Every morning, I drive over to the River House to set up my time-lapse camera for the day. Today, I was greeted by this 8-point buck. I often hear him moving about in the brush and this is the first time I really got a good look at him. Quite the handsome fellow, I think.
At long last, vertical framing has commenced. I was tied up with consulting work all-day, but that did not diminish my excitement when I visited the site after dark to check on progress.
The framing crew scheduled to resume work on the River House failed to show up today. Suffice it to say, I was not pleased. It has become clear that they are over-committed and are juggling many jobs at once. I am beginning to think we will finish our house sooner if I just do the work myself, an option that I am not taking off the table. I decided to search for an image that would help me to relax and selected this one, taken when I visited Croatia 3 years ago.
After two days of feasting, we felt compelled to get some exercise today before driving back to Massachusetts. A three-mile hike around Lone Rock Point was just what the doctor ordered. The trail mostly followed the high cliff edge but also included several descents down to the water’s edge of Lake Champlain. We were led on the hike by Ikey, one of Susan’s close friends and Belle, a neighbors dog who she is taking care of while they are away.
Given that my cooking skills are limited to frying eggs and making toast, I was little help preparing yesterday’s feast. My talents lean towards fixing and making things which I was happy to do today. Susan wanted to upgrade to a larger TV mounted over the fireplace. We got an early start to take advantage of Black Friday pricing and returned with a 55″ model and the necessary hardware to mount it to the wall. All three kids helped with various aspects of the task and we later added a sound bar to the installation. The work was completed just in time to enjoy the US vs England soccer match on the new TV, a much appreciated upgrade as judged by the rabid soccer fans that are my children.
Susan has one of the most thoughtfully organized homes I have ever visited. The same cannot be said of her very large toolbox. Having struggled to locate the tools I needed for the TV project, I took it upon myself to reorganize her kit, a task which I take very seriously and enjoy thoroughly.
Jeanine and I got an early start on our drive to Burlington, VT where we had Thanksgiving dinner with Jeanine’s sister Susan and her friend Jean. The kids arrived last night. Everyone chipped in to prepare the feast although Nicolai was demoted from butterhorn roll dough kneading to sweet potato peeling by Maya who felt his technique was too aggressive. Kyle was our go-to turkey carver and managed the task with aplomb. Jeanine brined the turkey last night and delivered it ready for roasting as well as pies and other desserts. Jean prepared the green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy and teamed up with Susan for the stuffing and corn pudding. The entire operation was run with Swiss watch precision; all of the food was ready at the same time and cooked to perfection.
After carefully inspecting 8 random Tstuds from the shipment of 2200 lineal feet we received, I have decided to return it all. Because it is a lumber-based product, a 10-15% cull rate would not be unusual. For whatever reason, however, the quality control on the product we received was not to an acceptable standard for use on our project. Instead, I have decided to use LVL 2×4’s to build a staggered stud wall (wood is a poor insulator and the goal is to avoid creating a bridge from the inside wall to the outside wall). Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of thin wood assembled with adhesives. Made in a factory under controlled specifications, it is stronger, straighter, and more uniform than conventional lumber. Due to its composite nature, it is much less likely to warp, twist, bow, or shrink. Used in a staggered wall design, it will provide an even higher R-value than Tstuds. The only downside is that it is 5x more expensive than regular lumber and roughly 35% more than the Tstuds.
It has taken quite a bit of time, but I am very pleased with the adjustments made to the framing layout. Every corner is square and every wall is straight and parallel within the limits of my measuring tools. My happiness with this outcome was short-lived. The framing members we have selected for the house are called Tstuds. They use a truss-style construction method that results in a large thermal break. This makes for a much higher insulation value than traditional lumber. Our shipment arrived this morning and I took a moment to inspect the product. Of the first 8 studs I looked at, I found problems with each. The manufacturer has offered to replace any that we cull from the lot but it is not clear to me that they have a handle on their quality control. A deeper investigation will occur tomorrow.
This morning, I met with the framing crew to finalize the layout that will guide all vertical construction. Done right, this is a time-consuming process that involves making an initial pair of right-angle control lines and then locating the desired size rectangle to sit on the as poured foundation. If we were simply to use the concrete foundation walls as a reference, we would propagate any errors in straightness, coplanarity, and perpendicularity to the remainder of the structure. In our case, the iterative process took almost two hours for the east wing. We will tackle the west wing tomorrow and I suspect it will only take half as long. It is very tempting to quickly move into framing but the time spent now on getting perfect corners and wall dimensions will pay dividends in construction time later.
My sister Alissa is being joined by her daughter Rachel at the Quinn Wealth Management Group which she started almost 14 years ago. Now, mother and daughter will share a profession as well as a love for ballroom dancing. Rachel is a Client Service Associate and will work remotely from Boston.
Kyle and I leveled the floor in his future basement bathroom this afternoon. Kyle was in charge of mixing 200 pounds of leveling compound and I for spreading it. The rough area in the before photo is where we removed a portion of a 4-inch slab on which the old toilet was installed. The remainder of that slab will be hidden underneath the future vanity and was left in place to avoid damaging the old soil pipes.
Next weekend we will be ready to drywall the bathroom walls and install the shower base and vanity. Working with Kyle each week and watching him acquire new skills has been very rewarding.
All plumbing fixtures but one are located in the west wing of our new house under construction. The exception is the kitchen sink/dishwasher which is located as far from the sewer pipe as you can get. Such pipes must slope downward 1/4″ for every foot of run to keep water flowing in the right direction. To achieve this slope AND keep the pipe out of sight, it was necessary to create a 3″ channel in the ICF which I did the afternoon. Once the pipe is installed, I will re-insulate and protect it with a metal barrier to prevent an errant screw or nail from puncturing the pipe.
Jeanine said she should see She Said so I said she should. In fact, we both did, our first movie at a theater since the beginning of the pandemic and my first tongue twister since the inception of this blog.
Yesterday’s rain created the perfect opportunity to assess the levelness and flatness of our newly poured basement floor. Finding the lowest valleys and the highest peaks can be very time-consuming using a rotary laser. With a basement full of water, however, the task becomes trivial. Slosh around until you find the deepest water and take a depth measurement. Slosh around some more until you find the most shallow water and take a measurement. Subtract the two numbers and you have the maximum variation (+/- 3/8″ in our case). Continue sloshing about and you quickly get a feel for the variability in the depth of water as a function of location which provides an indicator of flatness. I used a pair of plastic trash bags and some duct tape to fashion make-shift galoshes for my less-than-waterproof boots. After recording my measurements, I pumped out the water to avoid forming an ice skating rink when the temperatures drop below freezing this evening.
The first snow of the season is usually cause for jubilation. This year, however, I am hoping for as little as possible so as not to delay construction on our new home. With all the concrete work done and rough grading completed, we could be looking at a framed shell by Christmas if the weather cooperates. Framing resumes in earnest on Friday when Tstuds shipped from Newton, Iowa are scheduled to arrive on site. Our geothermal wells could be drilled as early as next week.
Jeanine and I visited the River House early this morning to survey the newly poured concrete floors. In addition to the completed foundation, we were treated to steam fog rising from the river which was more lovely than a still photo can convey. We then drove to Chelsea where we looked at different options for an entry door to the house, one of the few remaining choices we have to make to complete the exterior envelope. Next, it was on to Burlington to the Kohler showroom where we selected all our plumbing fixtures for the bathrooms and kitchen. Finally, I made a second visit to the River House to check how level the new floors were. It was cold and getting dark so my measurements were rushed and will need to be repeated. My initial estimate is that the basement is level to within +/- 1/2″ across 1800 sqft. with a maximum diagonal of 81′ 6″. I am not thrilled with this result and may decide to add a leveling compound to the base.
After waiting a month to receive a part from China, I was able to upgrade the flash unit I most often use on my camera from a plastic foot to a metal foot design. In addition to improving the mechanical strength of the interface, the dimensions have been revised to create a better fit on the most recent cameras from Sony.
For me, the most stressful parts of our new home construction have all been related to the concrete. First, we had to find a quarry that was certified not to have pyrrhotite, a mineral of concern for the construction industry, which when exposed to water and air, can break down to form secondary minerals that expand and crack concrete, causing concrete structures, like home foundations, to fail. Second, it was important to schedule around the weather; not too hot, not too cold, and not during or prior to rain. Third, we did not want falling or blowing leaves to wind up on top of the wet concrete. Finally, we had to ensure that all cement trucks after the first, arrived in a timely manner. Happily, today the basement and garage floors were poured representing the last time I will have to concern myself with all the issues above. The basement was poured first using a pump and finished with two concrete trowel (“butterfly”) machines. The garage was poured straight from the truck and finished with a manual float. Tomorrow I will be able to walk on both and assess the quality of the work. Fingers crossed.
The yellow material taped to the ICF walls is Stego’s 15mil vapor barrier that covers the entire basement floor to prevent moisture and gas migration through the concrete. Each pass of the power trowels left the floor progressively more level and smooth. The photo above was taken near the beginning of the process.
With soccer season over, I was able to work with Kyle today as well as yesterday. I completed the electrical wiring and the supply side plumbing while Kyle made great progress on the insulation. We also ordered the tools we will need to level the bathroom floor and expect to tackle that job next weekend. When I returned home, I complete the insulation cover that will be used to protect the temporary water supply at the River House from freezing. Working by headlamp at the end, I installed a thermostatically controlled pipe heater and then the cover. This should be adequate for the immediate future but I will need to run some calculations to see if more insulation or a more powerful heat source will be needed when temperatures get really low.
While swimming at night off the coast of Gloucester, Kyle was attacked by a giant octopus. Fortunately, he was with a group of friends who came to his aid as he pulled himself to the beach with the octopus still on his back. One quick thinker aimed his flashlight at the creature’s eyes which immediately caused it to retreat. Kyle survived the ordeal with no significant injuries other than the distinctive marks on his back. He swears that the encounter left him feeling invigorated and relaxed despite the harrowing experience.
Jeanine hosted an impromptu birthday party this evening for her good friend, Kate Yoder. I was permitted to join the all-female celebration for dinner and cake, both of which were out of this world. It was a wonderful way to end an exceptional day of progress on the River House. Motivated by the need to beat forecasted rain, the site prep crew completed all of the foundation backfill and rough grading before moving on to installing the gravel base for the garage foundation and removal of the last remnants of excavated concrete from the site. Meanwhile, a second crew installed a vapor barrier and steel reinforcement mesh in the basement in preparation for pouring the concrete floor which is scheduled for Monday.
When not working for one of my clients, I spend every spare minute on the River House construction site. I lend assistance to the crew anytime I see an opportunity to help. Most of the time this involves carrying materials or providing an extra set of hands to hold something or keeping the site tidy. When my direct assistance is not needed, I spend time picking concrete remnants, glass, and wood scraps out of the dirt, removing large staples used to attach protection materials to the lumber, caulking and insulating gaps in the framing that will be difficult to reach later. Generally, all the little things that will lead to a better project outcome. Today, my contribution was to build an insulated box to prevent our temporary water supply from freezing when temperatures head south. I was determined to use nothing but scrap lumber. Each side of the box has a sliding window. One to allow access to the spigot and the other to the shut-off valve. The inside is lined with insulation and I will also construct an insulated cover for the exterior. Finally, I will add a thermostatically controlled heating element inside to keep things toasty when the weather gets frosty.
Now that framing is underway, a sign promoting both our architect and builder has been erected at the entrance to our driveway. It puts to shame the simple one that I constructed to display our Department of Natural Resources permit number. Thus far, we are extremely happy with our partners on this project and I can recommend both without hesitation. We feel quite fortunate to be working with them.
Jeanine and I woke up at 4 am to enjoy the lunar eclipse this morning. Weather conditions could not have been more perfect for viewing and our Road House is situated with a perfect view of the setting moon. When time permits, I hope to post a composite image showing the various phases of the eclipse.
Disappointingly, our framing crew had to complete work on another job squandering a perfect day for construction. As cold weather approaches, we are in a race to pour the basement and garage floors in above-freezing temperatures. If the temperature is below 32F during the pour, water in the concrete can freeze causing cracks. Additives can be incorporated to prevent this but they reduce the strength of the concrete which we are hoping to avoid. Before the floors can be completed, we must backfill the foundation walls and that is dependent on finishing the first-floor decking. The decking provides substantial support for the walls to ensure they are not damaged by the substantial forces generated as the backfill is compacted. The idle day did give me an opportunity to take my time photographing the existing structure both from the air and the ground.
After a disappointing string of losses, my soccer team concluded our fall season on a positive note. We traveled to Hopkinton this morning, where we inflicted a 7-2 drubbing on their team. The score was tied at the end of the first half but we racked up 5 unanswered goals in the second. Two of those were mine. The first was a blistering rocket from the 18-yard line that bounced off the post and into the back of the goalie’s legs and then into the net. The second was a very pretty header off a corner kick. Regrettably, I managed to flatten one of my teammates who was also trying to play the ball. I put in a second, even prettier header off a direct kick, but was correctly called offsides and it did not count. The 40-minute drive was not without some very lovely scenes including the one above of the town’s center all decked out for Veteran’s Day.
In the afternoon, the entire family met up at Kyle’s for brunch. He served a delicious egg bake that he prepared while we enjoyed watching Liverpool play Tottenham. Later Kyle and I continued work on his basement renovation project. By my estimate, we now have one more day of wiring and one for plumbing before it is time for insulation.
Working to make up for a delayed start, the framing crew was on site today to install the first-floor joists. Make sure to watch the time-lapse video above to the end where things get very interesting. I spent the entire day with the crew to validate measurements and lend a hand moving lumber. At several points, I thought the crew had installed a framing member in the wrong location. In each instance, however, they had hit the mark perfectly giving me great confidence in how they will perform for the rest of the project. Twice, I did catch when floor joists were about to be installed with the wrong orientation (they have a top side as well as a left/right distinction). I did so before the first nail was fired making the corrections trivial and preventing the propagation of that error across the entire floor span.
At long last, framing work has commenced at the River House. Prior to the crew’s arrival, I excavated 6 beam pockets in the ICF foundation walls realizing that this work would be far easier if completed before the mudsills were attached. It took me about 20 minutes to clear each pocket which will be used to support beams running underneath the first-floor joists. I finished just in time and to my great amusement discovered I was covered in tiny bits of insulation. The photo above was taken after I thought I had dusted most of it off my body. The framers, possessing goat like balance, spent all of their time walking on top of the very tall foundation walls. First they capped the entire top with a thick copper foil that will prevent termites from reaching the wood structure. Next, pressure-treated mudsills where cut to size, drilled to accommodate the concrete anchor bolts, and fastened to the wall tops over a bead of sealant. The video below is a time lapse of the operation.
I installed a pair of meters on the circuit breaker panel in the Road House today. Each meter displays voltage, current, power, power factor, frequency, and temperature as well as total energy consumption over time. With one for each phase of the power line, I can also determine how well the load is balanced. When this photo was taken, I was charging my electric car which consumes roughly 40 amps. Normally, when no major appliance are running, the house consumes less than 2 amps. Clearly, this project screams NERD but I am proud of the label and look forward of tracking our energy usage over time.
The framing crew that was expected to start work on the river House today did not show up. They ran into some issues on their current project and I am told they will not start until Friday morning. We shall see. I spent several hours loading a 10 cubic yard dumpster with all manner of debris, but mostly pallets, from the construction site. I oriented them so that I could fill the open spaces between pallets with more refuse.
Meanwhile, at the Road House, we were visited by a rooster for the second day. Given where our house is located it was not at all obvious where our guest came from. Jeanine, a friend to all animals except snakes, captured the rooster and handed it off to a neighbor who knew the owner and agreed to deliver it to him. I was not present for the roundup and am very sorry I missed it.
Using some wood shelving I saved from the River House demolition, I fashioned a threshold that will sit between the bamboo floor and cork floor in Maya’s tiny house. It will need to be stained an appropriate color before being permanently installed and finished with polyurethane. It has a rather complicated profile which is not apparent from the photo.