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With four guys, seven windows were installed the first day. 14 windows went in the second day. And then . . .
Then it was time for the really big window in the living room. So big, it was in two parts. It had to be pieced together, then taken apart. A two stage platform was built to support it and the workers. But with two days effort, it went in. and it showcases the magnificent view.
Meanwhile, we got the basement fireplace going beautifully, but the doors (that were on the truck) turned out to be as yet not fabricated. So we are heating the neighborhood while waiting on the doors.
But the windows are perfect. And that is a good thing.
Steve
Windows (plural) arrived a day early. Door (singular) arrived, but not the six exterior doors that were due 11/14. Then 12/7. Now due 12/16. Aarrgh.
The circle in the entry door will go well, I think, with the compass rose circle in the entry floor.
It was pretty late into the evening before we finished transferring the windows from the semi, to the pick up, to the garage. By my preliminary count, we are missing one big window. Double aarrgh if that proves true.
At least the deck and firepit are done enough to host the Christmas family photo.
Steve
Day two of the elevator install. And the cab is being pieced together. It feels solid and is very quiet. Not sure of the speed.
Snow melt portion of the hydronic system was activated. Through a heat exchanger smaller then a shoebox, the hot water heat is transferred to the glycol and then pumped through the deck and driveway. The digital readout shows the temperature going into the deck (95.1) and the return temp (62.7). The return temp started at 45 degrees. At the heat accumulates in the deck the return temp should level off, although I am not sure at what temp. Pretty exciting!
The first gas appliance to get going was the water heater. Not nearly as nice a photo op as the outdoor fireplace.
Elevator guys are half way done. I think.
And we went ahead and installed the basement NanaWall. It is an impressive set of doors. One opens to the left. The rest bifold to the right. The roller system allows for one handed operation.
Tomorrow we start heating the floors.
Steve
I thought the plumbing system could be contained within a 4 x 8 space. What was I thinking! The plumbing has grown around the corner and traveled down the wall. As sophisticated as it is, when it didn’t hold pressure all it took was a spray bottle of soapy water to track down the culprit.
Ever put together that Christmas toy and have pieces left over? That is kind of like how I feel when I look at all the rebar pieces left over. Hmmm.
Garage doors are in. we used the door type more familiar with mini storage. I really like the look, and we beefed up the actual doors with insulation. And check out the size of the motors!
Passed gas. Inspection that is. So, tomorrow I can fire up the firepit and start warming up the floors.
Steve
Www.icicleearthhome.blogspot.com
The other title I thought of was ‘up in smoke.’
Yes, I got the roof on. And yes we are making progress.
Always before, with the cost overruns and delays I could fall back on a good economy and rising real estate values. Now that cushion feels particularly thin!
Speaking of smoke, the chimney guy has put me off more times then I can count. Turns out he set a 4 and 8 pipe into the concrete, without noticing the fireplace called for a 4 and 7 pipe. Imagine trying to find a 4 to 4, 7 to 8 adapter! The pipe store suggested I get a different fireplace.
The focus has to be getting back on track. Chimney adapter is supposed to be here tomorrow. Elevator gets installed next week. Floor heat should be done this week. Windows and doors early in December.
Steve
The hydronic heat system is taking shape. Five direct domestic zones. Two indirect snow melt zones. Eight pumps in all. If my plumber leaves me before its done, all is lost!
Leaks through the deck antagonize me. My headless workers are exposing from below with the idea to patch above and below. The goop for above is not just a sealer, it is a healer/sealer. You have to be well heeled just to buy it at $150/gallon. Hence the foam dam to focus all the healing directly into the cracks!
Agony is not restricted to leaks. The materials cost to bring the R value up to code is about $1.15 per square foot of roof space. Makes me wish I didn’t have 15 football yards of roofing!
Steve
http://www.icicleearthhome.blogspot.com
Here we are, building an entire house out of ICF’s (insulated concrete forms), and come to find out that the roof does not meet minimum code requirements for “R” value. Seems concrete has nearly zero “R” value and the roof forms feature one skinny foam area that brings down the overall rating.
If its not one thing . . .
On the bright side, we are still getting good midday sun in the middle of November. Our old house, on the other side of the river, had no sun at all for almost four months!
Steve
Icicleearthhome.blogspot.com
Pictured from above and from below (can you tell which is which?) is the elevator shaft. We just opened it up for the first time and the sight was impressive. Hopefully it will pass muster with the building department without having to sheetrock it.
Nov 6th marked the first day of snow fall on our earth home. So probably won’t finish the earth roof until spring.
H2O issues plague the supposedly waterproof deck. Not good, but better now then after sheetrock.
Steve
http://Www.icicleearthhome.blogspot.com
The bearded fellow is our senior fireplace mason who was on hand to guide the delivery of rocks (imagine that) for the Rumford fireplace. Foam removal continues on the host wall.
The outdoor firepit is ready for ignition. Just need a key from the plumber. Seriously.
The master bedroom fireplace is getting framed in. the basement wood stove was retrieved from the elevator shaft where is sat quietly for months.
The plumber is up to his eyeballs in pumps and valves helping me to figure out the hydronic heat.
One way or another, we will have heat!
Steve
Def. “a colloid in which both phases are liquids”. Whatever the heck that means. But as it relates to the black goop on the roof, it means it has to be applied at temperatures above 50 degrees. So, each afternoon when the sun peaks around Wedge Mountain, we race to the roof to apply another coat of the waterproof membrane.
It has been a tumultuous week for sure.
The 4x4 shoring came down without a hitch. No sag, no give. Rock solid.
Or maybe not so solid. The rains came down and my waterproof deck leaked into the bedrooms below. Not good.
Also not good is the Nana Wall, or folding door product that I bought last summer after seeing it at a home show. Made in Germany, it is essentially a folding wall of glass panels. Very cool. Also very expensive. I ordered three of them referencing a 6’8” door. I agreed to increase the height to 6’10” when they said the cost was the same. What I didn’t know, was Nana’s measurement is of the ‘unit’, not the door. And a 6’10” unit is actually only a 6’4” door. Another problem to solve.
The regional daily newspaper came by to do a feature story on the house. Should be out on Monday.
In between this that and the other, I settled the last of the easement issues with the Irrigation District. Whew.
Certainly not a boring week.
Steve
Guys does it take to install a window?
Well, when it is 50+ square feet double pane fully framed and needs to go over a rock wall, it takes everybody!
And what a great visual step forward to have windows going in.
Steve
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