Week 1 - Clean and clear backyard to prepare for landscape installation. Trench and install up to 40 ft. of 3" ABS drain pipe to enhance existing drainage system. Move catch basins outside of lawn and patio areas. Trench for irrigation lines and install an automated irrigation system consisting of 2 lawn zones and 1 drip zone with timer box. Schedule 40 reclaimed water irrigation pipe and Rainbird/Irritrol parts to be used.
It was raining so hard on Monday that the landscapers went home and decided to try again on Tuesday.
Before
Tuesday -
The landscapers scraped weeds with shovels all day. It was too wet to bring in heavy equipment so they used human power to get the job done. They also dug the first large trench, on the side of the house. They had a hard time finding power on the outdoor outlets. Finally when they tested one of the outlets with a handvac that we had in our garage, they determined that their jackhammer was dead.
Wednesday -
Begun trenching the rest of the yard for the sprinkler system. Without use of a jackhammer during the first half of the day, the two landscapers hand dug each trench with shovels and pickaxes. We watched them sling the pickaxes for hours at a time, amazed at their strength and endurance. I just wanted to take them cookies, hot chocolate, soup, anything to give them a break. They turned to Coke and cigarettes to get through the difficulties of digging in our rock quarry. Midway through the day, they were able to get a new jackhammer and the trenching was a little easier. Grace and London loved the jackhammer noise. We went to Target after taking Blake to kindergarten and found a jackhammer, too! We brought them home some hot chocolate from Target's Starbucks. By the end of the day, the yard had a perfect rectangle trench completed.
Thursday -
Dug trenches extending off the main rectangle trench, for the sprinkler pipes. Now we have what looks like a maze in the backyard!
Friday -
Installed the purple recycled water pipes into the trenches. Supposedly, most of the world drinks water that is less pure than this recycled water will be. It is the same water that is used at all of the kids' splash parks in the summer. I used to think that the kids should not even run through the sprinklers at the parks that used recycled water but I'm alright with it now. Also installed sprinkler heads. Ready for open pipe inspection from the HOA on Monday morning.
They also jackhammered the holes for all of the 15-gallon trees. These pictures are from the side courtyard:
I can't believe how much rock was in one hole!
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