Spring has come and we've been enjoying our lives, and working on our home as time permits. One big project that has been worrying Brad for two years was the gas installation. Several discussions were held with the building department about the suitability of unit heaters in a residence. Some environmental codes want supplied combustion air for gas appliances in a residence When the residence is so large the considerations are different from a health and safety standpoint, and from an engineering standpoint. We installed our small unit heater in our large bay area and got it hooked up with a large outdoor gas tank.

We had a leased gas tank installed. They come out and fill it up whenever we phone in.

Here is a view of the LP pressure regulator on the side of our house. I had to dig an 18 inch deep trench out to the tank from here. It was mostly rock and hard digging. Pick and shovel, mostly pick and pry bar.

I took time off from the building construction to work on my RV and repair the problems we had on our summer trip last year. It was only running on about 6 cylinders by the time we got it home from New Mexico last August. It turned out to be some ignition problems combined with a problem in the pollution control equipment. I sorted it all out, replaced the ignition, and it runs fine now. I had the radiator recored while it was out of the vehicle. Summer is coming. Camping time is near.

Justin came to visit at the end of May and helped a lot. We put up R-30 insulation between the furring strips in bays 3 and 4. My plan is to finish the ceiling and high walls completely before starting on the lower rooms. Once the lower walls are put in I won't be able to get my scissor lift around under the ceiling so it needs to be completed, painted and lights hung first.

Insulation is progressing

I took this pic of Justin during our insulation work. He's very professional at all this.

It takes 48 sheets of sheetrock for each bay ceiling, plus the walls. We phoned for pricing on delivery and then hauled our own. My pickup carries 60 sheets without trouble, about 3,200 lbs.

Justin and I began hanging sheetrock on the ceiling at the NW corner of the building. My plan is to completely finish ceilings on bays 3 and 4 before beginning room partitians below. Our scissor lift platform is 5 feet by 12 feet, and won't fit through a regular door. Once the room partitions are done, it's walled out, so high work has to be completed before the low work. I'm leaving bay 2 until bays 3 and 4 are fully completed. Bay 2 has the future kitchen and living room. Bay 3 is the library and studies. Bay 4 is the master bedroom, closets, laundry, and bathroom.

One sheet at a time the sheetrock goes up.

All the construction tools, materials, etc., have been crammed into bay 2 while bays 3 and 4 are cleared for work. Here we take a much deserved break between putting up sheetrock. I'm not used to 8 hour days of manual labor. While Justin was here all I did was work, eat, and sleep.

We put up 133 sheets on the ceilings and walls in 2 bays.

As soon as the sheetrock is screwed to the ceiling its time for taping. We bought 20 boxes of mud and 5 rolls of tape. Justin is a lot faster than I am.

Once the tape is on, it gets the 2nd or "bedding" coat.

Justin and I took Friday off for some rest. A lot of work was done in the 2 weeks he was here. I finished the 3rd coat by myself the following week. It's a lot harder getting motivated without someone else to work with.

Well that's about it for this page. I'm plugging along on the ceiling. Maybe some spray texture and paint next.