During the last 4 weeks the beginning interior elements have been going into place.  First the insulation then the sheetrocking then the painting of the walls and ceilings and the interior trim and cabinets.  As of now we are anticipating being done in about three weeks if all goes well.

The electric meter box is located in the Laundry room and is neatly installed by Encore Electric.
The Gas Fireplace with a raised hearth, which will be covered with slate tile. And the mantel shelf above that we will have a maple cover to match the cabinetry. The face of the firplace will have the same ledgestone that we are going to install on the front entry columns.

Wall stacks are used to supply the heat to the upper floor.

The furnace is 95% efficient, natural gas forced air and the water heater (not yet installed) will be a 60-70 gal. high efficiency to supply plenty of hot water for the home.

With all of the mechanical and insulation installed and inspected, sheetock was delivered on Friday, September 2 and the hangers began their work on Sunday. They should be finished sometime today and the home will be ready for the sheetrock tapers to begin.

Multi Tasking is not only a high tech word. It also suits itself well to construction.
While the plumbing and heating are being installed on the interior of the home, the deck is framed and built. We are using 2X8 pressure treated joists @ 16" on center and screwing down TREX "Accents" decking.

At the same time the windows and doors have been installed and the siding is being applied. First TYVEK is stapled in place and all of the window and door openings are taped and sealed. Then the corner boards are nailed in place as well as the window lintels, trim and sills are installed. All of the window & door lintels are also flashed with 1" "Z" flashing. 2x trim boards are added to the base of each wall and flashed. Hardiplank siding is then nailed and caulked. When the siding is completed the exterior will be ready for the painter.

The exterior front entry has also been completed with the open beams and posts. The base of each post will be framed out and finished with cultured stone. Instead of using hangers to connect the post and beams we used 3/4" Lag Bolts so that there are no metal hangers visible. The underside of the porch will be soffited with Tongue and Grove pine.

THE INTERIOR

This week with the framing done, although the shell is complete we can continue with the other exterior phases of the project. The roofing has been installed and the deck is being framed. When the deck is finished the siding will begin. When you get to this point it can be difficult to keep the various trades from stumbling over each other, but with a little attention it can be done.

Now begins the installation of the inner workings of any home. The Plumbing, the HVAC and the electrical. We like to have the plumbing done first. This way we avoid having the plumber try to maneuver around any wiring that may have been installed. As the plumber nears completion we will have the HVAC (heating-ventilation-air conditioning) installed. Then the electrician will be called in. I am in the process of completing the electrical plan and should be done this week.

Today I also met with our cabinet people to measure up the various rooms that will be receiving cupboards. We measure this early because it will take several weeks to build and finish the cabinets. I have always been a proponent of custom cabinets verses box cabinets that are purchased from a store. This way each area can be custom fitted, down to the inch, to take advantage of the space. No fillers means no wasted space. So it is important to not overlook this timing, otherwise you may be sitting waiting for the cabinets when you are ready for them.

As a design and construction company, we play and important role for each of our clients from the time they bring their ideas to us to design them a new home, all the way through to the handing over the keys to the front door upon completion of the project. This home is currently under the design phase with new changes being implemented. It will be ready soon to move to the budgeting phase where the costs are calculated and financing can be put in place.

If you have any questions regarding your project, no matter what stage you find yourself, we are available to help answer your questions. They can be preliminary questions about costs and permitting, or they can encompass the scope of construction that will be necessary for you to complete your project.

Give us a call (360) 733-7206 or post your inquiry here. Or you can visit our Web Site at www.bdcgreen.com.

Regards and good luck with your project.

John Arthur Anderson

President, Blueprint Design Consultants, Inc.

4071 Hannegan Road, Suite R

Bellingham, WA 98226

John@bdcgreen.com

Building Industry Association of Whatcom County

American Institute of Building Design

National Council of Building Design Certification

Master Builders Association, Design Professional Council

Built Green Member

Now that the shell of the home is nearly finished, we can begin with all of the pick-up framing. This entails all of the sheetrock nailers that need to be added. As well as finishing off the bonus room and dormer. This will be

great added space for the homeowners. It is certainly inexpensive living square footage that would normally be lost to the attic. aIt can be used for any number of purposes such as a guest bedroom, a craft room or a great space for games, ie pool table or ping pong for the kids.

Also the gas firplace has been installed and is ready to be framed in for the finishes that will need to be applied.

After this we will be installing the windows and doors, which were delivered to the site on Friday this past week.

Tomorrow, as well, we will install the deck ledger to the back of the home and begin framing the deck.

The stairs stringers are cut and installed and the treads and risers are nailed down.

The upper floor walls are then layed out and installed.

With the walls braced and ready for trusses we can get the detached garage framed up.