pics from 1st weekend of building -- Mom and Peter helping out

Thank goodness for family!

Check out Peter's lever system for positioning the wall. I swear, he could have made millions as an engineer!

Pics from 1st weekend of building - pt 2

First 1/2 of a wall!



It doesn't look so full, but that was a lot of lumber. The poor truck looked like it was almost resting on its axle -- 18 2x10x16, 10 2x6x16, 20 2x12x10, 30 1/2" osb panels, 9 3/4" plywood, a bunch of 2x4s

Michele modeling her new tool belt

Notice the Elmo tape measure? That's from her Sesame Street toolbelt that she received a few weeks ago. She was going to get the real tool belt, but then she got a little cocky about having earned it so quickly.

Pictures from the 1st weekend of building - part 1

Lessons learned

1. I used Larry's secret for accurately drilling holes in the bottom plate so the frame will slide easily over the anchor bolts -- before building, rest the board on top of the bolts then tap it, making a mark showing exactly where to drill. A few lessons -- (a) Make sure the side that originally faced the anchor bolts is also the side that faces away from the frame. Otherwise, it won't fit and you have to drill an even bigger hole or series of holes. This picture doesn't really show it, but there isn't a whole lot of wood left where the anchor bolt is. Enough, but not much. (b) Remember to locate where the holes will go before nailing the frame. It is much easier that way.




2. When measuring a header, measure from the regular studs, not from the inside of the jack studs. Otherwise, you will be 3.5 inches shy.


3. Draw out the wall frame before building (Peter's suggestion).


4. When your mother offers you a notepad for jotting down measurements, lists, etc, just take it. Resistance is futile.


5. Don't be too attached to the plans you have for the day. Not that I haven't learned that lesson many times before, but I keep learning it.


6. Lock up your tools. I discovered that about $100 worth of tools was missing from the worksite. A real bummer. I bought a metal jobsite storage box that is now chained to a tree. It feels so gross to have to worry about that on my land.

7. Put the baseplate gasket and termite shield down BEFORE setting the framed wall in place!

Foundation fiasco part 14?

When they poured the foundation, they didn't order enough concrete (it took 11 yards for my tiny foundation because they dug out so much more than was necessary). I had to leave before the 2nd truck arrived. I felt uneasy about it, but they had finally seemed like they knew what they were doing. Yesterday I discovered that the corner that had not been filled in before I left is about an inch lower than the rest of the foundation -- enough to make a step ladder wobble quite a bit. Not sure whether I will have to adjust for it or not.