Building with SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) is very different from conventional ’stick frame’ construction. We engaged Dave Edwards’ team at Earth Bound Homes to install our SIPs, which we bought from Insulspan.

Assembling the SIP Roof

Our entire roof is made of 12-1/4 inch SIPs from Insulspan. Today, Bryan watched the team from Earth Bound Homes assemble the roof over the Garage.

We used a crane to place the panels for the west side of the house on the structural framing last week. This roof area was completed and the team moved the SIPs up and onto the Garage by hand. Today, they started assembling the SIP roof over the Garage.

As with framing, you can ’see’ significant progress when assembling a structure with SIPs. It was satisfying to (finally!) start seeing dramatic progress as the roof was assembled.

Hosting Vistors

We were pleased to host Wido Menhardt’s visit today. His flight to India was delayed by several days so he was able to come to the job site today.  Now, Wido claims to be on ‘India time’.

Also, Dave Cullinane dropped by to review our progress. Dave, who lives just around the corner from us, has attended several of our open house events (e.g., our ‘Open Hole (vs. Open House) event on January 31, 2009).

Celebratikng Nik’s 11th Birthday

11 years old. How did that happen?

We updated the ‘About‘ section of our blog for Nik’s age. Time is marching by!

Today, Jo-Anne didn’t have to remind Bryan to focus on the house and get it completed.

Dave Edwards (foreground) reviewing progress on the Garage roof.

SIPs staged for the Garage roof.

Cutting a SIP to reflect some design tweaks. The team from Earth Bound Homes made some minor changes (enhancements) easily and quickly with our SIPs.

Assembling the third row of SIPs on the East side of the Garage roof.

Wido Menhardt arrives at our job site! Note the casual attiire, complete with sandals.

After receiving the shop drawings for the hollow core concrete panels from John Minton, Bryan marked the locations where we can drill through the hollow core to anchor a wooden post that will support a ridge beam. One of the posts is in the Foyer, which is above the Wine Dining (with a dropped ceiling).

No sooner did Dave Cullinane arrive at our job site than he started receiving calls. (Dave's attire is somewhat more formal than Wido's attire.)

Dave walked the property and approved of our progress to date. He wanted to know when the 'Come SIP with Us' event will be held.

Singing Happy Birthday to Nikolas, who turned 11 today.

Nik likes his new clock (can you solve the equations that tell the time?).

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It was impossible to get up to Whistler in a rental car so Paul and Bryan went to see the Olympic snowboarding at Cypress Mountain.  Unfortunately, it started raining heavily so they left.  On his way out of Vancouver, Bryan took the opportunity to visit the Insulspan manufacturing facility in Delta.  Then, he enjoyed full tour and a fantastic meal at the Wise house on Bainbridge Island.

Seeing the Olympic Women’s Snowboarding

Although it was pleasant when Paul Marcaccio and Bryan left Vancouver, it was pouring rain at their arrival at Cypress Mountain.  After watching the final four snowboarders, they decided to leave the event. 

Weather 1, Spectators 0.

Touring Insulspan’s Manufacturing Facility

After returning from Cypress Mountain, Bryan left the Westin Bayshore and drove south in the rental car.  On the way, Dave Stevenson offered him a tour of Insulspan’s manufacturing facility in Delta, BC.  The facility is adjacent to Highway 91, so it was directly on the way to the Canada-U.S. border.

Dave took Bryan through the plant and showed him how they manufacture their SIPs (structural insulated panels).  All of the manufacturing waste is recycled, which is one of the reasons why SIPs are considered ‘green’ (vs the tremendous amount of construction waste that is generated through typical on-site construction activities.

Bryan even saw the exact location where our SIPs were stored after being manufactured in October.  Bill Edwards of Insulspan took photos of our SIPs on Thursday, November 5, 2009.  Our SIPs were loaded on three trucks at the manufacturing facility on Friday, November 27, 2009 and arrived at our job site on Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

We’re looking forward to hosting our second Collaborative Informational Session where Dave Stevenson can be at our project site and show others in the Bay Area how to build with SIPs.

Touring Two Homes on Bainbridge Island

Although Bryan went to Vancouver to see the 2010 Olympics on this trip, the primary focus was to see two homes on Bainbridge Island.  How these two homes were built is an interesting story.

First, the owners of the property, the Wise family, lived in the existing house while they built their guest house.  They moved into the guest house when it was completed so they could construct the main house.  This is where it gets interesting.

Rather that demolish (bad) or deconstruct (better), they chose to move the house to another location on Bainbridge Island (best).  That sounds reasonable, right?  Except they moved the house with a boat (amazing!).

The Do It Yourself Network filmed a full segment over the month that it took to move the house to its new location on Bainbridge Island.  The segment is currently being aired several times in March 2010.  You can see it under ‘Massive Moves - Floating House‘ on the Do It Yourself Network (episode DMSM-103).

Bob and Lisa Wise took Bryan on a full tour of both homes and then everyone enjoyed a fabulous dinner.

The tour of these two homes was inspiring!

View of Vancouver, including Lion's Gate Bridge and the downtown waterfront. The weather was looking ok.

Once at Cypress Mountain, we had to go through security screening. It was easy, fast and efficient.

Watching the semi-finals of the Ladies Snowboarding at the 2010 Olympics at Cypress Mountain.

On the way down, we saw the site of the aerials.

Arriving at the Insulspan manufacturing facility in Delta, Canada.

Dave Stevenson in his office, scheduling his presentation for the second Collaborative Informational Session at our project site.

Manufacting a SIP starts with huge sheets of OSB (Oriented Strand Board).

All waste in the plant is recycled and reused. A completed SIP is on the left and the white foam cuttings are being collected.

Warehousing of completed SIPs, manufactured to the specific requirements for each job.

The SIPs for our project were stored at this location (by the yellow posts) after they were manufactured in October. The green objects are styrofoam blanks, which get 'sandwiched' between the two sheets of OSB.

Bryan, Lisa and Bob, about to start the tour (cheers!). Photo by Alison Wise.

The finish detail was exceptional. You can see the vertical grain Douglas Fir cabinets and detailed reveals.

Central vacuum sweeping location in foyer. Several friends, including the Wise family, thoroughly endorse sweeping vents that are connected to the central vacuum system.

Another sweeping location under the island in the kitchen. Note the dual dishwashers.

For the first time, we could ’see’ our Master Suite.  It looks great!

Moving the SIPs

When our SIPs arrived on December 2, 2009, we placed the SIPs around our project site so we could proceed most expeditiously.  Now, with the framing almost complete, we needed to move the SIPs that were stored in the Master Suite.

Until today, the Master Suite was full of SIPs.  Moving the SIPs to the middle of the Living Room allowed us to see the Master Suite for the first time.  Also, the team from Earth Bound Homes put the 6×10 beams into the Foyer and Master Suite so the SIP wall at the front of the house was plumb.

Our Beams Arrive from Idaho

We are using reclaimed Douglas Fir beams throughout the house in most locations where beams are exposed, and we have six engineered beams.  There are four exposed beams that we sourced from ‘dead standing’ trees.  All other beams and wood in the house is FSC-certified.  

The four key exposed beams are:

1. 40 ft long 8×12, which will extend from the Garage through the Cabinet Wall, to the Dining Room and cantilever out 5 ft over the back of the house
2. 26 ft long 4×14, which will be non-structural and cover the Paralam beam supporting the mid-level SIP over the sliding glass door at the back of the Living Room
3. 18 ft long 6×10 header over the Garage door, which is Select Structural
4. 25 ft long 6×10 drop beam that is over the header in the Garage, which is also Select Structural

The four beams noted above were bought through Craftmark, Inc., which is located in McMinnville, OR.  Craftmark sourced the beams from Specialty Beams, located in Noxon, ID.  

 We’re ready for the crane tomorrow.

The Living Room has space available, so we can move the SIPs from the Master Suite (under the silver tarps) through to the Living Room.

Dave Edwards' team from Earth Bound Homes worked with Bryan and moved the SIPs across the bridges into the Living Room, so we could work on the Master Suite. The SIPs are under the silver tarps.

With the SIPs moved, we can 'see' the Master Suite for the first time. It looks great!

The first of two exposed 6x10 beams in place, which separates the Master Study from the Master Bedroom in the Master Suite.

Our four beams arrived on a truck, direct from Noxon, Montana. The longest beam is 40 ft long. Way cool.

We opened the packaging to see the end of the beam. It looked good as it was FOHC (Free of Heart Center). This beam was cut from a 'standing dead' Douglas Fir tree in Northern Idaho and milled by Specialty Beams in Noxon, Idaho.

The Master Suite was covered with tarps for the evening. We are sistering two 6x10 beams together in the Master Suite, as shown in this photo. There are two windows, in identical locations as in the original house.