CountryPlans Forum

General => Owner-Builder Projects => Topic started by: Alan Gage on April 03, 2011, 05:07:57 PM

Title: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on April 03, 2011, 05:07:57 PM
Since I'm past the point of no return I figured I might as well start my thread. The house will be a little under 1000 sq. ft. Single story, two bedroom, slab on grade, and heavily insulated.

This is what the old house looked like when I bought it a few years ago:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/2680579405_e1609f4b66_z.jpg?zz=1)

And this is what's happened to it so far this spring:

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5013/5541036595_138befc116_z.jpg)

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5541618254_164bc5a184_z.jpg)

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5184/5586671370_786ee15eda_z.jpg)

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5586672052_c3c93ec859_z.jpg)

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5227/5586080901_ea60e8e0ce_z.jpg)

A link to the video of the big crash:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5586163079/in/set-72157625831700590

And what the house will hopefully look like:

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5495311475_78af0d9ce1_b.jpg)

More to come!

Alan



Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on April 03, 2011, 05:34:36 PM
The fruits of my labor up to this point:

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5586079911_6e97e14a6b_z.jpg)

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5586673846_01a70e5390_z.jpg)

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: nathan.principe on April 03, 2011, 06:03:36 PM
Looks like your off to a good start with all the salvaged lumber!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on April 11, 2011, 08:17:00 PM
After lots of cleanup:

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/5611876196_c8d8e2f39d_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5611876196/)
Nails (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5611876196/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

There was finally nothing left but the slab:

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5109/5611876072_46c5f1ed6e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5611876072/)
Down to the slab (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5611876072/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Then today the guy came in with his back hoe and made short work of it:

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5224/5611293247_b8132c960d_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5611293247/)
Slab destruction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5611293247/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5184/5611293361_7dc263ab52_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5611293361/)
20110410_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5611293361/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Most of the day was spent picking up and hauling away the concrete. A few more foundation walls to take out tomorrow and the deconstruction phase will finally be over! Then it's time to start making the hard decisions.  :-\

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on April 29, 2011, 08:24:38 PM
After the old slab and footing was removed it took over 100 tons of gravel to fill in the old well pit and bring the pad up close to where I wanted it. I had no idea it would take anywhere near that much! I've never worked with gravel before so had no frame of reference. I thought maybe I'd need 30 tons or something.

Then it rained and snowed for 1 1/2 weeks so not much happen. But happily it quit raining the middle of this week so my digger guy came out to dig the 4' deep (18" wide) footings yesterday and it went without a hitch!

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5110/5670684187_2b4a0558a0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5670684187/)
Footing trenches dug! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5670684187/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

After lots of flip flopping I decided to go with rubble trench footings so had the first load of crushed limestone delivered that same afternoon. 26.5 tons of 2" washed. It was bigger than I thought 2" would be.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5671252708_f92a3eefe2_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5671252708/)
Crushed limestone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5671252708/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

It was hard stuff to work with. It locks together nice but that makes it tough to move around in the trench with either foot or shovel. They dropped off the second load early this morning (27 tons) and I had them bring 1" this time. Much easier to move around for grading it on top.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5304/5670684427_6c6dbe8e8d_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5670684427/)
All filled in! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5670684427/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5065/5671252944_d53328c661_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5671252944/)
20110429_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5671252944/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Very happy my dad decided to buy a new (to him) tractor this spring; it's come in very handy.

Next step will be digging in the sewer drain and pouring a stem wall on top of the rubble. Then the rest of the plumbing and the slab itself. Really looking forward to reaching that point so I can start putting up some walls.

Costs so far are $1300 to have the old slab and foundation removed, $1000 in gravel, $1250 in crushed limestone, and $400 to dig the footings. The gravel and limestone were more than I thought they'd be (gravel about $9/ton and limestone $21/ton, both delivered).

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on May 05, 2011, 09:15:54 PM
Septic installed over the last 2 days. I've got a great guy doing my digging, he's done beautiful work.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5150/5691625155_bdf93b6472_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5691625155/)
Septic (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5691625155/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5692195488_2b896ebec2_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5692195488/)
20110504_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5692195488/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5264/5691625467_ab0cfbfbea_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5691625467/)
Leach fields (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5691625467/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5023/5692197708_0c384a2ce7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5692197708/)
20110505_018 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5692197708/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Put in 200' of leach field, four 50' runs. Used 3' plastic vaults. Went in very quickly.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on May 08, 2011, 09:17:00 PM
Spent yesterday measuring VERY carefully and doing a lot of digging. Today, after the rain quit, I started laying the pipe. First time I've ever done any plumbing but I'm really happy with how it's turning out. I ran short on fittings this evening so couldn't get it finished up. An easy run is all that's left though.

The real test will be if the pipes are in the right location when I start putting walls up.  :)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2042/5701465347_325a2a5a75_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5701465347/)
20110508_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5701465347/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/5701465605_0f990c67e8_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5701465605/)
20110508_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5701465605/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I got the bill for the septic that was installed earlier this week. $4500 for parts and labor. About what I expected.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on May 22, 2011, 08:48:55 PM
A bit discouraged with how things have gone the past couple weeks. I'd hoped to have some cement poured by now but I waited too long to call rural water so had to wait about 1 1/2 weeks for them to dig in water. There wasn't much to do while I waited for them.

I buried a sleeve under the rubble footing and they were kind enough to not only lay pipe outside the foundation but inside as well. Unfortunately as they were excavating they hit a piece of the old foundation that was right up against the rubble footing. When they pulled it out the wall let go and the rock spilled out. Nothing they could have done about it.

I thought about telling them not to bother backfilling the hole but it was busy at work and I blew it off. By the time I got back out there they were done and gone. I scraped up the over dig with the tractor and got about 6 buckets worth. That's 6 buckets of gravel that used to be tightly packed below ground next to my foundation. This got me to worrying about settling in the future and if perhaps I should re-dig what they just did and fill it with crushed rock. Lots of indecision and I was pretty bummed out since all I wanted to do was move on with the project.

That night we got 2 inches of hard rain and when I went back out to the building site the area they'd dug inside the foundation had obviously settled, and quite a bit. That clinched the decision for me, it will need to be dug back out and refilled with crushed rock. Sucks but at least I don't need to worry about what decision to make anymore.

Rural water will be back tomorrow to hook up my neighbor. With any luck I can talk them into excavating it for me. Otherwise I'll call up the guy who dug my foundation.

I can't wait to get above grade!!

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 07, 2011, 09:21:23 PM
Re-excavated around the water line. Started worrying about it breaking under the slab in the future so I went to our electric cooperative and bought some 2" semi-flexible conduit they use underground and sleeved my water line. Came above grade with schedule 40. If there's ever a problem in the future I'll only have to excavate outside the foundation, pull the old water line out and slip new 3/4" pex through the sleeve. Filled the hole with crushed rock.

Spent this past weekend packing and leveling the rubble trench and then building and leveling footing forms. Poured today. Got the guy that will be doing my block work to come out and take charge of the pour since I've never done any cement work. I was happy that the forms held and everything went smoothly. Feels so good to finally get some cement down. If my sub-slab insulation shows up this week I hope to have the slab poured this time next week.

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2244/5809953337_08c08aa775_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5809953337/)
Forms (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5809953337/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5809953509_c8c9542005_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5809953509/)
20110605_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5809953509/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/5810518212_2b21bfc86f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5810518212/)
20110607_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5810518212/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: speedfunk on June 09, 2011, 03:43:50 PM
looks great.  Nice job in all your saving of that good lumber from the old house.  Some times I go by a site and watch a track hoe just smash everything to peices and just think of what that could build. 

:)
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 11, 2011, 09:08:52 PM
Strange weather here lately going from 50's to 100 and back to the 60's in the course of a week. Beautiful today though, 70 degrees and mostly sunny. The block guy finished up a couple days ago and did a great job. I can see where it would be nice to have the money to hire someone to do the whole build. Kind of neat to spend all day at work but still have things get done on the house.

Saturday today so I spent the whole day working on the place. Took down batter boards, filled in with gravel around the footing, did some cleanup, and dug in the pressure water lines. I'm constantly surprised how slow things go when working by myself. Things that I think will take just a few hours end up taking the whole day. The dog kept herself entertained hunting ground squirrels.

Sounds like rain tomorrow but hopefully it will hold off. I'd like to finish grading the pad.

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2066/5823120474_e38fa4870b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5823120474/)
20110611_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5823120474/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3492/5823120566_b3495376f2_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5823120566/)
20110611_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5823120566/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5197/5823120678_c1ca22c621_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5823120678/)
20110611_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5823120678/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 12, 2011, 09:59:49 PM
A few sprinkles this morning but it actually turned into a very nice day. Worked until about 8 o'clock tonight leveling the pad and getting it ready for foam. It was a long day of shoveling gravel but it's good to have it done. Waiting on foam and clear weather now.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5827237040_7ebc79c0c7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5827237040/)
20110612_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5827237040/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2803/5827237224_1d0ccd50f3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5827237224/)
20110612_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5827237224/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 20, 2011, 09:08:43 PM
Scattered rain most of last week so no concrete went down. My foam showed up mid-week and I was able to get the penetrations cut and the pieces trimmed so it would be ready to go when concrete time arrived. Then I took it back out and stacked it back in the trailer to wait.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/5855299882_aa049a09d6_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5855299882/)
20110617_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5855299882/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The perimeter foam was salvaged from the house I tore down.

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2771/5855299968_633f069f3d_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5855299968/)
20110617_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5855299968/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Was really hoping to pour on Saturday since the weather was supposed to cooperate but my concrete guy was leaving town for the weekend. There really wasn't anything else to do so I started building walls.

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2649/5854748121_0eb0a443eb_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5854748121/)
20110619_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5854748121/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/5854748289_6aee1cb907_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5854748289/)
20110619_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5854748289/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The first section of wall seemed to take forever. Took a long time figuring out the window openings. Went a lot faster after that. It felt really good to be working with wood. Everything except the treated sills is salvaged lumber.

More rain expected the next couple days. Tentatively planning to pour on Thursday.

As usual Sadie spent the weekend stalking the ground squirrels.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5141/5855300130_df5cfbe9e7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5855300130/)
20110619_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5855300130/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Sassy on June 23, 2011, 12:27:23 PM
Hope you get some good weather!  Looks good so far.  Sadie reminds me of our Susie & Princess - always out hunting something, their favorite animal is the skunk  [noidea'

Keep the pictures coming!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 23, 2011, 01:25:33 PM
Supposed to be rain free today and tomorrow and then rain into next week. Plastic and foam went back down this morning. Concrete guys going to get their prep work done this afternoon. Fingers crossed that the weather man is right and that we get it poured tomorrow morning.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: archimedes on June 23, 2011, 03:31:52 PM
I don't think I've ever seen a foundation done that way.  Very interesting.

Looking good.   d*
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 23, 2011, 09:05:48 PM
Quote
I don't think I've ever seen a foundation done that way.  Very interesting.

Me either, at least not in person. Hope it works.  :)

The rock doesn't hold water so can't expand when it freezes. So dig the trench below the frost line, fill it with crushed rock, and top if off with a concrete grade beam. Searching for "rubble trench foundation" will pull up quite a bit of info on it.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 24, 2011, 09:20:06 PM
What a relief to finally get some concrete down today. Unfortunately they decided to do it in two pours so only half of it got done. It's supposed to start raining again so if the weatherman is right it will get finished on Tuesday.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5274/5868400974_d03c88ed5e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5868400974/)
20110624_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5868400974/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5062/5868401082_b9c283c482_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5868401082/)
20110624_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5868401082/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5868401308_39f49e4ae2_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5868401308/)
20110624_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5868401308/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/5868401456_35e6e878fb_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5868401456/)
20110624_007 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5868401456/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5265/5867843839_be0274781e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5867843839/)
20110624_008 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5867843839/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

They're a small and old school crew but the best in the area. They finished it off by hand and the finish is excellent. It will be my finished floor.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Texas Tornado on June 24, 2011, 09:35:04 PM
Is the concrete poured on top of the foam??
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 24, 2011, 09:43:49 PM
Quote from: Texas Tornado on June 24, 2011, 09:35:04 PM
Is the concrete poured on top of the foam??

Yes.

Gravel, plastic, foam, concrete.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Texas Tornado on June 24, 2011, 09:55:02 PM
How thick is the final layer of concrete?
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 25, 2011, 09:47:40 PM
Quote from: Texas Tornado on June 24, 2011, 09:55:02 PM
How thick is the final layer of concrete?

4" was the plan but by the time I got done grading it was about 3.5"

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 10, 2011, 10:10:52 PM
Haven't updated in a while but I've been busy.

After waiting out the rain the concrete guys finished up the second half of the pour. With that out of way I could get back to the business of framing and sheathing the walls. The sheathing was the first thing that's gone faster than I thought it would.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6138/5924887386_4fd840f102_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924887386/)
20110709_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924887386/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

From the front door:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6122/5924325891_21c8db95ab_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924325891/)
20110709_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924325891/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The living room:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6020/5924888144_a764c83d8b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924888144/)
20110709_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924888144/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Set a couple posts in the patio area in preparation for trusses:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6003/5924325505_e65cef2322_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924325505/)
20110709_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924325505/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Help showed up Saturday:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/5924324633_abd8d51c70_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924324633/)
20110709_013 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924324633/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

We got the beams up on the posts and then spent the rest of Saturday straightening the tops of the walls:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6015/5924326443_b9ec67615c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924326443/)
20110710_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924326443/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Laid out marks on the top plates Sunday morning and started setting trusses. Thankfully my dad (not pictured) showed up to give us a helping hand. They weighed a little over 200 pounds each and were 37' long:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6147/5924886958_81c9dd1c90_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924886958/)
20110710_015 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924886958/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6020/5924325023_97c52281b3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924325023/)
20110710_017 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924325023/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/5924889002_376ba62093_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924889002/)
20110710_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924889002/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5924327061_f6aa38b936_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924327061/)
20110710_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924327061/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5924889372_008d8f9997_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924889372/)
20110710_007 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5924889372/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

We only got 2 of the trusses up but they were the most time consuming. It didn't take long for the trusses to go up but then 3 hours setting and nailing all the jacks in place. The remaining trusses should all go up fairly quickly since it will just be tipping them up and adding braces. Hopefully I can dodge the weather and get some help during the week so I don't have to wait for the weekend.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 16, 2011, 09:20:21 PM
Hooray, the trusses are up!

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6136/5944495897_a596eb2926_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5944495897/)
20110716_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5944495897/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Finished them up Thursday night and hoped to start laying down sheathing this morning. But, as usual, it didn't happen that way. As I lay in bed this morning thinking about what I needed to do before putting down the roof sheathing I started to come up with a pretty big list and realized I might not get any down this weekend.

Did lots of little things today and ended with notching some strips of plywood around the trusses to keep the insulation in place. More little things to go tomorrow but hopefully I'll start getting some sheets down.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6147/5944496001_f02829015a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5944496001/)
20110716_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5944496001/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: duncanshannon on July 16, 2011, 10:22:21 PM
man you are cruising!  making it look easy.

thanks for all the great pics!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 16, 2011, 10:38:13 PM
Thanks. It's been fun the past few weeks getting all the framing up and seeing big changes every day. I was afraid I'd get sick of working on the place but so far I'm still enjoying it. Worked from 9:00 to 7:30 today with heat index over 100 and had a good time. More of the same in store for the next week.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 17, 2011, 07:44:35 PM
Another hot and humid day. More little stuff and plenty of thinking how to do some things. Ended the day getting up 6 sheets of roof sheathing. Realized as I was climbing off the roof I forgot to stagger the seams. Oops. Oh well, it was only 2 rows on a hip.

Things are slowing down at work so hopefully I can get some work done on the house during the week.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 24, 2011, 08:19:16 PM
Very hot and humid this week but we finally got a break this weekend. Worked on the house every night after work and got the roof sheathing finished up yesterday. Took a lot longer than I thought it would, just like everything else. Lots of trimming with the hip roof. It felt great to get the roof sheathing on and take the wall braces off.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6130/5971883835_d4ab74bba3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5971883835/)
20110724_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5971883835/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Figured I'd spend half the day putting up the synthetic felt today and then move onto other things. Instead it took all day. But it's done! Went through a box of 2000 plastic capped nails put in by hand. Really made me appreciate the nail gun I can use for everything else.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6004/5971884311_fc8ea174a4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5971884311/)
20110724_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5971884311/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

It's really starting to feel like a house now. The other night I felt kind of lazy so I just sat on the patio where I could watch the birds and see my backyard prairie. It's going to be a great place. It's taken 3 years but the backyard prairie is really starting to look good this year.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5972441754_d06c3e4990_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5972441754/)
My backyard prairie (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5972441754/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I decided to take off work next week so hopefully I can make some good progress.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 26, 2011, 09:43:29 PM
Not much exciting has happened so far on my week off work. Been working solid on the house but it hardly looks like anything has happened.

Spent all afternoon yesterday cutting up scraps of OSB and plywood to make attic vent chutes

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6030/5980157336_4a25dc47b9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5980157336/)
20110725_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5980157336/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

A couple 1x2s tacked to the top chord of the truss, just below the sheathing. The vent chute is then nailed to these leaving a 1 1/2" air gap. Pretty tedious work.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/5979599613_be32da961c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5979599613/)
20110725_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5979599613/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6018/5979599743_d6a37cdba5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5979599743/)
20110725_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5979599743/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6135/5979600053_61583b4ef9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5979600053/)
20110725_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5979600053/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Today installed the last web braces on the trusses, did some clean up, and other small stuff. Started installing the fascia at the end of the day and should get it finished up tomorrow.

I never realized how many little (and time consuming) things went into building a house.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Sassy on July 27, 2011, 11:22:07 PM
The backyard prairie looks awesome!  Good progress. 
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 28, 2011, 02:24:22 PM
Quote from: Sassy on July 27, 2011, 11:22:07 PM
The backyard prairie looks awesome!  Good progress. 

It will be fun to watch it evolve over the years as the pioneer species that are predominant now hopefully give way to more variety and the slower growing, longer lived, specimens. I have 3 other areas on the property that are 1 and 2 years old that are coming in nicely. Nearly 1/2 acre total (1 acre lot). The Goldfinches are starting to nest and are making full use of it now. The birds should enjoy the seeds and cover this winter too.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: astidham on July 28, 2011, 05:24:40 PM
looks good, nice to see it come together.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: germanbird on July 29, 2011, 10:47:14 AM
Not to derail your build thread, but I am curious about (and envious of) your backyard "prairie".  What all did you do to develop it?
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 30, 2011, 09:40:08 PM
Quote from: germanbird on July 29, 2011, 10:47:14 AM
Not to derail your build thread, but I am curious about (and envious of) your backyard "prairie".  What all did you do to develop it?

I'm more than happy to talk about the prairie!

When I started it I got a little ahead of myself. I planned all winter and as soon as the section of lawn I wanted to convert turned some shade of green in the spring I sprayed it with RoundUp and waited a week for everything to die. Then tilled and planted seed that I was fortunate enough to get for free from a local college instructor who had some extra that his class had wild collected but was a few years old.

I didn't even stop to think that many of the lawn grasses/weeds hadn't started growing yet that season so they wouldn't be killed by the RoundUp. Plus when I tilled it I probably brought about 75 years worth of seeds to the surface. The result was that in 1 1/2 months I had the greenest and most lush lawn I've ever had in my life....but it was all weeds!

I panicked and sprayed the whole thing with RoundUp again hoping that many of the prairie seeds hadn't germinated. I kept it mowed the rest of the year. It was a very ugly first year with only a few pathetic looking Big Bluestem coming up late in the summer.

During the summer I wild collected quite a bit of seed and bought some of what I couldn't collect enough of. I sowed that in the fall. Last summer (the 2nd year) was pretty lame too. The weeds were thick again so I kept it mowed to about 8". Plenty of Black Eyed Susan's came up but they're a snap to grow so no big feat there. Late in the summer I was at least happy to get a decent crop of grasses and I recognized the leaves from a fair amount of Gray Headed Coneflower.  I was disappointed in it though.

This spring started off strong though. Early on I could see lots of leaves of Black Eyed Susan, Bergamont, Gray Headed Coneflower, and Purple Coneflower that resulted in the picture you saw. A smattering of other native flowers as well as tons of White Campion, Yarrow, and Daisy Fleabane. Canada Wild Rye is going great, some Side Oats Gramma, and the Big Blue Stem is just getting ready to flower.

And the end of the 1st summer I decided to plant another section of the yard to native prairie and decided to do it a little different. Instead of spraying and tilling I figured I'd just leave the Bluegrass and other lawn weeds alone to help keep some of the other weeds in check. I also planted in the fall. I did run the tiller very shallow over the lawn to try and break up the sod just a little so the seeds could get good soil contact. I planted it fairly heavy that fall and again last fall.

It hasn't done as well as I'd hoped but still have faith that things will start to happen next year. The weeds haven't taken over too bad but I haven't seen much for prairie plants either. Black Eyed Susan's of course and now I'm finally starting to see some leaves from Gray Headed Coneflower, a couple Purple Coneflower, and Bergamont. I'm disappointed that now that summer is coming on and the bluegrass is going dormant I'm not seeing much of anything for prairie grasses. I'm not giving up on it yet though.

Last fall I planted two more sections and went back to RoundUp and tilling, though just deep enough to tear up the top layer. Their are lots of weeds and I need to be vigilant on mowing but they're both showing a lot of promise. I can walk through them and already see more variety than the prairie that's on its second year. I have very high hopes for them. The seed for these last two was a mix of bought and wild gathered.

Everything I read when getting ready to start this said that it won't be until the 3rd year that you get anything resembling a prairie. Even though I knew this I couldn't help but think I'd be the exception and get some results that 1st year. I wasn't an exception though and now that it's the 3rd year I'm finally seeing some results. It takes patience.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on July 31, 2011, 09:37:03 PM
Finished up the fascia the other day and just now realized I don't have a picture of it yet. Went pretty well. I didn't know how off kilter my roof sheathing got in a few places until I put up the fascia. I'm thinking the drip edge and roofing should do a good job hiding that though. I installed the fascia straight.

Started putting up the inside half of my double stud wall yesterday. Worked on it all day and got it finished except for the window openings, which I skipped over. Also did some remodeling on the house. I decided to add another window to the west wall to brighten up the entry and give me a better view. It seemed too dark along that wall.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5996010239_106b876079_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996010239/)
20110730_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996010239/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6013/5996565950_b1d81b285f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996565950/)
20110730_005 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996565950/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Today I spent all day framing up those window and door openings. After a few of them I got a system figured out and it went pretty well. Decided to make one big opening for the two sets of large windows which are about 10.5' total (3 windows each). The wall isn't load bearing but I still put in a double 2x6 header so it will hopefully stay straight and true.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6147/5996566074_c8bdab23f1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996566074/)
20110731_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996566074/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5996566238_9f5643ca99_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996566238/)
20110731_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996566238/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

It was a good day for the twisted lumber pile since I needed lots of short pieces. I was at the saw all day long and was surprised at the end of the day to see such a small pile of scraps. I've been happy with how little waste there's been so far during the build.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5996566406_b558b354b4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996566406/)
20110731_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/5996566406/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I have to go back to work next week so I'll just be working a few hours in the evenings again.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: germanbird on August 01, 2011, 03:54:04 PM
Quote from: Alan Gage on July 30, 2011, 09:40:08 PM
I wasn't an exception though and now that it's the 3rd year I'm finally seeing some results. It takes patience.

Sounds like it takes a lot of patience (as many things in life seem to).  Glad to see that patience is finally paying off for you.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 01, 2011, 09:26:50 PM
Started boxing in the windows tonight. At 10 1/2" deep they'll make great shelves during the rest of the build.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/6000018789_a2819de0a9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6000018789/)
20110801_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6000018789/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Just the two big windows and both doors to go.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 07, 2011, 09:43:22 PM
Had some other plans this week so I had to take off a few days from the house but it was still productive. The interior walls went up Saturday, much faster than I thought they would.

Taken from the living room showing the bathroom and spare bedroom doors:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/6019995941_4a6d3e3473_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6019995941/)
20110807_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6019995941/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Main bedroom on the right. A pocket door will go in later so the short wall with the doorway hasn't been framed in yet. Utility/laundry is to the rear where the hallway widens:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6006/6019995813_0c4035d61f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6019995813/)
20110807_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6019995813/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Next week I need to make a final decision on siding and roofing. I was originally going to go with standing seam metal roof but don't know if that's really the look I want. Leaning heavily to metal shingles now. They're both about the same price.

As for siding. I'm looking at 4x8 panels for a board and batten look. Not a big fan of the T1-11 panels. Breckenridge (http://www.all-coast.com/uploads/Breckenridge%20Plywood%20Siding%20Brochure.pdf (http://www.all-coast.com/uploads/Breckenridge%20Plywood%20Siding%20Brochure.pdf)) looks like it might be nice. Maybe I can get my supplier to order one is as a sample. Otherwise there's Hardiepanels (http://www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/products_siding_hardiepanelSiding.py?search_zipcode=retail (http://www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/products_siding_hardiepanelSiding.py?search_zipcode=retail)). I'd like to stick with wood but the lack of maintenance and paint holding capabilities of Hardiepanels is tempting.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 13, 2011, 10:10:25 PM
Agonized over the siding and roofing decision all week long. Finally decided yesterday to go with cedar bevel siding and barn steel roof. Maybe an odd combination but I think I can make it work well together. I really liked the looks of the steel shingles but it would have been an extra $2500 and I didn't like it that much more.

The cedar siding was about twice the cost of either Hardiplank or LP Smartside but it will still be under $2000 for the whole house. The cedar was a little under $2/square foot and the LP Smartside was a little over $1/square foot. My house has about 860 sq. ft. of wall space not counting the windows and doors.

Today the housewrap and most of the rainscreen went up. Both went very well.

Hard to tell from the picture but the screen extends a few inches below the edge of the wall. It will be folded over and stapled later to keep out the bugs:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6137/6039923991_a2fbeb6c4b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6039923991/)
20110813_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6039923991/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Bottom of the rainscreen installed over the screen.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6131/6040473644_1f5f2708d3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6040473644/)
20110813_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6040473644/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I used 4mm Coroplast (the stuff they make political yard signs with). I would have liked a little thicker but it's all I could find. Should be fine since I've just got a single story with a hip roof and large overhangs. We don't get a ton of rain either.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6039924155_e4a8166ca6_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6039924155/)
20110813_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6039924155/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6129/6040473758_f0ea5943f7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6040473758/)
20110813_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6040473758/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Tomorrow I'll start putting in windows and doors.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: duncanshannon on August 14, 2011, 08:16:55 AM
Hi Alan-

looking good. 

when do you need a rain screen?  and when do you need furring strips?  I'm going to start siding my house soon (hardie plank) and wasnt planning on either.   The guy who's helping me now and who did the other half of my house last year didnt use either.

thanks
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 14, 2011, 02:47:13 PM
Quotewhen do you need a rain screen?  and when do you need furring strips? 

I don't know if anyone in our climate really needs a rainscreen but I figured since I was starting from scratch I didn't want to regret it later. I really started thinking about it when I was contemplating 4x8 sheets of siding. Those would have been pressed tight against the housewrap and sheathing, not giving water a chance to run out. The rainscreen creates a small gap between the siding and sheathing so any water that gets in there can freely run out. Mine will also be vented on the top and bottom so some air can flow through as well and help things dry out. I'm hoping this will help the stain/paint last longer on the cedar. It's probably overkill on my place (single story with 3' overhangs) but it's only another $125 in materials and is going up easy.

Some reading on the subject if you're interested:

http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-038-mind-the-gap-eh/?searchterm=mind%20the%20gap

http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/pdf/RainScreen.pdf

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 14, 2011, 10:08:50 PM
Window day today! First up was prep.

When I framed the rough openings I made them an extra 1/2" tall for some sort of sloped sill. Put some sill seal down on the inside of the opening and then nailed down a piece of plywood on top of that. Seems to work fine.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/6044394386_880c331637_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6044394386/)
20110814_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6044394386/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6070/6043844581_f03d983a93_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6043844581/)
20110814_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6043844581/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Then I went around and started flashing the sill on all the openings.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6043844923_ef2776e094_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6043844923/)
20110814_008 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6043844923/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The flashing tape I have isn't wide enough to go over the actual sill so over top of the tape I put down some #15 felt for some extra protection should water get in.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6191/6043845013_f2d5fe649f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6043845013/)
20110814_009 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6043845013/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Found an easy way to hold the windows in place while getting them plumb and level:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6121/6043844817_48879d0bf9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6043844817/)
20110814_007 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6043844817/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Got 8 windows in today and was happy with that. That's just over half of them. I still need to do the flashing tape on the sides and top.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6044395058_36d763556d_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6044395058/)
20110814_012 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6044395058/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: duncanshannon on August 14, 2011, 10:52:56 PM
nice trick for working solo on the windows!

how important do you think the slope is on the sill? i'm just finishing my whole house (two of twenty two left) and didn't do that.

i did put the window tape / flashing on the sill (top outside edge) and then another piece that overlapped the top by 1 inche and wrapped down the outside wall about 3 inches.

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 15, 2011, 11:50:20 AM
Quotehow important do you think the slope is on the sill? i'm just finishing my whole house (two of twenty two left) and didn't do that.

I don't know just how important it is. This is all new to me so I don't have any other experience. I saw a lot of people recommended it when I was researching how to flash windows and since it wasn't much extra work and no extra expense (already had extra sill seal and plywood scraps) I figured why not.

Quotei did put the window tape / flashing on the sill (top outside edge) and then another piece that overlapped the top by 1 inche and wrapped down the outside wall about 3 inches.

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I think you'd want the piece that laid flat on the sill and lapped down onto the wall to go on after the piece that stuck vertically to the outside of the wall to get the overlaps right.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 15, 2011, 09:02:26 PM
Slow day at work so I got off early this afternoon and got in about 5 hours on the house. Very productive evening.

Finished installing the last of the windows and got all the side flashings on. My dad came out to give me a hand with the 2 big picture windows. The only window left to go is the one I decided to add a couple weeks ago. It hasn't shown up yet. Also got up on the roof to put down some strips of tarpaper over the lower hip ridges where I ran out of synthetic felt.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6048048328_8e66e664c1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6048048328/)
20110815_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6048048328/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

While my dad was there we drug the wood stove into place so I could figure out where the chimney penetration will be. Hopefully I'll be putting down the roof later this week so I need to get ready for it. Starting to look like a house.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6047495597_43c66eb688_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6047495597/)
20110815_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6047495597/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 24, 2011, 09:33:24 PM
No pictures but there is some progress to report.

The last window finally showed up so now they're all in and flashed. Got both the doors installed too. I like the look with them deeply inset (11" from sheathing to sheetrock). Fun to be able to actually close the house up.

Hoping for electrical rough in next week so I've spent a lot of time thinking about outlet and light placement. Went ahead and tacked up all the outlet and switch boxes and I think I'm happy with everything there. You can no longer do your own wiring on new construction in Iowa so I have to hire it out. A bit of a relief actually since I have enough going on without having to get up to speed on electrical.

Cut out all the exterior window trim (cedar 1x4s) and coated them with water repellant preservative. Need to make the final decision on their color (or maybe natural) so I can finish them before installation.

Siding (cedar) showed up today and I got about 1/4 of them coated with WRP this evening. It's beautiful stuff. All arrow straight and no knots. Again I'm still not sure how I'm going to finish it. Either natural or a tinted semi-transparent stain. Need to decide on smooth or rough side out too. I'd like to wait until the roof and trim are up so I can (hopefully) visualize it better.

Speaking of roofing it will hopefully be here tomorrow and I'd like to be well along with installation by the end of the weekend. 

I'll update again with pictures soon.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: MountainDon on August 24, 2011, 09:40:50 PM
Alan.
It  is generally wiser to complete the plumbing before electrical is started, especially the DWV. Wires bend easier if a pipe is in the way, rather than the other way around. Same thing for ductwork; best done before plumbing and electrical.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on August 24, 2011, 10:09:58 PM
Quote from: MountainDon on August 24, 2011, 09:40:50 PM
Alan.
It  is generally wiser to complete the plumbing before electrical is started, especially the DWV. Wires bend easier if a pipe is in the way, rather than the other way around. Same thing for ductwork; best done before plumbing and electrical.

Yes, I've been thinking about that. The plumbing and radon vent are already run through the top plates. I'll cut the roof penetrations as I'm laying down the sheets. Same for the wood stove chimney.

The pressure lines were run under the slab so most of them are already where they need to be. Figured I'll run the lines to the outside faucets this weekend.

Still need to run bath and kitchen fan ducts.

Thanks,

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 06, 2011, 10:10:58 PM
Time for an overdue update.

Last I left off the trim was all cut out but not finished yet:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6068/6122142405_54ea54a1f9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122142405/)
20110820_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122142405/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I decided to do the trim white and thought it might look good with a white tinted semi-transparent stain rather than a solid paint. I was wrong, it looks terrible! Of course I couldn't do something sensible like testing it on a couple pieces, instead I did them all. So now I need to go back and paint them all with a solid white.

I was fortunate that the guy I was going to hire to do my electrical offered to let me do the rough in and that he would come out and inspect my work, then pull a permit and have the inspector come out. I was glad to be able to do it myself and spent a few days working on it since my roof didn't show up when it was supposed do. The house ate up a lot of wire.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6122684596_0ebd201707_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122684596/)
20110903_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122684596/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Lots of AFCI breakers required and they really added up. Spent about $500 on breakers (Still need to add a couple, I bought out the store):

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6122684442_b112b7f13b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122684442/)
20110903_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122684442/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I'd been waiting for the roof for 3 weeks and had hoped to have it done by now but it finally showed up last Saturday, just before it started raining. It dried out later in the day and I was able to get the drip edge put up. I wasn't happy with how it came out and fretted about what to do all night. Went back in the morning, pulled it back off, and redid it. Much happier with it now with the steel bent around the corners and lapping under the underlayment instead of over it (which is what most seem to recommend).

Before:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6122684826_0d5efd7d9e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122684826/)
20110904_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122684826/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

After:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6122684906_c0ff5a309a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122684906/)
20110904_007 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122684906/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

After lots of thinking about fastener location and amount of overhang it was finally time to get the roof up. I got my dad to come out and help and in a few hours we had half of one side done. We put them up with just enough screws to hold them in place and after he left that evening I went up to finish putting in all the screws.

We hit it again the next morning and about 2 hours into it I went to grab another bag of screws only to find out they were different than the ones I'd been using. These were shorter with a different washer. ARG! These were the correct ones. I'd been using the screws for the ridge caps. Never even thought about it, I'd just grabbed a bag out of the box. So I got to pull out all the screws I'd set and put the new ones back in place.

After that things went smooth and when my dad wussed out at 5pm we had half the house done. Happy with the progress and I think we should be able to get it finished up by mid-week working after work. Then it will be time to finish the trim and get to work on siding.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6122143271_d2a88d40ea_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122143271/)
20110905_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122143271/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6122685072_eaca0ea890_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122685072/)
20110905_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6122685072/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Fingers crossed that electrical will get dug into the house this week and that I won't have to string extension cords from the shed.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: dug on September 07, 2011, 12:45:08 PM
Great job on the wiring! I am impressed at the quality and speed of your build so far, one of my favorites on this forum right now.   [cool]
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 07, 2011, 08:39:33 PM
Thanks Dug. I sure have been enjoying the build so far.

My dad and I got off work a couple hours early the last 2 days and we've got the roof done. Well, almost done. Still need to put in quite a few screws and the ridge caps. It's fun to work with him but it will be nice to be back to projects that I can do by myself again. Time to get serious about the trim and siding.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Tickhill on September 08, 2011, 04:12:16 AM
Alan, I like the work platform that you have for the tractor. Would love to see a picture/s of it also. Great progress on your home, hopefully you will have a couple of open slots in your breaker box for future additions or a generator feed. Remember, you can't have enough outlets until you start wiring them in! Same with can lights.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 10, 2011, 09:10:16 PM
Quote from: Tickhill on September 08, 2011, 04:12:16 AM
Alan, I like the work platform that you have for the tractor. Would love to see a picture/s of it also. Great progress on your home, hopefully you will have a couple of open slots in your breaker box for future additions or a generator feed. Remember, you can't have enough outlets until you start wiring them in! Same with can lights.

I've got some more pictures of the monkey cage that I'll post in a day or two when I get some other pics rounded up to go with it. It sure worked out nice.

I was amazed how quickly the breaker box filled up. I figured I'd need 24 slots so bought a 30 slot panel but after I got all done with the rough in I only have 2 empty holes. The 220 circuits really ate them up.  I probably got a little carried away splitting up circuits but the way it is you'll never be left in the dark or without some working outlets in any room should a breaker trip. Most of the circuits have plenty of capacity left and I used Square D QO breakers and they can accept 2 wires at the breaker so adding on in the future shouldn't be a problem.

I've got all my screws in the roof but still no caps on the hips and ridge. Should get that taken care of tomorrow. Had big plans for today bit I got a bit lazy and only put in 1/2 day. Got nearly all the window trim up today. Just need to cut out and paint a few more pieces. I'm taking next week off to work on the house so we'll see what I can get done. Last time I did that I spent almost the whole week doing tons of little things and hardly felt like I accomplished anything (thought I know I did).

Hope to get a good whack in on the siding (cedar bevel) but first I'll need to figure out where my wall penetrations will be and decide how to detail the siding at those spots. The penetrations will be for a couple outlets and faucets. I'm thinking of mounting the outlets and faucets to some scraps of cedar 1x material and just butting the siding up against it. Sound good? Oh yeah, need to cut corner boards too. I'm sure there are about hundred other little things I'll need to do first.

Also need to cut my roof penetrations, figure out exactly where my counters, stove, and vanity will go so I can run wiring exactly where it needs to be, decide if I'm going to hang cabinets over my kitchen peninsula and if so build a soffit, rough in the plumbing pressure lines, and put up the vented soffit and fascia.

I'm hoping by the end of October to have the outside buttoned up, insulation installed and sheetrock finished so I can move in before the cold and snow hit. At least I hope the snow holds off until then.

Hopefully more progress pics in a day or two.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 14, 2011, 08:33:33 PM
Half way through my week off work and I feel like I've hardly gotten anything done on the house. I'd hoped to get a good start on the siding but once I started thinking about it realized there was a lot of stuff I needed to get done first. 1st and foremost getting the rest of the siding coated with water repellant preservative. I'm almost done with that now but I ran out of preservative today so tomorrow I'll need to make a Menards run to get some more.

Got all the trim up except for the corner boards, which need to be cut to length and painted. Got the hip caps on the roof and wanted to finish off the ridge cap yesterday but I only had a few hours to work and the ridge cap won. It turned out pretty ugly where it meets the hips and I don't have an extra material. I've ordered a couple more pieces so will have to wait on that.

Today I was going to concentrate on roof penetrations, starting with the chimney (because it's starting to get cold!!). I was all ready to cut the hole when I realized the silicone boot I'd ordered had the wrong base size. I'll need a roughly 12" hole in the roof to keep the pipe 2" from combustibles all around and that's the same size as the boots base, so it would have nothing to attach to. I hadn't even thought about that when I ordered it. So after spending an hour or two checking to see if anyone in the area had what I needed I went ahead and ordered another one. Spent the afternoon treating some more siding and finally got some roof penetrations done, the radon and sewer vent.

Stuff sure is going slow again and I'm really starting to feel the push. Daylight is fading fast and tonight is supposed to drop into the 20's for our first frost of the year. Lots more little stuff to do but hopefully I can start painting with some broad brush strokes again by the end of the week.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: KWillets on September 14, 2011, 10:46:13 PM
The boot should go onto the non-combustible metal.  Is it hard to cut the sheathing to a larger diameter (i.e. are you cutting metal and sheathing together)?

Also don't forget a cricket for the snow.  (Edit:  I just realized your pipe is right near the hip, so strike that.)
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 15, 2011, 11:02:27 AM
Quote from: KWillets on September 14, 2011, 10:46:13 PM
The boot should go onto the non-combustible metal.  Is it hard to cut the sheathing to a larger diameter (i.e. are you cutting metal and sheathing together)?

Thanks. I had the same thought but, yes, I'm cutting them both together and I couldn't think of a good way to cut the sheathing without also cutting the steel. I was also afraid about screws not holding good enough only going into the 29 gauge metal. Maybe that wouldn't be anything to worry about though.

QuoteAlso don't forget a cricket for the snow.  (Edit:  I just realized your pipe is right near the hip, so strike that.)

Yeah, it's not super close but close enough that I'm not too worried about it.  I'm running my other penetrations so they exit near the ridge/hips as well.

Went to Menards (1.5 hour round trip) instead of working early this morning since there was still frost on the ground and I'm not used to the cold yet. Going to do my bath and kitchen vents now and I'll see what other trouble I can get into after that.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 17, 2011, 07:05:32 PM
I never got dug out of my hole Monday through Friday. Lots of thinking, hemming, hawing, and little jobs that took too long, but that cleared the table (mostly) for today. A friend came down this morning and after lots of figuring on where to start the siding and how much to lap it we put together a couple corner boards, put the finishing touches on the rainscreen on the north wall, and started putting up some siding. We got two courses up. Not much to show for a 10 hour day but there were still a lot of things that had to get finished up before the siding could actually go up and it feels great to finally feel like I'm making some headway again. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Pics tomorrow, I promise.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 18, 2011, 09:39:47 PM
As promised, some pictures:

The last of the siding drying out earlier this week after applying water repellant preservative to all 6 sides. They'll be stained after installation.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6161330540_2cee4fb667_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6161330540/)
20110913_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6161330540/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

What got accomplished over the weekend:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6161330926_f2aec09907_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6161330926/)
20110918_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6161330926/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6161331280_566243040c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6161331280/)
20110918_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6161331280/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6161331404_2d6d982ba6_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6161331404/)
20110918_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6161331404/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The siding has been going up smoothly but I'm surprised how slow the progress is. The bottom 2 courses were done yesterday and today I spent a solid 10 hours working on the house and did almost nothing but siding. Had a friend to help hold the long pieces for most of the day. When she left I did the short pieces between the windows. Hopefully it will speed up as I go along. At least it's not fighting me.

It's exciting to see the outside start to take it's final shape.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: pmichelsen on September 19, 2011, 08:20:19 AM
The siding looks really good, I like the color as is. Keep up the good work.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: duncanshannon on September 21, 2011, 06:19:02 AM
Nice work on the siding. At home, i have a window box that is clear cedar... really nice contrast against the white hardie board.

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 22, 2011, 09:25:06 PM
Quote from: pmichelsen on September 19, 2011, 08:20:19 AM
The siding looks really good, I like the color as is. Keep up the good work.

I like the color too but the water repellant preservative doesn't offer much protection and would need to be reapplied every year to two. I plan on going with a semi-transparent stain to keep it looking natural but it should keep me from having to re-stain so often.

Haven't been able to get out of work as much as I would have liked this week and the weather has been wet, cold, and windy. I've been spending my time finishing the rainscreen details on the rest of the walls, marking the siding courses, putting up the starter strip, and folding over the screen to keep the creepy crawlies from making a home behind my siding. I also sanded down my trim that was already up because it was just too rough. It didn't feel too bad until it was painted. Once it dried hard it felt like touching 30 grit sandpaper.

Snapped:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6160/6173541443_ce65e55b64_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6173541443/)
20110920_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6173541443/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The starter strip:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6174068896_5d264792c1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6174068896/)
20110920_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6174068896/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Folding the screen up:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6173541559_7bc1394d32_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6173541559/)
20110920_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6173541559/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Today though I got out of work around 2:00 and after putting up a couple corner boards I finally started putting up another wall of siding. The first pieces were 17' long and I didn't have anyone to hold the other end so I looped a string around a nail higher up in the wall:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6156/6174069080_c8fef35292_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6174069080/)
20110922_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6174069080/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Slipped the siding through to loop and it held the piece without protest. I'd just shorten the loop for the next piece.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6173541789_00975e7234_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6173541789/)
20110922_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6173541789/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I'm getting more comfortable with the siding and it seems to be going up quite a bit faster. Less thinking and more nailing. I don't know when I actually started putting up siding today but I think this took about 3 1/2 hours. Notching around the lower windows and the penetration on the right took a fair amount of time.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6173541893_a4fe934c98_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6173541893/)
20110922_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6173541893/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Hoping I can get some good time in on it tomorrow and I'll spend the whole weekend on it too. Would be nice to have it wrapped up before next week. The extended forecast looks great and I really want to finish up the outside of the house. My replacement ridge caps showed up today too so I'll have to go back up and have a battle of wits with them again. Hopefully I'll win this time.

I'll end with a shot of my faithful helper catching some rest at the end of a long day. She's been there every hour I have this year.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6160793461_ee4d34ce8a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6160793461/)
20110918_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6160793461/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 24, 2011, 09:58:15 PM
Finished up the siding on that small wall in short order late friday afternoon and then decided to finish off my ridge cap since the materials showed up. Did a practice run friday night but since I had to run to Sioux Falls this morning (saturday) I wasn't able to start working until about 5:00 today. It was just enough time though and I finished up just after sunset. My first attempt at the ridge to hip transitions was a mess so this was Take 2.

First I had to set up the ridge vent. With a hip roof I have a very short ridge (about 8') and I want as much air flow as I can get. I wasn't too confident the plastic brillo pad stuff would give it to me. So I came up with another idea to use 4mm coroplast (same stuff used for yard signs by politicians). It's what I used for my rainscreen as well. I bought 10 4x8 sheets of it for $120 earlier this summer and had some extra.

First I laid down some sill seal and then 1/2" plywood on top of that. This filled in between the ridges and they were at pretty much the same level:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/6179395703_0e8a2ae7bc_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179395703/)
20110913_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179395703/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Then stapled screen to the plywood to wrap over the coroplast later to keep critters out:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/6179395879_81a08e3281_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179395879/)
20110913_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179395879/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The other reason for using the coroplast ridge vent was to raise the ridge cap up so it would (hopefully) be easier to detail with the hips. 5 layers seemed to be the right amount. The ridge cap pretty much laid right on top of the hip caps with this thickness. The tape is just to hold things together.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6179394157_a41c013160_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179394157/)
20110924_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179394157/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Now onto the hip/ridge transition. I've spent hours looking online for some sort of instructions and found very little, and no pictures. Frustrating. So this is the best I came up with.

First screwed down a piece of scrap to direct out any water that gets through:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6179394237_198834e59b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179394237/)
20110924_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179394237/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Set the 1st hip cap so the lower edge would be well covered by the ridge cap:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6179394321_c0125b2a57_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179394321/)
20110924_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179394321/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Ran the next hip cap over the 1st and cut it at a 45. They lay together pretty nice this way. I probably could have ran the first one up a little higher but there's plenty of overlap.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6179920022_5064eba78c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920022/)
20110924_007 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920022/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Set the ridge cap over the hips and marked where the edges of the ridge cap touched the hips:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6179920284_d249b75435_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920284/)
20110924_010 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920284/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Cut off the outer "wings":

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6179920352_8f59924e9f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920352/)
20110924_011 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920352/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Cut it right down the center:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6179920408_2c19b007e0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920408/)
20110924_012 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920408/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Now it's foldable:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6179920448_b68c8576e3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920448/)
20110924_013 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920448/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

After some fiddling, fitting, and trimming:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6178/6179920714_b96ae68650_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920714/)
20110924_016 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920714/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I used 3/4" stitch screws to hold it together. White were the only ones I could find locally but it's not noticeable from the ground.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6179920812_c92e764130_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920812/)
20110924_017 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179920812/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6179395471_0c25b2de45_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179395471/)
20110924_018 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179395471/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I think it was layered and lapped enough that the butyl caulk wouldn't have been necessary but it's just such fun stuff to work with I figured I'd use it anyway.  d*

I have no idea if this is the "correct" way to do this or not so feel free to point out how it should have been/is usually done.

And finally, after a couple weeks of waiting, I can finally post a picture of the roof now that it's finished:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6161/6179921178_1c1842cdfc_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179921178/)
20110924_019 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179921178/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Apologies to anyone on dial-up for all the pictures.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 24, 2011, 10:04:29 PM
Someone asked about the monkey cage on the tractor my dad and I used to install the metal roof.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6164/6179918796_c05777785c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179918796/)
20110906_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179918796/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

My dad made it to go on his homebuilt tractor years ago when we were remodeling the shop. Once in a while it gets pulled out of the weeds and put to good use. It's very handy! There's plenty of room for two people (4x6 platform I think). Not only is it nice to work out of it's a nice way to climb up and down from the roof. Feels much safer than a ladder and with the railing you can really lean to reach something.

Perfect height:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6179918890_84e24d0c04_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179918890/)
20110906_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6179918890/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: MountainDon on September 24, 2011, 10:05:36 PM
QuoteApologies to anyone on dial-up for all the pictures.

But you resize them and that's much better than leaving them camera size. Thanks


Roof looks good too
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Ernest T. Bass on September 24, 2011, 10:07:55 PM
Quote from: Alan Gage on September 24, 2011, 09:58:15 PM
I have no idea if this is the "correct" way to do this or not so feel free to point out how it should have been/is usually done.

Looks like terrific metal work to me! I know how tricky that can be, and I doubt most people would bother to be as thorough or tidy as your job!

That butyl is fun stuff... Ruins your clothes takes a week to come off your hands.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Gary O on September 26, 2011, 02:14:23 PM
Great detailed photos of the ridge caps....priceless.
Nice work.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: schiada on September 26, 2011, 03:50:29 PM
Love the mag wheel! 18 wheeler?? :o
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 26, 2011, 08:28:26 PM
Thanks for the comments on the roof. I'm glad it meets everyones approval. :)

Had hoped to be done with the siding by now but we had a death in the family over the weekend so I haven't been getting much work done. Was able to spend all day on it today and got a lot of siding up. The rest of the week will be a bit sporadic at the house but I hope to get most of the outside buttoned up.

Quote from: schiada on September 26, 2011, 03:50:29 PM
Love the mag wheel! 18 wheeler?? :o

Yeah. My grandpa used to run some trucks and had a couple rims they had to replace because of small cracks. Dad figured they'd last forever on his tractor so he scooped them up.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on September 27, 2011, 09:18:55 PM
This is where things sit after today:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6139/6190392039_75e98511b5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6190392039/)
20110927_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6190392039/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I'm out of siding now. I intentionally ordered too little so I wouldn't get stuck with a bunch extra. Everything is done with the exception of the patio area (and that small section you see by the door and the long pieces above the windows/doors on the walls you see). Tomorrow I'll try to figure out how much more I need and get it ordered.

In the meantime I need to figure out for sure how I'm doing the frieze board and see if there's any way I can start getting the soffit installed before the rest of the siding shows up (probably a week). Also need to box in the beams over the patio with cedar 1x material. Oh, and I suppose I can start putting the final stain on the siding and grading around the house too. I'm sure there are about a million other little things that need to be done before I can consider the outside buttoned up.

Really hoping to see the electrical inspector this week and to get power dug into the house. I've been waiting for both of those to happen for 3 weeks now. Thankfully it's been good weather so I've been working outside but soon I'll need to start getting those walls insulated and some lights in the house would be nice now that it's getting dark so early. That would allow me to extend my workdays a couple hours, which would make a big difference.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Sassy on September 27, 2011, 11:02:18 PM
It really looks nice! 
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 02, 2011, 09:12:55 PM
Got the siding stained a couple days ago. I'm quite happy with the color. Pretty close to natural and helped even out the tones (some were quite dark). The stuff on the right has been stained. The siding on the left has only been treated with a WRP.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/6205620791_369bd91c1f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6205620791/)
20111002_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6205620791/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Today I spent most of the day wrapping the porch beams with 1x cedar. I'll do the posts another day. Also started putting up some of the siding in the patio. The last of the siding I ordered should show up next week.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/6205621177_efb9596a56_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6205621177/)
20111002_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6205621177/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Still waiting on the electrical inspector and for the electric cooperative to move my meter to the transformer so the electrician can trench in new service. They thought they'd get that done this coming week.

I asked the guy I'm working with at the lumber store about how long it's been taking the inspector to show up and he said that's pretty normal. That a few years ago when Iowa mandated electrical inspections they didn't provide the funding for enough inspectors, so they're stretched really thin. If fact he said when they first enacted the legislation there were only a few inspectors in the whole state, the nearest one being 2-3 hours away from us.

I've still got outside work to finish up and the weather is supposed to stay perfect through the next week so I guess I can wait a little longer.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 07, 2011, 08:58:32 PM
The weather the last few weeks has been incredible. Unseasonably warm and dry. I've been taking full advantage of it and have hardly been to work the past 3 weeks. It's supposed to start raining now but thankfully the siding and trim are done! Everything is painted and stained.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6221391761_1f65b68a65_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6221391761/)
20111007_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6221391761/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Ready to start on the aluminum soffit this weekend, weather permitting. I was hoping it would go quickly but after reading through the installation instructions it appears that with my 3' overhangs I need to provide an extra support parallel to the walls in the center of the soffit.

The only other things I really need to do to the outside before the cold and snow show up are a ceiling in my patio (which shares an attic with the rest of the house) and some grading. Oh, and also the outside penetrations (outlets and faucets), some caulking, and probably a thousand other little things I haven't thought of yet.

Still waiting on the electrical. It was supposed to happen mid-week but no sign of them.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 09, 2011, 10:04:05 PM
Spent the whole weekend working on the soffits (vented aluminum). Another 30 minutes of daylight and I would have had it whipped. It started off pretty slow trying to figure out how everything was supposed to go. Reading through the installation instructions I found that my overhangs are wide enough that I'd need to build a center support. They recommended hanging a short piece of 2x4 from a truss every 8 feet and then attaching 1x2s or 1x4s to these. I decided to use 1x2s but hung a 2x4 every 4 feet for support instead of 8.

Did some thinking on how to make this process fairly quick and painless and came up with a nice solution. First I hung one of the 2x4 supports with a level and tape measure and used it to make a little jig. Just a straight piece of 2x4 with a chunk of 1x2 nailed to the top and a spacer to set the correct height.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6044/6228321451_690c2f17a1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228321451/)
20111008_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228321451/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

One end goes under the F channel:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6100/6228321009_c41fde7f98_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228321009/)
20111008_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228321009/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The other under the fascia:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6228837424_3dddaf60b5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228837424/)
20111008_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228837424/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Set the piece of 2x4 over the center mark and nail into place:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6119/6228321187_7d8dcc568a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228321187/)
20111008_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228321187/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Then nail the 1x2s to along the length of the house:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6176/6228837662_a743c5abb9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228837662/)
20111009_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6228837662/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Worked out great but still pretty tedious work. The tedium didn't end there either. Installing the soffits was no thrill ride either. Lots of climbing up and down the ladder and cutting. Cut, climb, nail, repeat. Finally hit my stride around mid afternoon today and really started to cover ground. Night came just a bit too soon though. I'll post pics of the soffit when it's done.

Alan



Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 11, 2011, 07:48:03 PM
Finished up the soffits yesterday and almost got the fascia cover done but I came up one piece short. Finished it all up today. I'm happy with how it turned out. That pretty well buttons up the outside of the house except for the ceiling over the patio. I've got those boards cut already and they just need one more coat of paint before they go up. Started putting up the strapping on the patio ceiling today and framing in an attic access.

Pre and post soffit:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6034/6236247762_1d5b408938_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6236247762/)
20111009_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6236247762/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6117/6235722803_0dbfb2bb41_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6235722803/)
20111011_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6235722803/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6044/6235722441_c6150b63e5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6235722441/)
20111009_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6235722441/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/6235722897_61fea18553_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6235722897/)
20111011_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6235722897/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6235722713_d93c1501d4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6235722713/)
20111010_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6235722713/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

And the finished view of the exterior. The only changes will be swapping out the beater exterior doors for the final doors and cutting the chimney through the roof for the stove.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6236248304_a5e6afa4ef_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6236248304/)
20111011_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6236248304/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The weather is supposed to stay nice the rest of the week so I'll probably spend it outside finishing up a lot of little things. Then it's time to get back inside and start insulating.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: MountainDon on October 11, 2011, 09:09:49 PM
Looking good
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: nysono on October 12, 2011, 05:35:23 AM
very nice job
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 12, 2011, 08:09:55 PM
Two guys are gone at work this week so I'm stuck having to put in some real hours so I'm not getting to spend as much time on the house as I'd like. Did manage to get out of there around 3:00 today and finished getting the patio ceiling strapped and the attic access done. Got up 5 pieces of the ceiling before it got too dark (no pics).

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6238/6239406380_8ecb101efb_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6239406380/)
20111012_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6239406380/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6239406452_c6c46f9fcd_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6239406452/)
20111012_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6239406452/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The plan for the attic hatch is to cover over it with the ceiling material and then cut it out with the circular saw. Hopefully I can manage to mark it correctly and saw a straight line so it will blend in nicely. Hopefully I can finish the ceiling tomorrow, or at least get close.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 16, 2011, 09:35:10 PM
The outline of what should be the attic hatch after taking some careful measurements:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6096/6251959163_f02318f180_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6251959163/)
20111013_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6251959163/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Triple checked everything before firing up the saw:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6251959249_e21ea58e6b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6251959249/)
20111013_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6251959249/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

And the moment of truth. What a relief!

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/6252488106_6bf84a1692_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6252488106/)
20111013_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6252488106/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Finished up the patio ceiling on Friday and got it trimmed out too:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6164/6252488260_52931017a4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6252488260/)
20111015_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6252488260/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6032/6252488356_b77c7ba52e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6252488356/)
20111015_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6252488356/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Not a whole lot got done over the weekend. There was an auction for an old woodworker Saturday so I spent a few hours there, picking up a radial arm saw for $45 and a bunch of clamps for a couple bucks each. Finally got around to installing my recessed outlet boxes and did some caulking as well.

Today I felt pretty lazy. Tidied up some electrical, installed an outside faucet and cleaned up and organized the inside of the house since I'll be moving inside to work now. It was really getting to be a mess. Didn't do anything very fast. Spent a couple hours messing around with the radial arm saw too. The switch is bad. Pulled it apart to find burnt contacts. Cleaned them up and am having a heck of a time getting it back together correctly. Everything feels and sounds like it's working but still no go. Guess I'll have to drag a meter out to see what's going on.

The electric company finally made it out Thursday to remount my meter and the electricians came out Friday to trench it in. They've got it hooked up in the house but still have to finish up outside on Monday. Fingers crossed for power!! I've been waiting over a month since I got the rough in done. Hoping for rough in inspection in the first half of the week.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Barry Broome on October 16, 2011, 09:47:53 PM
Very  nice!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Rob_O on October 16, 2011, 10:19:25 PM
Lazy guy trick... I have a 1/8" by 12" drill bit I use to *exactly* mark the corners of a cut like that.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: MountainDon on October 17, 2011, 05:05:53 PM
Yep, I have an assortment of long bits from 1/8 to 1/2"  Invaluable for stuff like that as long as you can access the other side.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 18, 2011, 09:12:14 PM
Let there be fire!! And a doggy bed.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6214/6259459898_3568a69ab8_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6259459898/)
20111017_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6259459898/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Starting to get pretty cold so I needed something to help warm up in the mornings. Cut the chimney through the roof a couple days ago. It can be a little bit of a motivation killer though. Hard to leave the heat and go to work.

Not much else big going on. Still waiting on them to finish hooking up the electric and the inspector to show up. They said by mid-week. Let's hope so, it's really starting to get dark early, especially inside the house.

Got a lot of blocking done today. Kitchen cabinets, book shelves, coat racks, and other shelving/cabinet possibilities. I might be getting a bit carried away but it's going to make life easier in the future.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6211/6258933563_16f0c22de5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6258933563/)
20111018_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6258933563/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6258933675_c524e1f4b7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6258933675/)
20111018_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6258933675/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Sassy on October 24, 2011, 03:55:38 PM
Very nice!  That woodstove looks inviting, too  :)
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 24, 2011, 09:30:08 PM
Quote from: Sassy on October 24, 2011, 03:55:38 PM
Very nice!  That woodstove looks inviting, too  :)

Thanks. Not much going on the past 4 or 5 days on the house. Nothing to do until I can insulate and I still haven't been inspected for electrical. Supposed to happen tomorrow though. So I've been working on the shed. Cleared everything out of it, swept it all out, got all my canoes (well most of them anyway) moved inside and hung up for the winter, wired up 6 fluorescent lights (no lights before), new breaker panel, and a few new outlets. Tomorrow I'll start putting stuff back into the shed and getting it set up as a makeshift wood shop, which it will be over the next couple months. Need to get the wood stove hooked up in there as well since it will be getting cold soon.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 30, 2011, 09:20:46 PM
After nearly 2 months the electrician finally got the inspector in and I passed without a problem. After he gave the thumbs up the electricians connected the power and after a few switches and fixtures I had lights. Finally!!

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6238/6296601333_e9e6fb224c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6296601333/)
20111027_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6296601333/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Now that electrical had the A-OK I could finally get around to insulating. First step was putting the insulweb on the walls.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/6296601451_e1781daa74_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6296601451/)
20111029_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6296601451/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I'd been reading how to install it and it's either put a staple every 1 1/2 inches or glue it on with watered down Elmer's. Glue sounded considerably easier but after a test wall I decided to staple. I had to staple the edges as I stretched it tight anyway and the glue didn't go on real fast. I already had a pneumatic stapler anyway and it ended up being faster than gluing. It took about 20,000 staples.

My friend Sarah came down for the weekend to help with the insulating. I went with dense packed cellulose in the 10" thick walls. Started by loose filling all the walls by just dumping through the top plate and then went around a couple more times, packing it harder each time. For the initial fill I just pumped it out of the 3" hose. For the dense packing I first stepped the 3" hose down to a 2 1/2" hose and finally to a 2" nozzle. Once we started stepping it down we started running into lots of problems with getting clogs, which ate up a lot of time. We kept the blower at 100% and cut back the flow so that we still had decent flow but kept the clogs to a minimum. Other than spraining my ankle badly things went smooth. It took all day Saturday and a good part of Sunday to get it done. I'm happy with how it came out. It certainly gives a different feel to the house.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6296601719_2fa8c5e768_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6296601719/)
20111029_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6296601719/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I put in 120 bags of cellulose, about 2700 pounds worth. Pretty sure at least 250 pounds of it found it's way onto me. It didn't get too messy until the final round of dense packing when it started blowing back out the holes into my face.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6297132592_5e36ae92aa_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6297132592/)
20111029_009 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6297132592/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I hope to start getting some sheetrock up on the ceilings this week.

Alan





Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: KWillets on November 02, 2011, 10:47:06 PM
It looks like a nice tight building envelope; are you planning on an outside air kit for the stove?
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Sassy on November 03, 2011, 12:18:36 AM
Hey, that would've made a good Halloween costume  :D

Looks like you're moving right along!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: duncanshannon on November 05, 2011, 04:02:20 PM
Looking good!  can you tell us about that insulation more? I havent seen it on CP before... looks interesting. Is it common in your area?

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on November 05, 2011, 08:07:25 PM
Quote from: KWillets on November 02, 2011, 10:47:06 PM
It looks like a nice tight building envelope; are you planning on an outside air kit for the stove?

Yes, outside air for the stove.

Quote from: duncanshannon on November 05, 2011, 04:02:20 PM
Looking good!  can you tell us about that insulation more? I havent seen it on CP before... looks interesting. Is it common in your area?

Not common around here at all. Pretty much all anyone uses in fiberglass. I only know of one person that uses wet blown cellulose. I talked to an installer a few months ago who said he could do dense pack but in the end I decided to give it a go myself. Took a while but it wasn't too hard. I was worried about getting the correct density but it all feels firm (supposed to feel like a firm mattress) and I used more bags than I estimated from the charts based on wall square footage. Actually there are a few soft spots but I've marked them and will top them off when I get the blower back for the attic.

If my walls weren't so thick (10") I probably would have gone with wet blown cellulose but I was a bit worried about the cavity being able to dry properly.

Some dense packing information:

http://www.nationalfiber.com/docs/DirectionsforInstallingDensePackCelluloseBehindInsulweb1210.pdf

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/how-install-cellulose-insulation

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on November 07, 2011, 09:16:27 PM
It's sheetrocking time!

The ceiling is done except for one hole in the hallway that I'll fill after blowing insulation in the attic.

My dad came out one night to help for the first few pieces but I was on my own after that. Getting 14' pieces of 5/8" up on the drywall jack alone was a bit of a challenge but not as hard as the one piece I had to take back off the jack. That didn't go so smooth.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6033/6324652694_69152e36e7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6324652694/)
20111106_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6324652694/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

It's nice to have the house finally holding some heat.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: BRUTAL on November 11, 2011, 02:01:21 PM
You've done well Alan, and I like all the "by yourself" tricks. God knows Ive had to come up with a few too.
I was never so glad to hear you say take off the beater doors to the outside. I didn't think they fit the house and doors have such an impact but didnt want to say anything... ;)
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on November 13, 2011, 02:00:19 AM
Quote from: BRUTAL on November 11, 2011, 02:01:21 PM
You've done well Alan, and I like all the "by yourself" tricks. God knows Ive had to come up with a few too.
Quote

Yeah, necessity is the mother of invention. Had to hang a 10 1/2' piece of sheet rock on the back of a closet wall tonight and there was no way to get the drywall jack in there and no one to help. Just measured down 48" inches from the ceiling and screwed a couple blocks of 2x4 to the studs. Lifted the sheet up and set it on the blocks. Worked line a charm. It was actually easier and faster than the drywall jack. I'll have to try it on a couple more walls.

QuoteI was never so glad to hear you say take off the beater doors to the outside. I didn't think they fit the house and doors have such an impact but didnt want to say anything... ;)

You're not the first person to be relieved to hear they're just temporary. I didn't even realize it was an option when I ordered the doors but the guy at the local building supplier suggested it. I'm glad he did since they've taken some knocks so far. I just paid a $150 deposit, which I'll get back when I order the real doors.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on November 20, 2011, 08:52:46 PM
Been making slow but steady progress on the house. It's been quite busy at work so I haven't been getting out early, which means it's dark by the time I get off work. So I've been trying to spend 3 or 4 hours doing sheetrock every night. I'm certainly not breaking any speed records but it's coming along nicely. Probably have 3/4 of it done now.

Last weekend was nice outside so I spent pretty much the whole weekend on the tractor moving dirt and gravel around. Had to scrape up a lot of gravel that built up around the house during the foundation work and then spread dirt that I'd saved from digging footings. I've had 2 big piles of dirt and gravel right behind my house all summer and it was great to finally get rid of them so I can finally get a view from my living room windows.

This weekend my friend Sarah came down to help insulate the attic and just in time too, it got down to 10 degrees last night. It took most of the day Saturday to get it done. I insulated to R-75, which is about 2 feet worth of insulation. I sure hope I never have to crawl up in that attic again! It made a big difference in the house though. The wood stove is heating it up nicely now. No more big temp drop when you walk to the back of the house and no more cold spots. I think it will probably take a day or two for the house and slab to all come up to temp.

I spent most of today out in the shed hanging some cabinets, making some countertops and organizing. I decided to try making my own kitchen cabinets so I'll need a good workspace. Just need to get the wood stove hooked up in there now.

Sorry, no pics today. I'll try and get some for next time.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on December 04, 2011, 09:29:50 PM
Finally done hanging drywall. Well, almost done. Still need to do the bathroom after I figure out for sure how I'm doing the shower.  Sheesh, that took forever!

But even without the bathroom being done the house finally has its final shape inside. I was afraid some places (like the entry) would feel small and cramped but I'm really happy with all the rooms and the general layout.

Today was cleanup day. Put up the last of the corner bead, went around and set any proud screws I could find, and moved everything out of the house so I'll have room to throw some mud starting tomorrow. It's nice to have a clean(ish) house again. It's been a mess for a long time.

Entry (living room to the left):

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6456576907_42b0f629f0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456576907/)
20111204_009 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456576907/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Living room:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6456574427_10b038acb6_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456574427/)
20111204_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456574427/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Kitchen:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6456575605_f43fb03d47_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456575605/)
20111204_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456575605/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Main bedroom (nook for desk on left):

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6456575957_731c252aab_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456575957/)
20111204_007 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456575957/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Another of the bedroom:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6456575835_044ea55318_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456575835/)
20111204_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456575835/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Bull nose bead around the windows. Square everywhere else:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6456576755_bf00dda362_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456576755/)
20111204_008 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6456576755/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

We've had some cool weather the past couple weeks (lows in teens, highs 20's and 30's) and the house has been doing great. My little wood stove (1.1 cu. ft) has been the only heat and it hasn't even broke a sweat. It's nothing to bring the living room and kitchen up to 75 degrees (which is way too hot for me). It took quite a while to bring the slab up to temp but now that it's there it's holding heat very well. A couple days ago when I got to the house in the morning the air temp was 63 degrees and the slab temp was 65 degrees. Perfect! One of these days I'll shut the stove down and see just how well the house really holds heat.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on December 04, 2011, 10:59:44 PM
A little video tour for anyone interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R0EeO3_vpM
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Sassy on December 05, 2011, 03:22:24 PM
Nice work!  Getting close  :)
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: speedfunk on December 07, 2011, 05:57:31 PM
 I really like the way the house looks from the outside.  I really like your siding and how that came out .  Also nice job and the metal roof.  Tricky stuff to work imho.

good job..
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on December 15, 2011, 02:20:44 PM
Last week I mudded for a few hours after work every night and pretty much all weekend. This week I took off work to hopefully finish up. It's going good but, sheesh, I can't believe how long it's taking! Finally got the whole house first coated yesterday. Started second coat today, which so far is going much faster, both because I don't have to embed any tape and I'm getting a better feel for it. I'm really glad I didn't build a bigger house.

Quote from: speedfunk on December 07, 2011, 05:57:31 PM
I really like the way the house looks from the outside.  I really like your siding and how that came out .  Also nice job and the metal roof.  Tricky stuff to work imho.

good job..

Thanks, Speedfunk. I'm really happy with the siding too. Like most everything else on the house the decision about what to use was made at the last minute. Cedar wasn't even on my radar at first but when it came time to order the siding the more I thought about it the more I liked it.

I was surprised what a hassle the roofing was. Seems like such an easy method, screwing down big sheets. Actually putting down the sheets wasn't so bad but flashing around the penetrations and ridge was sure a pain. I'm not a real big fan of the rubber boots over the penetrations that are just sealed to the roof with adhesive but I couldn't find any other good alternatives. If I had it to do over again I probably would have gone with something else. But being unfamiliar with building I probably would have had some trouble no matter what I went with.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on December 18, 2011, 01:10:13 PM
Man, I am so ready to be done with drywall. The first week of mudding wasn't too bad, but now it's getting old. Almost finished up the second coat on the whole house this morning. Only thing left is the other half of all the inside corners, so still a good bit of work. I'm happy with how it's coming out though. I'd hoped to completely finish mudding and possibly even get some primer on this week. Not gonna happen.

A week or two ago we had real winter weather with snow and below zero temps but this week has been pretty mild and today is downright balmy at 45 degrees. I'm going to spend the afternoon taking advantage of it. Need to move wood up from the pile and stack it under the patio roof and climb on the roof to put on some chimney supports. Too bad it's really windy today as well.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on December 19, 2011, 09:14:50 PM
Chimney supports went well. Used a couple lengths of 1/2" conduit smashed flat on both ends. Screwed to the roof and clamped to the chimney.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6541140037_037698f596_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6541140037/)
20111218_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6541140037/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Also brought up a little under 1/2 cord of firewood and got it stacked under the patio. No more groping through the dark trying to find pieces small enough for the new stove. I was surprised how much this little act made it feel like a home.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6541140247_a6a5ba22c4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6541140247/)
20111219_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6541140247/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

It was dark by the time I got done with firewood so I went inside for more mudding.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: KWillets on December 20, 2011, 01:01:24 AM
Great minds think alike -- I've got an EMT chimney support on mine too.  I didn't feel like springing for the official version. 
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on December 20, 2011, 12:51:03 PM
Quote from: KWillets on December 20, 2011, 01:01:24 AM
Great minds think alike -- I've got an EMT chimney support on mine too.  I didn't feel like springing for the official version.

Or fools seldom differ. :)

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on January 04, 2012, 09:24:46 PM
Sheetrock is done....finally!!!

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6638542685_08d9606be9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6638542685/)
20120102_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6638542685/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6638542769_a5a0f7ff04_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6638542769/)
20120102_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6638542769/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

And now the primer is up:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6638542889_46aef8300a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6638542889/)
20120104_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6638542889/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Now I need to get my concrete floor sealed, get to work on the batrhoom (which hasn't been sheetrocked yet), and then move onto the hardest part of the build...picking final paint and cabinet colors!!

One of these days I might even get to move in.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: metolent on January 04, 2012, 11:21:36 PM
Wow!  Looks amazing Alan.  I tip my hat to any one that does their own sheetrock... yours looks great! 
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on January 18, 2012, 10:45:55 PM
After getting the priming done a big cleanup was in order. It felt great to get all that dust and mess out of the house. To celebrate I started sheetrocking the bathroom! It was quick and easy though. The ceiling was already up, there were no closets, and about 1/4 of it will be hidden behind the shower so who cares if those seams are pretty or not?

For months I've been trying to figure out exactly how I'm going to do my shower. I'd originally planned on a 3x4 so that's where I placed the drain when I poured the slab. But one interior wall got moved a couple inches and I realized I might as well make my shower 5' wide (width of the bathroom) since the space would just be wasted if I made the shower 4' wide (what would I do with an 8" wide space?) All that meant that my drain was in the wrong spot so I couldn't just slap down a factory shower base. I really wanted to avoid breaking up the concrete to relocate the drain so I thought about floating my own sloped mortar bed and doing a tile shower or buying an oversized Schluter base and cutting it to fit. I don't know how many hours I spent thinking about my problem and researching different options. Then one day as I was standing there looking at the drain it suddenly dawned on my that what I'd been trying to avoid, breaking out the concrete, really wouldn't be hard at all. Much easier (and cheaper) than the other options. So I bought a masonry blade for my circular saw, cut out around where I wanted the hole, and started whacking away with a sledge hammer. In 15 minutes I had a nice hole for relocating my pipe.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6723539375_f65fc555fc_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723539375/)
20120108_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723539375/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

This opened up all kinds of options but I chose to buy a shower base and surround rather than do a custom tile shower. Much easier and cheaper. I've got enough big projects coming up so I needed to buy some time. The base was a very tight fit (no slop) and I couldn't figure out how I could glue the new drain in place and have it hit the hole in the base exactly. So I decided to use rubber elbows instead of gluing on PVC elbows. This would give me plenty of movement to line up the drain as the base was being set in place.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6723539717_2d33afa2ab_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723539717/)
20120110_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723539717/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Now I just needed a way to keep some movement in the pipe after the concrete was poured. So this is what I came up with:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6723539965_99dd3ac91c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723539965/)
20120110_005 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723539965/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The plywood is placed so that it's sitting about 3/8" above the horizontal part of the drain. Spray foam will keep concrete from running down the big holes. Plenty of foam wrapped around the vertical section of pipe along with some plastic sheeting (added after the picture) for a little more circumference.

After the concrete had cured I just pulled out the foam. So with the foam and plywood no concrete was allowed to touch the pipe. Which gave me plenty of movement.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6723540093_f2d8e481c3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540093/)
20120111_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540093/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6723540157_ec51f0d8e1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540157/)
20120111_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540157/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on January 18, 2012, 11:04:03 PM
Finally time to seal the concrete floors. When I was in Sioux Falls getting my shower surround I also picked up some concrete sealer. Water based doesn't affect the color or tone of the concrete. It also doesn't smell bad or catch on fire. Solvent based sealer provides more of a wet look to the concrete. Darkens it a little and brings out the colors. It also smells really bad and burns really good. I went with water based since I was pretty happy with the current color of the concrete.

After lots of cleaning and scrubbing I had the floor in the spare bedroom all ready to go:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6723540369_47fe8ae1f7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540369/)
20120115_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540369/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Tried rolling the sealer on with a short nap roller but it was a disaster. The stuff was pretty much the consistency of water and it started to get all foamy the more I rolled it. So I quick grabbed a lamb's wool applicator and that went much better. Didn't take long at all to coat the floor. Gotta move fast because it starts to set up in a matter of minutes:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6723540471_4d4840bbd5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540471/)
20120115_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540471/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I was happy with how it came out at first. But then I started cleaning up the other floors in the house and I could see in direct comparison how much better the wet floors looked next to the sealed floor. Richer in color, darker and it evened out all the imperfections in the floor (small stains and trowel marks from finishing). I started to worry that with the water based sealer the floors would be too light, especially if I decided on a darker color for some of the walls.

Here's a picture of the bathroom floor after it's been washed so it's still a little wet. In the upper right hand corner is a small test patch that I'd already sealed with the water based sealer. You can see the big difference in color and tone.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6723540585_4fe1fb058f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540585/)
20120115_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6723540585/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

What to do, what to do?

The next day I left work a little early and took a 4 hour round trip to Sioux Falls to trade my water based sealer in for solvent based. Never going to be an easier time to do it.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: mobilesport on February 07, 2012, 03:13:52 AM
How much did it cost to have the stem walls and slab poured and concrete block walls installed?
I cant think you enough for posting all these pictures and video !
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on February 07, 2012, 12:12:42 PM
Quote from: mobilesport on February 07, 2012, 03:13:52 AM
How much did it cost to have the stem walls and slab poured and concrete block walls installed?
I cant think you enough for posting all these pictures and video !

I did all the form work and reinforcement for the grade beam so the crew just showed for the pour. Then they laid two courses of block (which was the form for the slab. I did all the prep work for the slab pour too (grading, plastic, foam, etc). They did some work getting everything setup for their screed.

The concrete itself cost $2000. Concrete guys charged $3000. The tint I added to color it was $500.

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on February 09, 2012, 10:46:39 PM
Long overdue update. Between my actual job and the house I've been putting in 12-14 hours most days so haven't had much time to download and organize pictures. I'll get some uploaded later.

Floors are all sealed. Ceilings are all painted. Bathroom and main bedroom are painted. Shower is in. A work shop is all setup in my shed, and I'm well underway on the bathroom vanity. That's what's been taking most of my time this week. It's my test cabinet before I start on the kitchen cabinets and so far so good. Box, end panel, and drawers are all done. Door is cutout but still needs to be glued up. Stained tonight. Tomorrow I'll start varnishing.

Moving in this weekend but still lots of work to go. Interior doors, trim, painting, closets, etc... Still having fun though.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: mobilesport on February 12, 2012, 02:57:46 AM
I was curious , if your dad didn't buy the tractor how much work would've it been to shovel it in ? , I ask because I'm going to go with this same type of foundation and i dont have a tractor , mine will be 1144 sq ft .
What i was thinking was that i could call the gravel company and when they unload the first load i tell them i want it in a couple different piles spaced out and then when the second load comes i tell him again to dump it in seperate piles and spaced out around but close to the trench , by doing this i wont have to haul it as far in the wheel barrow.
I'm looking forward to seeing some end result pictures, especially that living room ! love that living room with those thick walls and wood stove.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on February 12, 2012, 08:26:47 PM
If I had to do it over again I'd probably do a more standard foundation. The rock and gravel cost a lot more than a thought it would. Around here trench foundations are really common. Someone comes in with an 8" or 10" trencher and goes down 4' deep. Simply fill it with concrete and add some block or a grade beam on top of that. I don't think it would have cost any more to go that route and it sure would have been quicker and easier. A lot easier to add on in the future as well (how do you tie a new foundation into an existing gravel foundation?).

Just think about it anyway.

Depends on the size of the rock you get when it comes to shoveling. The 2 inch stuff I got would have been miserable to shovel. The 1 inch stuff wasn't bad but it's gonna take a LOT of rock.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on February 12, 2012, 10:45:16 PM
Here's the long awaited photo update. I'll try and keep the text to a minimum.

Wrapped the pipes for the shower and toilet in foam and a thick layer of plastic before pouring the slab so that I could put female fittings over them.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6867032645_177082b3e8_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867032645/)
20120106_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867032645/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Just the right clearance:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6867032773_5a6336644c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867032773/)
20120117_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867032773/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

But how to cut if off below the level of the concrete? After some head scratching:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7177/6867033231_dcfed9bacb_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867033231/)
20120117_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867033231/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

And ready for the toilet!:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7045/6867033559_d43c4d7373_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867033559/)
20120117_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867033559/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The room I'm in was done with water based sealer, solvent based beyond. Not much difference but enough. It's more obvious in person.


(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6867033685_3c66097969_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867033685/)
20120118_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867033685/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The living room floor after being sealed. It was still a bit damp so it didn't dry with quite this much "pop." I'm quite happy with them though:


(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7208/6867033827_e7101c4885_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867033827/)
20120123_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867033827/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Now it's time to start on the cabinets, but first I need a work area and a new table saw. Built a 6x8' work area/outfeed table in the middle of the shop. The clutter is clearing out as more stuff is moved into the house:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6867034029_0d2159f0ee_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034029/)
20120203_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034029/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I've got my old wood stove installed that is able to keep the very drafty shed about 20 degrees above ambient. Thankfully it's been extremely mild.

Starting with the bathroom vanity as a primer for the kitchen cabinets. Drew up full size elevations to be sure it would all fit as planned. Managed to cram in 4 drawers for good storage.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6867034183_65dee0109a_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034183/)
20120203_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034183/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6867034409_598f8b819c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034409/)
20120203_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034409/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The box:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7051/6867034803_6f7e4c5d9b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034803/)
20120208_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034803/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

And drawers!:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/6867034625_ed7dda3671_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034625/)
20120208_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034625/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The door and end panel after being finished:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7037/6867035517_018c285042_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867035517/)
20120212_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867035517/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

My first try at tiling. After a shaky start I'm happy with how it came out. It will be the back splash for the vanity:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7208/6867035313_6dfae2b9f5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867035313/)
20120212_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867035313/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The almost finished bathroom (complete with cat):

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6867035139_dff0125680_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867035139/)
20120212_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867035139/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Finally straightening out the water distribution. The water heater has since been installed:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7040/6867034979_2c24c5f1fc_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034979/)
20120211_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6867034979/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Brought out the cats and bed yesterday. Last night was the first night sleeping there. Felt great.

Alan





Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: duncanshannon on February 28, 2012, 09:54:05 PM
nice update... and congrats on spending a night there! that must have been great!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on March 01, 2012, 08:53:28 PM
Thanks duncanshannon.

Been in the house a couple weeks now and it's very nice. It's still pretty much a construction zone though. As I feared productivity has tapered off now that I have a comfortable place to sit. Still been working steadily but it's a lot of little things so it doesn't feel like I'm getting much done.

I have finished the bathroom vanity and am very happy with how it turned out. Much easier than I thought it would be and I learned a lot. I was just sure that once I started putting on the finished door and panels nothing would fit right and that it would look terrible. I was pleasantly surprised. There's definitely room for improvement but I feel pretty confident about tackling the kitchen now. Been spending my evenings sketching out kitchen cabinet layouts and elevations. Think I've pretty well got it figured out so I need to get started on it soon.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7039/6945243619_ee69ce2ab3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6945243619/)
20120227_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6945243619/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6945243669_ec174072f5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6945243669/)
20120227_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6945243669/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7037/6945243717_8b82034567_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6945243717/)
20120227_005 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6945243717/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The animals are enjoying the house (and wood stove) as much as I am:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7197/6945243563_58a48268d1_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6945243563/)
20120219_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6945243563/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Alan

Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: duncanshannon on March 02, 2012, 12:37:36 AM
those are fantastic looking. Better than lots of commercially avail. stuff if you ask me!  [cool]

Whats your secret? 
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: germangirl on March 08, 2012, 06:06:27 PM
Can I ask where you got your shower? We need to replace ours and have had trouble finding one like yours. Every style we see has benches including our current one. We do not want that but rather the shampoo shelves like the one in your new home.
Thanks,
Liesl
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on March 08, 2012, 06:39:16 PM
Quote from: duncanshannon on March 02, 2012, 12:37:36 AM
those are fantastic looking. Better than lots of commercially avail. stuff if you ask me!  [cool]

Whats your secret?

Thanks! I sure am happy with it. Started cutting out the kitchen cabinets the past couple days. All the sides and bottoms are cut and dadoed for the backs. Tonight I'll start edge banding and cutting out rails. I'll start screwing the cases together this weekend.

Secret? I don't know if you'd call it a secret, it's just how I do anything I decide to get into. Read, read, and read some more. Lots of research online and think about it constantly. Draw out every detail. I've already made lots of mistakes in my head and on paper. Hopefully I'll keep catching them before they get transferred to real wood.

QuoteCan I ask where you got your shower?

It's made by Sterling. I bought it at a plumbing supply store in Sioux Falls. I also see my local Ace Hardware is starting to stock them as well. I was impressed with the quality and have been very happy with it so far.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: walkabout on March 09, 2012, 09:43:18 AM
Alan,
Nice job on the vanity.
I have build my entire city kitchen cabinets, including making my own arched raised panel doors before, but my wife and I decided that we really like the cleaner look of your cabinets, so we are looking at doing something similar for our cabin this summer.

Do you mind giving us a few more details on your bathroom vanity?
-Rails and Stiles are 1x3 oak?
-Panels are 1/4" oak ply?
-Drawers are 1/2" ply? what kind?
-Boxes are melamine?
-I assume you used kreg joints throughout?
-What size strip/veneer did you put on the exposed edges of the melamine?
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on March 09, 2012, 02:44:27 PM
Quote from: walkabout on March 09, 2012, 09:43:18 AM
Alan,
Nice job on the vanity.
I have build my entire city kitchen cabinets, including making my own arched raised panel doors before, but my wife and I decided that we really like the cleaner look of your cabinets, so we are looking at doing something similar for our cabin this summer.

Do you mind giving us a few more details on your bathroom vanity?
-Rails and Stiles are 1x3 oak?
-Panels are 1/4" oak ply?
-Drawers are 1/2" ply? what kind?
-Boxes are melamine?
-I assume you used kreg joints throughout?
-What size strip/veneer did you put on the exposed edges of the melamine?

The rails and stiles are Poplar 1x1.5" I did narrower so I could get two strips out of a 1x4. This worked fine except that the regular 35mm cup hinges are too big so I had to get 26mm hinges.

Panels are 1/4" Baltic Birch.

Drawers are 1/2" Oak laminated plywood. It's all they had in town other than regular AC. Drawer bottoms are the same 1/4" BB used in the panels.

Yes, boxes are melamine with a separate base made of plywood and 1x scraps so the particle board isn't in contact with the floor. The base went down first and was leveled, then just drop the cabinet on top.

Very few pocket holes. I actually used more than I needed because I wanted to play with the new toy. Since one side of the cabinet is against the wall and the other is behind a finished panel I just ran screws through the sides of the box. The door and drawer panels are mortise and tenon. The finished end panel is pocket screwed together since you'll never see the back.

The wood veneer edge banding is just the thin stuff in rolls with hot melt adhesive.

The hardest part was getting started. It reminded me of when I started planning my house. I'd read framing books and nothing made much sense because I had no idea what a rim joist, cripple, jack, etc... was. It finally started to make some sense though and drawing out full size elevations was a big help. There was sure a lot of time involved but I was surprised how easy it was.

To tell the truth I was amazed that everything came out right. I've always said I could be a framer but never a finish carpenter. I always fall down on projects when it comes to the details, I just don't have the patience so I rush through and it's usually a disaster. I had the box put together and the drawers installed but I hadn't installed the door or end panel because I was waiting for the 26mm hinges. I hadn't cut out the finished drawer fronts either because I wanted to take final measurements after the door was installed. I was super excited after getting the box done but everyday that I had to wait for the hinges my good spirits dampened. I just new that when I went to hang the door and put on the end panel that something wasn't going to come out right. Same for the drawer fronts. Something that started out so promising was just going to look like crap when I hung the finishing details. When I finally installed everything and saw that it came out just right (well almost, one drawer front got cut 1/16" too narrow) I couldn't believe it.

The kitchen is a lot bigger project though with more opportunities to overlook or miscalculate something. I feel pretty good about it though, let's hope it continues. Last night I cut out all the rails and cut biscuit slots in all the sides and bottoms. Today I'll decide how I want to cover the exposed box edges and go to work on that tonight. Either the glue on veneer or cut out 3/4x3/4 strips for an inset look.

Arched raised panel doors sounds like a lot more work. I'm glad I have simple tastes. When I look at door samples I always prefer the simple cut (Shaker) design. But maybe that's because deep down I know I'm the one who has to build it. :)

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Sassy on March 10, 2012, 12:44:53 AM
Beautiful job on the bathroom cabinet! 

Your animals look quite content  :)
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on March 19, 2012, 08:45:11 PM
Been working on the kitchen cabinets the past week or so.

Here are the cabinets all cut out:

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6221/6852394212_f0174f6de3_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394212/)
20120309_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394212/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

And the rails:

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6234/6998517727_18188be86c_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998517727/)
20120309_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998517727/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Planning everything out ahead of time and sticking to a plan is a new way to build for me. It seems strange to cut out all the pieces and do as much work as possible to them before actually putting them together. I'm still amazed every time it works out.

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6058/6852394384_b5dd7ff8a0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394384/)
20120315_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394384/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6051/6998517925_42ea223ca7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998517925/)
20120315_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998517925/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7208/6852394510_21b2dcfb55_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394510/)
20120315_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394510/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Not shown are the two small cabinets next to the stove. I put everything else in place first so I could get a good feel for how much space I needed between the counters, how deep of an overhang I needed, and how close I could put the overhang to the doorway. 4' between the counters felt pretty good but I didn't need as much overhang as I thought (14" will be fine for this 36" tall counter) and I could bring it a little closer to the doorway than I thought, so this will give me an extra couple inches between counters. After figuring this out I built the two narrow cabinets.

Next up was cutting out the drawers. I spent quite a few hours making up a detailed cut list and figuring out the most efficient way to cut them out of the material. It took about 2 1/4 sheets of 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood and there was virtually no waste.

All the drawer parts:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7072/6852394324_72efaa7282_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394324/)
20120314_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394324/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I used a dado blade on my table saw for the drawers on my vanity but it was recommended to me that a router worked much better. I'd been looking for an excuse to buy one anyway so I got a nice 2 1/4 hp Milwaukee with both standard and plunge bases. Then I needed to built a router table for it. There was an junky little bench in the shed when I bought the place that made a suitable base so all I had to do was build the top.

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6039/6852394688_c530399cb5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394688/)
20120315_006 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394688/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

It's a 2 piece fence that can slide apart to accommodate larger or smaller router bits

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7115/6998518113_4d7db078d5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998518113/)
20120315_005 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998518113/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7100/6998518053_487a7f23d9_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998518053/)
20120315_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998518053/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Now that the table was built I could get to work cutting all the joints in my drawer parts. I'd need a dado on the sides and front for the bottom to slide into, a rabbet for the back, and tongue and groove for the front. The t&g was made up of a dado on the drawer sides and a rabbet on the front. In order for the drawer slides to work properly the drawers need to be 1" narrower than the cabinet opening. And that 1" needs to be within 1/16". I realize that 1/16 is pretty big in cabinetry work but it still seems pretty small to me, especially when I have to take into account the joints and the slightly undersized plywood.

After lots of thinking, measuring, and test cuts I was ready to start rockin' and rollin'. I started routering away and about 10 pieces in I pushed a little too hard and broke the 1/4" router bit. So that put on end to my night. Had to drive 1 1/2 hours round trip the next day to get another one (bought 2 this time). I figured I'd be ok with a Bosch bit but it was quite dull and slightly undersized in comparison to the Rockler bit I broke. It was slow cutting with the Bosch bit and it got fairly hot but I made it through the job without breaking another one.

One of the sides:

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6042/6852394732_31c17ae535_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394732/)
20120316_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394732/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Groove the bottom will slide into:

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6239/6852394818_aaa71d9f3b_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394818/)
20120316_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394818/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Tongue and groove for the drawer front:

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6240/6852394776_73c0b844ef_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394776/)
20120316_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394776/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

And a rabbet for the back:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/6852394886_34ff81ec74_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394886/)
20120316_004 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852394886/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I'd originally planned for the back to be in a dado but since the plywood was undersized I couldn't just do a single cut with a 1/2" bit. Instead I'd need to do 2 cuts with a 3/8" bit. And by the time I got to cutting that joint I was tired of fiddling around so I decided that the back really doesn't get much stress anyway so I just cut in a rabbet. I would have just done a butt joint but the backs were already cut 1/2" long to fit into the 1/4" deep dado that I'd planned. So it was either cut a rabbet or cut down all the backs 1/2" for a butt joint. After all the joints were cut I sanded all the pieces before assembly.

I spent all day yesterday cutting out the drawer bottoms (1/4" melamine) and assembling all the drawers (17 of them I think). It took longer than I thought it would. Everything fit together perfectly though and 1/32" off was the worst drawer I measured so I was pretty darn happy. This afternoon I put on the first coat of water based poly. Here they are laid out after the first coat.

(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6055/6998518389_d3040fbdb4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998518389/)
20120319_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6998518389/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/6852395024_9a82642dc6_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852395024/)
20120319_002 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6852395024/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

There are 4 or 5 that wouldn't fit on the table that aren't shown.

When I get done posting this I'll head back out and if they're dry enough I'll sand them down tonight so I can put on the final coat tomorrow.

Alan



Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: kenhill on March 20, 2012, 01:40:01 PM
Handsome cat

and

good looking cabinets!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: germanbird on March 23, 2012, 01:00:38 PM
I'm impressed.  The cabinets are looking great.

Just curious:  What did you use when assembling the drawers?  Glue?  Nails?
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on March 23, 2012, 06:15:36 PM
Quote from: germanbird on March 23, 2012, 01:00:38 PM
I'm impressed.  The cabinets are looking great.

Just curious:  What did you use when assembling the drawers?  Glue?  Nails?

Thanks.

I used glue and staples for the drawers.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: alex trent on March 30, 2012, 09:18:40 PM
Boy, I got to tell you, you have a lot of talent. Did almost all the stuff I hired out.  I did plan and honcho, but a long way from actually doing it. Mine was quicker but I bet yours  is more satisfying.  Hats off!

at
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on March 31, 2012, 07:24:03 PM
Quote from: alextrent on March 30, 2012, 09:18:40 PM
Boy, I got to tell you, you have a lot of talent. Did almost all the stuff I hired out.  I did plan and honcho, but a long way from actually doing it. Mine was quicker but I bet yours  is more satisfying.  Hats off!

at

Thanks Alex! It is very satisfying but I certainly didn't start out planning to do this much. Originally planned to hire out the insulation and sheetrock and certainly didn't think I'd be building my own cabinets. At first I just wanted fast and cheap but the more I learned and the more time I put in the more I started to make it my own. Now I'm determined to do as much of it as I can myself. It hasn't felt like work though. Still pretty fun.

Certainly easier in my mind that hiring a crew that doesn't speak my language and getting them to build what I wanted, even though it's not what they're used to. :)

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on April 15, 2012, 09:29:51 PM
More in progress pictures to come but I just had to share some of the weekends progress.

Cabinets are almost done!

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6936385300_b51a2ab5dc_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6936385300/)
20120415_001 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/6936385300/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/7082459183_5494222ac0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/7082459183/)
20120415_003 copy_web (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/7082459183/) by Alan  Gage (http://www.flickr.com/people/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Very happy with how they're coming out and very relieved that the gaps came out right when I put on the fronts.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Sassy on April 15, 2012, 10:47:47 PM
You certainly have done a beautiful job on the cabinets!  Lots of work on those, for sure  c*
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: duncanshannon on April 16, 2012, 12:58:53 AM
Those are fantastic.  They look like they could be in Architectural Digest!  [cool]
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on June 27, 2012, 10:32:22 PM
Long overdue update. Pretty much taking the summer off on the house. Out of money and drive.  The kitchen is done for the most part. Still a couple drawers to build but I've been spending my time working on my dad's rental house and building cabinets for my mom and remodeling her kitchen.

The house has been performing great in the hot weather though. Hasn't been terribly hot here this year but a couple weeks ago we had 3 days in a row in the low to mid 90's with lows in the mid 70's. No air conditioning in the house and by the end of the hot spell it was only 79 degrees inside.

The other night it dropped down to the upper 50's so I opened every window in the house and got the inside temp down to 62 degrees. It was in the mid-80's the next 2 days and today was the upper 90's. Still only 75 degrees in the house. Lovin' it. It's colder than my mom's house and she's been running the AC for the last 4 days. It was as pain putting in all that insulation and trying to detail everything for energy efficiency but it's more than paid off.

I'll have to get some more pictures posted one of these days.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: azgreg on October 15, 2018, 08:03:27 PM
I noticed you were on tonight and was wondering how your project turned. It's one of my favorite builds on the site.
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Rys on October 17, 2018, 08:53:09 AM
I too would love to see the finished project!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 17, 2018, 08:56:40 AM
I'm glad you enjoyed reading the build. I thought I'd posted an update to this thread but I guess I didn't.

After building and working on the house for a year (spring to spring) I took some time off and never really got back to it. It was hard to regain that drive. The next year I built a large shop on the property that gave me a great space for woodworking and then I got into building cedar strip canoes which took up my energy for a couple years.

Besides not having any trim or interior doors the house was complete and functioned great. I couldn't have been happier with the layout and performance. It heated easily in the winters with a small wood stove of just over 1 cubic foot. It took less than 3 cords, and sometimes closer to 2 cords, to heat it for a season. The only time I ever ran the electric baseboard heaters was when I had to leave town for more than a couple days during winter.

I was a little worried about the grade beam on top of crushed rock foundation but since building the house we've had winters with near record snowfall and near record cold and on signs of settling or cracking evident in the foundation. The concrete slab floor performed great and I'm happy I went that way. Easy to clean and maintain and no cracks.

I thought I'd be in this home forever but I started feeling like I wanted another big project and when someone expressed interest in buying it I found a replacement property about 15 miles from town right across the road from a little slough in a large public tract of lakes, prairies, and wetlands. We don't have a lot of public land in Iowa so this is a pretty neat place and somewhere I've spent countless hours ever since I was a little boy. There are a handful of houses out there but I think this one has the best location for year round living, little traffic, and no neighbors. I figured it was the only chance I'd ever have to live out there so I took it and started a major remodel on a house that hadn't been lived in for 4 years or updated since it was built in 40 years ago. Busted my butt on it all summer and then stalled out again.

Then I bought a used sawmill and 5 acres of beautiful land just on the south edge of town at a steal of a deal. I spent all this past summer getting that property setup for the sawmill and collecting and sawing up some logs. I cut my own ash for the flooring (to install this winter) and will cut out all my trim and siding as well. I'm finally getting back into working on my house this fall but the more time I spent on my new land with the sawmill the more I like it there. I'm seriously considering building a new house and moving to that property in a couple years. We'll see what happens.

Somewhere I've got some newer pictures of my house build but not on this computer. I'll post them later when I'm on my laptop. But this is a picture of the house I bought last summer:

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4285/35063682636_c5871b281d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Vqsxfm)20170604_018 (https://flic.kr/p/Vqsxfm) by Alan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

And this is the view off the front deck:

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4220/34938987932_e1676df3b5_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VerrRE)20170604_045 (https://flic.kr/p/VerrRE) by Alan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Both the house and the view look better now. It was an overgrown jungle when I moved in. It's only a 1 acre lot but I cut out 45 trees and some very large limbs over the winter and there were still over 40 trees left on the property. Then I planted 80 trees and shrubs in better locations and to fill in some of the holes. Still plenty of shade in the yard but at least grass can grow everywhere now.

Alan
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Rys on October 17, 2018, 08:20:56 PM
Great view!
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 19, 2018, 09:32:00 PM
I went digging around and the only completed pictures of the house I could find were of the kitchen and it was still missing some doors and trim panels at the time. I'm friends with the gal that bought the house so one of these days I'll see if she'll let me take some finished pictures. She fixed it up much nicer than I ever had it.

I was very happy with the kitchen layout. Nice to work in. I think I had just over 4' of space between the counters, which most information said was too little, but I thought it felt about right. Enough room to move about but just turn around and you're at the other counter with no walking. I'm 6'1" and washing dishes hurts my back so I made the sink counter either 38" or 39" tall. The peninsula counter is the standard 36" in case I wanted a lower surface and so that standard stool heights would work. It was nice having a choice of counter heights. I sold the house to a gal that must be 5'4" max and when I asked her how she got along with the counter height she had no complaints.

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1979/30499107597_d7c94b6190_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Nt6U7H)20120513_003 (https://flic.kr/p/Nt6U7H) by Alan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

The only cabinet door was under the sink. The rest of the kitchen got drawers. This made for lots of easy to access storage. I measured most of my kitchen stuff before finishing the layout design and was surprised how much would fit in a 6" drawer and how few things actually needed a 10" or 12" drawer. I left out a cabinet in the middle of the peninsula so that there would be leg room for me to have one stool inside the kitchen. This let me face my guest(s) but most importantly let me look out my living room windows when sitting at the counter.

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1944/30499107257_dfc27437bb_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Nt6U1R)20120513_007 (https://flic.kr/p/Nt6U1R) by Alan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I agonized over counter top material. Go cheap and easy or go fancy and expensive? I couldn't make up my mind and decided to build my own temporary counter to get me by until I made up my mind. Ordered two 10' sheets of maple veneer MDF and it turned out great. What I thought would be short-term counter was still going strong 5 years later.

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1978/44714942144_da693224de_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2b8iLsm)20120513_004 (https://flic.kr/p/2b8iLsm) by Alan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

There's a place in the area that does granite counters. I looked through their cut-offs and found a piece big enough to do both sides of my stove. I think it cost me $75 to have them cut to size and the front rounded over. Made a nice place to set hot pans.

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1944/43622155210_195e2a3a22_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/29sJWYj)20120513_006 (https://flic.kr/p/29sJWYj) by Alan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Empty:

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1950/43622155090_6fdcbe481c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/29sJWWf)20120513_002 (https://flic.kr/p/29sJWWf) by Alan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

Populated:

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1955/30499107067_12609fa490_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Nt6TXz)20120512_001 (https://flic.kr/p/Nt6TXz) by Alan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7935459@N05/), on Flickr

I do miss that kitchen even though I don't get into cooking anymore. Looking forward to redoing the kitchen in my new house.

Alan




Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Rys on October 20, 2018, 08:41:53 AM
I love the opening in the peninsula. I could see using it as an area to sit and use as a desk .    [cool]
Title: Re: 38x30 in Iowa
Post by: Alan Gage on October 20, 2018, 02:47:23 PM
Quote from: Rys on October 20, 2018, 08:41:53 AM
I love the opening in the peninsula. I could see using it as an area to sit and use as a desk .    [cool]

I used it as a desk plenty. Was a nice big surface to spread out maps for trip planning.

Alan