Trimming Out

Ken, our trim carpenter, has been trimming out beams and windows inside. We really like the contrasting colors of wood. Ken and his men are doing an amazing job!

Rock n' Roll

The cultured stone is going up quickly despite the height of the chimney. It is a dry stack of ledgestone. The color compliments the wood stain on the logs nicely. It really has changed the look of our home. Scott's quote, "It's spectacular!"

Work Night and Day

It seems our work is never done! We spend each night and every weekend trying to keep caught up. Some of the jobs we've been working on (along with Ken and Jeremy our finish carpenters) have been painting, staining, and applying polyurethane on all the wood. Cleaning up is a daily job. The beams in the center illlustrate all the tongue and groove we had to polyurethane. Ken has completed one beam with some of the wood we stained and urethaned. It looks like a real beam. He is very precise, and we so appreciate his craftsmanship and knowledge! Renee and Scott are busy in the last photo painting. I agree with Matt, it looks like they're having too much fun!

Master Bath

We are so pleased with the development of the master bath. Dan, the Tile Man, made an amazing transformation in the shower and around the tub! Matt, the Cabinet Man, made our cabinets and did all the wood around the tub.

Last Catch

You can see the stain color more clearly in these photos. By looking at the dormer windows and this side view of the house, you can see how the color really deepens. We really like the way the knots look in the wood. The name of the stain is called Honey 2000. We only have the front side left to do. We are waiting until after the chimney and bay windows are rocked before finishing. We plan to flip a coin to see which one of the two of us has to go up there to do it. Neither of us are fond of heights...

More Catchin' To Do!

This is one of the bedrooms upstairs...before and after dry wall.

We've worked hard to get the logs stained. It takes time and with the temperatures soaring into the 90's of late, it has taken a lot of effort! Shannon, the electrician, is beginning to hang the outdoor ceiling fans and light fixtures. You can see the facia (I think that's what it is called...)up under the porch roof. Carpenter Bees will be so dismayed!

Still Catching Up

The live valley rafters have been insulated and tongue and groove pine is being attached. Before each board could go up, it had to be sanded, cleaned with a bleach water solution, and then polyurethane had to be applied. It was a hot and sticky job. Thanks to Renee and Charlie, the work load was shortened for Scott and I!

Scott is in the very tip top...about 28 feet high. The roof has about an 18 pitch.

Catch Up

Greetings to all who have continued to check our blog during a small hiatus that allowed us to move (Thanks Jeff, Renee, and Charlie:), and help take care of a serious family illness the past two months. In order for you to catch up, we've posted before and after photos of several areas of the house. Much has happened in two months. All subcontractors are working diligently (weekends too on some occasions) to get the home completed. At this time, we're hoping to move by the end of August or first of September. Building this home has been somewhat like having a child. We can't remember what we used to do in our spare time before "it" came along:)

While soaking in the tub, one will be able to take in the marvelous view outside.

Windows to Wash

James and the Gang installed all windows (excluding the top ones near the fireplace) and doors before leaving this week. The top windows near the fireplace had to be installed by a glass company due to the shape, size and location.

Scott got busy right away and power washed the logs with a bleach solution. If you look carefully, you can spot him spraying on a solution called Penetreat. This solution keeps insects from settling in/on the wood.

All of the exterior doors will be stained to match the trim around the windows.

Not a Shingle Short

The shingles are on! The photos really don't really capture the variegated color pattern. The shingle color is called natural timber and has a variety of earth tones. They have also started putting in the toffee colored windows. We've quickly retired the wet/dry vac we used nine times to clean up inside after the rain storms!

Ready for Shingles

The roof is ready for shingles. In between storms, (Scott snapped this storm photo today) James and the Gang were able to get all the decking on in preparation for shingles this week. Notice the horizontal boards nailed to the roof. This will provide a foothold for the roofers as they work.

Rockin' Chair Porches

Progress this week has been on the covered porches. The porch posts, rack, and rafters were put into place. The good news is porch decking is next...the bad news is it's supposed to rain again tomorrow and the next day!

Chimney Work

We've had a couple of dry days, so James and the Gang were able to work on framing up the chimney. The first photos show the before/after. The guys are busy on the scaffolding trying to make the top windows next to the fireplace just the right size, and they did a fantastic job! We love the final look. James made the windows into large triangles before dividing them to make a smaller triangular and a trapezoid window. Although they have started the roof decking, it has been much too windy the past two days to get up on the roof to finish it.

Live Valley Rafters and Overhangs

James and the Gang put up the four live valley rafters and the overhang on the sides. You can see in the photo how the rafters come together in the center. Each gable will have a two foot overhang to help protect the wood from the weather and direct sunlight. Lifting such weight while being about 24-30 feet in the air is quite a trick and takes tremendous skill and strength! Kudos to the crew!