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Friday, November 5, 2010

Sidewall


Cape Cod Gray stained white cedar siding has been going up for the past ten days and when the weather has been bad the guys have been working inside framing out attic access, fireplace, shelving areas in dormers, etc.
Also deck framing has begun on both sides. The fiber-cement (hardiplank) clapboard arrived yesterday and will start to be installed on the front elevation. The last of the exterior doors arrived. The shell will be buttoned up next week !!
 Sidewall and Deck Frame
 Sidewall
 Sidewall 2
Stained White Cedar Siding
Hey Kevin! Steady there brother...

Sunday, October 24, 2010

The Shell

The Shell (the bones and skin) is about 80% complete. The rigid insulation on exterior is complete and seams will be taped before the sidewall shingles go up. The interior walls are in place and windows and doors are 90% complete. This is a time when we typically look for extra space to utilize for storage, shelving and the like. Access doors and hatches locations are verified. Kudos to our framers, SCC Group, LLC. Nice job Tim.
The fireplace is the centerpiece of the downstairs living area. We have gone over with the installer, Stove Place II in Harwich, vent locations and vent run up through the house. We will add a 9" x 12" soffit at the 1st floor ceiling around the "peninsula" to add some lighting and hide a vent pipe turn around the beam. The creative juices still flow during framing!!
High ceiling in the master suite are gaining us a sense of openness that you typically don't see in a historic Cape.
We try and utilize every space that exists in the "smart house" style.
This week the infrastructure starts: Plumbing, Electric, and Mechanical rough-ins.
Weather is coming on Tuesday so the site will be cleaned up and temporary abutments (straw bales) will be added to divert water away from house. Typically this is done at the end but our site is quite slopey half way down and the downhill run of the road in front doesn't help.So Denny (EZ Doze It Excavators) and his busy beavers will be out this week damming the place up.

 Rigid Insulation-Energy Efficient
Shell
Cottage Windows in Front

Monday, October 11, 2010

Roof Framing

Framing continued up to the roof. Up on the roof.....as James Taylor said. Moving into October and the roof shingles will be going this week. Last week a couple days of rain knocked us out but things a still ahead of schedule at this point. The plumber got waste lines in the basement last week, all inspected and ready for slab prep. EZ Doze It, the excavator, will be back this week to put in holes for deck columns and review for septic area clearing. Schedule has our slab sub, Steve from Hard Rock Concrete, going in Thursday and Friday for prep, pour and deck footings. The weather isn't looking good for the end of the week but we'll see, it can change in a heartbeat. Windows will be delivered on the 18th and going in the next few days after that. Weather-tight by the end of the month. Happy Columbus Day!!!!

 Main Roof
 From the Rear
Main Roof
Roof Framing-Up On Roof

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Framing

The lumberjacks arrived as the skeleton is about to go up. Framing plans by Bob E. (A+E Architects-Builders) & Mark M. (McKenzie Structural Consultants) met the checklist for 110mph wind loading requirments in the 7th Edition  of the MA State Building Code. Tim St. Pierre and crew (SCC Group LLC) started the frame the last week of September ahead of schedule.Window openings are framed in and protected with building paper and vycor water shield. The sub-trim around the openings will meet the rigid insulation that will encompass the entire exterior perimeter. Exterior walls are 2x6 @16" O.C. Floor joists are conventional lumber, 2 x 10's @ 16" o.c. except for the master bedroom where the spacing went to 12" o.c.. We don't like bouncy floors. Pretty good for $181/sqft !!!!

Framing Begins!
Frame-Basment Walls
Basement Main Beam
Front First Floor Walls
Framing-Right Elevation
Over Garage
Kitchen Corner
Plumbing Rough in Basement
Main Beam-Front Section
Garage Slab Ready to Pour
Fireplace Beam Offset
Floor Frame
Living/Dining Rooms-Fireplace Base

Dampproofing Foundation walls

Foundation walls below grade were covered with a bituminous coating for a water repellant barrier on the concrete foundation walls.
  • The resultant film is tough and elastic and does not crack easily due to structural movements
  • It is resistant to dilute acids and alkalis
  • It is non toxic and does not impart odour or taste to water on contact.
 Damproofed Wall- Way Down in the Hole
 Dampproofing
 Backfilling Walls
Slab Prep

    Tuesday, September 14, 2010

    Foundation Wall Pour

    The Foundation walls were poured yesterday. A decision was made to use a pump truck in order to prevent the aggregate from separating on too far of a run. The site is difficult for concrete trucks to maneuver.
    Our friends from Gardiner Concrete Pumping were on hand and remotely :) put the concrete where it needed to be.
    Doug and his boys, Chan-Kel Concrete, were on it all day. Bang up job guys!
     Garage-Footings
     Stepped Footings
     Footings Connector
     Footings Poured



    Saturday, September 11, 2010

    The Start

    The Brady's, Phil and Louise, came to us with a vision for building a new house in the style of Phil's parent's cottage that was built in the 1850's and purchased in the 1950's. Phil vacationed in the cottage as a child and has fond memories of his visits to the Cape. The start was the decision to tear down the cottage, historical as it was, because the cottage suffered major damage in 1991 when Hurricane Bob made it's landing on Cape Cod. Approvals were obtained from the Orleans Historical Society and the Old Kings Highway Historical Commission. Certain items in the house were salvaged and removed from the site such as interior doors, wood stove, wainscoting, and a fireplace mantel.




     The new design mimics the half cape style of 19th century homes that were so popular on Cape Cod. In keeping with our vision of architecture as energy efficient, small and sustainable we endeavored blend our vision with the Brady's desire for a quaint, functionally historic structure.The process of design, approvals and building permit approval took five (5) months.

    DEMO

    Demolition-Boys Love to Watch
     Pile o' Sticks