Lots happened last week.  Enjoyed some warm and mostly sunny weather.  View of the shop just after the drywallers installed the gypsum wall board. Scaffolding was lent by a neighbour.  Saw and dust collector on right – really happy with them.

Had 15,000 sq ft of drywall delivered with 4 guys placing it on each floor and separated into 8,9,10,12 and 14 foot lengths, and 54″ widths.  View of drywallers at work. They are doing really good work, but because they like to use large boards with few seams, there is likely more scrap than there would be if I did it (but will look way better).  They will finish this coming week and we will be ready for taping (after installing some temporary construction heaters).

We used up the left over insulation to provide some sound isolation of the laundry room, bathroom and utility room – installed with care and creatively by Susan and Mizuho.  Not sure if it will make a huge difference, but it will be an improvement.

Installed the last 3 pocket door frames. After they are drywalled, all I need to do is build the doors and install them (likely a winter project:)

Stucco guys continued to erect their scaffolding. They should be able to start the first coat later this week or early next. I think their motto is slow and steady.

Big news is that sister Susan and B in L Steve came out for 4 days last week to help out. Susan helped clean up the site and filled about 10 garbage bags. Steve was invaluable in doing some back framing around the stairs and fireplace, helping with the cedar soffits (finished on the weekend with Mizuho), and cutting and installing plywood framing strips for the garage door jambs. But the piece de resistance is the gap. Steve brought his chainsaw and Susan brought her energy and work gloves and they cut a swath through the piled-up fallen trees. I will now be able to get the bobcat around to the back of the garage/shop and house to backfill and landscape.

Beautiful week of weather – valley turned green during the week. Coopie came out for a week to provide guidance and a helping hand – made lots of progress and had a blast. Stucco guy continued his paper and stucco.

Insulators worked on the house last week, and on the shop and garage this week. It only took them about a day and a half to do the shop/garage – R40 in the ceiling, R20 in the walls. Missing fascia delivered, Mizuho painted. Gutters put on. I decided I did not like having the garage wall door tracks hanging in the high ceiling so I got 2 12″ by 26′ long trusses and coop and I built the posts and installed. Will make a platform for storage after drywall.

Stucco guy, Matt, worked by himself. Brought his two large friendly dogs with him to work.

Bought a 3hp saw and 3hp dust collector used. Really good deal. Came with lots of attachments and guides.

This is the beam Coop and I put in. Went much easier than anticipated. Pleased with results.

An example of the spray foam. Building code changed as of Jan 1 but I was grandfathered because I got my permit last year. Most of what we are doing is at or above new code, but some elements are really expensive and rather questionable.

Coop and I got a lot done. We built the posts and installed the beam in the garage, started the cedar soffits, installed locksets on 3 doors, installed two exterior doors, re-installed two supports for roof, reflashed two pipe vents for plumbing, took out temporary beam at the front door and put in an temporary angle post which may well presage the final post. Inspector approved insulation and we decided not to apply for zoning variance to allow for a suite – long story.  Lots to do before all is ready for stucco and for drywall.  Stay tuned.  Another update in a week.

A big week on the mountain. Finished the flashing around the foundation – took longer that planned as the insulation was neither plumb nor level in many places due to some less than stellar work by the contractor. I had to add some additional foam and some nailer strips. Richard and I did the slab prep for the garage and shop on Mon/Tues – final grading and compacting, closing off the openings, laying poly and drilling the foundation to place the rebar 2′ apart and tying the bar together. Poured both slabs on Thursday with the help of Hubert a neighbour wheeling wheelbarrows and Richard’s 70 plus year old father and one other guy. Hubert also licensed his GMC van for the day (it has 540,000 kms) and we put 50 pieces of 20′ rebar on the roof rack. Started pouring 11 metres cubed at 8am (2 trucks) and we had about 4 barrows left over out of about 144 – sign of a good estimate and well prepared base. Finished the power troweling by about 6pm and tarped all the openings until Monday. Hime now has two paw prints on the floor. Pretty excited about soon having a garage and shop that will be covered, insulated, powered and with a floor – we just missed being able to pour the floor before it got cold in December.

Two drywallers came up to measure and give me a quote for boarding and taping. I checked prices with a few suppliers around town – not a lot of price competition on drywall in Kelowna. Got three quotes for garage doors. Will go with side motors and track that follows the vaulted ceiling. Fireplace guys finished the install but did not have the two blower fans so will need to come back. Electricians finished the rough in on Tuesday. Soffit/fascia guys worked well and fast all week. Looking good. They ran out of fascia so will bring more next week. They also put on house wrap for the part that will have siding. Good guys. I put up some backing and they installed the cedar supports I had made for the two eyebrow roofs. Plumber finished his rough-in (except for one shower pan). He cut 2 holes in my brand new roof that will need to be flashed.

The building inspector (good guy) did his thing on Wednesday and passed the framing and mechanical subject to a few details (another smoke alarm, some firestops, a AAV valve for the downstairs sink, and some baffles for the cold air return.

Ended up the week by cleaning the house with Mizuho, taping the joints on the ducting, and with a visit to the regional district to discuss a zoning variance (I need one for the separate suite) and had to go to Canada Customs to amend our import declaration – a long and incredibly bureaucratic story. Really good weather – part sun and cloud, highs about +6 to +9, lows about -1. Stucco guy began to bring over his stuff as well as he will start next week. Ripped 3 sheets of plywood into nailing strips for the window trim, completed all the fire stops, and picked up up some supplies, including an extension ladder, on the weekend.