Final Prep for Lower Deck

A little bit of preparatory work was done today, before work gets underway on the lower deck tomorrow.

Firstly, my rudimentary levelling strings indicated some high spots in the ground that are likely to get in the way of the 6" x 2" bearer joists.  Out came the pickaxe for some back breaking work that would have taken less than a minute in a JCB.  If I had one......

Similarly, a mound of earth at the base of the steps, but not particularly easy to see in this picture.  My photography for this blog really has gone downhill recently.

The manhole now has it's cover properly fitted :

This one is just a reminder for self.  On our original plans we had intended stone arches and a solid upper patio rather then the deck, and provision was made for a drain behind the middle pier of the arches.  That pipe is still there, but won't be used now.  It has been broken a bit, but whle I had access I did put my arm down to make sure it was clear, because it joins up with one of the downpipes from the roof :

Finally, another reminder, of something I had forgotten about.  This is the outlet for the radon sump inder the basement floor :

If we had gone for the patio, this would have been buried in concrete.  With the deck it will still be able to ventilate.