We are INTO Foam Here

Our last blog update showed the West Annex covered with EPS Foam (Expanded Polystyrene).  We now have the Southwall covered in EPS Foam.  

Besides foam on the outside, some interior work is still getting done.  The electrician showed up for one day this week and installed fans.  We are starting on the archways that will be at each end of the hall. And the only remaining wall (that needs completion) of the tunnel is also covered in foam.

Finish Coat on South Parapet and Retaining Walls and West Retaining Walls

Another group of workers experienced in EIFS came and this is what the house now looks like.

 As you can see, it is a work in progress.

Garage Senergy Final Coat and Interior (House) Wall Framing by Bill

We are very happy that the garage has the final outside finish applied.  We still need to paint trim and use sealant and put the insulating gasket around the garage door.

Bill did some framing of interior walls in the house so that the electricians and plumbers can use the space in those walls: for a light in the closet and switch to turn it on, and for incoming water and outlets for the washer and dryer.  The closet wall may look like it is wrong because it isn't attached to anything at one end.  However, there will be a wall there - that is where a pocket door will be.

 

 

Electricians and Concrete Finishers

Progress continues.  During the week, we prepare for the weekend crew and/or at least think about the problems and possible solutions to the situations we are in and make sure we have resources for the weekend.  Saturdays, we have our concrete finishers come and make lots of progress.  They have 'cosmetically' fixed our arch on the South wall so that it is ready for or close to ready for the finish coat.  The South wall still needs a thin base coat before the finish coat.  And we have found that we can cap the parapets with EIFS rather than a metal cap.  So today, they are parging the back of the three parapets of the house to make them smooth, and have started constructing the garage cap with the Expanded Polystyrene to form the cap.  Once the cap is coated with base coat, which will probably be next weekend, we will be able to apply the finish coat.

Locust tree shooting up shows that time passes....

Miguel II and Fidel holding proposed 'cap EPS'

Electricians have been out during the week intermittently and accomplished some work.  We always wish it went faster, but it is progressing. And we are discussing interior paint or wall coatings.  And how and when to do the epoxy floors.

Lights on the West wall

Lights on the East wall

The excavator has not been here.  The weather has not been in our favor, with afternoon showers/thunderstorms expected most days.  We are starting to shovel by hand on the garage roof to get an idea of the slope the umbrella will take.  Hopefully soon, we will have good enough weather for a couple of days to complete the garage umbrella. We are also wanting the ends of the earth tubes to be dug up and extended.  This is a big job as they currently end at the North end of the house and need to go to the driveway, thru the heat exchanger under the driveway, and then some into the woods, a total of between 50 and 100 feet.
 

Progress on the Garage and West Exterior Walls and Electrician Passageways

Last weekend, we started the EIFS on the garage. And today the West retaining walls of the house are being parged.  They will then be ready for the finish coat. We are in the process of choosing a color and texture.
 



























Bill worked on some old doors to have them become part of our house.  At least one of the doors came from the old farmhouse that was torn down early on  (see blog entry on demolition in August 2011).

Wires will go thru PVC from the Electric Panel to the 2nd Floor

And he made some 'channels' for the electrician to secure his wiring out of sight.

Channel across the South Wall housing electric boxes and wires and possibly lights

 

Water, Water, In the House

The drilling of the well was actually the very first physical thing accomplished in building our house.    The new well, put in in 2008, worked very well supplying water to the site...until last summer. The issues were difficult to identify, but after some months, we identified the problem and put a temporary fix in place until we could rearrange the equipment to its now permanent location within the new house.  This rearrangement finally occurred this past week. AND, we now have our new well connected to our new house, and the garage hydrant. So far so good! 

We also got some painting done, or at least testing out the colors on our walls. We painted two small storage area walls blue and yellow.

 Another facet of our progress that needs mentioning is the wall in the tunnel/wine cellar/pantry/utility room.  It now needs wire mesh and stucco to be completed.  And that will happen after the electrician gets some work done. 

 

I-Joists, Carpenters, South Visor, Cold Cellar Progress

The I-Joist remediation is complete.  The electrician has been notified.
 
The carpenters were here last week and put up the half wall in the kitchen and all the stud work under the stairway.  They also  framed the areas in the living room that will house lights and wiring.
 
The concrete finishers were out Saturday (almost 2 weeks ago) and finished the overhang on the South side of the house.  They also smoothed (parged) the back of the garage parapet.

Bill and I painted the cold cellar floor.  It is now ready for the water tank to be installed.