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Well, now I at least have all 4 walls connected around. Lots of temp bracing to keep things in place. Still need to add a couple along that front wall to lock in the position forward + back 100%.
Material lift is due in first thing tomorrow so we can get the LVLs up and the framing above them completed, then I can slap on the double top plate.
Unfortunately the next lumber delivery got delayed to Saturday, so no OSB to start sheathing until whenever they show up. Without having good shear bracing installed, that also means we likely aren't even attempting trusses until next weekend.
Last edited by bumpin96monte; May 31, 2024 at 12:27 AM.
Back to work after a week off, so progress has slowed substantially.
Still knocking out quite a bit on nights and weekends:
-removed the temp bracing on the headers, replaced with Simpson straps
-put up most of the braced wall sheathing OSB
-built supports for the starting parapet wall (first truss ties to it, which then sets the position for the rest of the trusses)
-built the sections of the side parapet wall, installed the first section
-built the front parapet wall sections (between the trusses - acts as both blocking and intermediate studs) and rear truss spacers. Hopefully this will help speed truss install by having drop in blocking on the ends.
My hope is to get the rest of that parapet wall up, plumbed, and secured this week. Crossing my fingers for truss install next weekend. The material lifts in front are what I plan to pick them up with - one at each end. Ive already got all of the straps and rigging.
9 wide, 8 tall. Ive got a lot of crap from friends on them though:
-to have gone taller and with double wide doors (instead of all singles) for big vehicles, pickups, stuff on trailers
-to have done one as a RV bay
My thing is I don't have interest in any of that stuff at the moment, nor have I ever. I agree a RV bay would've been a big resale feature - but it would've complicated everything else - including requiring waiver approval for the permit as it would have to exceed the current max height.
On a side note, they're supposed to be coming within a week.
And how well is that scaffolding working for you?
Honestly- terrible.
My plan was to use it to install the truss braces - I could pile all supplies on top and my wife could roll me across from one spot to the next to quickly install the bracing.
The problem is 1 kit is too short (6 ft) and 2 kits is too tall (12 ft, plus the guard rails) to go under them. So at best I can pull it alongside the next truss- but that means I'm now leaning more than 2 feet off the scaffolding (to install the nails on the far side) and my brain just won't allow that much lean that high up. Its also a lot more shaky that I would've thought. Ladders have a little flex, but at least they're all solid joints. This scaffold is all quick release pins (with backup safety pins) to easily adjust height - but the tolerance stack between pins and holes multiplied across every joint from top to bottom makes it feel a lot more wobbly (even though the total weight rating is 4x the ladder).
I've been using the 12 foot a frame ladder instead. It fits nicely between trusses, so I can work end to end to make all of the connections and still be firmly planted on the ladder.
I think it may have been a waste of a grand at this point - once I get the trusses up, it'll only fit on the driveway, and theres not much I need to do up there.
The only benefit is it does break back down into 2, 6 foot kits, so I think it'll be nice for doing drywall, electrical, and painting inside. Certainly easier than moving a ladder around all over.
Last edited by bumpin96monte; Jun 20, 2024 at 07:23 AM.
The one unexpected thing with this build is the amount of local attention it generates. We're on a fairly busy street corner (ish) and the build is clearly over the standard wall so its very visble from the street.
The first is from people selling ancillary building services. I think we're averaging about 2 doorbell rings every day (up from 1 -2 a month typical) since construction started. From the cards they leave, it seems to be a lot of garage door, painting, and insulation type places.
The second is from nosy neighbors. I truly don't mind the curious neighbor stopping to ask when they see us out front, but one 'neighbor' is over the top. There is a person in the subdivision across the street with a drone thats borderline invasive.
First heard about it from the concrete guys when they were pouring the garage slab. When I came out on a work break, they asked if I got any good shots of them working (for their new website they're trying to build) - I was puzzled. They mentioned there was a drone maybe 15 feet overhead scoping things out and thought it was mine.
I didn't think much of it until later when we were out framing and it came overhead again- buzzing around the construction area - clearly focused on our backyard as it was again maybe 20 feet off the ground right over our back yard . Happened at least a dozen times that I saw.
Then one day we were unloading a pile of lumber dropped off in the front driveway and a car stopped in front of the house. Talked to my wife and said he was the drone guy. "Not to be creepy", he wanted to introduce himself. He does kitchen remodels, but went to school for architecture and was interested in the build. He said he'd give us the footage for free and left his card for his kitchen remodel company to contact him for it.
While I think it would be neat to get some free videos of construction progress, I'm really tempted to email him and ask him to stop instead. While our lot isn't super private (any big trucks going down the road can see over the wall to some extent), this is pretty over the top. I think its coming over at least once a day, but Ive definitely seen it out there twice some days where we're working all day. Just not super thrilled knowing any time we go out in the backyard there could be an neighbor actively recording our specific yard.
