November 2018

The big item of progress in November has been the windows, which we completed, finally closing in the house.

The exterior of the windows are a mixture of silver metallic, copper metallic, and flat black, which should add a nice visual interest to the outside of the house.

The interiors of the windows are all pre-finished, clear coated pine. All the exterior doors are glass, also came from the window company, and are finished the same.

Having the windows in has really helped understand what the spaces are going to feel like. We are very much looking forward to being able to sit in the finished house and look out at the view as the light changes throughout a day.

Work inside has been proceeding all month. Above, you can see the framing for the end wall of the living area. The entire width of the wall will be built in cabinets and shelves, with the two openings to the room from the entry hall passing though the built-ins. We will also have a propane fireplace in the built-ins, which you can see already mounted, with it's metal vent poking up towards the ceiling. Cleverly, high and low air returns for HVAC system will also be integral to the builtins. They will be located within the narrow sections on the two far ends.

HVAC work as begun this month. Pictured here is the main furnace hanging in the crawl space. HVAC supplies and returns have been cut around the house, and the ducts are soon to start going in.

Other trades, electrical and plumbing, have been progressing doing the rough in work. Plumbing rough in is largely complete, while electrical still has a way to go. Notably, we got electrical service this month, which should make work easier.

It turned out that our house was a little too far from the transformer at the road on the edge of our property, so we got a second transformer installed in between the first transformer and the house. So, yay? I own my first high voltage transformer.

The electric meter is installed on a portion of the house where the siding is bark, so that one section of siding had to go up before the meter.  The other box mounted next to the meter is an automatic transfer switch for a generator. We are not getting a generator right away, but this will make it much easier when and if we do.

The bark siding is an interesting and unusual material. It really is just bark, and nothing more. Apparently, they shave the bark (ours is polar) from large trees. They flatten it, and then let it dry for months.  That is it. It is already a long lasting, exterior grade material. Our park still has moss, fungus, and bits of vine still attached. Most surprising is that it rather soft to the touch, where I imagined it would be quite hard.

 This view is from the full length window in our shower. It is a little crazy putting a huge window in a shower, but can you argue with this view? There is some risk of being spotted, but anyone who bothers to hike up this drop off is welcome if it means than much to them.

To go with the windows and other doors, our dog door also went in. It leads out to the porch (the concrete porch floor will be higher once it is poured) and into the laundry room. The location means we can confine messy dogs to the laundry room as needed. The door is more elaborate than the old rubber flap. It is by-swinging plexiglas panels, which spring closed and have full weather stripping. The can also be locked closed and there is a steel, screw on interior security panel.

That's it for November! Work continues at pace, so we will have more to show in December.