Oct 17

Not a lot has happened in the last two weeks because our crew had to be pulled out for the first week to frame a boathouse which had been planned for completion before the start of this project, but was delayed due to permit problems, and Tyler took time off to get married.

They are back now and the ICF foundation has been put up, inspected and the concrete pour. The first floor exterior wall package has been delivered and the actual framing is starting. In another week it will start to look like a new cottage is happening.

For the uninitiated ICF stands for "Insulate Concrete Form" They are like giant Lego blocks and they assemble like them as well. Each block is 18" high and 96" long. They have 1-5/8" of insulating foam on each side and we add rebar to the inside and fill the cavity with concrete. The resulting wall is very strong, and has insulation value twice better than a wood frame wall. This is perfect for this cottage because it will protect the floor from the cold and frost and will make the heated concrete floor much more efficient.

The following pictures show some of the steps in building the foundation. The high wall at the back is to protect from the elevated back filling from the septic installation in the back yard.

 

Once the concrete was poured into the ICF blocks the foundation was ready to start the framing or building of the cottage

The area in the middle will be a heated concrete floor which will only be poured after the cottage is all framed and the roof is up.  At that time heating pipes will be added to the floor over insulating foam,  the concrete will be poured and the main floor interior walls will be added.

In the meantime the lumber to frame the walls and the second floor of the cottage is now on site and this week the guys will start to frame the structure.  Weather permitting, next week at this time we will be able to see the main floor walls all framed up.