Definition of "Painting" and Progress Update

I thought the painting was finished and I would get a break...however, I was told that varnishing is painting.  The varnishing of certain pieces is now finished, mostly some doors and windowsills that are ready. There will be lots more to do...soon.
The earthpipes' retaining walls are completed.  And we are getting some more gravel on Monday to complete the exterior 'look'.

 

The carpenters did come for a day, installed some pocket doors, installed some trim, installed a vanity, and tub surrounds.
The plumbers did come and installed 3 faucets in vanities, set a toilet, and solved some other problems. For lack of some fittings, they could not install the antique tub.  And there are only 5 (five) things left plumbing-wise - a toilet, 3 sink faucets,  and the antique tub, but none are critical to occupancy.
The electrician came twice.  We are close to completion, and need to do an inventory of what is/is not "live".
Also, Warner has come back to work with us to make our living room beautiful, along with the rest of the house, as more of the trim is getting in place.  So far he has made and installed the windowsills on the South wall, and most of the 'trim' boxing around the second floor line of the living room.  

The stairway parts and railing for the second floor were delivered this week. Warner and Bill will be working on this project Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (at least).  We believe this is the main item that stands in the way of a certificate of occupancy.  So, hopefully, we will be moving in soon. - by Christmas THIS YEAR!

Painting FINISHED...Earthpipe Progress...Contractors Are Coming!!!

I am calling the painting finished.  There is always the touch-up; and the trim has not been done as yet.  But all walls and ceilings are painted. Clean up has started - all drop cloths being picked up, all drywall dust out, all floors being cleaned.

Bill has been working on the last seven earthpipes, building the retaining wall and making the hardware for the outside ends of the pipes.  We need a cooler day or two.

Wednesday, the carpenters will come back and work. Then next week, the plumbers and electricians have been asked, and may be able to come and finish their work.

 

Drywall and Paint Progress AND Earth Tube Progress

We have completed the first floor walls and ceilings DRYWALL stage, other than clean-up. The PAINT stage on the first floor is complete except for two handicapped bathrooms, and clean-up.

Bill and Keith have been working Saturdays, weather permitting, to build the retaining walls for the earth pipes.  14 earth pipes for the main house and West Annex exit under the ground on the North side of the house and travel about 60 feet where they terminate. Grading has been done and now grass is growing. Work is still in progress as 7 of the pipes are terminated, and the other 7 still need some work. 

Slow and Steady...Still Making Progress and Data Loggers

We are still pushing forward on the drywall and painting.  Recently, we have contacted Warner to ask him to help us facilitate a rather good looking stairway, railing and some of the woodwork that will be in the living room.  We hope to start in late March and have that accomplished in April.

I gathered the data loggers from their collection points.  We had one in the house, specifically in the West Annex, which is not heated or cooled.  That logger did not collect any data over the past year.  Perhaps a battery or water problem.  The loggers outside and in the earth on the East side of the house did collect data all that time. So we have a year's worth of data comparing the outside temperature, dewpoint, and humidity with the 'in the earth' temperature, dewpoint, and humidity without any insulating umbrella.

We collected hourly data.  We are changing now to collect once-a-day data in the morning.  The reason for this is that we have lots of fluctuations  in the outside data, and the 'in the earth' data looks to be a moving average of that outside information.  We are also noticing that the 'in the earth' data has high humidity during the summer, just as outside does.  We feel we need to do something about this as there may be a leak in the collection area effecting all of the readings.  We run a 20 foot conduit into the earth on a slight slope up (1/4 inch to the foot) and within that conduit, insert a smaller diameter conduit which holds the data logger. The end of the larger conduit is a screw cap. 

It should be noted that the West Annex west wall (exterior) is insulated with the use of EIFS, but the interior of that wall does not have more insulation in it as yet. And there is no insulating umbrella yet on the house.  All other exterior walls of the house are insulated at this time (interior and EIFS exterior).

About a week ago, I place the two working data loggers and a new one. They are outside under the deck, in the garage and 'in the earth'.  We picked the garage because it has the umbrella and earth tubes working.  The South wall is not finished (inside insulation and wallboard, and trim around the garage door), but is further along than the West Annex.  The outside data logger collection point changed from in a crevice in the segmented wall to under the deck because we thought the segmented wall did not record true outdoor temperatures, the stones taking longer to heat or cool.

We have closed the door on the tunnel and have noticed a temperature difference in going in there.  It is insulated in the first (approximately) 8 feet, and then unsulated thereafter.  We were hoping to have this area cooler and be able to use it as a wine cellar/cold storage area.  It is working. It has it's earth tubes working also. Eventually, there will be an umbrella over the house which will cover the tunnel as well.  We shall see what happens.  

We are still happy in enjoying the journey of building this house.  Just wish it didn't take so long. 

We had Keith back and he and Bill worked on four of the house earth pipes, extending them and partially covering them and building the retaining wall.  Still more to be done there and with the remaining earth pipes. 

Progress in Drywall, Painting, Plumbing and Electrical

We have been getting drywall done (Bill is the main drywall finisher), and then painting it.  David has come over and helped with that chore (THANKS, David.) And with some of that done, we scheduled the plumbers and electricians back to do some work.

The archway to the pantry under drywall construction

Notice the ceiling beam Bill fabricated and David painted

 So, we can report, that:
in the Kitchen,

we have two working sinks,
and a dishwasher working,
and lights under the cabinets;

in the standard bathroom,
we have a flushing toilet;

in the upstairs bathroom (Jack and Jill)
we have a flushing toilet, AND
a HEAT PUMP HOT WATER HEATER!!!

 
and various outlets just about everywhere,

in the mudroom,
we have a working clothes washer,
a laundry tub, AND
both with hot and cold water (YAY!)

To our dismay, we are  not the first occupants of the house. We have had to set mouse traps.  They like our place almost as much as, or perhaps more than, we like the place.  I guess they don't understand why we haven't moved in yet, because they have decided it is worth inhabiting and they don't understand about permits.  We are very close (within 3 months, we hope) to calling up the inspector and getting the occupancy permit.  We need to finish drywall, painting, plumbing and electrical; and need to set some doors, which means installing some door frames and building some doors; and need to do the stairway.

Almost a Kitchen

WE HAVE COUNTERTOPS.

Thank you, Tim, Ian and Pablo.

 We still need to get plumbing and electricity finished for a fully functional kitchen.



Tomorrow, the epoxy flooring starts on the remaining four rooms.

Deck and First Floor Flooring and the Kitchen - More Progress!

The deck is nearly finished.  We can now get in and out via the second floor.

Carlos, Ryan, Jason, Steven and Ian joined the 'crew' of workers that have helped with this house.  They have epoxy-ed all but four rooms of the first floor. They will be back 'soon' to finish the first floor.  Here are some pictures of the finished floor.

And, our custom kitchen cabinets are now installed! And they are beautiful!

We are looking forward to more progress, somewhat slower through the holidays, and a little faster hopefully in January....electricians, plumbers, more flooring, countertop, stairway and banister, 2nd floor railing, and of course, finishing the drywall and painting, AND trim.