Almost Dry!

Carlton and Chris and Myron have been working really hard and have the house almost completely covered with the roof. It is very exciting. I love the framing stage.

Back porch and back dormer

View from the driveway

Front view

Porches are framed

The guys have been working really hard and have framed all the porches. We are going to use the porch roofs to help get the roof sheathing on. The roof pitch is kind of steep. It's a 12:12 pitch which means that for every foot out you go, it goes up 1 foot. This is not really a typical pitch in the Southeast. It is more common for areas with a significant snow load. Since the kit is from New Hampshire, that's why it's so steep. The steep roof pitch does make for a very attractive house shape though.

So since the porch roof pitch is much shallower, you can stand on it to get the plywood sheathing on the main roof. It makes it much easier.

Windows have been ordered.

I have not ordered the Roxul insulation yet. I need to figure out surface area of the house so I can get an accurate estimate of how much I need and can compare prices.

John and I went to the bank to apply for the construction loan on Friday. I have a whole list of things I need to get to them to help our application go through:

1. Current photos of the house - where we are in the construction process
2. A "Spec sheet" - what goes in the house such as flooring, trim, countertops, siding, metal roof, etc. This list is supposed to be very specific. Randy is going to send me a sheet so I can see what all is included and modify it.
3. Paid invoice of the cost of the kit from Shelter Kit
4. Description of the "green" features of the house
5. Floodplain information

Here's where we are as of Friday:

The porch roof sheathing is not on yet; hence, the tarps. We continue to have record-breaking rain here - as in more rain than has EVER been recorded in July.

More Framing

We're still working on the framing, but we've got to wait for the actual windows and doors before we can completely finish the framing. They're about 3-4 weeks out.

John did the 1st floor gable walls. I helped a little bit. In general, I think it is fair to say that we do not work too well together. We do better doing separate projects.

You can see the framing of the walls on the end facing the pond.

This is the framing on driveway side. Isn't it a cute little house?

Porch framing began this week. The porches will function as staging areas for the siding and the roof.

Don't ask me why I didn't move the trash can before I took the photo. I always take the pictures at the end of the day and I think I was just not thinking.

I've also started air sealing by putting down a flexible vapor permeable caulk called Prosoco Joint and Seam sealer. I am not very proficient with the sausage gun though so the lines I put down are kind of squiggly. I'll get better with practice.

Framing of the New House Continues - Second Floor

Here are the guys setting the first ridge board. First they build the scaffolding and the temporary braces, then set the ridge board in place. I think that happened on Tuesday of this week.

Rafters will hold the ridge board in place after the temporary braces are removed.

Ceiling joists have been added to the rafters. Also the front dormer has been framed (after some trial and error because I couldn't tell left from right on the plans.)

Back dormer is framed. Also the gable end framing is in place.

You can see the front dormer better here.

Another view of the back dormer.

John and I hope to frame the downstairs walls this weekend. I need to treat the wood with BoraCare, a boric acid based termite preventative. Then I need to use my Prosoco Joint and Seam filler to seal some the seams before we go any further.

Lots going on - Posts in

Work on the house is going well. It is really beautiful in the framing stage. This is a post and beam house which means that the weight of the house is borne by the posts and beams rather than through a series of studs. It is critical to get the framing right which is what Carlton and Chris have been doing. Chris, you may recall, worked with Carlton on my house when I had the exterior insulation applied, but during the building downturn he got a regular job with regular hours rather than building houses. He had a 2 week period off around the July 4th and kindly agreed to help Carlton with the framing of John's house. You can tell Carlton was very happy to have Chris help him with the house.

This is how the house has been progressing despite daily rain:

Foundation footings

Piers installed

Floor framing

Installation of the posts

Second floor joists

Joist hangers (I actually installed some.)

Upper floor and kneewalls installed

Next week rafters!!

We have baby ducks!

Somehow some Muscovy ducks were introduced to the tiny lake on our road. They are very tame. One of the females hatched some ducklings in my brother's front yard (my older brother lives next door.)

Here are a few photos of the new additions to our street.

I have wings. I can FLY!