Word - Update

Today at the site the backfilling has been in progress and the infilling between the retaining wall and the house. There is a lot to consider in this house while doing this work with water and power to the house, drainage lines for foundation water run-off and lines for future downspouts, catch basins installed, gravel over the foundation drains with filter fabric to insure water flows away from the house and the retaining wall.

10/03/2011

Also the slabs were formed for the fireplaces on the main level and connector porch. The flue from the basement fireplace needed to come up and by-pass the firebox of the main floor fireplace so again, a lot of complicated figuring out the details to make sure the everything fits in the space allotted.

11/11/2011

Word - HVAC

Today at the site I had to meet with the HVAC subcontractor to go over the possible layout of the system so that he could determine the cost of the system and we could find out where we would need to drop ceilings, create duct chases, put floor registers and return air ducts, set the air conditioning units and set the HVAC units. The codes on HVAC duct work have changed fairly recently that increased the amount of insulation on the duct which in turn created more difficulty in hiding the ductwork.

While I was there I reviewed the rockwork which is looking great, looked over the basement fireplace that passed inspection today and looked at the building of the kitchen screen porch room. Everything is looking great. We wanted to get some backfilling done but an early rain has delayed that work for now.

Word - Update

Today at the site I had to review rockwork, fireplace construction, discuss the rock on the front elevation, front entry porch layout, backfilling, gutter and water run-off drains and the kitchen porch details. A lot is going on at the house, trying to wrap up outside details and get as much done as possible before the cold weather is here to stay. It's November now and I look at it as the start date of colder weather to come, holidays and more difficult working conditions. I have been trying to stay on top of the rockwork and visiting the rockyard frequently to make sure we are getting the rock that we need to create the look we are trying to achieve. While all this is going on it is important that I meet with the mechanical subcontractors to get the plumbing details, HVAC specified and the electric layout all coordinated and ready to begin the rough-in.

The mechanical phase can be a difficult time for clients to make decisions. Mechanicals are important and not something that most people feel comfortable making decisions about or understanding and there are a lot of decisions to make. It is wise for the client to try to educate themselves to the different types of heating/cooling systems available. It's never too soon to start to think about this phase of the job so as soon as you know you are going to build a new house you should take the time to read about your heating and cooling, water heaters and even lighting options.

Word - Deck Stairs

The stairs off of the back deck/connector is very complicated. In order to keep within the natural looking theme we decided to use locust post and locust 1/2 tree treads. We stripped the trees of their bark because the locust trees were cut in the summer and that often means that the bark will likely fall off over the course of a year anyway. The trees will get treated with a solution to gray them down to a more weathered look. Locust wood is a good wood to use outside and exposed to the elements the wood is so dense and resistant to decay. They are also - heavy! Getting the trees cut down out of the woods, hauled to a truck, in the truck, to the jobsite, out of the truck, to the site location where they will be installed, stripped and installed, requires a lot of man power and should not be taken for granted. Using natural products usually has a hassle factor that you don't have when you go to the lumberyard and pick up a 2x but the look is undeniably unique.

10/31/2011

Word - Rockwork

The client and I discussed the look we both wanted to achieve for the rockwork on the outside of the house and we were on the same page from the very beginning, wanting the rock to look very natural, organic and rustic. The rock I selected is a local stone and not typically used for this application but I wanted a chunky feel and I think my mason's are doing a wonderful job in executing the vision. Dealing with rockwork is not an easy task, especially on this job. As I've mentioned in past entries this particular site is very limited on staging areas and space. Rock needs to be delivered and staged as close to the area that it will be installed as possible, moving rock around the site is not much fun for anyone. Not only do you have to consider the rock pile but also a pile of sand and the pallet of mortar, all should be placed as close to the area that it will be installed if possible.

10/26/2011

10/26/2011

Word - Siding

The client decided to construct awnings over the windows on the backside of the house to eliminate the sun heating up the house during the peak of the day in the summer. We had to come up with a detail that would be in keeping with the look of the rest of the house. I had a local sawmill mill the timber to a specific size to fit the look I wanted to achieve. He also milled 1" material for the roof sheeting. The awnings were then installed, knotched around siding and flashed properly to insure no future water intrusion. Whenever you add details to the outside of the house you invite a potential for water to find a way in or sit on a surface and cause rot. it is important to always think about those details when designing those special elements on the house.

10/23/2011

Word - Retaining Walls

We had to form and pour retaining walls in front of the house to hold back the driveway and parking area from the front yard of the house. The site was so steep that we had to find a "happy medium" elevation so there were not to many steps down to the backyard or out the front door up to the parking. If we had pulled the house entry level with the driveway it would have required nearly 10-12 steps out of the basement door and onto the backyard. We tried to split the difference by stepping down to the front door from the driveway 5 or 6 steps and then out of the basement door 5 steps to the back. That did create the extra cost of the additional retaining wall since typically the house basement wall usually doubles as a retaining wall for the parking. In addition we needed to incorporate a way to get down the the existing path to the guest cabin and a level walkway to the screen porch from the front yard.

Having to consider all of these aspects as well as how the power lines, water lines, gas lines and downspout and water drainage will work it's way around or through the retaining wall is something that must be very well planned and executed before the pour. It took several meetings with the concrete guy, my brother and my main crew leader on the job to make sure everything had been considered. The retaining wall was engineered and inspected before pouring.

10/12/2011

10/12/2011

Word - Framing

It took a while of back and forth to decide what the roof of the connector was going to be constructed from, antique beams or lumber that we cut ourselves. Of course we knew that we would save money if we could cut the lumber ourselves or have it cut at the local lumber yard but could we achieve the look we wanted and match the exising antique log cabin that everything has been built around. After several test of lumber scraps and solutions to make the timber look older we decided we wanted to do it ourselves. That allowed the most flexibility and I think the end result was perfect. The color matched the existing log cabin exactly and the look is exactly what we were going for in that it looked like it was built years ago from the materials that were available with local materials. I decided to leave the natural edge on the bottom to give the beams a more authentic look.

09/28/2011

10/06/2011

Word - Windows

The windows were delivered and installed and true to many other aspects of this job, it wasn't easy. The driver of the truck got stuck before he even made it to the site and then he had to park the truck at the gate of the clients drive. The drive is approx. 800' long, going up a steep incline and then back down to the house site. The hill was too steep for his truck which was not four wheel drive. We had to have my brother there with the flatbed truck to load the windows from the box truck onto the flat bed, haul them to the house and then unload them across a 3' wide walking plank from the drive into the house. The greatroom window was by far the heaviest window and the most scary to manuver over the maze of obstacles. The myriad of potential outcomes that run through my mind the night before is what keeps me up at night. Luckily I work with crews that understand the obstacles and realize how important it is to go slow and treat the materials with care.

09/28/2011

Word - Framing

The crew is continuing to install the fake rafter tails around both structures while we wait on the antique timbers which, are due in next week.  The process is time consuming but things are moving along.  The bedroom wing is nearly completely protected by felt paper and almost ready for window installation.

 9/08/2011

An inside view of what is the living room and the dormer that will let in much needed light. 

 8/31/2011

I met with two engineers at the site concerning the concrete retaining wall for the driveway.  It's been a little bit of a hurdle but I think we are on our way to a resolution and hopefully we can start to form the concrete walls this coming week.

Word - Framing

We are about to hit a stopping point or a bottle neck.  When working with antique timbers you have to be ahead of the game when determining what you need to order because finding antique timbers and getting them to the site to install is not a task that happens like ordering studs from the local lumber yard.  We have a couple of sources that we work with but it seems that speedy response time is not a characteristic common in the antique lumber business.  So we are trying to get our timbers for the connector porch and the porch off the kitchen but more importantly then both of those is the tie-logs that the client has decided to add to the inside of the timber structure.  Those have to be installed before the final roof goes in so we can use the structure to help pull the timbers into place.


In the meantime we are trying to coordinate the final foundation retaining walls for the driveway.  The site is so tight it's hard to coordinate lumber deliveries and getting work done around the excavation work that is needed to pour the last wall, not to mention the dreaded engineering that is needed.

Word Project - Framing Phase II

I skipped a few photos but we finally finished pouring the footers and walls for the second phase of the construction, the bedroom wing.  We have started to frame the floor system and walls.  The bedroom wing is at a different level then the main part of the house.



8/23/2011

8/25/2011

Word Project - Framing

The floor deck is framed using an engineered 14" TJI joist with 3/4" Advantec.  I have used other products over the years like 3/4" osb with a waterproofing sealer or a competing product to Advantec but I haven't found one yet that performs like Advantec.  I feel similar about using a TJI floor system.  

   

6/29/2011

We started to errect the antique log structure.  The structure was taken down, cleaned, fumed for bugs, labled and shipped to our site by a company out of West Virginia called Antique Cabins and Barns, http://www.antiquecabinsandbarns.com/

7/10/2011

6/30/2011

The log cabin is finished and looks great.  Some of the timbers are as thick as 22".  No major problems getting the structure up except the top cord is a little bowed and out of level.

7/13/2011

We started the stick framing around the log structure.  To the left is the kitchen and the right is the connector wing for the bedroom wing.  Things are moving along.

7/20/2011

7/29/2011

Starting the roof framing using 2x12 rafters so that we can insulate according to the codes in our area.  The large clear story will allow a lot of light to fill the living room and a bump out window will provide seating for the loft window.

 8/04/2011



Word Project - Waterproofing, slab

The underslab plumbing also ran into the continuing rock problem.  The plumber had to rent a jackhammer and chip a trench in order for the sewer line to have the correct slope/fall to the septic tank. 

6/1/2011

The waterproofing and foundation drain was completed on the first phase of foundation wall.  The drain was covered with filter fabric and covered with gravel.  We will lay more gravel before we backfill.

6/09/2011

The slab was poured and brushed smooth.  The slab will eventually be stained and sealed as the final finish.

6/20/11



Word Project - Foundations

The footers were difficult to form due to the rock, again.  Some of the footers could be dug into the soil and other parts needed to be formed on top of the rock.  The inspection department allows us to chip the rock to a level area for the footers to rest and then we can avoid drilling rebar into the rock.

04/28/11

The footers were poured.  I took this picture and edit it to look "mini"

5/18/11

The forming panels for the walls are being set up.  Doing poured walls in the mountains is not an easy job.  The forms are heavy and need to be carried, usually down a hill and then connected.  Soon we will be ready to pour the walls but we have to do the pour in two phases due to the lack of space to work, park the concrete trucks, stage the forms and dig out all the excess dirt.  

05/21/11

Word Project - The Site

We have started a new project in April 2011.  The scope of work is to excavate the site, install a septic system for the house, pour foundations, frame the house including re-errecting a deconstructed antique log cabin and do the final trimwork to achieve the certificate of occupancy. 

The site is not easy to access.  The drive is several miles back into the woods, up and down steep hills which will not be pleasant to get to this winter.  The house location is a small knoll that we have to squeeze every bit of this 4000 sqft house from side to side.



 Rock retaining wall to support back yard.  The hurdle is that the slope is so dramatic we have to find a happy medium so we build up the back yard and cut down the front yard.



Of course we hit rock in the middle of our site.  We couldn't blast with dynamite because the client has another cabin close on the property so we had to use a powder product that when mixed with water it expands and cracks the rock.  A hole is drilled in the rock and the powder mixture is poured inside.  It works but it is a slow process.