So, I've been meaning to write an exhaustive journal outlining all the pros and cons of various foundation styles, why we've chosen to build frost-protected slabs for both our workshop and cottage, what they are, how they work, why we chose EPS foam to insulate them, and so on and so forth. Instead, because I am totally overwhelmed by all the things we're learning and doing right now, I'm just going to post some pictures.

The Cottage

Our cottage will be perched on a hunk of bedrock which juts out of our land on the west side of a centrally located clearing that was here when we arrived. Until recently, this rocky hill was covered in vines, invasive honeysuckle, and the occasional sapling. Two weeks ago, Tara and I spent an entire day hacking out an opening so we could choose the exact placement for the site.

Then, Rick arrived with his excavator and made short work of grading the area we'd marked off with stakes.

The Workshop

Our workshop will be located about halfway up our driveway, nestled in the trees on the left as you come in. The site is a small, gently sloping clearing where we split wood this winter—it's a short walk from our home site, and we decided it would be a perfect place for a building.

Because the site isn't flat, preparing it for a foundation has involved lot more earth-moving.

Hopefully in the next few weeks we'll have both slabs poured!