"As Long As He Keeps Using His Finger, We're Fine"

Barry the builder on the left, Ted the architect on the right, sketching out a detail for the cedar siding. "Detailing" is where the design rubber meets the execution road, and you want your architect and builder to meet, both physically and mentally.

As Pete and Shawn blocked the roof joists, Ted and Barry figured out some alternatives for the lapped cedar siding, which will cover the framed walls (including the green part on the right of the picture). Based on these discussions (I shot photos of the snow drawings so Ted could document them in a little more permanent media), Barry's going to mock up the different options so everyone can make an informed decision and Barry's crew will know exactly how to execute it for real.

The objective here is to warm up the structure with the cedar, but keep it modern. So the shape of the groove between the boards is key (square-ish, not a V, some slope on the bottom to let the water run off), the finish of the boards is important (smooth as a baby's butt, not furry), as are the corner details (a little aluminum edge sticking out at the miter just to give that "machine" look (that's a Ted-ism).

The Manger is Ready for Christmas

Now that the steel is all up and the roof joists installed, Barry and his crew have put down the first layers of the roof over the dining/living room and master bedroom. So the finished ceiling there is done.

"Huh? How does that work? You haven't even installed the standing seam galvalume yet."

Well, this is no ordinary roof, it's an Arctic Hot Roof. If you have an attic, you probably have a cold roof design, where the space in the attic is unconditioned and insulated from the living area. In the winter, it's cold in the attic, and therefore the roof itself is cold, preventing snow from melting on the roof and getting water into the house. It's a good system, but it's not perfect (the space has to be vented, which creates opportunities for moisture and critters to get in there, moisture can seep up from the conditioned space, the moisture can turn to frost in really cold climates, and so on.)

The Arctic Hot Roof, perfected in Canada and other cold climates, focuses all its insulation (6" of continuous rigid foam) and waterproofing efforts on the roof structure itself, and doesn't require an attic. All the air under the roof plane is heated (hence the "hot roof"). That's very helpful for this design, which has a massive shed roof (thanks to the covenants and restrictions that required a pitched roof). It also means that the maple veneer plywood ceiling panels were the first layer on top of the roof joists. I hope I like them....

The windows finally got ordered (the window company is very nervous), so the manger won't be one for long.

It almost looks like something

Ted, my esteemed architect, took these shots after Barry, my esteemed builder, put up the roof joists, apparently in high winds. No one was hurt, and they look terrific. They're glulams from Rosboro--not much more expensive than dimensional lumber, straighter, and so good-looking they don't need staining (but they'll be sealed, of course).

By now Barry's trimmed the joists, and might even be laying the roof. The interior side will be maple plywood panels between the joists, the exterior will be galvalume (galvanized aluminum).

Stairway to Work

Barry the builder (Bob didn't return my calls) just sent a new batch of photos. Here's the stairway to the study and the terrace over the guest wing. The form ties have been snapped off of the concrete (thanks, Jason), so now the wall looks a little friendlier.

The rest of the steel is also up, as is the engineered lumber that will support the roof joists. The front steel frame will support the curtain wall, which will have black mullions (Dramatic? Yes. Too heavy? Perhaps.)

Jason also finished the concrete pouring with an overhang for the garage, and the concrete step ramp (this one's for you, Allstate).

"It'll pass inspection, but they won't insure it"

So one of the design issues has been what to do with the path up to the house--a concrete step ramp or a simple gravel path. To save a little money, we opted for the simple gravel path.

Not so simple, apparently. The building inspector said that it's probably OK vis a vis the building code, but no insurance company will cover it. In the winter, that slope will turn into a nice little toboggan run, without the toboggan.

Back to the concrete step ramp it is...

Steel

The West facade will be a curtain wall of sorts (more like a "window wall", but that's a painful story told in the bar), and it's going to need some support. Hence the steel frame, which will also hold up one end of the large shed roof.

We're still waiting for the shop drawings from the window manufacturer, so I'm concerned that, without the windows, the roof will go on and create a big wind bucket. The other question is: what color should the mullions be? We're leaning heavily toward black, since anodized aluminum isn't within the vendor's capabilities. What color would you suggest?

I Have Wood

The concrete work is now done, and the conventional framing has begun, using 2x6's so that we can stuff more insulation into the structure. The green stuff is called "Greenguard Raindrop" by Pactiv (which also makes Hefty bags), and is new to me. It's a building wrap that, unlike Tyvek, has channels that will allow any moisture that gets behind the cedar siding to drain out to the ground.

It supports a "rainscreen" approach, which says "I know that I'll never be able to completely prevent moisture from getting in behind my siding, so I'm going to make sure that that space behind the siding can breathe and drain out the water."

That's the theory. Stay tuned.

New Decision

This is the approach from the car court, going up to the front door; on the left is garage. This was intended to be a concrete "step ramp", that, unlike a set of normal stairs (we don't have enough rise to go with the long run) would have a "step step walk walk walk walk walk step step walk walk walk walk walk rest" (I'm winded) rhythm. Nor is it a straight ramp ("wheelchair races at 5, everyone"). Yes, it's narrow. I've decided to like it.

Also, note how the path leads up to and aligns with the window. Ted, the architect, wants you to notice this important detail, which is why architects make the major coin.

So Ted is now suggesting that maybe we leave this path just as crushed stone. What do you think--see the poll at right.

Glimpse of True Potential

The excavation has been filled in and all the vertical concrete is done, with the flatwork remaining (or maybe it got done this week, I'm not sure). Ted, the architect, shot this perspective from the Northeast, which really puts the structure into context and, for me, gives me confidence that this design is actually going to work.

OK, that's high enough.

We've finally topped out the concrete, with the flatwork remaining. The above view (Lucky included for scale) is from the West, with the top of the nearest wall being ground level and the base of the curtain wall. The large wall parallel to it defines the East edge of the public space.

From the Northeast, the ground level on the left is the kitchen, and the study will be above that, with a door to the terrace over the guest wing and some windows.

From the East, the box in the foreground is the garage, featuring pre-cast concrete planks (the slabs with the holes in them). We're using these to better support the "green terrace" that will go on top of it. This terrace has a few things going for it: a softer, more natural view from the master bedroom, a cooler garage, and less forceful water runoff in rainstorms. And, if I get my act together to install a graywater system, free irrigation water.