I'm absolutely sure that one of our future neighbors has already dubbed this "Garagzilla"...
The garage takes shape /
Today is a big day for the other building on the site, the garage. The 24' x 24' garage has a roof with the same 14:12 pitch as the house so it can accommodate future solar panels as needed. We elected not to go for an ADU* but look forward to having the volume for deep storage and functions that might seem like a good idea years from now.
The garages have been in the front yard for several weeks, and the framers had great fun (not) getting them down the alley.
* Accessory Dwelling Unit. Such a thing would require dedicated parking, a code-legal stair, plumbing to the city sewer, a fully compliant thermal envelope, electrical, and finishes. ADU's can be great and I look forward to the opportunity to create them in the future, but we drew the line this side of one for our home.
Ducts /
The ducts are all installed and sealed. A leakage test is to be done next, but more importantly the plumbing rough-ins can be done, followed (quickly, we hope) by electrical rough-ins and then insulation.
I think the duct drops are reasonable in the basement, but I've come to really see the advantage of going with floor trusses throughout. Next time...
Waiting. More Waiting. /
There is a lot scheduled to be happening now, but we're waiting. Like for the garage to be framed up (note the trusses in the front yard), the HVAC final work, plumbing rough-ins, electrical... In the last weeks, only the remaining interior framing has been mainly completed, and the last of the windows and exterior doors have been provisionally installed. The quality of daylight inside is great to finally see in full!
Southwest Journal essay /
A few weeks ago, I felt inspired to write a small essay on leaving home. It felt good to document some feelings I was experiencing and I thought that others might share them. Last week, our local biweekly paper, the Southwest Journal, published the piece. It's not on their website, but here it is:
(click to enlarge)
Concrete slab at last! /
With the recent drying in of the house, the basement floor slab was poured today. This will pave the way (literally) for the finalization of the HVAC system, followed closely by plumbing rough-ins and then wiring. The pace of things should now pick up again.
In the meantime, as time marches on, mortgage interest rates are on the rise. Our once ideal timing is slipping away, it seems.
TPO at last! /
Sheets of Thermoplastic Polyolefin membrane, pre-seam welding, cap flashing and termination bars. The white color, where not covered, will aid in minimizing heating up the immediate environment and support the idea of "cool roofs".
Mounting Anxieties /
It's important for me to keep the content of this blog open and honest. Construction is not all smooth, exciting times! This is one of the other times, when not much is happening and anxieties mount. Granted, Thanksgiving week brings its own pause, but the fact is that the continued delay in getting Les Jones Roofing out to install the TPO membrane roof means that the flat roof and its temporary tarps are letting in a LOT of water - melt water from the snows over the last few weeks and now rain from the weekend. As a result, the subfloor inside is soaked, and a steady trickle of water has made its way to the basement. Because of this, the basement floor slab hasn't been poured and because of this, HVAC can't be completed, basement walls can't be framed (and so the framers haven't done anything about the garage), and this is holding up plumbing. It's all because of the lack of having a dried-in house.
At some point, the house will be done and we'll be living in it and this will be one of things we look back at as part of the adventure. I know that. This doesn't make it easier to deal with while the helpless waiting and wondering continues, though.
Ducts and windows /
With the windows now (mostly) in, ductwork has begun. The upper level floor supplies are set and this photo shows the returns. Main floor ducts are being put in, and the basement will follow. After that: Pipes!
Beating the weather, by a day /
On Wednesday afternoon, the garage slab was finally poured. On Thursday, most of the windows were installed. Now, on Friday, the temperatures are plunging and we have a mini-blizzard tinging the landscape white. Seems to be "just-in-time" construction...
Hope and Change /
This house was born out of optimism and the need to move forward. Tuesday's presidential election result has dampened some of that optimism. At least for now. I'm worried about the possible future that climate skeptics and an impulsive, hubristic leader will bring; worried for the next generations. I'll keep the hope that this single house will represent one small step forward to that future that I still want to see.
Underslab insulation /
R-15 insulation has been placed below the basement floor slab, over a continuous vapor barrier. Radiant heat tubing is to be placed next and then concrete will pour.
The 2015 International Residential Code requires R-10 insulation below slabs in our climate zone. We're going for 150% of insulation requirements in all envelope assemblies. A PassiveHouse, in contrast, would probably have R-40 or greater below the floor slab.
Underslab plumbing /
As we anticipate the pouring of the basement and garage floor slabs, plumbing is going in. Once complete, several layers of rigid insulation and a vapor barrier will be added. Then concrete.
On the lower left is the sewage ejector pump. The city couldn't verify exactly where the invert was for the street line, and we ended up with a basement floor elevation a little lower than what worked for pure gravity flow. Hence the pump. On the right is the sump pump basin. Exterior and interior drain tile feeds into this, and a vertical PVC vent will extend up through the roof, since the interior drain tile also acts as part of the radon venting system. In the background is the start of the drain piping for the basement bathroom's shower, toilet and sink.
Drone attack! /
Video shot and edited by multi-talented man-about town Kent Leonard on 10/11/16. Since then, the upper roof underlayment has been applied, the porch roof framing and sheathing has been completed, the south planter/railing has been framed, and we're waiting for Les Jones Roofing to free up a TPO membrane crew.
WRB products: Competing or Complementing? /
Kingspan GreenGuard MAX was specified for the weather resistive barrier (a.k.a. "housewrap"). One would think that the builders would have used GreenGuard tape for the seams!
Nope.
I called Kingspan, and it turns out the two products are compatible.
Framing Nearing Completion /
The front porch is one of the last major framing efforts left on the house. Next will be full "drying in" so that windows and exterior doors can be installed.
Overview from the street.
The roof deck features a center planter (one side of which shown to the left), providing railing/privacy/spatial definition to the habitable deck. Planted roof areas will extend east and west of this.