It's been over 2 month since my last post. We're a little behind schedule on the main house, but the other areas have made some good ground. Due to regrading, gutters and mortaring a manhole our water seepage problems have been gone for 2 months. Goal is to finish by October 31st.
Our LEED home provider is signed-up and design improvement have been discussed.
We submit for the "interior permit" after our LEED "Design Charrette". The big ticket LEED items are spray foam closed cell insulation, Solar panels, and HVAC/ Geothermal system. Naturally we are going with low-flow toilets and aerator faucets to reduce water consumption. We are researching the low-flow shower heads.
As for the area around the house. the grass and landscaping has taken place. Sister Cindy from Redondo Beach and kids Nicolas and Heather helped seal coat driveways, and cut grass on the riding lawn mowers. What a gas for the kids, on their first riding lawn mower experience. Sis, thanks for the help. Mom, Twin Brother Steve, JoNell, Scott and Jessica all pitched in time which was appreciated. We have many other friend and family that have helped as well and say thanks. By the way, my wife Cherie is boss and share in the do-it-yourself chores. Couldn't do it without her and enjoy it most of the time.
Driveway took 4 weeks to patch one crack at a time and seal, but looks great. Hopefully I can get credit for saving a driveway from LEED vs. replacing it (jokingly). The garage door and header have been installed with the garage being rotated 90 degrees.
1,000's of acorns have littered our property. Our plan is to donate a 1,000 of them to the conservation district to plan new trees two miles to the East. If hey want the rest, they need to come and pick them up of the ground.
We resolved permit problems with removing the 50' semi-trailer (via scrapper) and pulling a permit for converting the little house back to an accessory building to meet the current code.
We have permits finished for the roof and working on the 2ND permit for siding, windows and garage doors. A super-insulated garage door is installed and Hardi-plank fiber cement siding is being finished on the three other sides of the house. Foam Insulation is very large premium. We are doing Flash and batt insulation on most of the walls, Full foam in some walls and cathedral ceiling and R-42 insulation in the ceiling. 2ND floor ceiling are very difficult to engineer.
The new cutting edge septic design is almost complete by Forest City Engineer (it's required) and the landscape design is being done by Rob Bottesek of Lawnscapes (great landscaper and close friend). I highly recommend Rob.
Cherie has done major clean-up on the planting beds in the from of the house. I failed to plant wild flower earlier in the year that was taken over by weeds. Now the entry looks respectable.This week windows are delivered and installed next week by the carpenters. Foam for "Flash and Batt." ,electrical wiring, HVAC, and Plumbing is next.
