Tom's Diary

Didn’t sleep very well last night, probably because I, too late in the evening, had two big bowls of Cheerios mixed with blueberries and raisins. Oh well, hopefully a cup or two of green tea this morning will at least hide this sleep deficit until I can make up for it with a nap this afternoon.

Grass cutting #9   done today.

Talked with [Emmy] this morning.  She thought she might visit Panara Bread in lower Oakland today.

Talked with Mom’s medical insurance company.  It looks like she will indeed have to pay a $40 / day co-payment starting sometime late this week or next week, for each day she’s at the nursing facility.  We’re evaluating our options in light of this, now.

Sister JoJo called just after noon.  We’re going shopping at Wal Mart tomorrow, and taking Mom with us.  Afterwards, we’ll probably take Mom to lunch.

Talked with sister Mary Ann.  She wishes us to proceed with the ramp project.  I’m working on getting a post together about that.  See it in this blog shortly.

Talked with Mom this evening, and she gave me more details on the sort of ramp she’d like to have built here.

Attended the monthly Lions Club meeting tonight.  Looks like we raised slightly more money this year at our bingo fundraiser than last year.  Good sign that the economy is turning the corner. 

[Emmy] did not answer when I called at around 9:35 PM.  She’s been getting sleepy at this time of day lately, which is actually a good thing, as she’s been trying for years to get herself onto a healthful sleep schedule.  If this current trend holds, of her getting tired around this time, she may have just accomplished her goal.  Hmmmm..  If she begins going to bed early, perhaps we’ll have to start talking earlier in the day.  I won’t mind that, especially if it means that she’ll routinely get a good night’s sleep; something that has eluded her for several years now.

[Emmy] called me back an hour later.  She was not sleeping, nor was she tired.  She was on the phone with a friend.  Oh well, apparently, she has more work to do to get on a consistently good sleep schedule. 

Posted the initial design document for Mom’s wheelchair ramp project.   Check it out   here.

Watched The Young and the Restless and NBC Nightly News, and listened to an hour or so of Dr. Joy Browne.

Mostly sunny today with gentle breezes and high temperatures in the low 50s. 

Tom

Ramp Description

We expect that when Mom comes home from the nursing facility, that she’ll be wheelchair bound for seven to nine months.  During that time, she’ll require easy access to her home, and to that end my brothers-in-law and I are going to build a ramp that leads off of the south porch at Mom’s house, to the east side car port.  Several ramp configurations are possible:

• A primary goal is to avoid any sloping greater than 1:16 (one inch of rise per sixteen inches of run). 
• The number of turns is to be minimum.   
• Usable ramp width is to be at least 36 inches, though the ADA recommends ramp widths of 38” to 40”.
• Handrails on both sides that match our existing porch style.
• Use boards (either wood, or plastic-wood composites) for the ramp floor.

Issues

• Can we anchor the vertical support posts for the ramp to the sidewalk below, or must we remove the sidewalk and sink the posts?  ANSWER: The township doesn’t care about this detail, as we are not required to have an actual building permit; all we need is an assessment permit.  The requirements of an assessment permit don’t include details about the posts sitting atop sidewalks.  So, we’re free to install the posts as we see fit, as long as the resulting ramp is sturdy and safe.   RESOLVED on 2009-10-14.

Materials & Supplies List

Project To-do List 

1. Determine the maximum slope of the ramp that Mom is comfortable with.  DONE.  We’ll make the ramp with a slope of 1:16.  Mom’s physical therapist said that she should be able to work this in her wheelchair without problems.  DONE on 2009-10-02.
2. Call the township offices to obtain a permit for building the ramp (if they require this).  The township will likely have additional ramp requirements which will be listed in this document when they’re obtained.  DONE on 2009-10-06.  See details    below.
3. Remove the flower box on the patio on the south side of the house.  In addition to making it easier to get back in there to clean the gutters, that extra space will give more options for positioning the ramp.  DONE on 2009-10-07.
4. Draw up plans for ramp.  DONE on 2009-10-07.
5. File application with   Antis Township   for a building permit.  DONE on 2009-10-08.
6. Upon receipt of the application, the township will send an inspector to look over the proposed site.   DONE on 2009-10-12.
7. Then, once the township reviews his findings and if there were no show-stopping issues discovered, they’ll issue us the building permit.   DONE on 2009-10-13.
8. Move the steps from the south side of the east porch landing to the east side, to make way for the new ramp.
9. Set up strings and stakes that outline the path of the proposed ramp.  Then have the siblings look it over and get any feedback they might have.  DONE on 2009-11-11.
10. Determine exact ramp configuration desired.  We’ll be closely following the ramp design specified   here   on the   Adaptive Access   web site.   DONE on 2009-10-14.
11. Calculate exactly how high the carport area needs to be raised in order to shorten the necessary ramp length to a viable value.   DONE on or around 2009-10-06.
12. Based on the findings in the previous step, calculate how much gravel to order.  We’ll have gravel brought in, in five tone increments, and stop when it looks like we have enough.  These are called  cye-ball  calculations.      DONE on 2009-10-14.
13. Order the appropriate amount of 2RC gravel.  The delivery man suggested that instead of 2RC, we use quarry waste.  It’s cheaper and we’ll get equally good packing and settling from it.  DONE on 2009-10-14.
14. When the gravel arrives, spread it to the correct dimensions.  The parking area should be as level as possible and be the same height as the ground at the east edge of the house (facing the river).  DONE on 2009-10-19.
15. Complete all measurements.
16. Determine the amount and type of wood and number as well as the number and type of fasteners needed.
17. Purchase the materials.
18. Remove the north side hand rail from the south porch steps.  We’re replacing this with the new hand rail that goes with the ramp.
19. Determine exactly where to sink the ramp support posts.
20. Dig all necessary holes for the posts.
21. Cut these vertical posts to the right dimensions.
22. Put them in the ground.
23. Build the ramp.  Will add those steps as we learn more about ramp construction techniques.
24. Once the ramp has been built, lay a concrete path to the car from the bottom of the ramp. 

Project Costs

• $8.00: Batteries for Richard’s transit tool.
• $30.00: Assessment permit.
• $340.00: 23 tons of gravel (2009-10-14).  This includes spreading it. 
• $132.00: 12 tons of gravel (2009-10-15), which also includes spreading labor charges.
• $379.00: 24 tons of gravel (2009-10-16), which also includes spreading labor costs.
• $15.oo: No gravel today but he did an hour’s worth of spreading and smoothing.  The total cost of the gravel to do the driveway and the parking area for the ramp was $866.00.
• $127.07: 4′ X 8′ X 3/4” outdoor plywood for a temporary walkway.
• $22.85: Stake Reflectors for outlining the parking space (11).
• $21.17: 10 Ft. ratchet belt for hauling wood home.  2009-11-13 shopping trip.
• $31,70: 2” X 6” X 16′ planks (3).  2009-11-13 shopping trip.
• $14.78: 2” X 4” X 16′ planks (2).  2009-11-13 shopping trip.
• $63.54: 4′ X 8′ treated (outdoor) plywood.  2009-11-13 shopping trip.
• $19.06: Star drive outdoor wood screws (2 pounds).  2009-11-13 shopping trip.
• $2.73: 2” X 6” joist hangers (3) to fasten ramp to porch.  2009-11-13 shopping trip.
• $30.39: Green and white roll roofing (1 roll) as an anti-skid surface for the ramp.  2009-11-13 shopping trip.
• $3.50: Lug bolts and washers for ramp barriers: 2009-11-20 shopping trip.

Ramp Layout

Click   here   for ramp diagrams and specific measurements for the various pieces. 

More sections will be added to this document as the project progresses.  So stand by. 

Tom

Related Posts

• Projects Page

Just finished cutting the grass. Mostly cloudy today with low humidity. Temps are in the lower 50s at present.  We may have one more cutting this year come mid October.  But hopefully not. 

Tom