Construction update #39

Three weeks since my last update. I feel like the kid gone to college who forgets to write home until chastised by the parents.

With each level of the house, it gets more difficult to get materials to the lower levels. The massive fireplace for the basement caused lots of head scratching and we settled on the idea of an electric hoist in the elevator shaft. Since I bought the hoist at a garage sale a few years back for $30, we also used the excavator with a safety chain. Better safe then sorry.

Speaking of safe, we rigged up the electric chain saw as a table saw for the foam. We even built in the vacuum for all the white dots. Better a straight cut then safe!

Leveling the garage area gives final shape to the entire house.

The excavator guy used a deft touch to make some steps in the rockery.

I wasn’t going to use wood on interior construction. But, with so much forming being done in wood, it seems a waste not to reuse some of it.

An amazing thing is how much rebar goes into the house. We get it delivered by the bundle and in 20’ lengths.

I installed the sauna and was very happy with the quality of the wood.

I floated some concrete at the first landing in the stair. Buried in the mud are a handful of glass marbles and a brass fish (a trivet bought on eBay). After the concrete cures, the idea is to grind the surface to expose the fish and the marbles. We will see.

We are going in so many directions at once, that it seems we are going slow. But on reflection the pace is pretty good.

Steve

Construction update #38

A snow storm interrupted our stride. Hopefully, winter’s last gasp.

The excavator started backfilling the middle level and building more rockeries. Structural areas get CDF.

The 9’ 6” ceiling height is supposed to compensate for lack of windows. Not sure about that yet, but sure makes me feel short!

With learners permit in hand, Katie drove us to Portland to pick up a sauna kit and a wood stove. Saving sales tax wasn’t the primary motivation, but certainly was a bonus.

Next day we picked up the prefab shower from Seattle Glass block. Spending money is getting easy.

Steve