DAY 412: Problem Solving

It's a day of problem solving.The posts on the side and front of the house have vexed us from the beginning.  We have a framer over there right now working to make sense of it all.  Somewhere between the architect's drawing, the engineer's math, the framer's construction and the cement work we have posts that don't match up with the porch.  Once again, I'm learning that building a house is an organic, living, breathing process and not an exact art.  I imagine that it's more of an exact art for those who have built their own house before but we're learning as we are working.  And then we go and throw the ICF walls into the mix and we have a formula for a challenge. 

We have some posts on the side of the house now.  Nate, siding guru, will make sure that they look good, get covered with stone, etc.

So the posts were supposed to land clean and neat on the corners of the porch....

But voici, le probleme. There was NO possible way to fit in a concrete porch next to that window well.  The measurements were all off.  So, this post will work, Nate will wrap it some fancy way and it will look great.

 The other side is a little funky, it partially lands on the steps. 

Now to most people driving by or visiting, they will never notice the posts.  They will just see two posts.  If you decide to build a house brace yourself for the hic-ups.  There are plenty. 

But just take a look at that hardi board!!!  I can't wait to get it painted Hampshire Gray (more green than gray).  Actually, that's what Brent and I will be working on tomorrow and half day on Thanksgiving (THANKS to my Mom and Dad for having us over for dinner--the kidlettes will feel like it's a holiday). 

 Shot of the front at noon today...

If you enlarge the photo below you can see lots of numbers on the foam.  There are also some letters, specifically a BB that is kindof in a box.  This represents the STRONGEST point of the ICF webbing.  Siding can be nailed and screwed into these points.  If it's any other place it will pull out because it's just going into foam. 

 I can't remember what happened here, whacked the corner with a backhoe or something.  We had to rebuild this corner as best as possible.  I just wanted to document the awesomeness of this corner.  It's going to disappear today or tomorrow...

I'm also working on the basement tub.  I want a surround instead of tile (for cost, and because I don't want to scrub more grout than I have to).  We have another framing goof we are working through.  We didn't notice it at the right time so now we have a gap between the tub and the wall.  The rep from White Water Tubs thinks that they can place a trim down there if it clears the faucet. 

 Ta-Dah

 This was outside our window Sunday.  Maya took a picture.  It was so vivid, so beautiful.

Happy Thanksgiving!