See ya next year

We are off on a 34-day adventure to the Orient. We will be as excited as you to see what the house looks like when we get back. See ya in 2008!!

Brick and concrete - 11/19/07 thru 11/24/07

The brick crew arrives. Can you say "Hola mi amigos"

The first brick laid.

Many more layers to come.

As the brick goes up so does the scaffolding...and to get the bricks up on the scaffolding...they toss them two at a time.

More scaffolding and more brick tossing.

Brick proceeding up the Big Wall.

The Big Wall completed and proceeding around the back.

All that brick requires a lot of mortar.

Brick work proceeding on the front of the house with a four-man brick tossing line.

Starting to look like a real house.

Although brick was king for the week, it was not the only work completed. The garage floor slab was constructed.

Our hillside building site was often a challenge for large construction equipment to negotiate.

Garage footer completed and ready for the floor slab.

With overnight temperatures in the 20's the new concrete floor slab was quickly covered with plastic to protect it from freezing.

Preparing for brick - 11/10/07 thru 11/16/07

View of our house from the street.

The Big Wall - about 27 feet tall.

Driveway leading to garage.

Brick and mortar delivered.

Lots-o-brick. Estimated 30,000 bricks neeed. This is a partial delivery. The brick we selected is called Brighton Tudor manufactured by General Shale Brick Company in Louisville, KY. Masons are scheduled to start laying brick on November 19th.

Dining room windows installed.

There will be a set of stairs coming off the front porch.

Conceptual drawing.

Roof shingles completed as far as they can until garage is built and brick installed.

Non-OSHA approved scaffolding erected by roofers to install shingles on turret roof.

Some rear windows installed.

Turret above master bedroom.
Repunsel, Repunsel...let down your hair.

Roofing - 11/1/07 thru 11/9/07

Roof joists nearly complete and ready for decking.

11/1/07

Decking installed on turret above master bedroom.

11/1/07

That little blond speck is our house on the side of a hill overlooking the Cumberland River.
11/8/07

Felt paper being installed
11/8/07

Shingles being installed
11/9/07

Shingles being installed.
11/9/07

Framing - 10/15/07 thru 10/31/07

Framing began in the basement with a bathroom, utility room and mechanical room.

10/15/07

Floor joists installed over crawlspace.

10/16/07

Floor decking installed over crawlspace.
10/16/07

Floor joists and decking installed over basement.
10/17/07

First wall raised
10/18/07

First wall up...way up!
10/18/07

First floor walls up
10/21/07

Raising tub/shower for second floor
10/25/07

Second floor walls going up
10/25/07

Second floor up and starting on roof
10/29/07

It's a tall one!
10/29/07

Back side of house on a solid rock foundation.
10/29/07

Back side of house
10/29/07

Second floor roof beams complete
10/31/07

Basement floor - 9/22/07 thru 10/10/07

Basement filled and graded with gravel in preparation for concrete floor slab. Basement walls will be 20 block courses high (13'-4")

9/22/07

Sewer outlet pipe and water supply line inlet
10/4/07

Basement plumbing
10/4/07

Electrical supply line conduits
10/4/07

Placing concrete in area under front porch/accessway to crawlspace
10/10/07

Plastic sheet vapor barrier and rebar ready for concrete.
10/10/07

Concrete placement in basement
10/10/07

Concrete placement in basement
10/10/07

Finishing concrete floor in basement
10/10/07