Updates...infamous garage service door, peace in power and progress towards "getting under roof"

Story #1:
So, back when we were doing the concrete FB Bill had mentioned in passing he was surprised we didn't have a garage service door to the exterior. We didn't think much of it, as our plans had passed permitting. However, being the worrier that I am, I decided to research code and ordinances and low and behold found this little gem...Life Safety Review: Means of Egress -Garage; specify service door size and location....
So, I reached out to my helpful buddy at county (oh yes, he didn't realize he hadn't heard the last from me) to confirm what I was seeing, only to find out that he now could hold our permit as an example to his staff of an item they missed. Yay (said sarcastically)! Really though, better to find out now and frame appropriately for it, vs find out at the framing inspection and have to tear out to put it in. It doesn't look so bad where we put it anyway. And there are more expensive problems that we could have than an extra door.

Story #2:
After passing our electric service inspection, Comed also came out to inspect and then placed the work order/ticket for the hook ups. I was told it could take up to 14 days. Last Friday (7 days) the hooks up were done and this weekend the peacefulness of The Triple V was restored. No more generators. Everyone is happy; us, the carpenters, the neighbors, the deer.

Story #3:
Has anyone noticed all the rain? Ok, I guess that was a silly question.
Well,  it is not helping. The guys are down to 2-3 day work weeks. But as frustrating as it is for us, I am sure it is for them too. To give credit, the walls on the second floor ARE going up and the new plan is to have the measurements done on Wednesday for the trusses to be built. I'm told that will take a week and then we can get them in and sheathed. Perhaps we will be under roof in a couple more weeks!  In the meantime, the roofer asked for our decision so he can place the order tomorrow, before prices (possibly) go up. We'll be going with Certainteed Landmark Pro in Georgetown Gray. I know, roof shingles/colors are not that exciting, but a decision is a decision afterall.

Backyard

House Progress

Front view with garage walls up and 2nd floor iJoists in

Rear view, the cantilevered joists for the master bedroom balcony can be seen

Looking from Great room, across dining into Kitchen.  The mudroom, etc are past the wall before the exit door

Side view with mudroom entry door and infamous Garage Service Door

Standing on the second floor deck in the Master bedroom,

 Looking toward the outbuilding

OB Progress

We have made great progress on the OB (outbuilding) the last 2 weekends.

The Beast has arrived

Inspection #4-Service (Fail/Pass)

 Step 1-more trenching





















Step 2-more trenching, bigger machine.
Step 3-don't drive over trench you just dug.
Step 4-call tow

Step 5-electrician comes to put in panels and meter boxes




















Step 6-purchase electric cable and phone line, lay in trench
Step 7-call for inspection
Step 8-fail inspection
Step 9-electrician calls inspector, electrician calls me, i call inspector...
Step 10-inspection passes. Ta-Da!

Going vertical

The 2 front walls

Side view (no garage walls)

My future home office

Front view

Framing the garage walls

1st Deck, Rain rain stay away...& A porta potty story

Finally Pali got to visit her future home. We hadn't brought her out before because it had been so messy and really it was just a fluke that she got to come Friday, as we wanted to check out the progress before taking her to Grandma & Grandpas for her sleepover.
We let go of the leash and she didn't take off. I am sure it will be a different story when we are living there and all the critters come back once construction is complete. This princess is quite the hunter.

 So, the first deck is on and Mike, The Carpenter, was apparently also out at the site on Saturday drawing on the layout so that his crew can begin framing the walls first thing Monday morning.
He's keeping the site safe, as you can see the temporary railing over the stairwell in the garage, and he also had boards nailed over the house stairwell.


Here we are starting the outbuilding. As I had previously mentioned we will be doing all the framing ourselves. It rained pretty hard first thing this morning, but then by some miracle stayed away for rest of the work day.





We called in some favors...Grandma and Grandpa watched the kiddos for a couple hours so I could assist. And then our buddy "Gump" was called to take my place during naptime (for the kids, not for me).  We are thinking he might end up living in this outbuilding...or in our basement. He sure has put in a lot of work on our property!

By the end of the day, 3 wall sections were up

Boys love tools (ok, ok, I admit I love tools too!)

Now, for a quick story. As you know, our kids are out at the site pretty often. So, Liam has become quite the fan of the porta potty. It's almost like he holds it til we get out there. Anyway, he also knows that after going you are supposed to wash your hands. So, the other day he was proud to tell me that he already washed his hands. When I questioned with what, he told me the soap in the porta potty. (you can see where this is going right?) So I asked him to show me and we then had to immediately head home to wash again. And Liam learned something new that day...a urinal cake is NOT soap.

Beautiful iJoists

Back Fill, Steel & Lumber

Mr. G (our excavator) was able to get most of the back-filling done before last weekend. The rainy weather actually helped it all settle and he came in over the first couple days this week to finish the job and put in the pea gravel as well.  And yes, I know there is a little person in the picture sticking out of the mound of pea gravel. I assure you we didn't leave him there.

Today we got our basement steel beams.

Our carpenter is ready to go. Let me introduce him, so going forward you have a frame of reference (pun intended). He refers to himself, every time he calls, as "Mike, The Carpenter". So that is how I will refer to him as well!

The first load of lumber was delivered. The framers should be starting tomorrow!