600 But we're up against it all the time. 834 00:34:32,003 --> 00:34:33,103 So we've got to get this thing done. 835 00:34:34,772 --> 00:34:35,705 All right! 836 00:34:35,807 --> 00:34:36,807 You did it! 837 00:34:36,908 --> 00:34:38,275 TOM: We're dried in. 838 00:34:38,376 --> 00:34:39,509 MEGHAN: We're dried in. 839 00:34:39,610 --> 00:34:40,977 Good job, babe. 840 00:34:47,718 --> 00:34:48,618 MEGHAN: Here it goes. 841 00:34:50,121 --> 00:34:52,122 About 70% of the smoke's going up. 842 00:34:52,223 --> 00:34:53,356 And we haven't even sealed it. 843 00:34:53,458 --> 00:34:54,391 So that's great. 844 00:34:54,492 --> 00:34:55,425 MEGHAN: It's going to be a long night. 845 00:34:55,526 --> 00:34:57,127 But it doesn't have to be as cold. 846 00:34:57,228 --> 00:35:00,230 TOM: I'm looking forward to resting at some point. 847 00:35:00,331 --> 00:35:04,434 But with what we have in front of us tonight, 848 00:35:04,535 --> 00:35:06,870 we're going to continue to go and use-- 849 00:35:06,971 --> 00:35:07,971 MEGHAN: Lots of coffee-- - --for sure. 850 00:35:08,072 --> 00:35:08,772 And faith. 851 00:35:08,873 --> 00:35:10,140 [laughing] - And faith. 852 00:35:10,241 --> 00:35:11,341 And hope. 853 00:35:11,442 --> 00:35:14,311 TOM: Building this place, I feel like I've lived 854 00:35:14,412 --> 00:35:16,713 and died 100 lives so far. 855 00:35:22,620 --> 00:35:23,687 [music playing] 856 00:35:27,792 --> 00:35:30,527 MEGHAN: I don't think words can adequately describe 857 00:35:30,595 --> 00:35:33,430 how happy I am to be finished. 858 00:35:33,531 --> 00:35:34,531 I'm happy and sad. 859 00:35:34,632 --> 00:35:35,365 I mean-- 860 00:35:35,466 --> 00:35:36,533 - It's bittersweet. - It is. 861 00:35:36,634 --> 00:35:37,567 It was long build. 862 00:35:37,668 --> 00:35:40,504 And we went through a lot of challenges. 863 00:35:40,605 --> 00:35:42,005 MEGHAN: But we're at the finish line. 864 00:35:42,106 --> 00:35:42,906 TOM: Yeah, we are. 865 00:35:43,007 --> 00:35:43,907 We made it. 866 00:35:44,008 --> 00:35:45,876 [music playing] 867 00:35:47,945 --> 00:35:51,481 TOM: Our original budget was $20,000. 868 00:35:51,582 --> 00:35:55,485 We came in right around 18,500. 869 00:35:55,586 --> 00:35:57,888 The original timeline was seven weeks. 870 00:35:57,989 --> 00:36:00,023 And we came in at 13 weeks. 871 00:36:07,265 --> 00:36:09,566 Our friend Jenny is coming to see the house first. 872 00:36:09,667 --> 00:36:13,069 And then shortly thereafter, the kids will arrive. 873 00:36:13,171 --> 00:36:14,104 Our first guest. 874 00:36:14,205 --> 00:36:15,839 TOM: I know. 875 00:36:15,940 --> 00:36:16,640 Hey, Jenny. 876 00:36:16,741 --> 00:36:17,440 MEGHAN: Hey. 877 00:36:17,542 --> 00:36:18,542 Hola. 878 00:36:18,643 --> 00:36:19,976 Welcome to the house awesome. 879 00:36:20,077 --> 00:36:20,777 Awesome. 880 00:36:20,878 --> 00:36:21,578 Beautiful. 881 00:36:21,679 --> 00:36:22,445 MEGHAN: What do you think? 882 00:36:22,547 --> 00:36:23,847 JENNY: It's just amazing. 883 00:36:23,981 --> 00:36:24,981 TOM: Yeah. 884 00:36:25,082 --> 00:36:27,384 JENNY: Is that cement or just mud in the-- 885 00:36:27,485 --> 00:36:28,518 MEGHAN: It's a little bit of both. 886 00:36:28,619 --> 00:36:31,321 TOM: It's about 10% Portland cement. 887 00:36:31,422 --> 00:36:34,524 And the rest is a little bit of water and dirt. 888 00:36:34,625 --> 00:36:35,392 You rarely see inside? 889 00:36:37,328 --> 00:36:38,028 JENNY: Ah! 890 00:36:39,530 --> 00:36:40,830 What? 891 00:36:40,932 --> 00:36:41,932 Oh, wow. 892 00:36:42,033 --> 00:36:43,233 Oh my God. That is so-- 893 00:36:43,334 --> 00:36:44,100 MEGHAN: What do you think? 894 00:36:44,202 --> 00:36:46,536 That's-- it's so cool. 895 00:36:46,637 --> 00:36:48,138 It's just awesome. 896 00:36:49,574 --> 00:36:51,174 This is so beautiful. 897 00:36:51,275 --> 00:36:52,275 Where did this happen? 898 00:36:52,376 --> 00:36:53,310 TOM: Oh, this is-- 899 00:36:53,411 --> 00:36:54,477 MEGHAN: Tom and Charles made it. 900 00:36:54,579 --> 00:36:55,278 JENNY: Wow. 901 00:36:55,379 --> 00:36:56,713 Did he cut this? 902 00:36:56,814 --> 00:36:57,514 Did he cut the-- 903 00:36:57,615 --> 00:36:58,481 TOM: Yeah. 904 00:36:58,583 --> 00:36:59,549 This all came-- [interposing voices] 905 00:36:59,650 --> 00:37:00,850 TOM: Came from his mill. Yeah. 906 00:37:00,952 --> 00:37:01,952 How cool is that? 907 00:37:03,621 --> 00:37:04,354 Wow. 908 00:37:04,455 --> 00:37:05,388 MEGHAN: Recognize that thing? 909 00:37:05,489 --> 00:37:06,189 JENNY: I do. 910 00:37:07,558 --> 00:37:09,659 That came out of my 100-year-old house. 911 00:37:11,062 --> 00:37:11,962 You just made it so cool. 912 00:37:12,063 --> 00:37:13,096 TOM: Meghan did a great job with it. 913 00:37:13,197 --> 00:37:14,064 JENNY: You did a great job. 914 00:37:14,165 --> 00:37:14,864 MEGHAN: Thank you. 915 00:37:14,966 --> 00:37:15,732 You made it live again. 916 00:37:15,833 --> 00:37:16,766 You gave it a second life. 917 00:37:16,867 --> 00:37:18,068 MEGHAN: I love it. 918 00:37:18,169 --> 00:37:19,436 JENNY: So where's your water come from? 919 00:37:19,537 --> 00:37:21,638 MEGHAN: So that's a barrel pump. 920 00:37:21,739 --> 00:37:23,640 And it's an actual old school pump. 921 00:37:23,741 --> 00:37:26,743 And it's connected to our water tote in the back of the house. 922 00:37:26,844 --> 00:37:28,144 And eventually, we'll bury a cistern. 923 00:37:28,246 --> 00:37:29,579 But that's what we have for now. 924 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:30,447 Good view. 925 00:37:30,548 --> 00:37:31,681 Beautiful view. TOM: Yeah. 926 00:37:31,782 --> 00:37:32,582 Oh, yeah. 927 00:37:32,683 --> 00:37:33,383 It's incredible. 928 00:37:33,484 --> 00:37:34,851 JENNY: It's incredible. 929 00:37:34,952 --> 00:37:36,353 This is amazing. 930 00:37:36,454 --> 00:37:37,420 Can you actually cook on this? 931 00:37:37,521 --> 00:37:38,221 CHARLES: Oh, yeah. 932 00:37:39,890 --> 00:37:41,558 It's our main heat source. 933 00:37:41,659 --> 00:37:42,792 Ooh, it's hot. It's hot. 934 00:37:42,893 --> 00:37:43,994 Right? Yeah. 935 00:37:44,095 --> 00:37:45,095 JENNY: It's nice that it's in the center so it's-- 936 00:37:45,196 --> 00:37:46,563 THOMAS: Yeah. JENNY: -- making the heat. 937 00:37:46,664 --> 00:37:47,697 MEGHAN: Yeah, the central location 938 00:37:47,798 --> 00:37:49,232 goes-- it's a pass through fireplace, 939 00:37:49,333 --> 00:37:50,533 so it warms the front part. 940 00:37:50,635 --> 00:37:52,836 And then the two bedroom doors are open to it. 941 00:37:52,937 --> 00:37:54,037 So it warms the whole house. 942 00:37:54,105 --> 00:37:56,973 JENNY: And what are you doing for electricity? 943 00:37:57,074 --> 00:37:58,475 Right now, we're running off the generator. 944 00:37:58,576 --> 00:38:00,277 MEGHAN: Solar panels forthcoming. 945 00:38:00,378 --> 00:38:01,645 TOM: Yes. JENNY: Yeah. 946 00:38:01,746 --> 00:38:02,746 MEGHAN: Probably in the spring. 947 00:38:02,847 --> 00:38:03,780 JENNY: Yeah. 948 00:38:03,881 --> 00:38:05,215 So you'll have batteries and-- 949 00:38:05,316 --> 00:38:06,016 TOM: Yeah. - All that. 950 00:38:06,117 --> 00:38:06,850 And panels. 951 00:38:06,951 --> 00:38:07,917 Once we learn what it takes. 952 00:38:08,019 --> 00:38:08,985 [laughing] 953 00:38:09,086 --> 00:38:10,120 JENNY: Cool, I want to see the bedroom. 954 00:38:11,422 --> 00:38:13,290 MEGHAN: This is the kids' room. 955 00:38:13,391 --> 00:38:15,191 JENNY: Oh, wow. 956 00:38:15,293 --> 00:38:16,693 So cute. 957 00:38:16,794 --> 00:38:18,061 Cosy! 958 00:38:18,162 --> 00:38:19,429 TOM: Eventually, we're going to build some bunks for them. 959 00:38:19,530 --> 00:38:21,598 MEGHAN: Yeah, we'll do three and three, you know? 960 00:38:23,167 --> 00:38:26,936 JENNY: So this is your bedroom here with these beautiful-- 961 00:38:27,038 --> 00:38:27,804 It's like a tent, kind of? 962 00:38:27,905 --> 00:38:29,205 Yeah. 963 00:38:29,307 --> 00:38:30,807 MEGHAN: We figured we wouldn't have much privacy either way. 964 00:38:30,908 --> 00:38:32,242 So we just went with something that you 965 00:38:32,343 --> 00:38:35,412 can see light through, diffuse light and warmth, hopefully. 966 00:38:35,513 --> 00:38:38,381 All right, so here is our en suite bathroom. 967 00:38:38,482 --> 00:38:40,417 JENNY: It's close by to the bedroom. 968 00:38:40,518 --> 00:38:42,686 Couldn't be closer. 969 00:38:42,787 --> 00:38:44,487 JENNY: Cool, so you have a septic tank. 970 00:38:44,588 --> 00:38:45,655 So that goes down the septic. 971 00:38:45,756 --> 00:38:46,756 [interposing voices] 972 00:38:46,857 --> 00:38:50,293 JENNY: And that is the cutest shower ever. 973 00:38:50,394 --> 00:38:51,261 Check out the living room. 974 00:38:51,362 --> 00:38:52,062 MEGHAN: All right. 975 00:38:52,163 --> 00:38:52,862 TOM: Yeah. 976 00:38:54,465 --> 00:38:55,965 JENNY: Nice. 977 00:38:56,067 --> 00:38:56,933 Did you paint that? 978 00:38:57,034 --> 00:38:58,468 MEGHAN: I did. JENNY: Really? 979 00:38:58,569 --> 00:38:59,269 Wow. 980 00:38:59,370 --> 00:39:00,370 And you have the dirt floor. 981 00:39:00,471 --> 00:39:01,705 MEGHAN: Eventually, we'll probably 982 00:39:01,806 --> 00:39:02,772 level it out and do tile. 983 00:39:02,873 --> 00:39:03,740 JENNY: Oh, OK. 984 00:39:03,841 --> 00:39:05,008 MEGHAN: But for now, this will work. 985 00:39:05,109 --> 00:39:09,579 JENNY: I love that this house is built from the earth. 986 00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:13,149 I have a deep place in my heart where 987 00:39:13,250 --> 00:39:15,485 that just feels like the right thing to do, 988 00:39:15,586 --> 00:39:16,820 to build out of the Earth. 989 00:39:16,921 --> 00:39:17,620 I've done it. 990 00:39:17,722 --> 00:39:18,655 It's hard. 991 00:39:18,756 --> 00:39:20,256 And they have persevered. 992 00:39:20,358 --> 00:39:21,391 And I'm so proud of them. 993 00:39:24,829 --> 00:39:26,196 MEGHAN: We came through it. 994 00:39:26,297 --> 00:39:28,431 We and our marriage is still intact. 995 00:39:28,532 --> 00:39:29,799 So that's a good thing. 996 00:39:29,900 --> 00:39:33,002 And we do intend to renew our vows out here. 997 00:39:33,104 --> 00:39:34,237 It's been pretty magical. 998 00:39:34,338 --> 00:39:36,639 TOM: We're looking forward to making more memories. 999 00:39:36,741 --> 00:39:39,109 AVA: Every day I think about the first day we spent here. 1000 00:39:39,210 --> 00:39:39,909 TOM: Yeah. 1001 00:39:40,010 --> 00:39:40,810 It wasn't that long ago. 1002 00:39:40,911 --> 00:39:42,412 But it feels like a long time ago. 1003 00:39:42,513 --> 00:39:43,446 And all the snow. 1004 00:39:43,547 --> 00:39:44,247 Yeah. 1005 00:39:44,348 --> 00:39:45,348 [laughing] 1006 00:39:45,449 --> 00:39:47,083 TOM: And I'm so glad you guys could see it. 1007 00:39:47,184 --> 00:39:49,018 In the long run, we can look back and say 1008 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,955 that the build didn't beat us. 1009 00:39:52,056 --> 00:39:53,256 That we ended up on top. 1010 00:39:53,357 --> 00:39:54,257 MEGHAN: Woo! 1011 00:39:54,358 --> 00:39:57,193 TOM: It's a cool feeling, you know? 1012 00:39:57,294 --> 00:39:59,662 [fire crackling]