Roofing Saga Continues

One thing I am learning in this house-building adventure is not to estimate the time it will take us to do any given job - especially when it's a job we've never done!  I was really hoping that we could get the roof finished while our friend was here but it's a much bigger project than I imagined!  We have managed to get about 75% of it done, though, and for that I'm grateful!

Once we got the underlayment done it was on to the metal roofing.  Rick constructed a giant triangle out of 1 x 4s to help us get the first piece on square.

Here's Rick and Dennis marking for the first piece of metal roofing.

We decided to pre-drill to make attachment easier, and it sure did!

A couple of things we learned:  Use the best drill bits you can find.  We went through many before we learned this!  Second:  Only pre-drill 4 or 5 sheets at a time.  This not only makes the drilling process easier, thus saving the bits but we realized that we had to reverse where the holes went when we moved to the east and south sides of the roof due to the way the panels have to overlap.  If we'd drilled all of the panels first we would have been in trouble!

First panel going up!

Dennis, the Roof Angel.

End of the first day of metal roofing instillation.

Rick and Dennis making a template to use when cutting the panels for the hip and valley sections.

We decided, however, to continue installing full sheets to take full advantage of Dennis' help to get as much done as possible before he had to leave.  Cutting and installing the panels on the hips and valley will be a much more time consuming process.

While Dennis was here we finished the west roof and started on the south roof.

Rick and I finished the south roof.

And the east roof by ourselves.

Now the adobe walls have protection!  This is looking out the front door.

This picture was taken on August 29 before we started the underlayment.

Twelve days later we almost have a roof!

Rick has to go to California this week so we will not be able to work until he gets back. We still have the hips and valley to do plus the ridge cap but hopefully that will only take us a few days - once we get a system figured out.

We have talked to our straw bale supplier and hope to have our bales delivered soon then it will be on to the next step.  Hopefully we can get the walls up and protected before the first snows!

NOTE:  A year ago when we started on the foundation I spent many sleepless nights worrying about getting the house square.  One reads so much about how being off just a little bit at the beginning gets magnified as the process progresses.  What would we find when we got to the truss instillation?  Would the roof panels fit squarely?  I am happy - and relieved - to say that our house seems to be good and square!!!  Whew!

Button 'er up!

On August 28 we had - and PASSED - our framing inspection!  There were so many things I was worried about and the inspector didn't say anything about any of them.  He looked everything over, told Rick it looked good and to go ahead and "button her up".  So that's what we're doing now.

Our friend Dennis of "roof truss angel" fame returned to help us with this next phase - which is to get the underlayment up, flashing in place and metal roofing installed.  Our friend Steve came back to help as well.  We've spent the last four days doing the underlayment.

Dennis is a California guy <g>

First course of underlayment going on.

Steve and Dennis hard at work.

Dennis and Steve taking a well deserved break.

This is the garage area.  Behind Dennis is the start of the house proper.  He is standing in the doorway which will open into our sunspace.  The bedroom will be to the right.  There's a real sense of volume now.

We got the first three courses of underlayment up without too much difficulty but how to reach and tack down that last course - that was the question and I ended up thinking about it at 4 AM.  Here's what I came up with.

We found some really cool ladder hooks on line that attach to the top of the ladder and allows the ladder to hook over the peak of the roof thus giving a stable structure from which to work.

I decided I needed a "hands free" method of unrolling the underlayment so I threaded a couple of lengths of bailing twine through the tube.  Tied the tube to the ladder at the correct height . . .

which then allowed me to move the ladder and unroll the paper at the same time.  I was able to reach about 3 feet and climbing up and down the ladder allowed me to get to all the tacking marks.

Here I am snugging the paper in place.  This method worked like a charm.  I was able to do one section - by myself - in a little over an hour.  Hard work though.

Dennis finishing up the last few feet of underlayment.

Steve and Rick installing the purlins at the eaves of the house.

Dennis and Rick starting the instillation of the drip flashing.  We're finally on to the metal bits and hope to start the final roofing material tomorrow.

This has been really hard work but we've accomplished a lot in a few days and hope to get a good start on the metal roof before Dennis leaves.

This has been a huge job!  One that certainly would have taken a whole lot longer without the help of friends!  I will be SOOOOO glad when the roof is done and I don't have to climb up there any more!