Building "Up"

Man o man we needed that vacation. Hey, we know we're not going to get done before school starts, so might as well make the best of it. Here's what greeted us on our return.

I don't think we really did any work that day. Some moments are meant just to enjoy.

Aug 12: Back to reality. We've got a number of joists in place, and have started to load 3/4" T&G decking onto the platform. There's a house comin' out of that hole!

Julie using the nail gun to fasten a rim joist. Check out those muscles.

The mason had finished the parging (in 4 hours!--money well-spent). Here you see the bituminous damp proofing applied to one outer wall. Note that the grade line is about 12" below the framing.

Aug 18: We're really hustling. "Panel day" is tomorrow! Robin & Terry Loughran from Bridlewood Builders are coming to unload and start erecting the first floor walls with us. much of the foundation needs to be filled in, so while Eric worked on subflooring, Julie worked on building the French drains. The thin orange marker driven into the gravel marks the end cap of the well access tunnel, seen in an earlier post as coming up thru the concrete slab on the northwest side of the crawlspace.  

Here's a completed section.

 

Here's 4" slotted pipe emerging from the lower end of the northeast side.

When installing decking for the walls, the tongue has to exceed the edge of the rim joist, because the panels have to sit on a solid 3/4" of decking. Stagger joints in each run. Bring on the building inspector!