One more tree (house)

I have a theory about spoiling grand kids. I think it is a bad thing. If I give Phoebe everything she asks for it wouldn't be good. But if I can think of it first then that is perfectly OK.  :)

The new house has an upstairs room that is just for her. The way to get to her secret room is high bridge that crosses the living/dining room area. And to get to the bridge one has to enter a giant tree that is in one corner of the dining room. Today Peter began welding the structure for the tree. It will be abut fourteen feet tall.

The giant tree is half inside the house and half outside. Out back by the patio the tree is hollow and houses a playhouse for Phoebe. It even has a window that peers into the staircase area.

Phoebe is getting excited about the new house - almost as excited as her grampa!

-grampa dan

Hopefully this project sucks big time!

A project like the house requires plenty of thought about a myriad of things. Most of these will be buried inside the walls when we are done. We don't want to think about them later - just have them work perfectly and be handy when needed. One of these things is the built in vacuum. 

We started on the outside of the house a while back, installing one outlet inside a tree in the carport. This one will be handy when the car needs to be cleaned.

The big central vacuum is in the electrical/mechanical room and is easy to get at when it needs service. Today's task was to extend the pipe out to the rest of the house and install the balance of the needed outlets. It was a relative easy task as one central line went down the center of the house in the long hallway with drops extending out from that. I started at the back of the house and worked forward.

Most of the pipes ran through the arched ceiling suports we had routed. The round hole I had planned and cut into each arch support worked perfectly for a neat and quick install.

Now that the vacuum is done it is time to move on to the next project. Stay tuned...

-grampa dan

More photos of the roof and other progress

Yesterday, by the time I got out to takesome pictures of the completed roof the light was already fading. Today I had a chance to grab some better ones. Each time I get a chance to stand back and look at the roof I am delighted that we went with Penfold's Roofing and the recycled rubber roof. It looks great!

Out front, Peter and the crew made good progress sculpting the second large tree. Hailey, Sarah and Bec have base coated the right side tree. Early next week it will get it's glazing coats to finish it off.

On the east side of the house Jordin and Kylie made great progress, finishing off the first blended coat on the rock work. The long, colorful wall looks fabulous! 

Inside the house, I've been busy fastening backing plywood where the wainscoting will go and laying out the raised panels before cutting in the plugs. The electricians follow with the wiring.

 Elsewhere the HVAC crew are busy installing the critical ductwork to keep the house cool and fresh. 

Today the structural engineer did his final inspection and passed the house without issue - a testament to the fine job the Harold's Contracting crew did on the construction of the house.

Things are coming together quickly with the spray foam now less than two weeks away. The Innotech windows will happen just before that. It is feeling more like a house each and every day!

-grampa dan