Day 228: Construction Update: Snowstorms, Slabs, and Three Big Wins
Mother Nature has definitely been keeping us on our toes. Between the early frost in December and that 3-foot snowstorm a couple weeks ago, construction hit a few speed bumps.
The good news: things are starting to fall into place, and we’re making real progress.
We’ve had three major wins that set us up for the next big phase—interior build-out:
Slab
Electrical
Gas
Win #1: The slab is poured (yes, it’s finally down!)
This was originally supposed to be a one-day job.
Then it became two pours… then three… and then (because this is a 25,000 sq ft facility and different areas need different finishes) it became four pours.
Each pour required:
Surface prep
Forms
Scheduling crews
Coordinating concrete deliveries and a pump truck
So instead of one day, it took over a month—but the goal was to do it the right way (or at least that was the promise of my concrete sub-contractor. That said, we’re not completely out of the woods yet. My pickleball court installer came out and did a very thorough review of the slab where the cushioned pickleball courts will be installed. He flagged a few issues that could affect bounce consistency, including:
Extra roughness in some areas
Slight waviness in spots
Broom lines in a few sections
The reassuring part: this installer is one of the most experienced in the business—his team installs 150–200 courts a month across the country. With his guidance, I feel confident we’ll end up with excellent courts that play exactly the way they should.
Win #2: The transformer is in place!
After months (and months… and months), Eversource Electric delivered our transformer.
We started this process back in August 2024. Yes—really. It took about a year and a half of coordination and bureaucracy to get here, but it’s a huge milestone.
Even better, they didn’t just deliver it—they surprised us by coming back the very next day to pull primaries (connecting the transformer to the street power pole that was installed for this project in mid-5).
What’s next (and our top priority this week)
Now my electrician needs to pull the secondaries—meaning connecting the transformer to the building.
After that:
We go through the required town inspections
Then Eversource comes back to “energize” the transformer
If all goes smoothly, we’re hoping to have permanent power within the next two weeks. That would be a major unlock, because it allows the interior build-out to move much more efficiently.
Win #3: Gas is connected!
This one was… an adventure.
Because the gas process started later than it should have, we ended up trying to get a gas line installed in winter conditions, which created a bunch of challenges:
Frost and timing constraints
Needing to install a sleeve pipe under asphalt because the asphalt binder went down before the gas line was laid
But we worked through it, and now the gas line and meter are installed.
The best part: now my plumber can take over without waiting on Eversource and complete his part in a more predictable way. That’s a huge relief—especially because my plumber has been on time, high quality, and rock solid throughout this project## A personal note
I’ll be honest: I underestimated how challenging (and stressful) ground-up construction can be.
But what keeps me going is you.
Your emails, texts, and calls—your excitement, encouragement, and support—have meant more than I can say. This facility isn’t just something I’m building for myself. It’s something I’m building for all of us, and I can’t wait to see everyone enjoying it for years to come.
The question I get every day: “When do we open?”
I wish I could give a date with 100% confidence.
We’re working hard to remove uncertainty, but there are still variables we’re navigating:
Weather
Utility timelines
Contractor scheduling and delivery
Just know this: I’m pushing as hard as I can, every single day. I’ll keep you updated as soon as we can.
