Day #79 - Lots Going On Inside!

It's another no picture day, but that does not mean nothing is happening!  Justin & his framer crew are working hard on the siding.  The plumber and electrician have both finished their rough work and it looks very good.  I like the fact that Jenn Stever (kitchen/bath/lighting designer) suggested placing the master shower control valve just inside the shower door.  That way, I can turn on the water without getting wet.

Thomas from the Photo Den was in this afternoon.  He did a walk through discussing the surround sound system and Internet wiring.  There is some work that needs done running some conduit for his wires, but that will be handled by the Valerian guys.

Budget Internet will come in tomorrow afternoon and run wiring for the modem and router.  Then Thomas will come back Thursday morning and do the surround sound/TV wiring.  I am having a high def antenna put in the attic for local channels and then use a Blue Ray player for downloading from the Internet.

Fred Gant, the Energy Trust of Oregon consultant, did a walk through today as he was in the area.  He was very pleased to see how things were going.  I look forward to his testing to see how well the house scores.

Day #75 - Siding & More Going On Inside

We have had quite a bit of rain lately, and the ground at the back of the house is pretty muddy.  Thus, the framers have been working on the siding at the front and sides of the house.  The front is almost finished with just a bit of cedar shingles to go on at the gable.  The photo below gives you a good idea of how the house will look.  (Disregard the two colors of HardiePlank siding.  That is just primer.)

Work has been going on in the inside also.  The pedestal base for the stacked washer/dryer is in, the master bath shower is framed up, and the electricians continue to work on the wiring.

Next week the surround sound system and Internet will be pre-wired.  Once the wiring is completed and the house inspected again we can get the insulation in.

Day #71 - More Progress

No photos today as most of the work is going on inside, and it is raining like crazy.  But, lots is going on!  The duct work is dry walled in.  I met with the electrical subcontractor this morning to walk through the house and discuss special needs.  They are now running the wiring.  The fireplace hearth is roughed in, and the last exterior window is installed.

The landscaper comes by tomorrow morning to discuss his needs for exterior wiring for the sprinkler system and water feature.

I have appointments next week to walk through the house with the Photo Den to discuss surround sound and pre-wiring for Internet and Budget Internet to show them where I want the wiring run from the outside antenna to the entryway closet for the wireless Internet.

Day #67 - Lots of Subs on the Job!

I stopped by the house late this afternoon and discovered that three subs had been on the job.  The framers were still working diligently on the siding and the finish wood shingles had been installed on the front of the garage.  It looks really great!

The plumbers were still  on the job when I arrived.  When I went inside I saw that the HVAC guys had been there and the ducts were installed.  I had no idea they would be 16" in diameter!  Wow, are they big!

I am glad to get this picture as they will be enclosed in drywall and not able to be seen.

Today marks a milestone - half way through the timeline to finish the house.  Exciting times!

Day #65 - Bay Window

Quite a bit was accomplished today.  The bay window is installed in the kitchen.  The guys did a great job and built a cap over the top of it; something I did not expect.  It is just one example of the little things they are adding to make the house special.

The knotty pine tongue and groove ceiling is finished on the patio, and the guys continue working on the siding.  They are paying great attention to detail, and quite a bit of thought is going into the finishes.

The good news is that we are hoping that power will finally come to the job site this Friday!

Day #64 - Duct Work

Justin & his framing crew were back working on the siding, and the sheet rock crew came by and boxed in all the HVAC duct work.  This will incorporate the ducts in the house preventing heat loss through ducts that are just run unprotected in the attic or crawl space.  The photo is of a section of the duct work.  Sorry, but it was the best I could do.

According to the framers, we are to have a nailing inspection tomorrow which will allow the last two windows to be installed.

Day #59 - Siding

We are approaching the half way mark for completion under the contract.  The HardiePlank siding started going on today, and the guys made good progress.

No, that's not the final house color, just the primed HardiePlank as it comes from the factory.

The skylight and two windows need installed to make the house totally weather tight.  Hopefully that will all happen before Friday night as rain is predicted for the weekend!

Day #56 - Roofed (Almost)

The roofer was working yesterday, and I decided to stop by today after church to see how it was looking.  The roof is almost complete.  I understand the skylight in the kitchen will be installed tomorrow (or at least the hole will be cut).

I wanted a roof that had some color to it but would also be reflective during the hot summer days.  I think this color meets those two requirements.

Day #53 - Documenting the Bones

Several people have commented on the artistic complexity of the truss work, and I have admired the geometry myself.  Thus, I decided to document them before the drywallers came.

The picture below is taken in the living room.  The vault is much higher than I anticipated, and it will add a dimension of space to the house.

The next photo was taken outside the house looking into the master bedroom.  This vaulted ceiling is not as dramatic as the living room, but will still add an interesting dimension to the room.

The final picture was taken from the front of the house and gives you an idea of the multiple roof lines.

The roofers continue to install shingles, and the framers were working on the skylight in the kitchen today.  So work is still progressing!

Day #52 - Lots Happening

I have not posted for the past few days because there have not been changes that lend themselves well to photographs.  However, it is time to bring the blog up to date without photos.

Lots has been happening.  Framing continues.  Windows are being installed.  The plumbers are running water and sewer lines.  The HVAC contractor has met with the general contractor to determine the runs for the heating/air conditioning duct work.  We have a green tag on electrical  so power can be run, and shingles are being installed.

I have finalized the contract for landscaping.  (Good grief, can you spend a fortune on that!)  And, a few minor changes have been made to the house itself such as upgrading the gas fireplace.  I found out that I could get one that is rated at 50% more BTU's for a very small increase in price.

Fortunately, the subs all are working well together.

We will soon be coming to a point where things slow down a bit to seal up the structure to meet the Energy Star rating we are attempting to achieve.  All of the cracks and crevices will need to be sealed.

I have a picture in my mind as to how this is to turn out.  I just hope reality meets expectations!