The work goes on

They didn't finish the roof yesterday, so I think they will shoot to get it done today since the roofer is coming tomorrow. Here's a picture of the front of the house to show the progress.
The entrance doesn't look as bad as I thought it would, so we decided to leave it as is.

I think that by friday, the construction will come to a halt.

Then we have to prepare for Phase II. It will probably be a safe bet to say that we won't start working on finishing the basement until later this spring. We'll probably work on cleaning the site and doing some planning on electrical and plumbing design before we get started.

Once the ground thaws, we'll have to get the garage and driveway poured. We probably should also get the gutters installed before it really starts raining to keep water from going to the foundation. And we do need to put siding soon. The longest we should leave the tyvek exposed is 4 months. So that will be on the to do list as well.

The final stretch

Well, the roofer has been selected. The framer believes he will be done with the roof today or tomorrow, hopefully the roofer can get started on the back of the house tomorrow.
Windows will be delivered tomorrow afternoon, and they plan on installing the back windows on Wednesday. The framer has the lift rented until Thursday, so he needs to have all of the main floor windows in the back by then, since we can't really afford to keep renting the equipment any longer than that.

There is an issue with the main entrance in that for some reason when the trusses were designed, they didn't take into consideration where the main door actually is, so the little porch is not centered over the door, and we didn't catch that. It looks very odd and very out of place, but not much we can really do about it, since it would be too expensive to redesign that area. We just hope that it doesn't look too bad when all is set and done.

You can see in this picture what I'm talking about. The left side of the opening is considerably narrower than the right side of the opening. The problem is that the roof peak for this little area is in the center, so the doorway is shifted to the left. We'll see how it actually looks once the framer finishes the roof. It might not be too bad.

Last friday they had all of the back and sides of the house sheathed. Here's a picture of the back. It looks really good, and it gives you a better feel of what the house actually looks like. Hopefully today they will get the front finished. I'll try to post pictures tomorrow if we get home with enough light to take a few.

Here's a picture from the other side of the property. Looks kewl.

Hopefully the roof won't blow away

This picture here is looking from the main entrance through to the great room, and the view out back.


It's really windy today, and they are installing the roof sheathing. The framer thinks he'll be done with the roof early next week and wants to install windows on Wednesday. He's getting antsy and wants to get it done and get out.
Today we're meeting with a roofer to get an estimate, and hopefully we will have someone lined up to get those shingles up. If we go with him, we'll probably have our shingles delivered tomorrow or Sunday.

We're also trying to figure out where to put the vent pipes in the roof, since it is better to have those stubbed out before the shingles go on, but since we're not plumbers we're having to do some research into the matter.

Evan, of course, had to check out the big lift equipment that the framer rented to get the sheathing and fascia board installed along the back of the house.

Here is a pictures of the roof so far. I'll post more next week!

Trusses are up!

(Remember, you can click on the pictures to make them bigger, then click back on your browser to return here)

Last Thursday, the windchill was -25º, so naturally the framer calls and says that he can't get the crane to come on Saturday, like he planned, and instead they were coming on Friday. So we needed to clean up the driveway and the area in front of the house so they can drive the crane to the house. Shawn was all optimistic that he could do it, while I balked at the idea of being out there in the freezing weather. So we called a friend that we know has a snow removal business, and he came out with his truck and blade and cleared it all up.

And guess what? The framer calls on Friday morning to tell us that it is too cold and his crew doesn't want to work in the cold. Also, the crane operator called and the hydraulics in the crane are frozen and won't work. So, the snow removal was an extra expense we could have saved, since originally we had planned to scoop out the lane during the weekend while the weather was nice.

On Saturday, I helped Shawn shovel the snow out of the inside of the house. Evan came out for a little bit and he promptly helped Daddy push the snow out. Here you can see him pushing on the shovel with Daddy's help.

On Sunday, we spent some time playing out in the snow. We took the toboggan down the hill and
Evan loved it. We later made tunnels in the snow, so he could crawl around. So I guess the money spent on the snow removal meant we could spend more time with Evan since we didn't have to clean all of that out and be tired from it.
Here is Evan popping out of his snow cave.


Yesterday we had the day off from work, so we watched the framing crew install the trusses. The crane arrived mid-morning, and we spent quite a bit of time just watching them work. Here you can see the small crane, and the trusses they set up over the garage. It was amazing to watch them work. These ten trusses took them about 10 minutes to install.

Also, the concrete crew showed up to take the thermal blankets off the stoop, so we were able to see how the stoop actually looks.
So here's the famous porch stoop. Hard to imagine that such a little thing could have caused so many headaches and delays. We're glad things are progressing well.

We left in the afternoon to do a bit of shopping, and this is what the house looked like when we arrived. Hard to imagine that they did that in only 1 day!

Here's another view. You can see the front bedroom, and the opening in the middle is where the entrance will be located.

Last night Shawn went out there to take a look inside the house, and he noticed that one of the trusses was broken. We didn't have a chance to speak with the framer about it, but I called the truss supplier this morning, and the framer had already told him about it. He said that it happens sometimes, and what they do is get a hold of the truss engineering department. The truss engineer who designed the trusses will review the break and location, and either specify a repair procedure, or order a new truss to be replaced. We won't know until later today or tomorrow if the break is in a location that can be fixed, or if the truss will need to be replaced.
We'll see what happens.

Picture of trusses

Weather has been just awful this week. The framer now is not coming to work until Saturday, if he can get a crane operator to work then. We're supposed to clean the snow since we now have about 6" of snow to remove so they can get to work.

This picture here is of the initial trusses they put up last friday.

Should have more pictures on Mondays and more on the progress.

Here's a picture of Evan having fun in the snow.

Not much happening.

They were able to set a few trusses up last friday. Then it snowed, then it snowed again yesterday, and is supposed to snow again today.
So the framer is out there framing the fireplace, and framing some other walls inside. He wants to know if we can really clean off the snow by Friday morning so he can get a crane and other equipment to set up the big trusses.
So we have some snow shoveling to look forward to. And on Thursday, it is supposed to be below 0 windchill! Yay!

So, I will probably have some good pictures for next Monday. Next week is supposed to be nicer weather, and we'll see if we can get a roofer out here before the windows show up next Friday.

Trusses are here! Windows are ordered!

I apologize for not having a post yesterday. When we got home Wednesday night, the batteries for the camera were dead, and I forgot that we had just bought extras.
The framing crew did a bit more framing here and there, and they installed the Tyvek housewrap over part of the wall.

Yesterday, we met with the window supplier to go over the window list to confirm it, and placed the order. They are scheduled to arrive January 23rd, so we hope to have a roof and shingles by then, so the framer can install them right in.

The framer called yesterday and wanted to know if he could uncover the concrete so he could set his walls up. He wanted to start setting up the trusses today, and he wanted to have all of the exterior walls done before then. Shawn and I were concerned about the concrete, so I asked a friend of mine who is a concrete engineer. The main concern would be to subject the concrete to a temperature shock. Since the concrete produces heat while it cures, my friend estimated that it could be up to 6oº inside the concrete, and if the framer exposed it, it could cause it to crack.
He suggested that the framer not uncover more than the 6" he needs to put the bottom plate, and to cover it back up. Keep the heater on, and we should be fine.
So that's what the framer did.
Here's a picture of the walls all framed up. If you click on it to make it bigger, you can now see the two garage doors, the two windows inside the porch area and the main entrance door. You can also see the area of the floor without sheathing where the stairs are now.

Here's another picture of the garage.















And the next picture is the picture of where the main entrance door will be. The window in the background is the great room.

Yesterday, I went to the building supplier to pay last month's lumber bill, and while I was there a big rig full of our trusses showed up. I stopped by the store to get groceries, and the truck with the trusses arrived at our place a little before I got home.

So here they are: And tomorrow the framer said he would start setting them up. He estimates that by next Friday he will have the trusses up and the roof sheathing up. Next step is to get a roofer out here pronto to get the shingles on. Then after that, the framer will install all of the windows and exterior doors. We're nearing the end of the first phase of construction, then we take over and will start working on the second phase: finishing the basement so we can move in.

No Pictures

We got home too late last night and it was too dark to take pictures. Maybe tomorrow.
Anyway, the stoop is poured, though Shawn and I piled insulation on top and used some extra thermal blankets the contractor left behind to make sure we trap all of the heat from the concrete cure.
We asked the framer to wait at least until tomorrow before he starts putting a wall on top of it. Trusses I believe will start to go up on Monday, though there is snow in the forecast, so that might not be.

We did find a few things that need correcting, but they are minor.
The stairs are framed, though the framer put 2x4's for threads since the actual threads aren't installed until construction is finished, so that the wood is not damaged.
If we get home with some daylight left for some pictures, I'll get those on tomorrow.

It's Done.

We called and tried to get a hold of the concrete contractor this morning to see if he was going to show up. He didn't bother to call us.
When we talked to the framer at noon, he said that the guy and his crew showed up, poured the stoop, and they were smoothing it out.

So, whether it was done right or not, the stoop is finally done. Thank God!

The framer estimates that he will finish the inside of the basement framing by tomorrow, then they will focus on finishing the walls upstairs. Trusses are arriving on Thursday, and they will begin to set them on Monday. They want to give the concrete a chance to cure some before applying loads on there.

Yesterday they started framing the stairs, and also they worked on applying the 1" thick R-board insulation around the outside of the house. So good progress.

I'll post pictures tomorrow, if I have the time.

We might just get that stoop done this week!

Last Wednesday the framing crew erected some more walls around the outside of the house. Then they worked on some interior wall framing.

On Friday they began to do the sheathing around the outside. You can see in the picture above. Because on the delay with the stoop, the framer can't frame the front of the garage or the front entrance to the house. You can see the open area in the picture.

They have sheathed almost all of the walls that are up, eExcept for a small area on the back of the house.



In this picture you can see on the main floor (left to right) the master bath window, the master bedroom window, the great room window, the sliding door in the dining room and the dining room window . In the basement, there's a bedroom, bathroom, bedroom, lounge, and bar/kitchenette windows covered with blue foam. The sheathing is covering the sliding door to the walkout.


This picture here where Pam is walking up to the door, is the side facing NE. The dining room, kitchen, laundry and back of the garage are on this wall.


On Saturday, it was Blair's birthday, our niece. So Shawn's parents came down to check out the progress on the construction on their way to Brian and Cari's house for Blair's Birthday party. Here they are with Evan in front of the Great Room window.

The forecast was for sleet and ice on Saturday afternoon, so Derald helped Shawn to get the stoop covered really ood to keep ice out of there.

Here I am with Evan checking out the progress.
We had a good time with the family, and we ended up stranded with Shawn's parents on Saturday at Brian and Cari's house because it was too icy to drive back home.

Today, I called the concrete contractor and he said they will pour tomorrow. He will be out there today to check things out and install the anchor bolts needed to hold the floor, and do a few last minute things.

I should be finalizing the window order today, and if we can delay it out a week, that would be great. If not, we'll have to order them and store them in the basement if the roof is no up yet by the time they arrive. It sure feels like there's been pressure building up waiting for this stoop to get poured! We'll see if the construction pace will explode once that is set and done.

Gotta start calling some roofers to get a couple of roofing bids. It looks like we might just get the house enclosed by the end of January. Let's pray it is so.