Bryan returned to Bonny Doon and picked up the beams that he wasn’t able to deliver yesterday.  We need to have the beams milled and on site at Via Sereno for grading on Friday, February 19.  Then, the beams can be installed and we will be able to put the SIP roof on.

We’re looking forward to being weather tight after the winter rains have passed.

Site Visits by Jerry Ditto and Howard Bell

After returning to the job site, Jerry Ditto dropped by to review our progress and to discuss how to finish the exposed exterior beams that continue inside the house. 

While Jerry was on site, Howard Bell (Building Official from the City of Monte Sereno), came to review our framing.  We requested that Howard review the framing so we can anticipate any issues as we are framing the house.  Howard looked at the framing on the ground floor and lower level, and identified the following issues to address:

• The code requires ‘fire blocking’ every 10 linear feet behind framed walls, to prevent fires from spreading behind walls between rooms.
• The same fire blocking is required in soffits, to prevent fires from using soffits to spread between rooms.
• All electrical and plumbing penetrations need to be caulked with fireproof caulking to prevent fires from spreading.

As he was leaving the site, Howard noted that the drag straps that will connect our beams and the tops of the shear walls will be covered by our roof SIPs.  This may be an appropriate time for Shane Lothrop (Innovative Structural Engineering), our Engineer of Record, to visit our site and review our progress. 

Dave Merchant (Out of the Woods) has designated the two stacks of Madrone that are air-drying for our project. This wood will be going into Dave

Loading two more beams for delivery to Watsonville.

Jackel Enterprises has several buildings in Watsonville.

There are four more reclaimed Douglas Fir beams that Jackel Enterprises will be milling for our project. The beams on the right are ours, too.

While in the warehouse, Bryan had our original beams moved so he could take a full inventory of them and measure the dimensions of each beam.

Back at our job site, our framing continues. Note the FSC stamps.

Before pouring more concrete, we need to do the following:

• Frame three bearing walls below the W14x43 steel I-beams
• Install the bridges and stairs
• Cut 1-1/2 inches off the hollow core concrete panels by the stairs
• Establish the manifold locations for the radiant heating/cooling and, if required, run supply lines from the heat exchange unit to the manifolds
• Understand and design how we are going to insulate the slab from the exterior

Yeah, lots to do.

Engaging Robert Dills to Frame the Bearing Walls

Bryan had spent quite a bit of time with Robert, checking on his project sites and doing other due diligence.  Robert was interested in working on our project and did excellent work.  Geographically, he is located in Marin and it is fair hike to Monte Sereno.

Robert arrived with his crew in the morning and started framing.  He hadn’t used Simpson Titen Heavy Duty Screw Anchors before and was interesting in trying them.  Our structural engineers, Innovative Structural Engineering, specified these bolts as an alternative to drilling and epoxying bolts in place.  The TIten HDs were cool.

Robert arrives with materials and his crew.

Titen HD screws.

Titen HD screws.

Framing the wall under the W14x43 I-beam.

FSC certified 2x6s and 2x4s for the walls.

Framed bearing wall under the W14x43 I-beam.

Framed bearing wall by the lower Powder Room.