Soffit/Facia, drilling though the wall for ERV duct, windows/doors adjusted, ...

Armin visited today and adjusted all the doors/windows that were binding - there are a couple that remain to be installed and we don't have the proper tool for the front door (it's a heavy duty hinge to say the least!).  The installation tools work for all the other windows and you can adjust not only the vertical height but the sealing pressure (with cam-shaped adjustment screws) and the alignment of the windows to be parallel to the frame (top and bottom can be moved left/right).  I believe each hinge set has about 6 different adjustments so that if things settle over time, you can realign the windows and keep them functioning properly for years.

Armin also inspected my taping and gluing of the outside and advised me on how best to seal the tougher gaps (some caused by the tape being cut slightly short or not being able to use the expanding foam tape).  Armin told me I could be employed as a window-installer in Germany but I think that was more of a joke than a reality - and the commute would be very painful (though a nice Dunkel would help ease that pain significantly!).  Armin also made it clear he's paying for the time and materials for the concrete grinding as well as ensuring we were happy with the final results; we really do like these windows and it's very noticeable how much they insulate on these cold mornings (yesterday was 38 degrees and today was about 43).  We'll be getting the written 5 year guarantee by mail in the near future and none of the installation techniques we've used (grinding the concrete or adjusting the sill spacers) will impact that warranty. We've made sure to install the spacers at the bottom of the glazing which is crucial for the drainage system and associated warranty.  It is very useful to get the tutorial on all the hinge adjustments and the location of all the screws - I'll be taking pictures and documenting the location of the adjusting screws and their impact for future reference.  Armin also made sure we knew how the screens installed on the windows - which is through an ingenious clip system unlike anything we've seen in the US.

  We had a professional come today to drill the two remaining 6" holes in the concrete for the Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV).  One will be the fresh air intake and the other the exhaust.  We were able to get engineering approval to drill through the LVLs so that we did not have to install a couple 90 degree elbows to get below that LVL (which would have required an added soffit for each in the office).  We have placed the ducting holes within inches of a ICFVL hanger on each side to ensure there's no sagging due to the holes (as required by the engineering solution).   Marv is an employee of Ideal PreCast (they agreed to do the drilling at their expense - many thanks Justin and JoeDon!) was invaluable in getting these holes drilled - the first hole was difficult but the second was "the hardest I've done in 25 years" in Marv's words.  We managed to find rebar in both holes - a single #3 stick in the first hole but two #3 and one #5 sticks in the second hole.  The concrete itself was over 7" thick at this point because it carries the floor load.  Kevin and I were very happy to have someone else doing the hard part of this work!  We've saved the piece of concrete for show-and-tell when future folks ask about the wall construction.

The framers finished more of the soffit and facia yesterday and today as well as installing the metal tensioning structure that eliminates the middle column on the deck.  It's a very neat looking addition to the structure - and having a clear view of the forest to the West is AWESOME.

We have the bathtub in the master bathroom installed and the plumbers connected the fixtures as well as placing the shower pan liners in the 3 bathrooms.  We did have to put some leveling concrete under the tub to make sure the sill was level with the decking.  Even though we're not frequent soaking-bath aficionados, we may become that with this bathroom.  Again an awesome view of the forest out the windows on both the South and East and the tub we chose (Jason soaking tub) is deep enough that you can actually get the majority of your body covered with water.  .

Marv at work on the first core-drilled hole in the wall.  While it may look a bit sketchy, the core-drill is actually bolted to the wall with a concrete lag and the ladders are our belt and suspenders support. This first hole took about 45 minutes of drilling while #2 took significantly longer. 

Here's the core removed from the first hole - it's a 6" core (top to bottom) that's over 7" thick (left to right in the picture).  The second core had to be broken up so Marv could cut through the rebar - and we used all the water we had to flush the concrete dust from the drill and prevent it binding in the hole which it still did several times.  Thanks again Marv!

Here's the deck roof and the tensioning assembly (which is the red primer colored steel plate and 3 rods).  That middle column can now be removed and the framing crew was finishing up covering the ceiling with Hardi panel.  

A view from West to East along the back of the house - that wood post isn't really holding anything up but was being used to support the Hardi panel as the framers were installing it on the underside of the soffits (it's heavy stuff).

Danny hamming it up for the camera...

Again a West to East view of the South side of the house.  Now that's a cool look!

If you look closely you can see the two holes that Marv drilled (one over the step ladder and one at the same height to the right of the office doorway)

Yep, that's a tree in the picture - the camera I was using didn't have as wide a field of view as necessary for a closer picture.  

Here's a view from East to West along the south wall.  

The East wall in it's finished state - all that's left is prepping for paint by caulking the concrete panel joints and the Hardi panel seams.

For those nature-lovers out there this is evidence that our Raccoon hasn't left the area; this is the top of the Weber Grill cover that's on site for the weekly burger burn we have.  We've been seeing his footprints in the mud around the house - so we figure he's scavenging for scraps left by the crews.  The framers also had a bat fly out from inside one of the eaves as they were working on it Friday so we're going to have to install bat houses around the property to help control the insects.

And luck was on my side that day - I was inside the house when I heard a loud crash and saw some leaves moving in my normal parking spot.  Kevin had told me no crews were coming to the site that day so I parked closer to the house.  The tree was about 40' tall and pretty solid - the piece you see on the right is the top that snapped off due to the force of the crash and it dug a hole when it hit the ground where it's lying.  I think this may have cause a bit of damage to that Civic!

Friday 6 May - Windows, doors, landscaping - And Skylights?

Yesterday was a pretty successful day.  We spent part of the morning with our landscape designer walking the grounds of the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill and then reviewing our plans.  Lots of great plants that are part of the plan and we got to see them in their native habitats which really helped.

 In the afternoon we met with our builders who had received a window from a canadian company that makes a good quality fiberglass window.  We liked the window but it didn't seem quite as sturdy as the German made windows - several of the seams less precise than something that costs as much as these windows.  We've decided to go with the German units (after spending most of Thursday with their salesman and an engineer who flew over from Germany at just the right time).  They're really working well with us on adjusting the designs for optimal performance and keeping within budget.  The windows will be vinyl with a U-factor of .16 (R-6.06) and a Solar Heat Gain of just over .50 which are hard numbers to match in a US-manufactured window.  This will be an important decision since the lead time is 8 to 14 weeks and the Europeans start their vacation "months" in July - where workers take an entire month off to spend with their families.  Now those Europeans know how to live!  We're going to finalize the window schedule this weekend - making sure we have the appropriate window sizes and that the operable sections of the windows is correct.  We will provide them the updated schedule for costing and once they price it out, we'll go over it one more time and sign it.  We simply can't afford to get anything wrong here - either from a timeline or cost perspective!  We will purchase the exterior doors from the same company and we may be able to share the container costs with another homeowner who is considering the same manufacturer (though a different profile). That cuts delivery costs in half which is a good thing for both of us.  We'll also try to buy the tape systems and have them shipped with the windows unless we can find a vendor in the US that sells them.  We're really impressed with the systems they use for waterproofing and air-tightness.

For the interior doors we visited a vendor's showroom in Efland NC and much to our surprise, chose a different style of door than we'd originally had in mind.  We've changed from a 3-panel (horizontal stiles) shaker style to a 2-panel (vertical stiles) shaker and we really liked the birch so that's where we're headed.  For the interior doors to the living room and formal dining room we would really like to get the antique "rolled glass" look.

With luck this coming week will be contract signing day with the builder, submission of mortgage applications, and visiting the property with the builder and surveyor one more time to clean up the flags on the property and ensure the house and septic are easily identified.  Once that's done we'll start clearing/excavation the last week of the month.

Todays' big find was skylights that appear suitable for passivehaus use - they use NanoGel technology and there are several manufacturers.  At present we've found them from a company called Wasco (www.waskoskylights.com) but we're still researching the possibilities.  Wasco also makes a triple-glaze but at present all their skylights require a minimum 3:12 grade which would simply mean changing the skylight to sit on one of the roof planes instead of straddling the ridge.  Researching the web, these skylights are not that much more expensive than standard brands available at the home improvement stores.  One thing about the nanogel is it appears to be opaque white so it's a diffused light and not direct sunlight so the shadowing will not be as pronounced and fading should be minimized as well. This is a big deal because we really want a skylight in the main entry but using a standard unit simply wasn't going to cut it and using a passivhaus certified window drives the cost through the roof.

 This was a good week!  Window vendor chosen, plans delivered to subs for estimates, interior door selections narrowed significantly, and we have found skylight options.  Next week we're hoping to sign paperwork and start moving out on the construction. First shovel planted will be before the end of May and that could mean weathertight structure by the end of August.  WoooHoo!