We are now about to spray foam insulate the roof and walls. The beveled cedar siding looks great. All the corner boards and trim are 5/4†cedar. Installing on the curved walls took more effort to get the measurements down but went well. The 5-V crimp metal roof (find more here) also took more effort, particularly at the rakes since it all flares out since the south wall is much longer than the north wall and it shows up on the roo ... Read full post »
Synergy Building in The Chapel Hill News!
Check out the article in The Chapel Hill News, September 27, 2009, on the front page of the Real Estate section. Correspondent, Sally Keeney, has written a wonderful article about Tom Howlett’s new house. Hacienda Under the Oaks: Bold colors say ‘bienvenido’ at builder’s personal residence By Sally Keeney Correspondent If you’ve ever tasted the mango salsa at Flying Burrito in Chapel Hill, then you know th ... Read full post »
Advanced Framing Techniques
After numerous discussions and reviews with the Town of Carrboro regarding lot reconfigurations, storm water drainage issues. etc. etc., we are finally on our way to building two new energy efficient affordable homes in Carrboro. There are many features of these homes we are building in conjunction with the Community Home Trust that contribute to their being a great example of affordable Green building. One that will no longer be e ... Read full post »
Moving Day!
Move-in was on the 15th and it went well. Being in feels very good. The colors work. The floor finish is impressive. The stained finish on the interior doors is beautiful. The kitchen countertop goes very well. It’s been neat starting up all the new appliances. I’ve cooked several meals already. The Zephyr range hood is striking. The built-ins by the fireplace, after getting the books and handicrafts on the shelves, lend t ... Read full post »
Finishing issues with AAC Block
The septic tanks are in. There are two tanks, this being a pumped system in which the septic field is in the upper part of the property. The stucco is on and looks fabulous. Jose was a perfectionist. He started with a skim coat of portland cement and sand. That was necessary to smooth out the imperfections of the AAC block work. Then the base coat was put on. We used a product by MasterWall, Inc. It came in bags and ... Read full post »