The house progress had been at a stand still for weeks now. It was the porch was a mess with boxes covered with blue tarps… I guess it looked like building materials but to the passers but i knew the truth so just seeing the same color blue reminds me of the anxiety I was feeling about this box situation.

I was working on salvaging the porch after I paid this masonery “pro” to fix the tile porch. He pulled up the tile, destroyed the brick porch surround and got high with my money. He even had the nerve to try and say I had his tools, $1K worth to be exact. He left a canvas bag with a broken broom and some balled uptwine.

I was sick. I check his work after the first work day. He had wet mortar everywhere.

Not to mention the wall was still falling apart, but now i had fix the mortar before it cured. It was not the best job but I salvaged what I could.

This left me feeling violated and untrusting of any more contractors. FLAME left the HVAC half done and a mess, Streamline electric left things half done and a mess… this let me know they all will. I decided I would take matters into my actual hands.

So I did the craziest thing… I quit my job and got to work on it myself.

Starting with this masonery.

I got on youtube and figured the shit out… rebar and tapcon anchors included.

Step one: Build out the forms

Step two: Get a cement mixer from harbor freight.

Step three: Get a pallete of concrete from Lowes

Step four: Grow some ovaries and start pounding the pavement literally.

I started with the first set of stairs and worked my way back. Each slab was harder than the one before. But with each pour my confidence hardened like the steel for that rebar.

As I let each section harden I got those janky boxes off the porch and organized the living room.