Stucco guys begin their prep work - 30 June 2009

I was expecting the exterior walls to be sprayed with insulation, but that has been delayed a couple of days. However, the stucco guys have begun prepping exterior surfaces. The mess level is again quite high. The heat has finally caused some late afternoon thunderstorms so ther are puddles in the driveway and around the house. These dry fairy quickly. The poor guys working here are dealing with heat indexes between 105-110 deg F!

Insulation starts. We test some colors - 28 June 2009

After my shift at NAVOCEANO we drove to the house and picked up some scrap hardiboard to test a paint color combination. When we got there we found that the insulation installation process has started. Only interior walls have been batted. The exterior walls will have some foam sprayed first and then the batts. The sheet rock guy is ready to go right afterward. The solar installers were able to get in and do their rough-in just in time.

Well, then...One hole in the ground - 25 June 2009

Since I am working this weekend I have this Thursday and next Thursday off. Ellen and I met with Joe at 10:00 am and it was already blistering hot. Wednesday's Time-Picayune said it got to 104 deg F in Audabon Park in New Orleans. The heat index for Slidell this day is estimated at 105.

The well drillers came today. They drill to about 400 feet. This will be our water supply since we are not connected to municipal services. The septic tank will be on the south side.

The HardiBoard installers also came and are putting this siding on the dining area, the main bathroom and the second bedroom. The rest of the outside will be stucco. We need to decide on colors very soon.

Later on we visited our consulting architect Vaughan at his office and then went into New Orleans to finalize details on solar panel installation and then a visit to New Orleans Bamboo.

New Orleans Bamboo has some walls with American Clay, some Earthweave carpets, and other eco-friendly products. We will visit again.

Rough-ins done; ready for inspections - 20 June 2009

Ellen was in charge while I was gone for the week in Washington, DC on Navy Reserve duty. We took a tour of the house this morning. The roof is complete. The electrical and plumbing rough-ins are done and now we wait for the building inspectors. Next up will be installing insulation and hanging sheet-rock. Some debris has been removed. Joe will have the ground graded around the foundation. Financing of the solar system should work-out so long as that loan has no lien on the house. The radiant barrier has made a noticeable difference and there are some good breezes.

Ellen is Back; Electrician is Busy - 11 June 2009

Ellen is back from her two weeks in Washington and California :-) SHe quickly got back in the swing of things talking withe the flooring folks, cabinet folks, countertop folks, plumbing fixture folks, and appliance retailers. Meanwhile, David the Electrician has made great progress wiring the house for alarms, tv, phone, electrical outlets, etc. Sheetrock has now arrived and will be installed soon. Joe, our builder, says the sheet rock installation will be boring. Time to take a trip! A radiant barrier has also been installed as an underlayment to the roof shingles.  Still waiting on a good quote on insulation. The construction debris should be removed by Friday.

Focus on the Roof, Shingles and Solar - 04 June 2009

This Thursday's visit meeting we had my builder Joe, my consulting architect Vaughan, and his intern, Tony in attendance. later on the South Coast Solar reps came by to make measurements and advise on installation options. In the meantime the roofing shingles were being installed. This is hot work! Max temperatures are ~90 Fahrenheit. Luckily the humidity is still reasonable. This will probably be the last good weekend before it gets hot and humid. 

The electrician is beginning his work, the plumber is moving along. Ellen needs to make choices on bathroom fixtures, etc. We also got an estimate from the American Clay installers, Old World Finishes, in Baton Rouge. Hopefully our budget will allow this great product.