Jane and Michael - Their Grand Construction Project 2006

Purpose: To provide a roof top room suitable for viewing sunsets.

Other Purposes:

To correct the omission of a ridge beam on the original structure.

To add a mud room on the entrance to the building.

To provide a cellar under the mud room.

To provide a half bath half way up to the roof top room.

To replace the small window box with a larger green house.

June 8, 2006

Logging almost over. We're planning.

Hi Dad, well, this was a few days ago, the nasty skidder tramping everything in its path. I raked up some of the worse spots up the drive and on Mike's ski slope. I'm sure in a few years we'll never know.....One more day to go. Luckily, Michael doesn't have to work so hard now, just organizing the selling and shipping. We figure we're losing about 10 trees an acre.....so this can't go on forever!

Greg, our builder , stopped by yesterday with one of his crew. We gave him the bad news of our roof peak/post dilemma and he set about thinking how he'd fix the problem. Thinks the beam has to sit over the post on the ends of the house so he plans to slip some lumber in the east wall by breaking through outdoors and into the west wall indoors. I'm trying not to think about this too much, but that doesn't seem to stop me. Poor Michael. Greg seems to enjoy problems....he also says he likes working with home owners. We'll help where we can. So looks like work starts Monday! Dig and pour the foundation, then he straightens the roof. He'll notch the plywood gussets at the peak and put the beam under that. Will open the roof at the ridge. A little earlier than we thought, we were going to go to Calgary to the second hand store, but perhaps we'll put that off till next weekend. So we're pretty busy, we'll be putting in the foundation for our greenhouse which will go where the cold frame is...so I moved some plants. We have to get the rocks out that we want to reuse and dismantle the cold frame. I've nearly finished moving my things in the studio...Michael has to move his stuff which shouldn't take too long. Then we'll dismantle the loft. I ordered the windows. We've decided to leave the mudroom unfinished so will just put single pane windows in our own frames...will save a lot, unless we find some at the second had store that will work. I'm getting my lightning rod! Michael found a few burnt trees out on his ski slope......The cable will be a bit pricey with metal prices high.

Well, the rain has come so glad I worked out in the drizzle this morning. Sounds like this system is here to stay for a while. We do have some stuff to clear out back, but we have 3 days. Well, it's been a nice spring. Life is gonna be different for a while!

Love, Jane

Day 1 First Work Day

Tuesday June 11, 2006

Hi, well we survived our first work day. They got a lot done as you can see. We scurried around helping where we could. Turns out the ridge is only over a few inches so the beam will sit over the new post OK. How that happened, we still don't know. They are putting in the post from the outside on the East side. The ceiling is open upstairs, all the stuff needing to come down is out, the foundation gets poured tomorrow(footing and floor) though the back hoe was late coming today so they are behind schedule already. Even the back steps are gone! Our huge greenhouse hole is dug(luckily for us in pure sand....no wonder few things grow on the bank by the drive.) our roof tiles are ordered. A few changed in the design...slight flaws on my part but fixable. The crew works well together. So day one went well. Tomorrow.....

Tired, off to bed.

Off to bed soon, Love Jane

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Work Day 2

Hi, a hard day! Working at the same pace as pros is a little stressful at times. The day started at 8, both teams having to get the floor level and ready for the cement. Need less to say, Greg's team had a leisurely lunch before the truck arrived at 1:00 while Mike and I were still fussing with our greenhouse floor. Luckily, our hole was mostly sand with just a little hard pan to dig, so it was easier than it could have been. We were ready for the cement after the house basement floor was poured (and they were just about done leveling it) but the job was up to Michael-cement just a little to heavy for me! I helped level it, but poor Michael is feeling the work he did this evening. Anyhow, we all finished up at 4:30, just in time to get ready for the arriving thunderstorm. Greg's team took off and we had a little time to get stuff away before the storm hit. We don't get so much rain at once usually and the driveway started to flood towards our new lumber, the tarp stakes started pulling out due to the wind and it also collected buckets of water....so I spent an hour trying to divert the water and bail it from the tarp...tomorrow we get the forms up for the walls and the final pour is on Fri. We're sure this week will be the worst for us, then it will get easier again(we aren't supposed to work too hard!)

Weather looking unfavorable for a while. Greg has decided to put the ridge beam in from the inside-doesn't want to open the roof with such lousy weather.

Off to bed soon,

Love Jane

Day 3

Thursday June 15, 2006

Hi, Very wet day. Pour is postponed due to the muddy drive. Greg is worried the truck would get stuck if we do it tomorrow. The basement forms are up, the greenhouse.....well, without the pressure, (we didn't kill ourselves, though I should say Mike didn't....I spent quite a few hours on the green house model trying to see if the West door would work). We came to the conclusion it would interfere too much with the drive, so it's going to be on the East side. So tomorrow we finish the forms and the guys start on the ridge beam...if the wood is ready. Posts are being milled for us. They plan to finish at 2:00! Great for us, so we can go to Calgary tomorrow, then return on Sunday so we'll be ready for whatever Monday morning.

Love, Jane

Work Day 4 Friday June 16, 2006 It's a beaming Day

Greg got the new beam in the east side. Slipped the boards in one at a time and then nailed after them together after he had notched the plywood gussets. It was a nasty job taking down the insulation (and mouse shit). Today was dry, thankfully, but the drive still muddy so we will do the pour Mon a.m. Michael finished the greenhouse forms. The guys have left, so we just have to get the cedar ceiling wood up to the studio and then off to Calgary. Shopping for supplies tomorrow. Our basement will be a little shorter than I had thought. Clint, you'll have to duck. oh well. The rest of us should just fit.