Idle Pine - August and September Construction

Construction Progress
thru September 2004

By the end of July the foundation had been floored over, and posts had been set to support the master bedroom wing and the wrap-around porch. (refresh your recollection here) Progress to this point had been slow, due to subcontractors, weather, and a general dearth of available workers. Jane and I stayed on the lake through the first three weeks of August. Since then I have found excuses to return twice, to stay close to the process. [Each of the images below links to a series of pictures]

The area under the posts for the bedroom wing and the porch next had to be graded. Once Lonnie arrived with the excavator, things went quickly. He built us a beautiful natural rock retaining wall below the porch. He dug a trench out hte driveway (and under the culvert) to the phone pole, for underground utilities. He set in place our septic tank -- the first of two, actually. I suggested rock steps up to the kitchen porch, and the result was teriffic. As he finished up Dave and Frank got to work completing the bedroom and porch floors. The series of (eleven) pictures ends with a shot taken the day we left at the end of the summer.

Heather stayed in Vermont for a few more days, and she took the first few pictures in the next serics, showing the walls starting to go up. By the time I returned on Labor day the walls were up for the whole first floor. After the pictures of the walls going up (they were built on the floor in sections, then stood up) are a series of different perspectives from that visit. The day I was to leave again the three logs were delevered which were to become the posts supporting the roof in our great room. You can see them on the floor in the last shot of the series. Up to this point ALL the carpentry was done by two men.

I asked my builder, Dave Colby, to try to take some pictures in my absence as the construction progressed. These nine pictures he took between September 8th and 30th, and I am grateful for them. They show how he used a crank lift to hoist the posts up on end, and how he secured them temporarily. The thickest one is about 800 lbs. Then he lifted the three sections of ridge beam to their final location about fifteen feet above the deck, and secured them. The ridge beam was the first actual lumber cut from the two pine trees we had removed to make room for the house. Next the rafters were placed. The longer ones are 24 feet long. Then the ridge beam and rafters for the bedroom wing, and finally the porch posts and beams.

I next returned on October 1st. The roof was on the main part of the house and most of the bedroom wing, but not yet the porch. This is a series of nine photos showing the exterior from various perspectives. Even though the roof is incomplete, you can get a good idea of the finished shape. The lake side will be the "front," dominated by windows and the wrap-around covered porch. The west side faces the driveway and the street. It is quite plain, and needs creative landscaping at least. There will be time for that later.

These pictures show off the interior of the house at the beginning of October. The great room is dominated by three massive pine posts, clearly visible in many shots. Three panoramic shots show the views within and from the great room. (these are composites of several adjacent photos) The master bedroom is temporarily visible from the loft.

This final series of pictures shows the porch and some of the views from the house. The northeastern half of the porch will be screened in. I expect we will spend a lot of time there most summers.

Once the wooden (sub)roof is completed work can begin on heating, plumbing, and electric, while we wait for the steel roof installer to find time for us. While he waits for the windows to be fabricated, Dave will cover the holes with plastic so work can proceed as the weather turns colder. I plan to visit again in early December, and will update this page then.

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By the end of July the foundation had been floored over, and posts had been set to support the master bedroom wing and the wrap-around porch. (refresh your recollection here) Progress to this point had been slow, due to subcontractors, weather, and a general dearth of available workers. Jane and I stayed on the lake through the first three weeks of August. Since then I have found excuses to return twice, to stay close to the process. [Each of the images below links to a series of pictures]
The area under the posts for the bedroom wing and the porch next had to be graded. Once Lonnie arrived with the excavator, things went quickly. He built us a beautiful natural rock retaining wall below the porch. He dug a trench out hte driveway (and under the culvert) to the phone pole, for underground utilities. He set in place our septic tank -- the first of two, actually. I suggested rock steps up to the kitchen porch, and the result was teriffic. As he finished up Dave and Frank got to work completing the bedroom and porch floors. The series of (eleven) pictures ends with a shot taken the day we left at the end of the summer.
	Heather stayed in Vermont for a few more days, and she took the first few pictures in the next serics, showing the walls starting to go up. By the time I returned on Labor day the walls were up for the whole first floor. After the pictures of the walls going up (they were built on the floor in sections, then stood up) are a series of different perspectives from that visit. The day I was to leave again the three logs were delevered which were to become the posts supporting the roof in our great room. You can see them on the floor in the last shot of the series. Up to this point ALL the carpentry was done by two men.
I asked my builder, Dave Colby, to try to take some pictures in my absence as the construction progressed. These nine pictures he took between September 8th and 30th, and I am grateful for them. They show how he used a crank lift to hoist the posts up on end, and how he secured them temporarily. The thickest one is about 800 lbs. Then he lifted the three sections of ridge beam to their final location about fifteen feet above the deck, and secured them. The ridge beam was the first actual lumber cut from the two pine trees we had removed to make room for the house. Next the rafters were placed. The longer ones are 24 feet long. Then the ridge beam and rafters for the bedroom wing, and finally the porch posts and beams.
	I next returned on October 1st. The roof was on the main part of the house and most of the bedroom wing, but not yet the porch. This is a series of nine photos showing the exterior from various perspectives. Even though the roof is incomplete, you can get a good idea of the finished shape. The lake side will be the "front," dominated by windows and the wrap-around covered porch. The west side faces the driveway and the street. It is quite plain, and needs creative landscaping at least. There will be time for that later.
These pictures show off the interior of the house at the beginning of October. The great room is dominated by three massive pine posts, clearly visible in many shots. Three panoramic shots show the views within and from the great room. (these are composites of several adjacent photos) The master bedroom is temporarily visible from the loft.
	This final series of pictures shows the porch and some of the views from the house. The northeastern half of the porch will be screened in. I expect we will spend a lot of time there most summers.
Once the wooden (sub)roof is completed work can begin on heating, plumbing, and electric, while we wait for the steel roof installer to find time for us. While he waits for the windows to be fabricated, Dave will cover the holes with plastic so work can proceed as the weather turns colder. I plan to visit again in early December, and will update this page then.