After the big storm, mister and I decided to pour a concrete pad off the back of the house……instead of completely reconstructing the whole thing.  In order to get this going a few friends came over one weekend and helped us take half the deck apart.

Pulling out the chainsaw for some precision work!

Concrete is next…..Mister knows how to set forms, pour and finish concrete but his schedule was not conducive to getting this pad poured.  So we decided to hire it out.  Can you say….MISTAKE?  There is a long story behind it….and I will spare you the details.  All I can say is that I paid for a concrete pad that will not last the winter.  😦     Ignore the need for touch up paint at the bottom foot of the house.

Ick….finish job streaky…..I have no step off the back doors and worse……

A fix will be needed for the fact that the gravel will fall out from under the concrete once the forms are removed and if that happens, bye-bye patio.  Luckily, mister has some good ideas on getting this fixed up….it will just take more of our time and some more moolah.

The thing that I am not sure about…damage wise…. is my drain field…..AHHHH!!!  The compaction of the earth from them driving over my drain field (which was forbidden) could cost from 5k to 20k to fix.  Sob.

Live and learn, people!!!