The days are getting shorter and the probability of rain increases every day.

We continue to address the details required to be completely weather tight.

And, no quotes on the door hardware today.

Addressing Details

The installation of our Kitchen door was almost completed today.  It was roughed in with shims but hasn’t been sealed to be weather tight yet.  That should be relatively easy.

Also, we’re drilling holes in the gable ends (rakes) and verifying that the electrical chases in the center of the SIP roof are completely clear.  Bryan picked up a couple 20 ft 1/2-inch irrigation pipes to thread through each of the chases.  There are a couple areas where additional work may be required.  After the chases are clear in the rakes, we can install the zinc fascia, which is required before putting on the yellow cedar shakes.

Verifying the chases are clear is important as, once the zinc fascia is installed, the chases will only be accessible by cutting through the OSB (Oriented Strand Board) skins on the ceiling.

After the chases on the gable roofs are completed, the chases in the upper flat roof and lower flat roof must be verified.

Addressing the details now will yield a return when putting in the electrical.  Also, the chases will be important in future years when needs may change.

Taking More Construction Waste to Guadalupe Land Fill

Al and Nep had another load of construction waste, which they loaded in our truck.  This is the packaging waste from the windows, which could not be recycled.  Also, they are accumulating the recyclable construction waste, which is primarily wood scraps and mixed metal scraps. 

The bulky packaging waste must be cleared before the rain showers come on Friday and scattered through next week.

As always, Bryan takes a photo of the scale weight when entering the landfill and when leaving, so we can accurately track and document the amount of construction waste we are generating.

Arriving on the inbound scale ...

5,460 lbs, including truck and construction waste.

Leaving weight is 5,280 lbs with just the truck, so we had 180 lbs of construction waste in this load.

Bryan returned from Edmonton last night and scrambled today in order to prepare for the rains forecasted through the weekend.

While Bryan was in Edmonton, Al and Nep completed putting the Deck Armor on the gable roofs and even managed to put Grace Ultra (butyl) under the Deck Armor before re-attaching the solar mounts.  This will ensure that the roof deck is completely watertight.

Taking 160 lbs of Construction Waste to Guadalupe Land Fill

Bryan took another load of construction waste to Guadalupe land fill.  This load was packaging materials that could not be recycled.  The weight in was 5,300 lbs and the weight out was 5,140 lbs; net for this load was 160 lbs.

Our Shakes Arrived from British Columbia!

The yellow cedar shakes that we purchased from BCF Shake Mill on Vancouver Island arrived at White Cap Construction Supply today.  Bryan took a truck load of shakes to the job site today and the other two pallets will be delivered on Monday.

We plan to store shakes in the Garage and need to use an oil preserve on each shake (front and back) to increase their useful life.  Durability is important …

Before going to White Cap, Bryan stopped by Top Gun Industrial Finishing to get the final sill pan that was painted for us.  Bryan couldn’t take this large piece on Monday.  Also, he picked up more stainless steel fasteners from Lord & Sons.  These items will allow the team from Earth Bound Homes to complete our window and door installation.

Meeting with Carole Murray

Bryan showed Nathan Merrill, from American Ornamental Iron, the newly painted sill pans.  Nathan was interested in the Kynar paint.  During their discussion, Nathan reminded Bryan that the door design cannot be completed without selecting the door hardware.  The hardware includes the door handles (interior and exterior) and the lockset.  Bryan asked Nathan where we should go.  Nathan replied, ‘Carole Murray.’

We were fortunate to catch Carole in her showroom and Bryan spent 20 minutes with her outlining the design for the front door.  Carole recommended that we review the door handles and locksets made by FSB, which she distributes.

As well, Carole was adamant that the front door be as tall as possible, and not the 6 ft 8 inch height of the original door.  She believes that the front door should make a statement, and that it should not be modest.  Bryan explained that the door can only be 36 inches wide, so having an 8 ft tall door could appear to be too skinny.  Carole responded matter of factly, ‘Doors are like women.  They can’t be too tall or too skinny.’

Bryan then consulted with Nathan for his thoughts on the door height.  Nathan considered the light and other matters, and said that he would think about it over the weekend.

We mocked up the change using an image from ArchiCAD.  What do you think?

Rendering of front of house, with the door height at 6 ft 8 inches.

Rendering of full height door. The door could be wider by making the net door opening to be 36 inches. The hardwood floor, inside the house and across the bridge, will be exactly 36 inches wide.

Newly painted custom sill pan, in the Master Bedroom where a casement window will be located. Note the radiant barrier on the exterior of the house, where the rainscreen will be.

On the roof, reviewing the Deck Armor that Al and Nep installed over the last two days.

Al and Nep are cutting the fiber cement trim boards, from Certainteed, to fit. These trim boards will be the finished surface around all of the clerestory windows.

The South side of the North gable shows the Deck Armor, which is now under the solar mounts. Note the layers of Deck Armor with Grace Ultra at the top.

Al and Nep put a piece of Grace Ultra, which is made with butyl, where the solar mounts are located. This will provide waterproofing and withstand high heat from the solar mounts.

Solar mount in same location, on top of the Deck Armor, which is over the piece of Grace ultra.

On the scales at Guadalupe Land Fill. Note the line of trucks with construction waste.

Fully loaded, we weighted in at 5,300 lbs ...

And weighted out at 5,160 lbs, for a net of 140 lbs of construction waste that is not recyclable.

At White Cap Construction Supply, to see the shakes that had just arrived and to review and order fasteners.

There are two large pallets and one small pallet in our order. The two large pallets will be delivered on Monday and Bryan could take the small pallet, shown in the photo, to our job site in the truck.

The small pallet was in two pieces. Trish, operating the fork lift, had loaded the large pallet and moved the smaller pallet for Bryan to load by hand.

Fully loaded truck! The sill pan is on the top rack and the shakes and caps are in the box. A very full load (especially for the drive back to the job site on Interstate 880).

The shakes and ridge caps are staged in the garage, where they will stay dry until they are prepared with an oil finish.

Nep put the first coat of paint on each of the exposed sides of each fiber cement trim. Also, all cut edge were painted with the combination primer and paint. The second coat will be applied after the trim pieces are nailed in place.

PG&E finally had their contracting firm install the new concrete vault for the underground electric service.  This has been a nasty thorn in our side that, with the rains yesterday, has finally been addressed.

During the day, Bryan took a load of construction waste to Guadalupe landfill, then took our first load of various metals for recycling, picked up and delivered the custom drip caps and window sills for painting, and had an interesting conversation with the contract inspector with PG&E, Ron Childs.

Taking Our Construction Waste to Guadupe Landfill

Guadalupe Landfill charges for construction waste based on volume, and charges $30.65 per cubic yard (plus tax and other charges).  Bryan took 1.3 yards of waste to the landfill and was charged $50.29 today. 

Under the LEED for Homes program, Materials and Resources (MR 3.2), provides 3 points for reducing the amount of construction waste created or provides 3 points for diverting waste from landfills or incinerators.

We plan to (1) reduce the construction waste created at our job site, and then of the construction waste that we do create, (2) increase the rate of diversion from landfill sites.

To reduce the construction waste at the job site, we had most of our house built offsite and focused mainly on ‘assembly’ at the job site.  For example, we utilized hollow core concrete panels for the floor system between the existing ground floor and the lower level, and used SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) for the roof assembly.  Any framing done at the job site utilized material efficient framing.

Of the waste that we did create, we have been segregating the waste by component so it can be recycled efficiently and easily.  For example, we segregate the clean lumber from general waste, the recyclable packaging materials from non-recyclable materials, and segregated all metals for recycling.  Any waste from the onsite workers is segregated into recyclable and non-recyclable (recyclable includes clean paper and beverage containers).

Essentially, the only construction wastes that we are creating that cannot be diverted from landfill sites are the non-recyclable packaging materials.  These non-recyclable packaging materials include the containers from caulking and construction adhesives, and mixed spray foam and cardboard from the sliding glass doors and windows that were manufactured in Los Angeles. 

Under MR 3.2, we must record and document the construction wastes that we are creating by weight, not volume.  Consequently, we need to know the weight of our truck when we enter a landfill or recycling facility and the weight when we leave the facility.

Bryan explained the need to document the vehicle weights to both the recycling and landfill operators so they let him take pictures of the scales and the vehicle weights.

Construction Waste and Diversion Rates

The table in MR 3.2 shows that for our project, the industry would create 4.0 lbs per sq ft of conditioned space, of which 100% would go to landfill sites.  To obtain the maximum number of points under MR 3.2, we need to create 0.5 lbs per sq ft of conditioned space or divert 88% of the waste from landfill sites.

At 4,730 conditioned square feet, we can create 2,340 lbs of construction waste. 

Alternatively, we must divert 88% of tthe construction waste from from landfill sites.  So if we generate the baseline amount of construction waste (18,920 lbs) then we must divert 88% of that and only the remainder of 2,460 lbs can go to landfill. 

Regardless, we get 3 points for only sending 2,340 to 2,460 lbs of construction waste to landfill or incineration.

We will generate very little construction waste that cannot be diverted from landfill sites.

Full truck on scales at Guadalupe landfill, weighing in at 5,140 lbs.

Leaving Guadalupe landfill at 5,060 lbs for a net delivery of 80 lbs of construction waste going into the Guadalupe landifll site.

Recycling containers at the Recyle Specialists in San Jose.

Scale at the Recycle Specialists in San Jose.

Full weight of truck and scrap metal of 5,240 lbs.

Mixed scrap metal from our job site ready for recycling.

Empty vehicle weight of 5,070 lbs, so we delivered 170 lbs of mixed metals for recycling.

Contract crew with underground concrete vault ready to install.

Cutting the concrete vault for the conduit.

Compacting the dirt around the underground concrete vault ...

Cover for underground concrete vault, now in place. Done!

We completed several tasks on our critical path to completing our SIP roof today.  An important task was to have all of the beams on site so they could be graded.  Having our beams is critical so the structural framing can be completed on the ground floor so we can move the SIPs onto the roof with the crane on Wednesday.

Picking Up Our Reclaimed Beams After Milling in Watsonville

Dave Merchant, from Out of the Woods, loaded the three beams that we milled to size on Tuesday at his site in Bonny Doon.  Dave met Bryan in Watsonville at Jackel Enterprises, where we loaded the remainder of the beams that were being milled.  From there, Bryan followed Dave up Highway #1 and over the hill to our project site.  There, our framing crew unloaded the beams by hand and staged them for grading.

Charlie Jourdain, from Redwood Inspection Service in Pleasant Hill, arrived on our site as planned and the beams were ready for him.  Charlie examined and graded each beam, then stamped the end of each beam.  He will be sending us a certificate stating the grade of each beam.  Note that Redwood Inspection Service is a division of California Redwood Association, of which Charlie is the President.

Loading our recently milled reclaimed Douglas Fir beams in Watsonville. The beams on the truck were milled by Dave Merchant in Bonny Doon.

Bryan followed Dave's truck back from Watsonville. Dave is going up Winchester Boulevard with our reclaimed beams.

Dave backed the trailer into our site so it could be unloaded quickly and easily.

Charlie Jourdain, President of California Redwood Association, came to our job site and graded our reclaimed beams. Charlie is measuring the grain of the wood as the grain runs diagonally in this beam.

Charlie measured and graded all of our beams on site, which were just delivered a few hours ago.

Making Insulated Headers

On the West side of our house we have two bathrooms.  The beams that support the SIP roof at the front and back of the house extend through the building.  However, we have two bathrooms on the West side and, even with exhaust fans, these bathrooms will have a high moisture content.

To provide greater protection from condensation, our durability plan requires insulated headers to keep keep the surfaces of the exposed beams warmer and prevent condensation from occuring. 

From two of the reclaimed Douglas Fir beams, we had Jackel Enterprises cut two 1-3/4 inch wide planks.  Using these planks, we sandwiched 2 inches of rigid R-10 insulation.  Thus, we end up with an insulated header that is 5-1/2 inches wide and over 19 ft long.  This insulated header will be over the windows in the two bathrooms.

Similarly, we require a small insulated header on the East side of the house, above the exterior Kitchen door.

Francisco makes the insulated headers by sandwiching 2 inches of rigid insulation between two planks, cut from our reclaimed Douglas Fir beams.

Completed insulated header. The two pieces of reclaimed Douglas Fir are held together by a number of 4-1/2 inch galvanized Simpson Strong Tie SDS screws, countersunk into the planks.

Moving the Temporary Steel Beams

The temporary steel beams supporting the existing East and West walls of our house were moved clear of the structure today.  Several inches of the concrete haunches were removed so the existing walls are now free and clear, and are entirely supported by the house once again.

We’re ready to remove the temporary steel beams from the site on Wednesday, February 24.

Reducing Construction Waste

Renovation and construction projects can generate a tremendous amount of waste that goes to landfill sites.  According to the LEED for Homes Reference Guide, ‘Construction and demolition wastes constitute about 40% of the total solid waste stream in the United States.’  For our project, we are targeting to create as little construction waste as possible.  When our Green Rater, Darrel Kelly, came to our project site on Tuesday, February 16, he was surprised, and delighted, to see how little waste we were generating as we were using three 35 gallon garbage bins to hold our framing debris.

Earth Bound Homes delivered a trailer to our job site today that will be used for all the framing debris.  All the framing waste on our job site was dumped into the trailer as it will be taken for recycling.  We will obtain tags on the debris removed with the trailer.

This is the trailer from Earth Bound Homes, which contains all of our framing debris to date. Note that a number of the pieces in trailer are reclaimed wood, which would otherwise be landfill. This debris will be taken for recycling, not landfill. Reduce, reuse and recycle (redirect).

Overview and Inspection of Progress this Week

Given the days are longer now, Jo-Anne was able to drop by the job site at the end of the day today to inspect our progress. 

Our first major shear wall is in place in Kate’s bedroom (formerly the Master Bedroom).  Having the shear wall in place prior to Jo-Anne’s inspection showed significant progress. 

In line with that shear wall is another shear wall adjacent to the Atrium.  Scott Andersen, who did the conceptual design of the remodel, specified during his most recent job site progress review that we include recessed art niches in the wall behind the glass bridge to the Master Suite.  Three recessed art niches were framed in today and the plywood will be nailed in place next week.

Jo-Anne walked the property and was smiling as she was pleased with our progress this week.

Completed SIP walls on either side of our doorway at the front of the house.

Same view of the foyer, taken on September 29, 2008 when the roof was being deconstructed. Note the diagonal brace on the temporary site fence through the door - it is the same diagonal brace in the photo above. Way cool.

Three art niches that are framed in the shear wall behind the glass bridge facing the Atrium.

Example of recessed art niches (not in a contemporary style house).

Example of recessed art niches on a large exposed wall.

Plywood 2x6 shear wall between the Living Room and Kate's Bedroom.

Jo-Anne, standing in Kate's Bedroom, smiles as she walks the property inspecting our progress this week.

Our flag is flying and our Insulspan sign is posted. The site is buttoned up, ready for the rain that is forecasted through the weekend.