Framing Begins

Just a quick post and a picture that Wes took today ... the sills were put on yesterday and framing has now started.  Tomorrow, framing continues and the Country Carpenters team arrives to start the barn.

The Barn starts to form

Below are some shots of the Barn foundation in progress.   Not surprising after the complexity of the main house foundation, this smaller version was a bit difficult as well.  Building this little devil into the hill has the foundation stepping up from a 10 inch wall in the front to a 4 1/2 foot one in back and it had to move 1-1/2 feet forward as well.

We think it will look nice feeding into the slope, with the main drawbacks being that we lost all the back windows and one of the side ones as well, and we'll have to do some creative work to cover the interior cement walls.

Country Carpenters will be on-site next Wednesday to start the Barn, so next weeks post should show the beginning of our first wooden structure rising above the mass of cement we have now.

Ready to pour the slab in main house

Kim and I met Wes at the house this morning and talked about a lot of things, with the most important being the selection of the metal roof color; a sort of slate/bronze.

The roof is important of course, but the big announcement is that the Porto-o-Jon arrives Monday.  Stay tuned to next Friday's post.  I can't wait!!!

We also took a few pictures of the main house foundation, which is now just about ready for the slab pour.  Next week, Lee and crew will stamp down the dirt a bit more, lay out the insulation that goes under the slab and pour.  The only open question is whether or not we should include the piping for radiant heat, and we're waiting to hear back on some bids to make that decision.

What a difference from a month ago, when I was standing among the rubble of the blasting. The foundation really looks great and Lee and his gang deserve a round of applause.

Foundation Walls

I went up to the site this morning to talk to Lee and look at our brand spanking new foundation.  In the pictures you'll see the footings and how the forms for the walls are placed.  The last few show the walls in place with the waterproofing on the outside.  

Next up is the slab and then onto the foundation for the barn.  I also met the contractors who will be doing the framing, and hoping that part is done by the end of July.

The footings are poured

Here are some shots Wes took of the footing put process.  We see the cement truck coming up the driveway and the way it pours into another truck that can reach the different parts of the foundation and inject the cement.

Below that are a few shots of the pour down in the foundation and one showing the end result.  Today, they will be stripping the forms and then starting to build the forms for the walls.

Footing Forms

Wes took a couple of pictures of the forms that are now in place for the footing pour tomorrow.  The house foundation is in three steps ... footings then walls then slab.  We're still thinking about radiant heat in the basement and need to decide before the slab work starts.