Mar West: The Hillside Opens Up
We returned to Mar West this month to document work in progress. What used to be a big hillside is now cut back and a new form is starting to take shape. Step under the house and it immediately feels different. A network of temporary supports hold the existing structure while the site around it changes.
The first major activity this month was excavation for the new lower level and future garage. Steel posts (soldier piles) have been installed along the new foundation line. As the team cuts into the hillside, wood lagging is placed between the piles to hold the soil back. The work moves a few feet at a time, repeating the cycle until the site reaches the depth needed for the new structure.
Above the excavation, temporary supports now carry the load of the structure. This keeps it stable while excavation, underpinning, and foundation work continue.
The new design expands the home from a single story into three levels. On the main level, the team has opened the floor where the future stair will go. A temporary stair is in place for construction access, showing how movement through the home will change once the permanent stair is installed.
The new second level is where the carport used to be. As the structure and circulation change above, this level carries new loads down into the foundation.
Along the structure, underpinning is underway. Soil is carefully removed alongside the walls, reinforcement is installed, and new concrete is placed beneath to stabilize the building. This work is slow and precise because it happens in tight spaces and follows a specific sequence of operations.
Tom Lieth, Kasten Builders’ superintendent and former tradesman, is leading day to day work on site. He and the rest of the team are working closely with trusted partners to keep everything aligned as multiple technical steps occur at once.
Concrete piers are being drilled at the lowest level. These piers are 12 feet deep and act as anchors for the new structural system.
A large drill rig runs off the end of an excavator, and a smaller rig is used in tighter areas. Once finished, the pier system will tie into the new foundation. The Bay Area has seen heavy weather this past month, yet the team has remained adaptable and productive.
With the site opened up and below grade work progressing, the next phase will bring the permanent structure into focus. Follow along as we continue sharing key milestones from the build.
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