Groovin'

The concrete in the loggia was cut or grooved to accommodate a conduit for possible later use. If we put a hot tub in that location they will be able to wire it in after the flagstone is in place.

JW was here and installed (mostly) the air recirculating system. They need power which Mark will take care of. We are getting closer on this system.

Finish carpenters put up more molding on the windows. They also are getting more cedar on the great room ceiling. Sue was here yesterday to look at all our selections (granite, tile, flooring, etc). She is also helping with exterior colors.

Cedar

Scaffolding was in the way making the camera angle tough but we have cedar on half of the great room. The other half will be more difficult with multiple angles but it's coming along nicely. It's awesome.

First Flooring

Finish carpenters put more window molding up today. Master bedroom trio looks very nice. Detail is a bit hard to see in this picture be we are very pleased with the look.

Basement floor was finished today. Two coats of stain and two coats of sealer. They are not dry yet but will be tomorrow sometime.

Stain And Woodwork

A lot has gone on today. Masons got the scratch coat on the fireplace. Now they have to wait until cabinets and hearth are in place then they will come back to put up the stone. Concrete stain is being applied to the basement floor. First coat was too light so they put a second coat on. Tomorrow they will apply the sealer. Finish carpenters were here and started woodwork on the windows. Cabinets are being started and we met with Josh this afternoon. Like I said, a lot has gone on today.

Sampling Stain

The utility room became a sample room today for concrete stain. We picked 'toasted almond' for the basement. Not sure what they put on for sealer on the samples but that needs to be selected also. Stain goes on tomorrow. Sheetrock workers are, I think, finally done putting up texture. Last I saw of them they were picking the paper up off the floor.

Texture

Sheetrockers have worked all weekend. They have finished up work on the mud and are still out there this evening putting on the texturing. Ceilings are brocade with orange peel on the walls. We picked out our granite slabs and ordered the last appliance Saturday. Lists are being completed and that is a good thing.

Rock And Rolling Off The Stone

Someone doing sheetrock work found out today that our ramp is not a driveway, particularly when you drive off the side of it. Masons had a 'chat' with them and they will get it fixed tomorrow. Additionally, masons say they should get all the outside work done that's left tomorrow.

When they weren't driving on (or off) the ramp, sheetrockers continued work yesterday and today on the walls. House is toasty warm and fans are blowing to get it all dried out.

Ramped

Sheetrockers were here late last night. We are in the drying mode today. If it dries enough they'll be back tomorrow.

The masons uncovered their work on the ramp today. They are working around the garage and are pretty close to being done, then they will move indoors. Mark was here to make sure nothing got covered up with sheetrock. A few things did but he found them all as far as I know and got them fished through.

Cool Tool

After the storm last night the weather broke today and the masons were able to work on the garage. They have finished the front porch and ramp but they had it covered so the pictures will have to wait. They say a couple more days and their work on the outside will be done. Then they hope to move to the chimney in the great room. That will take some coordination with the cabinet people.

Second coat of mud is going on the walls. I have no idea what was going on in the basement as the stairs were blocked with scaffolding, or at least their version of it. Cool tool for the tape seams loads with mud and he almost runs along the wall while mud is dispensed and smoothed out all in one step. Just one more reason it's easier to hire sheetrock work done by someone else.

Caught On Tape

Sheetrockers worked on Saturday. They are now in the taping phase. Almost all of the upstairs is done and they got started in the basement too. We went once again to George Morlan Plumbing. We finished our list.........woohoo.

Highest Point

Sheetrockers are continuing to complete their task. They got the highest point in the house done today in the great room. The garage is finished and with a few sheets to go the main floor will be done. One basement bedroom and storage area is done and about half the man cave is also done as I type. The rest of the man cave, the other bedroom and bath and the storage/exercise room to go and they will be done. The faucet sample we picked up at Morland was checked and the tub fill will work in the master bath. Always good to have a way to actually fill a bath tub once you have one. Weather came in early so the masons weren't able to work even though they made the trip out. Hopefully the weather will cooperate the first of the week as they don't have too much more to do and the stone work will be done on the outside of the house.

Missed One

Mark was by today. We missed a place we really should have a TV hookup so it's being put in place before sheetrock goes up on this wall.

Sheetrockers are cruising along. This is in the garage. The main floor is almost done, just some of the great room to be done. They are supposed to be completely done Friday. It will either be a very long day for them or their crew will be larger than it has been.

Masons have now moved back around to the front of the house. They are getting the face of the front porch and the sides of the ramp done while there's a break in the weather. We picked out a granite remnant for the hearth today. We also picked up a faucet sample for the tub filler and picked out decking for the deck on the north end of the house. Oh yes, we also ordered the rest of our appliances except for one dishwasher for the man cave. It was a busy day.

Inside And Out

Heating guys worked the first of the week and got two large ducts finally attached to the water furnace. I know that sounds wierd but that's what it's called.

Sheet rock continues to go up. This would be the master bedroom ceiling. They are making good progress.

The masons finished the loggia. What an impressive feature they've put together. The detail is very nice.

From inside looking out. There's supposed to eventually be a water feature where the pile of dirt is.

And finally a good picture of the loggia from the outside minus scaffolds and tarps. Tavish is checking out all of his new territory. We have a meeting in the morning with Josh to go over some things. We went Tuesday and met with the cabinet guy and to CFM to get tile issues wrapped up. Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Sheetrock

Sheetrock started going up today, a new phase of work headed toward getting finished. They have started on the kitchen end of the house. It will be fun to see the rooms with real walls. Masons are actually close to having the loggia completed then I'll take some cool pictures of that feature. Heating guys continue to work on their equipment and the basement is almost balmy.

Greg Hagen

Over the weekend we attended a service for my cousin and friend Greg Hagen. He lost his battle with cancer in December. He lived in Alaska and they had a service here on Saturday for him. He was too young to have to take on this fight but at least there is no more pain. We'll miss him.

Insulation Done

Insulation crew worked through the weekend to finish up their work. Any areas that can't be blown into the ceiling had bats put in place. Wall system is a little different in that it is also a blow in system. A mesh is put up on the studs first then insulation is blown in place. It has a higher R value than what you'd normally get. We gave it a try on Josh's recommendation. He also used it in his own house. Sound insulation was put in most interior walls and between floors. In addition, the man cave had rock wool plus the sound insulation put into the ceiling similar to what would be done in a theater room. Heating system is warming the house up now. I'm having fun checking the temperature difference in the concrete between heated areas in the basement and the storage areas. It's Ok to laugh at me, I laugh at me. Sheetrock is going up this week so we are staying on schedule.

Best To Stay Out Of The Way

Sheetrock was delivered today amidst the insulation install. They seem to be getting through the rain in a minimal amount of time although a couple of sheets we saw got wet. I think things will be Ok though.

Two truck loads in the driveway with this handy device to get it to the house. However, sheetrock is still sheetrock and handling it is still by hand once it's inside. The person carrying it up into the woman cave says he doesn't need a gym membership.

From inside the loggia the stone is up to the top, at least on this side. Keith (and the guys working with him) got the ceiling covered and trimmed out. The juniper fire place shelf was also put up today. It's well protected so it doesn't get banged up. A lot of activity once again which I like.

Together

Things now are really starting to come together. It's most evident outside. Keith got the wrap put up on the back porch. Also the floor of the upper porch has been built up getting ready for tile.

The tarps were a little higher today so I managed to get a picture of the loggia that shows what the masons have been up to. We can get a better idea now of what the finished product will look like.

The gable decoration and the shutters have added a lot to the look of the front of the house. We're pretty excited about how things are looking even if everything is just primed. Heating guys are still at it and insulation is being put up inside. Fire sprinkler installer put in the last of the sprinklers in the storage areas and pressurized the entire system. Hope it all holds.

New Phase

Something new today. Insulation work has started. A new phase of work that gets us toward completion.

Work outside is on the move. Gable end decorative piece was put up. There are several more of these and shutters for some of the windows. Masons continue work on the loggia. They will be there a while. Heating install also continues so progress is being made on a lot of fronts.

Very Active

A lot of people here today. Plumbers installed the water filter and tied in the old water line to the new system. Tie in is so that if the main pump fails we just turn one valve off and the other valve on and we still have water inside the house from the original pump. It's redundant as they also set up a by-pass in the pole building but this way we only need to go into the basement to make the switch. Keith got the screened porch trimmed out and posts on the upper back porch mostly trimmed. Masons have worked their way up to the arches in the loggia on one side. It will make a better picture when the tarps come down. Heating guys are getting the rest of the heating system put together. I think when they are finished we will have real heat in the house. Insulation is supposed to be started this week or at least that's the rumor.

Slow And Mild

Masons and a heating guy were here today. Not sure what was going on with heating but he was here. No Keith today so I'm not sure what he was up to either. Masons are working on the loggia. Work there is slow but they are making progress. Stone that is on the end of the garage was actually put on last week but it's been covered since then so it was the first chance at a picture. I put insulation wrap and then a plastic vapor barrier wrap over the pipes with the heat tape in the pole building over the weekend. That's a virtual guarantee of a mild January.

Marked

Mark worked today and got the pumps hooked up to backup power in the pole building. Extra signage and labels are because the pole building has it's own power feed. Backup power essentially becomes a second power feed to the same building so everything has to be marked.

Happy New Year

Keith got the lower porch in the back trimmed out and the rest of the siding up. The screened porch floor is getting set up for tile and tapered down to the in floor drain in the center. His list of things to get done is getting shorter. Happy New Year to everyone. Hope it's a good one for all.