What is an LVL?

Laminated veneer lumber. Think of it as a glue Lam that is made from plywood turned up on edge.

It’s quite stiff and strong and more importantly, does not change dimensions over time as dimensional lumber will, when used in a header.

https://www.weyerhaeuser.com/woodproducts/engineered-lumber/microllam-lvl/microllam-lvl-beams/

Wow - a great deal of good information here!

Foundation wall forms in place. Now just waiting for the city to do rebar inspection, then the first pour.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576082808.JPG
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576082808.JPG

Not that your garage is going to fall down the first week you occupy it, but that’s not a very good forming job. I hope that’s not indicative of everything that guy does.

No rebar or welded wire mesh in the slab? You might want to consider it - especially since you mentioned the area is seismically active. I pour several hundred thousand yards of concrete each year in So Cal and none of it is without one of those two. Just my $.02 - hate to cause you expense or doubt.

Kind of a big production getting the concrete boom under wires and over the hedges and down into the hole. Cement truck guy was pretty good. I wanted to prank a neighbor by filling her swimming pool with concrete, but that was overruled.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576093223.JPG
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576093223.JPG

There will be plenty of rebar in the slab; just hasn't been placed yet. The foundation guys are a separate crew from the slab (flatwork) guys.

The footers are fine. I'm surprised those forms didn't lift as the crete got under them. Had that happen once... was not fun. You said those are foundation wall forms. Those are the footer forms. The walls will be tied to the footer by the vertical rebar. They'll likely run horizontal sticks in the forms for the actual walls that tie to the vertical rod.

BTW, what gives with the step down?

step down seems to the the "thing" these days

everybody's doing it...

The step down was because there was a lot of vegetation in the soil at the original level in that area, so he went down another foot. That will get filled in so the slab is level.

Makes sense. Dig down to sturdy soil then fill with lifts (make sure they do it in lifts where they compact, then add stone, then compact) of stone then pour.

A high ceiling would be great. My garage is an enclosed car port. The ceiling is only about 7 feet tall. I have a scissor lift but to get it as high as possible the windshield and targa bar have to go between the ceiling joists. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576113700.jpg

This helps when working under the car. If I can keep from falling asleep under there. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576113964.jpg

Yikes, Elliot, that's a tight fit. Could you raise it up without too much heartache? Love the 914 with those wheels. Is it a six cylinder conversion?

My garage will have 14 foot ceilings. I figured 7 feet tall under the car, another 7 for the car atop that.

Foundation wall outer forms going in atop the footers. The forms are much taller than the foundation walls will be. Slab will be even with the back door of the house.

Back wall had to have extra reinforcement because it cut into the hill deeper than I originally thought. Because it will be filled on only one side, I'm told it's called "unopposed," which is kinda funny.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576201637.JPG

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576201637.JPG

This is looking in from the garage door opening.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576201637.JPG

doors in all 4 sides

Wall forms went in last week atop the footer. There was a slight delay on the pour because the city inspector was concerned about the amount of rebar that would be required on the back wall which is 7 feet tall and unopposed, i.e., filled on only one side. So I had to peel off another couple hundred bucks to get expedited engineering done over the weekend so we could make schedule.

Engineering came back OK on the wall as reinforced, so pour happened today with a large boom angle over the top of the house.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576715263.JPG

The going forward plan is to frame the structure before the slab is poured. This will allow us to not worry about waiting for a clear stretch of weather for the slab pour. As confirmed during the pouring of the footers, rain drops make divots.

Had to memorialize my relationship with the One Who Makes It All Possible.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576715263.JPG

CLT - is that Capital Loan and Trust in downtown Seattle?

(JK! That's a very nice thing to do!)

Don't know why but that pic makes me think "In John Deere green......"