While we’ve been looking into roof details we’ve been trying to accomplish a few other jobs to prepare for items beyond the roof. I spent a few mornings applying borate based wood preservative to the entire roof. I abandoned the painbrush and used a paint roller attached to a broom handle. Even so, this was a big job…the decking is white enough that the sun reflects it right back at me! I finished this job today.
We also moved more gravel from the pit (screeened) and sloped it from the concrete of the bond beam down to where we left the thermal wrap unfinished last fall. Tomorrow we will lay 6 mil poly from the roof edge down to the thermal wrap and then we will complete the top part of the thermal wrap. We met with Alving about bringing his excavator back in to bakfill to the roof level. Once we’ve got our materials for the roof installed, he will come back a second time to fill more dirt to the finished level of the roof. We then have to build water runoffs and a few other items and then he can actually pile enough dirt on the back part of the roof that it is truly “bermed”. This will all happen, hopefully, over the next few weeks.
I have also applied two coats of wood preservative to the wood that comprises the front window framing. I am mulling over how to stain this wood, as I’m not sure duct taping a paintbrush to my new telescope handle will be adequate. As mentioned previously, I’m not great with heights and I’m pretty sure Chris thinks his strengths lie in solving problems other than my height phobia…he is prepared to build me rudimentary scaffolding and maybe move a ladder for me but I think otherwise I am on my own!
We purchased the materials to start our pop can exterior walls, where our two end doors will be. While we wait to confirm our roofing materials our plan is to set in motion the work to start the exterior walls, and to get ready for window ordering.
While Chris has been reviewing code and investigating EPDM, I have been slowly researching outlets for materials. We have managed to find a supplier for what we need that is…wait for it…HALF the price that we were quoted in Kamloops. I’m all for getting things locally, but it would have been close to $20,000 for the roof system. The supplier we found in Surrey can supply the same products for just under $10,000, which is closer to what I originally budgetted. We have a truck and trailer, my father has a truck and trailer. We have a friend with a really great trailer. I have a brother who travels from the lower mainland to us frequently.
On another note, we have suffered our first house-related injury of note. I have pulled a back muscle, which seems to have tag teamed something in my hip, which is now talking to something in my knee…all on my left side. I’ve been ignoring it (not taking anything for it, either) hoping that now the decking is done (it started back when I was bending over to stain wood) that it would disappear. I’m going to give it a few days because it irritates me that this has happened given that I never have these issues.
Here’s a few photos…
What’s wrong with my eyes that it looks like the house has 6 foot ceilings? That can’t be possible…… (grin)
I think it is the perspective. One of the walls appears closer to the outside wall than it actually is making the height of the ceiling look low. Having stood on top of the framing it doesn’t feel low that is for sure 🙂
I think the lowest part of the ceiling (at the back in the deepest part of the U, that is bermed) is 7.5 feet. Highest point at the front (framed walls for windows) is 10.5. Must be persepective. Maureen, when you visit next year you will see! 🙂
Lowest part of the ceiling is well over eight feet, but I actually forget the measurement!
Good effort!
I’m worried about your lumber rotting on the dirt. With moisture up against it comes wood rot.
Seems to me that a true “Green” home would be a teepee. No concrete, no lumber, no excavation or hauling of aggregates or sand, no fuel consumption, no fiberglass insulation, no drywall…..
Hi Rene,
Many of these same thoughts about green building have occurred to me … particularly as I watch the excavator move material around the site. The simple reality is that there have to be better alternatives to what currently is common construction practice and this is one alternative.
As far as the wood rotting this is also a valid concern and one that I have worried a lot about. The wood actually does not touch the earth. (The wood in the pictures that is in the ground is actually part of a concrete form that was never stripped off.) Some wood IS covered by the roofing membrane and the edge of the membrane is buried as part of berming the building. All of the wood that is covered is treated with a borax based wood preservative. However, the land around the back of the building is sloped to move water away from the building, and this is the critical aspect to the construction with regard to ground moisture. Moisture simply should not accumulate at the back edge of the building.
Honestly, my bigger concern is properly ceiling the roof.