Day 6 - Trusses

We took the morning off.  Ramey couldn't be here until after lunch so we took advantage of the break for a little R&R.  (When Rick got up this morning he asked if anyone and gotten the license of the truck that hit him <G> - we have all been working VERY hard!)  Then it was back to it.  We had one truss left to do before we had to get the beam up across the garage opening.  We had left that until last so that we could still get the tractor in and out but today was the day to get the beam finished.

Second beam going into place.

A perfect fit!

Third beam up.

All done! and looking beautiful.  We have wonderful decorative brackets to put up and I'll post a picture once that is done.  But for now, it's on to the last three trusses.

All big trusses done!  Ramey takes a much deserved break.

Except for 8 small trusses that need to be installed on the hip end (which Rick and I can do ourselves) and a rafter that Rick needs to make to go over the garage where the ladder goes, the roof trusses are DONE!  This has been quite a week.

One of the reasons I have always wanted to build our own house is so that our energy and the energy of our friends would be embedded in it.  I wanted to be able to walk in my house and feel the presence of all who helped work on it.  My fantasy has always been that we could make that a reality.  I now know that to be true!  I can already feel that energy!  Dennis said that in a year or so, we would forget all this hard work at this particular stage.  That the house would be done and that's what we would feel. I do not believe that.  Already as I walk through what is becoming our home, I remember every phase.  What we did and what we had help with and who helped us.  I think those memories will always be with me and that's what will make this a very special place to live and share our lives with others.  And it's what is making this experience so wonderful.

Now I think I'll take a break.  I'm pooped!!!

Day 4 - Trusses

We continue our slow but steady progress on the trusses.

Moving a diagonal into place.  These were almost as big as the regular trusses and more difficult to get placed.

Our helper Kris, getting the truss into place.

Time to break for lunch.

Back to it.

Hey, Kris!   Having fun?

Here I'm standing in what will be the office looking toward the living/dinning room.  It's really fun to finally get a sense of space.

Day 5 - placing the first of the garage trusses.  These are attic trusses which will allow us to have a nice large storage area over the garage.  Thank goodness for Ramey (truss angel #2) and his tractor (truss angel #3 <g>)

Here I'm standing in the living room looking toward the garage.  My big adobe wall is on the right.

Dos Amigos - Dennis and Kris at the end of another hard but productive day.

Me and Dennis who will be leaving us on Sunday.  It has been wonderful having him here and helping!

Mas Amigos - Dennis and Rick

Pooped home owners/builders.

End of day 5

In the morning light from our road.

We are soooo grateful for the help of our friends.  We have done a lot by ourselves but we would not have been able to do these trusses alone!  We are truly blessed!!!!

Four more trusses left to do!

Truss Instillation

Day Three 

Today we have more help - Chris.  A strapping young guy who turned out to be a god send.

Here are the guys "bonding" before the start of work.

The first truss of the day going up.

The morning's work - all the trusses over the bed/bath area are up.  It is really awesome to see the change in the house.  The scale is totally different. My big adobe wall that has always seemed so massive now looks just right.  And you can walk around inside and get a much better sense of the volume of the place.  What a trip!

The big challenge of the day - putting up the big diagonal truss.  Here we are moving the first of 4 pieces into place.  When all is done, it will be a big four-ply truss.

First of four pieces in place.

Here's Rick nailing the first two pieces together.

All four are finally in place. Here Rick's securing it with a 2 x 6 so the wind won't blow it over.  Getting all four pieces up and secured took as long as getting all the trusses up over the bed/bath rooms.  Big challenge but it's done.

This is where the dinning room and living room will be.  The ceiling will be vaulted and at the peak it will be 14'!

End of day 3.

Day 4

We were all pretty tired (except for Dennis).  Rick had a job due, Ramey had something he needed to do in the morning and my feet needed a rest so Dennis and I went into town to get some nails we needed for the hurricane clips.  We spent the afternoon nailing them on - they help hold the trusses to the bond beam.  Up to this point I have done a lot of nailing but today I hit the same finger THREE times - ouch!!!  Oh well, so it goes.  Thank goodness for my Joint COMfort salve!

Seeing the roof trusses go up I am in total awe of what Rick has done.  He designed our house and that included figuring out this roof.  I am also immensely relieved that the trusses are fitting!  That means that all my obsessing over measurements between walls at the foundation stage worked!  Whew!

We have been dreaming of this house for a very long time.  It is truly an amazing experience to see our dream finally becoming a reality.  We have a long way yet to go but the progress so far is awesome.

Going Up!

Let me catch you up on what we've been doing the last couple of weeks.  First we needed to check out the big bridge beam that we had planned on using on the garage opening.  Unfortunately, there was too much rot to use it so we had to order some beams for our local saw mill.  We spent a couple of days doing the notching in preparation for installation.

Then we took delivery of the OSB for the roof sheathing and the trusses!

When our friend Ramey got here with his tractor, we decided that we needed to wait to put the beams up so that he could get inside the garage with the trusses.

Then it was time to start putting the trusses up!

Moving the first truss!  This is part of the big truss that will go across the dinning room/living room so it will be set aside until needed.

The big trusses.

Moving the first truss to go up.

First truss up!

Aerial view of first truss.

First day's work.

Rick with our two truss angels Ramey on the left and Dennis (our friend from San Diego) on the right.  This part of the project would not have happened without them!  We are truly grateful!!!

End of day two.  Tired but happy.

Moving the first truss of day 2.

Day two's work.  It was my job to be on top of the scaffolding to pull the truss vertical with a rope and then secure it to the other trusses.  Rick and Dennis then secured them to the bond beam.

Dennis - our truss angel #1

Dennis and Ramey (truss angel #2)

Aerial view of day two's work.

WHEW!

What a difference the trusses are making in how the whole house feels!  It's pretty amazing to now be able to walk under a real roof and feel how the space is becoming.