Sub Slab Plumbing

Ade and His Dad were able to complete the "sub slab" (translated into "below the basement floor") plumbing on Saturday and Sunday April 19th and 20th. Our Plumbing (and Mechanical) inspector for Grass Lake popped out Monday evening to inspect and we successfully passed our first plumbing inspection. Mom and Dad Chauvin and I were busy bees during this process, cleaning up all of the building junk that has been scattered around the house and on the property since December (not to mention all of the scap and other crap collecting inside of the house shell).

Pre-Sierra Leone Updates

We took some pictures the day before we left on our mission trip to Sierra Leone, but ran out of time to upload them to the blog. All of these shots are from Friday, March 28th. More to come now that we are back . . .

Looking Up in our New Home

Lots of the second floor roof framing/rafters have been set. You can see the framing for the three roof sunlights in the loft area as well as some window framing against the back shed dormer wall (back up against the OSB). We climbed up and around on the second floor, but it was chilly and I had not gotten the cameras out of the car yet, so more pictures from up top next go around.

Second Floor Shell

The second floor of our home has taken shape quite quickly over the past week and 2 days (since the ridge and valley beams and fireplace framing were set on 2/29). Here are some recent shots. The shed dormer and two gable dormers are also taking shape.

Dogs Inspect Digs!

Cody and Gretta had the chance to walk around in the house today. This is the first time they have been "inside" and been able to walk around in the various rooms. Its also the first time they have been able to walk out on the temporary plywood we have nailed to the deck framing for our builders to work off of. It is quite the wildlife perch for them.

Fireplace Framing

In order to set one of the perpendicular ridge beams, the fireplace framing needed to be set. It was kind of nerve wracking to see this huge box lifted up with the boom arm and nylon straps. We were "holding our breath" for a few minutes until it made its way to the first floor, was leveled and braced. Rick, one of the guys on the building crew must have drawn the short straw, as he had the "high wire" job on climbing up into the framing to help set the ridge beam on the fireplace "pocket" side as well as to release the nylon straps from their spot in, around and through the top of the box frame.

Roof Glulam Ridge and Valley Beams

Friday 2/29, we had Schaedler crane (based out of Toledo) dispatch a 15 ton boom arm truck from their Saline/Tecumseh yard to help us in setting the Douglas Fir Glulam's - 3 main ridge beams and 2 valley beams. They also raised the 26' of fireplace framing to it's resting place on the first floor so that the ridge beam perpendicular to the main could be set into a pocket built into it. The other end of this beam attaches with a heavy duty steel hanger plate with huge bolts (3/4" x 9") that we had fabricated at ALRO Metals Plus. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures of the valley beams being installed becuase the camera died, so next time we are out on the property, we will get pictures of them.