Sheathing, Rough Electric, Plumbing, Windows, Cabinets, and Loft - check (well, mostly check)

February was a busy month, and more progress than writing has taken place.  This is the month where I have to say it takes a village to raise a house.  I gotten a tremendous amount done, and learned new skills thanks to the gracious help of many friends and family members.  A big thanks to all my friends and family!

Finishing sheathing the house

My friend Max spent a couple of days pounding nails for me, while I rushed to close in the house.  We managed to put all the plywood up and Dad helped me wrap the house before the next rainstorm.  Whew.

Max pounding nails

Rough electric

My friend Bret Cooperrider, jack of all trades and master beer brewer, helped me put in my rough electrical work, with some stop in advice from Haille Paul, a friend and local electrician with a background in solar electric.  Haille and I will make the next steps after the roof is on and the electric storage area is complete.  Now I can close in walls and set up my front storage area for a solar system, as well as plug into an existing electrical system.   (I’ll be mudding and taping Bret’s kitchen and sanding his floors next week.)

 

Plumbing

This was a big learning experience, and took some thinking.  I should have set up my drains before I put in the subfloor, but as my friend Steve (the plumber) says… “you carpenters just like to build [things], just bang away and think the plumbing can just fit around it.”  Well, lesson learned, Steve.  I won’t just bang [things] together before putting in the plumbing next time.

I used copper piping because I don’t like drinking out of plastic.  As another friend pointed out, and I thought about as I did the (expensive) copper plumbing, it’s usually plastic piping in most systems, so whatever I plug into for my source…….  Next project, PEX it is.  NO soldering, and probably half to a third the cost.  Easy, too, or so I’ve been told.

Most of the plumbing is in this one wall.  Outside and inside shower manifolds.... and a set up for that tiny sink I'm going to find somewhere that will fit in the shower.
 

In the meantime, I have a great little plumbing system, and am all set up for water and gas (still need to set up the plumbing into the cabinets, and the on demand hot water heater). 

Windows & Cabinets

Got all of my windows in!!  Thanks to the ingenuity and hard work of my cousins, Jason and Shayne Frank, who came up for a work visit all the way from San Diego, my windows are in, and my cabinet frames for the kitchen are built!   

Jason is a professional cabinet maker, and Shayne builds houses as well as being an HVAC expert, and they are both all around highly competent builders.   I had about 4 different window styles, and 6 out of my 10 windows needed flanges attached to them.   It looks great, and it’s warmer inside already.

Jason and Shayne making a cool arched frame for my arched front window

Windows going in

Adding flanges to the arched casement window--- with a blowtorch and screws.

And it's in, after a bit of a struggle.  Looks nice, too.

My kitchen spans my wheel wells, so we had some complex notching to add to the cabinets, and I now have an idea of how to build the rest of my cabinets.

On top of that, Jason has taken some of my dad’s milled California bay and black walnut wood to his shop to build my cabinet doors, so I may head down there shortly and work in a real cabinet shop with amazing fancy tools.   Apparently, he has one saw that responds to verbal cues. 

My loft joists are in, but I haven't taken pictures yet.... so here's
a preview of the sanded beams

Loft joists

I have been trying to use low weight materials all along, but my loft rafters, I’m splurging.  I logged and milled some fir rounds with my dad on his property.  They are heavier than 2x4s, but I love how they look.  I even tried to be fancy and notched a log on the end to create an opening to climb up through.  Pictures later.

Insulation

I’m trying out some recycled denim insulation (treated with borates).  It seems to fit nicely into my house, and I’m liking working with a product that, once again, doesn’t make my skin crawl and itch.  I even get the occasional bit of jean poking out of the bats.   I did have blue snot afterwards, and will be using a mask for the rest of the installation.  Pictures to be posted next time.

A plug for small cars 

I wish I had a small truck for this project, but I'm making do with my Toyota Corolla.   I need to ask for help from my truck wielding friends about once a month, and in the meantime,

I have a tool chest,

and a rack that works just fine for most items I need to carry.
Here's my flooring on top of the car.  Mud courtesy of ranch roads.