Darryl returned to Calgary today. He had arrived from Canada on Friday, September 9 and had visited the job site.
We were pleased to host Uncle D’s visit and were very sad to say goodbye …
Darryl and Kate ...
Nik and Darryl, with the fixed gear bike that Darryl helped Nik to assemble.
It was a full day today.
Al continued working on the roof, trying to stay in front of the forecasted rains for tomorrow (100% probability). Bryan met with the City of Monte Sereno to review our preliminary lighting control plans, John Rider dropped by to see how the project is developing, Bryan and John met with Nathan Merrill to review the progress on our red front door, and Shane Lothrop provided instructions on how we could make an opening in one of our shear walls.
And our daughter, Kate, was on the winning team for her first AA baseball game with Los Gatos Little League (Kate plays hardball).
During John Rider’s quick walk-through of our project, Nathan Merrill called Bryan and asked if he could move the scheduled time of 2:00 pm forward to noon for Bryan to to review the progress Nathan was making on our red front door. With John having to go back to his office, it was perfect! John followed Bryan in his truck to Nathan’s shop on Dell Avenue.
John Rider has worked on our project since July 2008. John is a LEED-accredited professional and is now accredited under the LEED for Homes program. John dropped by to say that he wants to complete the preliminary rating review on our project and finalize the plans so we can proceed. Darrel Kelly, our Green-rater under the LEED for homes program has been encouraging us to schedule another integrated project meeting to complete our preliminary rating. John is with Jrider + Design.
Bryan introduced John to Nathan Merrill, of American Ornamental Iron and then Nathan took us into his shop. Nathan had our door hanging from his shop forklift, so he could work on it.
Nathan explained that he is planning to have the door powder coated and asked Bryan to sign off on the colors for the frame and the door. Nathan has the original red front door in his shop and will take it to the powder coating firm so they can match the color.
John was impressed with the Valli & Valli hardware and Nathan showed John the details where he will not only be meeting the specifications and finish by Valli & Valli but exceeding them. For example, Nathan is ensuring that all the edges of the door have the same rounding radius (.0625 inch) and that the stainless steel recessed machine bolts are brushed as per the Valli & Valli finish. Detail is key …
The recent earthquake and resulting tsumani in Japan shocked us and underscored the importance of exceeding the local seismic requirements. Since our objective is to live in this house for the next 15 years, we don’t want to meet code requirements – we must exceed those requirements. We believe strongly that the San Francisco Bay Area will experience a 7.5 or greater earthquake in the next 15 years.
For our lighting control panels, Bryan reviewed locations in the house and then met with our Building Official at the City of Monte Sereno, Howard Bell, this morning to discuss our proposed locations. Howard reviewed the alternatives with Bryan and recommended that we make an opening in our shear wall in the upper laundry room to do so. If we go with that location then Howard requires us to review the opening with our Structural Engineer of Record, Shane Lothrop of Innovative Structural Engineering.
Shane reviewed the proposed location and then sent Bryan written instructions on where and how to make the opening. Those instructions included requirements on the opening so it will maintain the structural integrity of the shear wall.
Nathan Merrill (left) and John Rider discuss our red front door (hanging from the forks of the forklift).
The door, including sidelights. Nathan is fabricating the components around the door. Note that the piece at the bottom of the door is a brace that will be removed before it is installed.
The door opens in, using four Soss hinges (invisible hinges). Nathan explained that the door will need some cycles to get the hinges working smoothly (the door weighs 246 lbs).
Close up of the Valli & Valli hardware exterior hardware.
Close up of the electrified mortise lockset. The Valli & Valli logo on the inside door handle can be seen, just barely. Nathan's logo and the serial number will be on the top of the door.
Jig for making the wine racks. There is a left and right jig as we will require 76 of the individual supports to be manufactured.
The other half of the jig.
The first of some 24 vertical pieces in each of the three wine racks (left, center and right).
Alan holding the first component of the wine rack in the wine cellar. Note the clearance at the top of the rack, by the ceiling where the radiant cooling will be installed.
Shear wall by Upper Laundry Room. The framed area to the left is for one of three art niches; the stud bay to the right is where we would like the opening in the shear wall.
Shear wall from Upper Laundry Room, showing where we would like the opening for the lighting control system.
The electric cables for the lights in the ceiling will be run up these posts. We will drill through each post to bring the electricity to the exterior fixtures that will light the underside of the upper flat roof.
In order to bring the electric circuits from the West side to the East side, we will have to drill eight holes through this beam.
Our daughter, Kate Mekechuk, in her first AA game catching in the second inning. The Manager and coaching staff are by the fence, with a photographer behind them.
It was a good day … Nik hit a home run in his baseball game, Kate celebrated her 7th birthday with 15 friends, and it didn’t rain at our project site.
Way cool!
Happy 7th Birthday Kate!
Jo-Anne serving Birthday Kate!
The five-person team from Statewide Roofing returned today to continue installing our tapered insulation and white membrane over our flat roofs. The weather forecast for Sunday continues to include a 30% chance of rain. We’re focused.
We had to change the ‘About‘ page on our web site. Kate is now 7 years old (her party is on Sunday afternoon, which increases the probability of precipitation dramatically).
Tapered insulation over the mid level flat roof on the North side of the house, held in place with at least four (4) screws.
Tapered insulation on the East side of the house, covered with FR-10 slip sheet.
Tapered insulation under the Dining Room gable roof, where there is a step up to the mid-level flat root.
One of the 48 mounts for our solar photovoltaic system. There are three screws holding the single ply membrane in place. This penetration must be completely waterproof.
An 18 inch square piece of membrane is welded over the penetration, making a base that can be welded onto.
Making a 'cone' with a flat base that can be welded onto the base.
A roof of cones, ready to mount the frames to hold our solar photovoltaic panels.
Low VOC adhesive for attaching the membrane to the gable roof.
Using an automated hot air welding machine to weld the seams on the lower flat roof.
Our daughter, Kate, blowing out the candles on her 7th birthday cake (a chocolate Bundt Kate!).
Since her brother, Nik, worked with Bryan last Saturday, it was Kate’s turn to spend a day with Bryan.
Kate and Bryan started their chores by going to U-Save Nursery in San Jose to pick up a 1/2 cubic yard of 3/4-inch crushed rock. West Valley Sanitation specifies that the connection to the sanitary sewer have six (6) inches of 3/4-inch crushed rock above and below the connection.
After changing vehicles, Kate and Bryan went north up 101 and crossed over the Bay Bridge into Berkeley. They were going to Artisan Burlwood to review the work that was being done on the Redwood slab for our dining room table. Bryan had selected a particular slab, which is narrow at one end (34 inches) and gets wider at the other end (43 inches).
Our plan is to have a two-piece 13 foot long table in our Dining Room. The slab would be cut at approximately 9 feet, with the other piece (4 feet) being the 43-inch wide section. This piece would extend into the living room. Bryan plans on working with Scott Andersen and Darren Johnson to design a stainless steel base for the table. More on this to follow …
Upon inspection, the Redwood slab needed a bit more work, so Bryan will send Jim Parodi an e-mail.
Having completed the chores, Kate thoroughly enjoyed her long-awaited ice cream treat at Baskin Robbins back in Los Gatos.
1/2 cubic yard of 3/4-inch crushed rock.
About to dump the crushed rock into our pickup.
13 ft Redwood slab at Artisan Burlwood in Berkeley, California.
Kate likes the Redwood slab!
Yesterday, Bryan received permission from the City of Monte Sereno to remove the Hollywood Juniper from the back of the house. Essentially, a Hollywood Juniper is a bush, or shrub, and is not covered by the Significant Tree ordinance.
We like to be squeaky-clean when it comes to following the ordinances in the City of Monte Sereno.
10.15.030 Significant trees; definition.
Trees deemed significant for the purpose of this Chapter are those whose visual importance to the neighborhood is sufficient to justify special efforts to protect and preserve them and whose loss would be of irremediable adverse impact on the environment. Factors to be considered in determining the significance of trees are age, size, rarity and appearance. Notwithstanding the preceding, each of the following is declared to be a significant tree or trees:
A. Oaks or redwood trees having a circumference greater than twenty (20) inches measured at a height of four (4) feet above ground level.
B. Any tree having a circumference greater than twenty-five (25) inches measured at a height of four (4) feet above ground level.
C. Any three (3) or more trees proposed to be removed from any parcel of property within a twelve (12) month period
Nik and Bryan worked on removing the Hollywood Juniper and then they made three trips to Guadalupe Land Fill with the debris. Importantly, Guadalupe recycles and reuses garden waste so there was no land fill issues associated with the removal of the Hollywood Juniper.
Kate and Jo-Anne documented the event. Kate will have an opportunity to help Bryan next Saturday …
Bryan starting to cut the Hollywood Juniper.
Under Nik's directions, Bryan continues cutting the Hollywood Juniper.
Kate and Bryan resting after cutting down (most of) the Hollywood Juniper.
Nik cooling off in the trench and enjoying some cold water.
The Hollywood Juniper at Guadalupe Land Fill, ready for recycling.
The job site is relatively clean at the front of the property. This space will be needed to pur the dirt from our upcoming trenching activities.
The stump from the Canary Island Pine remains at the job site. We had planned to use the rented chain saw to cut the stump into pieces. It is too large so we will engage someone with a stump grinder to address this issue so we can start trenching at the front of the property.
