Team Work

We continue to inch along with the instillation of the OSB roof decking.  This is a big/hard job.  Those sheets of OSB are heavy and unwieldy and they have to go UP a long way. It became obvious very quickly that Working Together - understanding where the other person is and where they are going and what they are doing and what you need to do -  was the only way this job was going to get done with just the two of us.  Rick works on the outside using the extension ladder and cleats screwed on to the decking.  I'm inside on top of the scaffolding.  Rick pushes the OSB up, I grab it and pull the rest of the way then we nail it on together.  Then move the scaffolding, the gizmo and ladder, grab another piece of OSB and up it goes. Sometimes we can get two pieces up before moving the gizmo and ladder but the scaffolding has to be moved each time - and it's a heavy sucker!!! Moving all the bits actually takes as long - if not longer - then the actual instillation but it has to be done.  We are finally getting into a rhythm though, so it's going a little faster.

A note here:  You might ask why we don't hire some help?  Well, we've talked about it and the truth is that money is a real factor in this whole project.  We are really trying to do this and pay as we go.  It is going to cost a lot to get the electrical done (Rick decided that that was one piece of the project he really didn't want to do so we are hiring someone for that) so anywhere we can save will mean more money in the "electrical kitty."  And - we really do want to see how much we can do ourselves.  We will not, however, turn away offered help.

So, piece by piece the roof decking is going up.

North side

West side

East side

These pictures represent about five days work.

Our friends Steve & Karen (they own the property with us) came up for the weekend and we were able to get a lot more done!  It makes a huge difference having two more sets of hands and eyes and working together was a breeze!

This picture just shows what a bunch of old farts can do when they put their minds to it.

Everyone who helps on the house gets to sign it somewhere.  Here's Karen adding her signature.

 After a weekend of work great progress has been made!  Thanks guys!

Two more days work and we've finished the second course on the north side of the house.  While the monsoon rains have started to diminish for the time being the afternoons are now starting to get hot again.  (It was 90° when we stopped for the day today.)  It's baking up there on the roof - not good for us old folks - so we decided that for the time being we will work in the mornings, get all set up for the next day's work after lunch so that we're not up there in the heat of the day.  Our goal is to complete the decking and get the framing inspection done before August 28th when our friend Dennis will be back to help with the rest of the roofing - which I think is doable.  Wish us luck!