Studio Progress - May 12, 2007

My photo records show the detail on the foundation work which seemed to take forever. After the foundation was dug we got more snow and then melt and mud. The foundation concrete pour was done on April 18th and then more snow. I think I was very frustrated at this point but then in just a few days more progress is made.

Studio Progress May 12, 2007 from Y!360 Blog.



As you can see from the above photo we are "above ground" as it were but not yet topped out. There is no roof yet. If it looks "lacy" it is because of all the windows that will one day soon occupy those spaces.

Working as an electrician I generally see construction projects when the foundations are being laid and we are putting in temporary power and sleeving where main feeds or any in the slap runs. And then we don't return to site until the contractor has his framing inspection and we are boxing and pulling wires for future receptacles and switches and fixtures.

As such this construction project just outside my window has been very informative. They do the walls totally lying down. Even sheath then with composition board before lifting them into place. With my little studio they did the front and back walls and braced them while constructing the front wall on the sub-flooring and lifting it to brace the other two. Then they furred out the wall which abuts to my house to provide better support than tying in to my house. Roof beams are next.

Construction projects are rather like a mambo; slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, slow, slow. This always throws owners because after seeing very fast progress, at last after the incredibly slow foundation, they expect the project is going to speed up and they will be done and moved in before they know it. Generally they have always set some date like the ten year family reunion or Thanksgiving when they just must be in the totally completed and appropriately decorated house. A good contractor generally tries to let them know this probably won't happen and they should plan on Aunt Mabel's place instead for the wedding, etc.

Then when things go back to slow they are really frustrated and just sure someone is dragging their heels. They don't see how much work is going on in the walls or attic or crawl space. They don't understand the labor intensiveness of a few wires in the wall. They really don't get the time it takes to trim out. Or the construction industry's own version of Waiting for Godot, the building, electrical, plumbing inspectors.

But for now things go fast. And one of the goals I know as an insider is just ahead is "weathered in" because this is when us electricians again get access to the site. At that time it will have windows and a roof because electricians hate working in the rain even if we do work in the dark.

I get to do my magic and wire this studio the way I want. And one thing I know from long experience is there is never enough light or enough outlets if you go just by code. You can always not turn a light on but if it isn't there you are out of luck. I will even punch through the common wall into the kitchen and add another badly needed circuit there. And the whole addition will be on the sub-panel that currently handles my well, and septic system. There is a transfer switch and generator in the future that will allow all that and the studio to work when we have power outages here in the high country.

So all that is probably TMI (too much information) and you will probably be bored at other progress points I feel a need to communicate. I am considering writing (and hopefully selling) and article on remodels and/or passive solar design and execution so you are just my trial audience.